after a few days of lonely wandering in auckland i headed out to the aio wira centre in swanson, half an hour from the city. nestled into the waitakere ranges (a gorgeous rain forest reserve) and very near the coast, aio wira is a little slice of heaven. formerly a yoga retreat it is now open to groups of all shapes and colors and is often rented out for multi day retreats. over the course of my stay retreats included: a shaman workshop, a weekend for cancer survivors, a healing through music program as well as weekly yoga classes and a four day fast in which i took part.

anyway i was a wwofer (willing worker on an organic farm) here and worked a few hours a day (usually gardening or cooking) in exchange for free room and board. my friend jan set me up with the gig, as her friend di is the caretaker at aio wira. di is so awesome and her kindness and warm humor set the tone for my stay.

truly one of the most beautiful and peaceful places i have ever seen let alone lived at.