citta collective

\\ stretch series volume 02.

Shoulder opening —
Mobility and space through shoulder girdle.
Release of tight muscles and fascia.

01 Chest Opener
02 Triceps Release
03 Eagle Pose Arms
04 Cow Face Pose Arms

In the morning move with ease from one pose to the next in a flow to bring warmth, mobility and blood flow into body and mind.
In the evening invite yourself to pause and rest in each pose for 30 seconds to give the tissue the opportunity to let go of tension.


by for citta collective

\\ winter swims.

If you have been at our retreat or community class, you know we love a good cold dip. It's all the feelings for us, that we get while and after doing the the ocean swims, the ice bath, the cold shower or the face cold immersion.
And we can't talk enough about the endless benefits we can get out of regular cold immersion.

~ improved blood flow in every cell of the body, which improves overall circulation and cardiovascular health

~ enhanced immune system, which help us especially in winter to fight off the colds that wait on every corner

~ reduced inflammation and pain relief. whether it's related to an injury, intense training or chronic condition

~ enhanced mood and mental clarity and reduced stress. all tight back to the change of hormone levels and neurotransmitter responses in the body.

~ elevated sleep quality, as the circadian rhythm, sleep hormones and nervous system become more balanced.

~ improved metabolism. the cold kick can activate brown fat cells (the good fat cells), which help to burn calories and generate heat, which is found being a supporter of weight loss and reduced risk of diabetes.

and many more benefits.

If you need a buddy to get the cold journey started, come and join our community classes on Monday and Tuesday on Clovelly Beach.
Our Pilates trainer and founder hasn't missed a morning without a cold shower for 18 years and will guide you slowly into the cold dip.

\\ slowing down.

a small visual diary of the 4 days, when we gathered with 9 beautiful souls on bundjalung country.
coming together to deepen the relationship with our own consciousness, nurture the curiosity of our senses, rejuvenate our inner and outer being.

we are beyond grateful for the bliss, laughter, moments of silence, vulnerability and forever lasting connections.

| nourished by the fresh produce of local farms.
| welcome goodie bags filled with the most amazing self-care products of friends & collaborators
| matcha making ceremony
| the breath and the ice. a highlight and favourite.
our host and chef *ta_ didn't miss out on diving in too.
| we loved witnessing our guests growing from guided into own sunrise rituals.
| dynamic morning pilates to enhance the deep burn and spirit.
| the joy of detoxing, most delicious food and not having to cook.
| restorative pilates and meditation in the golden sunsets.
| kitchari as one of our ayurvedic macrobiotic soul foods.

REALIGN 2024

\\ REALIGN is now sold out.

if you have missed out, we are back for this pilates. breath. ice. retreat early next year in the hinterland of northern NSW .carool

to be the first to know when we launch the dates and to get access to early bird spots SIGN UP TO THE REALIGN 2025 WAITLIST VIA LINK IN BIO .

__

(and keep your eyes open for our next reveal in a couple of weeks.)

\\ it was when I stopped searching for home within others and lifted the foundations of home within myself I found there were no roots more intimate than those between a mind and body that have decided to be whole.

— rupi kaur.
home body.


sculpture by carl andre.
tin ribbon. 1969.

\\ rejuvenate by Jodi .spa.menu

For the healing touch and to dive deeper into the bliss of our own being, we welcome Jodi at the REALIGN retreat. In her unique massages she weaves an innate sense and understanding for body work and years of experience in some of the world's best health retreats and day spas together.

Immerse into a relaxing massage. With the intention to de-stress, release muscles tension and areas of pain, this healing touch, using curated healing oils, allows increased circulation, mobility and freedom in our bodies.

Our massages use acupressure on specific meridians in the body to stimulate the healing journey, focus on key energy points and enable deep relaxation. With the focus on individual body history and conditions this treatment will be a learning experience of self-care in a calming time and space.

rejuvenate with .spa.menu
products by

\\ it's our birthday.

citta collective has officially turned one.
thank you for coming along for the ride with us — we are beyond grateful for all your support, trust, curiosity and our adventures together. we wouldn't change it for the world.

if you have just discovered us, there is so much on the horizon — our very own wellness store, ongoing learning program, day retreats and more retreats coming soon...

Xx
Elaine

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR OUR BIRTHDAY GIVE AWAY.
(once we are back from our retreat.)

\\ retreat dreams.


image via

\\ season change.

With autumn having well and truly arrived, we welcome a new phase of life's natural cycle. As nature goes through cycles, so do we - they are vital for the continuation of life. When we feel balanced and well, this time of year can be rich with creativity and inner inspiration. This is a time for calming down, focusing inward, and nurturing and comforting ourselves.

Within Ayurvedic wisdom, autumn is a time of transformation and lack. It is easy to become deficient in nutrients, energy and emotional strength during this time.
We need extra rest during this time of seasonal change to keep everything in balance.

How we love to adjust.

~ light yoga stretches
~ walking at least ½ hour daily
~ keeping a regular daily routine, with meals, sleep, exercise and meditation at the same time every day (if possible)
~ warm soothing and easy digestible meals (increased fibre, root vegetables, legumes and spices)
~ celebrating and welcoming the time after work with a candle, palo santo and warm tea
~ going to bed early (well before 10:00 pm) and rise before 6:00 am.

How do you like to celebrate and adjust to autumn?

\\ hiding away.

When we think of escaping into the hinterlands we imagine expansive green hills and valleys, the ocean in shimmering distance, an abundance of fresh air, the sunrise bathing expansive farmlands into golden light and cosy fireplaces to wind down on.

Set on a hill and yet tucked away in the Northern Rivers Hinterland in NSW, Hillside Carool, a former winery and now private sanctuary has all of this - our home for the REALIGN retreat.

It’s the venues elevated position, the expansion from a curated garden, pool and spa into rolling meadows and boasting rows of grape vines, that create a feeling of space. With a dedicated attention to detail, the owners created a homestead that invites to get cosy, to connect and to venture at the same time.

We have one room left for this retreat .carool

REALIGN
a pilates. breath. ice. retreat.
11 - 14 may 2024


impressions of REALIGN 2023

\\ acknowledgement & giving back at REALIGN.

Dedicated to taking care of our 3 homes - our body, our mind, our planet earth - we align our offerings and collaborations around our conscious, environmental and ethical values.

~ at each retreat we host, we practice consideration, acknowledgement and respect to the land and water we visit and it's traditional owners.

~ 'giving back' and 'minimising impact' are therefore two strong foundations of citta collective.

Slide across to read more about how and where we see our responsibility for the upcoming May retreat in the Hinterland of northern NSW.

\\ sunday mood.


Fabio Lenci.
Fauteuil.1967.

\\ to seek is to expand.

\\ stretch series volume 01.

Hip opening.
Length and space through pelvis.
Flow to release leg and back fascia.

01 Warrior One
02 Reverse Warrior
03 Triangle Pose

In the morning move with ease from one pose to the next in a flow to bring warmth, mobility and blood flow into body and mind.
In the evening invite yourself to pause and rest in each pose for 30 seconds to give the tissue the opportunity to let go of tension.


by for citta collective

\\ rituals.

An invitation to purpose, renewal, celebration.
At our retreats we like to unfold the rituals to rejuvenate with the scents from

\\ leisure pleasure.


Martine Franck.
Swimming pool designed by Alain Cappeileres.
La Brusc. France. 1970.

\\ light.

A simple tool, but its effects are so underrated or underestimated.
Light has a big impact on our mood, energy, appetite, performance and overall mental and physical wellbeing.

When we expose ourselves to just 5-10min morning sunlight, we can influence our hormonal level (increased cortisol), our metabolism and circadian clock to work in our favour with a reduced stress and anxiety level throughout the day, reduced hunger, improved immune response and better rhythm when to be awake and alert and when to be asleep.
(Sorry for everyone on shiftwork, in winter or overcast its gotta be 15-20min after you wake up)

In the evenings we want to signalise our brain to slow down and get sleepy. For this we do need an increase in our melatonin - the sleep hormone. Spending about 30min in the low evening sunlight, using warmer softer room lighting, reducing screen/blue light and trying red light therapy (perhaps in your local sauna) support a lower cortisol and higher melatonin, so a better circadian rhythm and sleep.

Not to forget - those afternoon sun rays can improve libido too...


want to learn more?
sign up to the waitlist for our ongoing learning platform on our website.
coming soon.

\\ nourish by *ta_

With her roots in Japan, Yui’s food philosophy is based on holistic nourishment for body, mind and soul. Using organic ingredients and drawing wisdom from her Japanese culture and studies of macrobiotics, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, she created Uchimama, a Sydney based private chef service.

We visited Yui at home and had some relaxing time in her breezy, lush veggie and herb garden, dreamed up delicious recipes for our next retreat together and indulged into the yummiest matcha ice cake.

At our REALIGN retreat Yui will not just spoil us with incredible nourishment and refreshments, but also offer some optional classes:
~ Get to know the matcha making ceremony
~ Learn how to easily build a plant based meal, bursting of nutritious and easy to prep ingredients (ideal for those week night dinners, when we tend to opt in for fast solutions)
~ Peak over Yui's shoulder while she cooks for us and ask her anything about ayurvedic superfoods, how to organise and plan your meals to achieve your health goals and how to fit it all well into a busy life.

\\ move by

Elaine is the founder of citta collective. Being the host, creator and Pilates teacher of our retreats, she connects the puzzle pieces of over 12 years in Pilates, Physiotherapy, Personal training and managing events around wellness and health.

In her unique classes she cultivates a Pilates experience that allows tuning into our bodies, uncovering and balancing out muscle imbalances, replenishing body awareness and accessing areas that need extra nurture through movement and a renowned deep burn.

At our next REALIGN retreat we will dive together into dynamic and restorative Pilates, a workshop on learnings from Ayurveda and ancient practices for modern sustainable wellbeing, mindful personal intention setting and an exploration of meditation.

\\ rituals.

awaken curiosity about your wellbeing, your path and your endeavours and immerse yourself into our four core pillars and rituals.

\\ move.
\\ nourish.
\\ rejuvenate.
\\ grow.

the rituals you get to explore at each of our retreats in different ways.
we curate the time and space for experiences.
it is for each of us to then take home findings, answers, tools and then dive into conscious habits and routines, that can actually last and make a difference to the quality of our lives.

stay tuned to discover the what, who and how behind each pillar for our upcoming REALIGN retreat.
or have a sneak peak on our website.

\\ who would benefit from the REALIGN retreat.

We often get stuck in the daily grind without having a minute to breathe, enjoy, reflect, reorientate. When our bodies show us a red flag with fatigue, illness and other signs, it is time to make space and time to slow down and realign.

This retreat allows us to step away from our daily responsibilities and see ourselves, each other, our assumptions, actions and environment with a wider lens and from a different perspective. It moves us from status quo into a fresh and rewarding new way of being.

It's for you to explore different ways of self care, recovery and time off. All parts of our retreat are well guided through, very easy to explore and still optional to participate in. Everything we do is based on no pre-requisites, no judgement, no competition, no necessary experience in Pilates, breath work or ice baths. We are inclusive for all levels of age, activity and gender.

If you feel stuck, need some change, need to talk, we are always happy to assist with anything to make this the most amazing experience for you.

\\ summer in sydney.


on film for

\\ sleep.

The nectar of life.
(it's not coffee, like most of us think).

By getting both, the quantity of around 7-8hrs and good quality of sleep we are all much better humans.
But what is good sleep and why does it play such a big role for our wellbeing, mood, energy level, performance, memory, health, ageing, longevity and more? And a much more burning question: How do we get good sleep in other words practice sleep hygiene?

Learning about the life elixir 'sleep', plays a big role in our retreats, day retreats and ongoing learning program.

Here is a glimpse of our founders favourite sleep hygiene tips:

~ Eat more bananas and walnuts
(to support sleep regulating hormone production)
~ Find a regular bed time and wake time
(to not mess with the circadian rhythm)
~ Have a light dinner and ideally no alcohol
(disruptive for brain and body to focus on deep restorative sleep)
~ Listen to binaural beats to influence the brain waves and enhance falling asleep or achieve a deeper sleep
(reach out if you would like our own binaural beats playlist)
~ Use essential oils to wind down
(pillow spray or diffuser)
~ Reduce stimulating noises, lights, screens, rapid eye movements aka scrolling 1-2 before going to bed
~ Try an eye mask for sleeping
(game changer)

\\ we love to support who you are, where you are in your journey and what you believe in.

our retreats and events are inclusive of all people regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs.


image by the talented

Featuring one part of his project 'The Day After Tomorrow' - portraying the patience of striving for an idea of the self as a young man in today’s world.
"You begin to seek the truth, be vulnerable and honest about yourself and slowly find your true colours. This is a beautiful and complex process to appreciate and to enjoy, it will not always be rosy and peachy but at the end of the day you'll find peace during the process – if not today, if not tomorrow then eventually the day after tomorrow."

we love this.

\\ life is an echo.
what you send out comes back.
what you sow, you reap.
what you see in others, exists in you.

zig ziglar.

\\ the gift card.

perfect for someone you deeply care about.
a gift of being well and caring for self.

this gift card can be redeemed for our coming retreats, day retreats, community classes or wellness concept store (launching soon).

choose a value of $25, 50, 100, 150 or 200.
..and don't forget to be your own valentine.
for

\\ hiatus series volume 02.spaces ~ massages, treatments and bath house in byron bay and melbourne.

introducing our series of places we like to spend time at to restore our body and mind.

comma stands for taking a moment to breathe, regenerate, find calm, and begin again.
it's a place where time flies a little slower and calmer, allowing to fully immerse into a beautifully curated treatment offering and bath house experience.

our founders personal favourite massage: the 'last resort' with detoxifying body clay, plant extracts oils and a warm lymphatic massage. hmmmm...

\\ dates are almost finalised for our next retreat REALIGN 2024 .carool

as soon as everything is set in stone we will share dates, itinerary, inclusions and rates - first in our REALIGN 2024 waitlist, then in our newsletter and then here.

if you want to be amongst the very first to know and want to spoil yourself (and your favourite +1) with early bird tickets, please sign up to our waitlist via the link in bio.

a small hint: there are only 7 rooms at the stunning .carool

\\ the art of creative living (and gentle living).
source: pinterest/unfortunately unknown
(if anyone knows author please let us know)

\\ moments.

this year is for us more than ever about finding pleasure and purpose in simplicity and small things in life - exploring and living the presence with all our senses, lighting up someone else, practicing all love languages, appreciating and nurturing our three homes - our body, our mind, our planet earth.