QUEER YOGA RETREAT – with Virna & Shawn from Queer Grounds

30th October – 1st November 2026

Join Virna and Shawn and connect with other queer folks at an intimate two-night Queer Yoga Retreat
set in the heart of Torquay from Friday afternoon 30th October until noon on Sunday 1st November
2026.

about this retreat 

Queer Grounding is an intimate two-night Queer Yoga Retreat led by Virna Rodriguez and Shawn Lee 

It is an invitation to rest, reset and connect with yourself and with the LGBTIQA+ community. Expect slow grounding practices, and a safe space to just simply be. This retreat is designed as a sacred container for release and growth, as we share stories of resilience, honouring our unique and collective experiences of our queer journeys. Alongside yoga, there will be group and self-led activities and time for self care. Our shared meals will be delicious, nourishing chef-prepared vegan food, thoughtfully prepared to support connection, ritual and restoration.

What to expect

• daily asana practices (vinyasa, yin and restorative)
• guided meditation
• breathwork (pranayama)
• group conversations exploring themes such as queer identity,
• healing through yoga, co-regulation and community care
• nourishing, chef-prepared vegan meals
• optional leisure activities and plenty of free time to rest

Hosts & Yoga Facilitators

Virna is a queer yogi, who has been a yoga practitioner for over thirteen years and has taught yoga under the name, Vayu, in several studios and community centres in Naarm’s west and north. She completed her Vinyasa Yoga Teacher training through Power Living. She also trained in somatics and trauma informed yoga through Yoga for Humankind with Mei Lai Swan and completed her Yin Yoga Teacher Training with (Here) Yoga with Rach and Heidi Meliccan. Virna’s interests lie in holistic wellbeing, community, connection, culture and creativity. She believes in the transformative powers of practicing yoga and this being the constant that has kept her grounded in her journey through life. Rooted in personal and lived experience, her teaching is informed by trauma informed practices and a way of moving through the world with a social justice lens. Having launched Queer Sapphics’ Yoga at both Estuary Yoga Space and Westside Yoga (Laya Wellness) in 2025, she continues to pave the way in partnership with others for creating safe, accessible spaces for women and the LGBTIQA+ family.

Shawn has a passion for sharing on and off-the-mat practices through his offerings such as studio classes, workshops and retreats. Grounded in yoga and Taoist philosophies and inspired by modern ideas, he weaves a tapestry of wholehearted living into his offerings. Shawn started exploring aspects of yoga ever since he qualified as a physiotherapist in his early twenties. During his journey in the realm of wellness, he undertook 200YTT with the OM People and Advanced Yin YTT with The Way of Yin. He laid a solid foundation in understanding the intricacies of the human body and its interconnectedness with its innate wisdom. He became progressively aware of the transformative nature of yoga beyond movement and fell in love with this holistic technology. He is the founder of Queer Yoga in the West ever since it became a regular offering at Westside Yoga (Laya Wellness). He continues to advocate for radical self-acceptance, agency and community wellbeing. Off the mat, Shawn is also a clarinetist in a LGBTIQA+ concert band and enjoys regular public performances. His approach to balancing his corporate career and life as a non-professional musician is by devoting his practice and teaching of living with curiosity and treading purposefully towards a harmonious existence alongside fellow truth-seekers in a supportive community.

Retreat Venue

Summerhouse Retreat, a private four-bedroom retreat homestead designed for comfort, connection
and rest

Retreat Costs

$1450 pax for twin share room
$1550 pax for twin share room with ensuite

Payment Options

Option 1: pay in full
Option 2: pay in 3 instalments due on: 30 May 2026,18 July 2026, 15 August 2026

Early Bird Discounts (before 30 April 2026):
10% off for Option 1
5% off total payment for Option 2

Invoices will be issued upon registration with payment via bank transfer (details provided on invoice).

Contact and bookings 

Enquiries can be directed to Virna or Shawn via email to queergrounding@gmail.com, on Instagram
@queer.grounds or phoning Virna on 0434 529 256.
Registration

The following registration forms are required to be completed and returned upon registration and
making your first payment: