Wayfinding: A yoga and mindfulness retreat on paying attention to the subtle currents that move us with Magdarie Van Staden
Friday 9th-11th October 2026
YOGA · QIGONG · BREATHWORK · MEDITATION · SOUND BATH
From R4,200 pp
Secure your spot and register here
About the Retreat
Wayfinding is a weekend retreat on the KZN South Coast built around cultivating the art of paying attention to what's actually moving in you, beneath the hum of everything urgent. We'll move through yoga, qigong, traditional yogic breathwork, restorative practices, somatic movement, sound healing, meditation and journaling as our core set of tools to help you tune back in to that.
At its core this retreat is focussed on your nervous system. Shifting out of our default state of stress and constant doing into something more regulated, more settled. It’s not just about relaxing for a weekend, but genuinely resetting, a deep kind of dynamic rest that repairs and restores.
This retreat is not miraculously going to fix everything and give you all the answers. But it can be the beginning of the journey that returns you to yourself, the part that already knows, living quietly beneath the noise of ordinary life.
"I don't know where I am going, but I know exactly how to get there." — Renias
(From The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life by Boyd Varty)
Is this for you?
Maybe you've been functioning well on the outside but running on something closer to empty on the inside. You can't remember the last time you were truly quiet. You've been meaning to slow down and keep not doing it.
Maybe you practice yoga regularly, in a studio, at the gym or online at home, and you've always been curious about what it feels like to go deeper than a single hour allows. A retreat is where the practice lands differently. There is simply more time, more space, more stillness to work with.
Or maybe you've been on retreat before and you know exactly what you're coming back for.
Wherever you are, you're welcome here.
You don't need to be an experienced yogi. If this weekend is your first introduction to yoga and mindfulness, it is actually the perfect place to begin.
You don't need to have it figured out.
You don't need to be perfect.
You just need to be willing to show up.
A sense of the days
Friday afternoon arrive, put your bags down, and step out of your default world and into this one, our retreat container for the weekend. From this point there is genuinely nothing you need to do, nowhere you need to be, nothing waiting on you.
We’ll begin gently: a restorative practice to begin unwinding from the week, a shared meal getting to know the group, a fire ceremony to set intention and get clear.
Saturday begins at sunrise, that quiet window just before the rest of the world stirs, with Qigong, breathwork, meditation & journaling. Then yoga, brunch, perhaps even head to the beach. The afternoon we move into deeper work, followed by yin yoga, dinner and a non-sleep-deep-rest practice of yoga nidra.
Sunday is slower and softer by design. A full practice, a sound bath, brunch shared together. We close and bring the retreat full circle and sit for a loving-kindness (metta) meditation. You check out at 2pm. Perhaps feeling a bit different to when you arrived…
Retreat Programme
FRIDAY
14:00 Arrive and check in
16:00 Restorative Yoga and Sound Bath
18:30 Dinner
19:30 Fire Ceremony and Intention Setting
20:30 Evening Meditation
SATURDAY
05:30 Morning Practice: Qigong, Pranayama, Meditation + Journaling
06:30 Coffee and light snack
07:30 Yoga / Surf (conditions depending)
10:00 Brunch
11:30 Pranayama / Surf (conditions depending)
13:00 Tea and snacks
Free time
14:30 Workshop
16:00 Yin Yoga
18:30 Dinner
20:00 Yoga Nidra
SUNDAY
06:00 Coffee and light snack
07:00 Yoga Sadhana: Asana, Pranayama, Meditation
09:00 Sound Bath
10:30 Brunch
11:30 Closing Circle & Metta Meditation
14:00 Check out
*Not sure what qigong, yoga nidra or any of these other things are? That's completely okay. Every practice is fully explained and guided, you won't be thrown in the deep end. All you need to bring is an open mind and a willingness to try.
About Pumula Retreat
An easy one-hour drive from Durban along the South Coast you'll find Pumula Retreat Centre, tucked into the tropical Natal forests. Pumula means "to rest" in Zulu. And the space most certainly invites you to drop into that.
We'll be staying on the property with its lush forest gardens, either in the main house or the cottage just steps away with rooms offering either an ocean view or forest view, each one worth waking up for. Our practice will be in the glass yoga studio with the occasional duiker wandering past.
Lucie and Scott, the owners, are passionate about food. You will be fed well: wholesome, plant-based meals that show you healthy food can be delicious at the same time. Please let us know if you have specific dietary requirements.
During your free time there is opportunity to head to the beach or simply relax by the pool, in a hammock or curled up with a book from their well-stocked yoga library. A massage or treatment is also available at your own cost and is highly recommended as part of your time here.
Have a look at the rooms at Pumula Retreat here and available treatments here.
About Mags
Magdarie van Staden (Mags) is a 500-hour trauma-informed yoga teacher with over ten years experience of teaching yoga and hosting retreats. She draws from hatha, vinyasa and yin yoga, somatic movement and qigong to move the body the way it's meant to move. Connected to breath, anchored in sensation, becoming still.
In practice the focus is always the same: come back to a felt sense in the body. Develop and refine the skill to tune in, connect and feel. Sessions move between slower nervous system resets and stronger, heat-building practices. Both are equally needed. In a retreat, Mags holds a container for you to step away from default mode — the constant doing, the mental noise, the forgetting. To give your nervous system a real exhale. To rest, connect, get clear. To get quiet enough to hear what's underneath.
If you have never been on retreat before, it is one of the most precious things you can do for yourself. Come and see.
Rates
This is what your weekend includes:
2 nights accommodation (all rooms with ensuite / private bathrooms)
All meals: brunch, dinner, snacks and refreshments, plant-based
Daily yoga and meditation
Qigong sunrise practice
Sound bath
Everything you need for practice is provided (mats, blocks, blankets, bolsters and eye pillows) - you are of course welcome to bring your own
Rates exclude travel and transfers. Surf lesson including board rental added as an optional extra.
Shared room, per person: Standard R4,600 | Early bird R4,200
Single occupancy, per person: Standard R5,800 | Early bird R5,400
Early bird discount until 20 June, after that standard rates apply.
This retreat is limited to 18 people.
How to book
Ready to join us?
Complete the registration form here
Make payment via details provided in the registration form — full payment or 50% deposit to secure your spot.
You’ll hear from Mags personally once payment is confirmed.
Questions? Email Mags (magdarie@gmail.com)
These retreats fill up. If you've been thinking about it, now is the time. Early bird closes on 20 June.
FAQs
Is this suitable for beginners?
Absolutely. This retreat is open to all levels. If you've never done yoga before, this is actually a beautiful place to start. Modifications and support are built into every session. More experienced, no problem. You will be offered various levels and progressions to move deeper.
Can I come alone?
Yes and many people do. It's one of the things about retreats, you arrive not knowing anyone and leave with people who feel like they've known you for years.
Can I book a shared room if I'm coming alone?
Definitely. We'll pair you with someone else of the same gender who is also in a shared room.
Do I need my own yoga mat?
No. Mats and all supports are provided. You're welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
What about special dietary requirements?
Please indicate special dietary requirements on your registration form and Lucie and Scott at Pumula will take care of you. Kindly note certain requirements may incur a surcharge between R100 - R150 extra. Eg. Gluten free + R100.
Is there wifi?
Yes, but we'd gently encourage you to use it mindfully. A retreat offers a perfect opportunity to disconnect and unplug.
What if I need to cancel?
We know life can be uncertain. Here is our cancellation policy:
More than 30 days before: 10% non-refundable, 90% refunded
15 to 30 days before: 25% non-refundable, 75% refunded
8 to 14 days before: 50% non-refundable, 50% refunded
Up to 7 days before: 75% non-refundable, 25% refunded
Last minute cancellation: no refund
TRANSFERS
Southern Shuttle and Margate Mini Coach are regular shuttle services from the airport to Pumula.
Southern Shuttle (Drop off point: Pumula) R220 pp one way King Shaka/ R180 pp one way Margate airport
Margate Margate Mini coach (Drop off point: Mantis & Moon) R220 pp one way / R180 pp one way Margate airport
Pumula Retreat will pick the guests up at the drop-off points (R50)
Private airport transfers are available on request.