The Living Essence Urban Oasis is a centre for mindfulness-based living in tranquil, elegant urban surrounds.
We offer the place, people and practices that teach and support people in finding solace in daily overwhelming, overloaded living, and to make changes that enable well-being, focus, creativity and greater effectiveness in relationships and life contribution. Essentials include:
· Retreating from the demands of professional and personal endeavours
· Rejuvenation in the middle of a busy day or overwhelming week
· Being close to nature, yet in your home town
· Unplugging
· A sanctuary for alone time
· Practices taught for daily living and greater contribution in life
· Supported by practitioners who embody this way of being
· Personal coaching or group facilitation
· Stylish accommodation for those choosing to stay over
Living Essence as a coaching and mindfulness business was founded by Liza Stead in 2004. Over time the calling grew stronger and the dream of having a dedicate place came to fruition.
For many years Liza had been retreating and taking solo trips to replenish away from frenetic activity and crowds. She discovered glorious retreat centres in South Africa and traveled to beautiful destinations on the African continent to participate in group yoga and silent meditation retreats.
Liza often grappled with what to pack to take along on these trips… heaps of books, journal, sketch book, devices, yoga mat, walking shoes, running shoes. She observed how often she’d load activities and experiences into these “retreats”. Aware of the frenetic activity in her daily life and inner world, deliberately, uncomfortably, she embarked on the pursuit of doing less; allowing space and time for non-doing and unplugging from technology for periods of time. This often felt e x c r u c i a t i n g and the practices that helped her in this were meditation, yoga and walking. This enabled Liza to work with her mind, body and emotions and gradually, she found that she began to change. She felt different on the inside - calmer, more content and more resilient, despite the pressures at work and home. After she and her husband experienced a terrifying assault during a home invasion, they found that meditation helped in the recovery process.
A few years on, we moved into a beautiful new home in a leafy suburb, charmed by trees, flowers, bees, butterflies and birds. It was the culmination of a dream that started to germinate until it was something that could no longer be ignored. What came to life in this place is what Liza had longed for. Together we created The Urban Oasis, a haven of tranquility and calm in the city. It’s a place where people come to withdraw from their usual routine and the noise and demands of daily life, to be alone and quiet, unplugged, and to find their way back to life, replenished. We guide people in integrating mindfulness practices into daily living.
We feel privileged to be stewards of this special place. In magical ways, practitioners of coaching and mindfulness practices, and writers and professionals, have found their way to us to use our venue for their endeavours. We provide Mini-Retreats which can either be solo or supported on weekday mornings and afternoons, and groups on Saturdays throughout the year - five hours of soulful time. We also have stylish accommodation for those wanting to stay over.
