There is information everywhere around us, and within us, if we only choose to see it.
A felt pull toward something. The quiet unease that surfaces and gets buried again. You catch glimpses of this version of you in the things that light you up, and then you lose that again.
These moments are not random. They are signals. Guiding you, helping you find your way. And most of us have simply stopped being still enough, quiet enough, present enough to listen to them.
The Polynesian navigators of the Pacific, the original wayfinders, crossed thousands of miles of open ocean without instruments. No maps, no compass. They read the stars, they felt the swell and the currents beneath the hull, observed the flight of birds, the colour of the water. They trusted what they could feel.
They knew exactly where they were going because they had learned to pay attention to what was already moving around them, and within them. This retreat is named for that practice.
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.
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.
Strong morning practice and slow restorative evenings, in a glass studio set in the forest — with the occasional duiker wandering past.
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: 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.
You don't need to be an experienced yogi. 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.
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, a shared meal, a fire ceremony to set intention.
Saturday begins at sunrise — that quiet window just before the world stirs — with qigong, breathwork, meditation and journaling. Then yoga, brunch, perhaps the beach. The afternoon moves 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 in a loving-kindness (metta) meditation. You check out at 2pm — perhaps feeling a bit different to when you arrived…
Not sure what qigong or yoga nidra is? 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.
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. 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.
See the rooms at Pumula · explore available treatments.
Rates exclude travel and transfers. A surf lesson including board rental can be added as an optional extra.
Limited to 18 people
Reserve with a R1,000 non-refundable deposit, or pay in full. Your balance (if you deposit) is due by 25 September 2026. Cancellation Ts&Cs apply (see below).
Questions first? Email Mags.
These retreats fill up — and we're limited to 18. If you've been thinking about it, now is the time.
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, yin, 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. 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.
Pumula Retreat Centre is roughly a 1-hour drive south of Durban along the South Coast. Full address and directions are sent with your arrival details. Want to car-share with other guests? Let us know and we'll connect you.
Fly into King Shaka International (Durban). Shuttle options include the Southern Shuttle (approx. R220 from King Shaka) or the Margate Mini Coach — Pumula can collect you from the drop-off point for approximately R50.
Your R1,000 deposit reserves your place at Wayfinding. It forms part of your total fee and is non-refundable, regardless of when or why you cancel. Your full payment confirms your booking. If you need to cancel, the following applies based on when we receive your written notice:
| If you cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| More than 30 days before before 8 Sept 2026 | Deposit forfeited; balance refunded in full |
| 15–30 days before before 24 Sept 2026 | 75% of total fee refunded |
| 8–14 days before from 25 Sept 2026 | 50% of total fee refunded |
| Within 7 days | 25% of total fee refunded |
| Within 48 hours / no-show | No refund |
The R1,000 deposit is included within the non-refundable portion at each tier above. All cancellations must be received in writing at magdarievanstadenyoga@gmail.com — the date your email is received determines which tier applies. If your spot is filled from the waiting list, Magdarie may offer a partial goodwill refund at her discretion. This is not guaranteed.
Your booking may be transferred to another participant at no charge, provided written notice is received more than 7 days before the retreat (before 2 October 2026). Email magdarievanstadenyoga@gmail.com with the new participant's full name and contact details. Transfers requested fewer than 7 days before the retreat will not be accepted.
Magdarie van Staden reserves the right to make reasonable changes to the retreat programme, facilitators or schedule where circumstances require. Such changes do not constitute grounds for cancellation with a refund. In the unlikely event that the retreat is cancelled by Magdarie van Staden, all participants will receive a full refund of amounts paid.
Participants are responsible for ensuring they are in suitable health to participate in yoga and movement sessions, and should disclose any relevant health conditions or injuries on the registration form. Participation in all sessions is voluntary and at your own risk. Magdarie van Staden and Pumula Retreat Centre accept no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from participation in the retreat, except where caused by negligence.
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'll be offered various levels and progressions to move deeper.
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.
Definitely. We'll pair you with someone else of the same gender who is also in a shared room.
No. Mats and all supports are provided. You're welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
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 (e.g. gluten-free +R100).
Yes — but we'd gently encourage you to use it mindfully. A retreat offers a perfect opportunity to disconnect and unplug.
We know life can be uncertain. Our full cancellation policy is set out above — in short, the R1,000 deposit is non-refundable, and the refund on the balance depends on how far in advance you let us know in writing.
A small group of eighteen. A weekend by the sea. A way back to yourself. Early-bird pricing is open now — secure your place with a R1,000 deposit.
Explore more with Mags
Beyond retreats, Magdarie offers private one-to-one yoga sessions, corporate wellness programmes, sound baths and group classes across Durban & KZN.