Pumula Retreat - The Dream House with the Magic Garden
After meeting a long time ago in South Africa and many years traveling and working overseas together, we (Lucie and Scott) have decided to settle down in Scott’s home: his beloved South Coast of Kwazulu Natal . We have dreamed about an amazing property in the neighbourhood for years and decided to make our dream come true by starting a yoga and wellness retreat in 2017. A year to the day after our house warming, we were hosting our first yoga retreat! We’ve hosted more than 90 retreats since then.
In Isizulu, (the provincial language) Pumula means “place of rest” and you’ll definitely experience this feeling as soon as you enter the property. Stroll around our 5 acres of well wooded garden and find peace among the trees. The garden blooms different colourful flowers every season. Relax by the pool side and bask in the sun unwinding in one of the loungers. If you visit during the winter months, watch the whales breach and play with one another as they pass by up the coast.
Us
I (Lucie) am a 500hrs certified yoga teacher. I completed my trainings in India in Iyengar, Sivananda, Multi-style and Yoga Therapy. Learning and integrating the numerous aspects of yoga into my daily life has had a very positive impact on my life and seeing the benefits on my students has been very fulfilling. I have participated in numerous yoga retreats in India, France, Spain, USA and South Africa. These experiences enabled me to gain valuable knowledge and understanding of how retreats are run and what makes them so unique. Nature, facilities, accommodation, food, teachers and management are paramount to a successful retreat.
I (Scott) am passionate about nature and music. Amongst the trees or the waves are where I feel most at home and find true happiness. My skills in building and carpentry have helped us create an incredibly special space to share with others. Lucie is French and I am South African. Our journey has taken us to many places around the world, thus we bring an international experience of languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and some IsiZulu are spoken at Pumula Retreat), cultures, and cuisine to our home.
Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu
May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
We look forward to sharing our beautiful space with you.
Wholesome Cuisine
Yogic diet
The “proper” yoga diet is traditionally a lacto-vegetarian one, consisting of grains, pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and dairy products. Meat, eggs, fish and poultry are not eaten.
As well as being simple, natural and wholesome, this diet takes into account the subtle effect that food has on the mind and the prana (vital energy). Plant foods contain dramatically higher amounts of antioxidants, fibre, and vitamins. They also contain phytonutrients that appear to offer protection against many cancers, assist in hormone balance, protect the heart and help reduce blood pressure.
At Pumula Retreat, Ahimsa (non violence) is one of our core value, yoga philosophy views all life as one, and the taking of animal life contravenes that principle. The law of karma which may be summarized as “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”, is inexorable, unrelenting and immutable. The pain that you inflict upon others will rebound upon you, and the happiness you radiate to another will come back to you, adding to your own happiness.
You are what you eat and according to the Upanishads, the ancient scriptures of India, food is Brahman – the Divine reality. When we eat, we are unified with the environment and with each other. Our food produces the energy that drives our body, but it also shapes our emotions and affects our minds. The yogic way is to eat mindfully, being aware of what you are eating and where you are eating it.
We are FOOD LOVERS so each retreat includes healthy and delicious international plant based cuisine made from scratch and prepared with love allowing the prana to pass to the food and nourish our guests. We offer a variety of food options to make sure no one is left hungry.
Our garden is packed with avocados almost year-round, bananas, lemon and lime trees and we strive to source local and organic produce as much as possible.
