Healing after trauma is a difficult process and many of us keep that trauma in our bodies and mind without ever healing, only learning to survive. Quest for Life, based in Bundanoon with over nine acres of gardens, is a safe haven for wounded souls and people looking to learn more about life alike. Petrea King, the founder, asks only for you to be open and come with a curious mind as the wonderful mentors gently guide you through the program.

They offer an array of different courses, the one that I participated in was directly for people dealing with PTSD. By the end of the five day, four night week we had had 16 sessions surrounding an array of topics as well as fantastic feasts of locally grown produce, private counselling sessions, plenty of meditations and friends for life.

Meditating has never been something I've been able to gravitate towards and I didn't really understand how it could be beneficial especially in this fast-paced world. Being able to clear your mind is something that I felt wasn't attainable until I was able to be walked through it. One of our fabulous mentors, Kate, explained “Meditation isn't about having a clear mind, it's about acknowledging those thoughts and letting them pass.” Meditating doesn't have to be sitting down in peace and clearing your mind for hours, in fact eight minutes a day can have a profound impact. Meditating can be as simple as bringing yourself back into the present moment using mindfulness and ‘when in doubt, breathe out.’ 

We also had some fabulous speakers, including Aussie icon Anthony Ackroyd who walked us through the benefits of laughter. Though I hadn't heard of him before, being a Gen-X Kiwi, I quickly learned of his accolades as a comedian and his wonderful stories of clowning in hospitals to bring the spirits up of children and dementia patients. In my group of 15, our laughter could be heard towns away. He says that even uttering the words “today i'll laugh more easily and more often” in the mornings, can help bring you more laughter, and explained to us how beneficial laughter really is. 

The food was a highlight, all local and fresh, with as much grown on-site as they could. We had Thai barramundi, honey mustard chicken, avocado mango salad, and fresh juices, just to name a few. My body was thanking me by the end of the week. Food is a massive factor to keeping a healthy life and mind. Petrea, Quest For Life's founder sat with us to discuss dietary health, one of her key notes was to try eating SLOW - Seasonal, Local, Organic and Wholefoods for overall dietary health. 

Without a doubt there was something special in the air, when on our final night there was a power outage in the middle of our session. One of my new friends pulled out his guitar and led us all to sing the night away. Three of us sang original songs for the group and we all became closer. The power of music is irrefutable and without the care and trust formed in our group, we may not have had the courage to perform for one another. I'm very thankful we did, as I now have 15 beautiful friends for life, who I may never have crossed paths with in my regular day to day life. This unplanned unity solidified friendships, providing an unexpected but meaningful conclusion to our transformative week.

In the end, Quest for Life offered more than a retreat; it provided a practical journey towards healing and forming connections. The laughter, the mindful practices, and the shared experiences have left a lasting impact, making this sanctuary a place where genuine bonds are forged amidst the process of rediscovering joy and resilience.