Joy For Life Retreat Australia
@RawBill1 (8531)
Gold Coast, Australia
May 9, 2011 10:39pm CST
Well, I promised everyone that I would post about my experience at this retreat a few weeks ago in this discussion: http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2518459.aspx
So here is my account of the week.
So, what exactly is the Joy For Life Retreat?
The Joy for Life Retreat is a week long reawakening of our true potential through eating green smoothies and organic fruits, participating in yoga, barefoot running, The Work of Byron Katie and informative lectures, demonstrations and documentaries, all in a beautiful natural setting. It is organised by the Raw Family (Victoria, Sergei and Valya Boutenko) and Tom Compton. The Boutenko family teach participants about the nutritional value of leafy greens and wild edibles, exercise and general good health, while Tom facilitates "The Work" of Byron Katie, which enables us to question our limiting beliefs and any negative emotions through asking ourselves four simple questions.
It was an incredible week with amazing people in an absolutely gorgeous setting. It is designed as a week of detox. Both physically and mentally. while I did not detox too much physically, there were a few issues that always bugged me, you know those little things in our daily life which annoy us. We all have them, but I was able to get rid of them and life is suddenly much happier and smoother.
There were some amazing health turnaround stories during the week. Two people with Type 1 diabetes were able to control their blood sugar levels during the week, one of them medication free and the other with reduced medication. There were other stories from participants who had thyroid issues disappear during the week and others who had soreness, skin issues, oily hair, general weakness and all sorts of other issues just completely vanish. 
I will give you a brief run down of our daily routine, but for a more in depth journal of my week, you can go to my profile page and click on the banner with the Green Smoothie glasses to read the complete story and view my photos.
The days started with a 6am barefoot running session for about 30 to 40 minutes with Sergei Boutenko. This was amazing. We ran laps around a sporting field sloshing through the mud and even in the rain some mornings, but it was so invigorating! We followed that with Yoga with Valya Boutenko for 45 minutes. This was a great way to stretch everything out after a good run. After our breakfast smoothie, we had a 3 hour session doing "The Work" of Byron Katie with our facilitator Tom Compton. These were emotionally charges sessions as people shared their life's issues.
After our lunch smoothie, we usually had a lecture with Sergei or Victoria Boutenko, or a demonstration with Valya. This changed most days and was followed by our dinner smoothie at 4pm. We had another 2 hour session with Tom doing "The Work" at 5pm, followed by an awesome pudding smoothie and then a documentary each night. These were always inspirational and eye opening health related films or films on "The Work".
A lot of people also participated in Coffee Enemas a few times a day as well. These help to clean out the liver faster and relieved any detox symptoms. I did not do this, but I am going to in the future I think. There was one lady there who cured her cancer in nine months I think it was through a daily plan of green smoothies, coffee enemas and rest. (Plus the fact that she totally gave up the toxic substances she had been putting into her body for years).
I made some great new friends throughout this fantastic week. Many of these amazing people were customers of mine who I had only known by a name on our website until now. We now share a bond that will last forever hopefully. I hope you have enjoyed reading this and that you look into it further. 
So, what are your thoughts on this retreat? Does it sound like something you would like to try?
It was an incredible week with amazing people in an absolutely gorgeous setting. It is designed as a week of detox. Both physically and mentally. while I did not detox too much physically, there were a few issues that always bugged me, you know those little things in our daily life which annoy us. We all have them, but I was able to get rid of them and life is suddenly much happier and smoother.
There were some amazing health turnaround stories during the week. Two people with Type 1 diabetes were able to control their blood sugar levels during the week, one of them medication free and the other with reduced medication. There were other stories from participants who had thyroid issues disappear during the week and others who had soreness, skin issues, oily hair, general weakness and all sorts of other issues just completely vanish.
I will give you a brief run down of our daily routine, but for a more in depth journal of my week, you can go to my profile page and click on the banner with the Green Smoothie glasses to read the complete story and view my photos.
The days started with a 6am barefoot running session for about 30 to 40 minutes with Sergei Boutenko. This was amazing. We ran laps around a sporting field sloshing through the mud and even in the rain some mornings, but it was so invigorating! We followed that with Yoga with Valya Boutenko for 45 minutes. This was a great way to stretch everything out after a good run. After our breakfast smoothie, we had a 3 hour session doing "The Work" of Byron Katie with our facilitator Tom Compton. These were emotionally charges sessions as people shared their life's issues.
After our lunch smoothie, we usually had a lecture with Sergei or Victoria Boutenko, or a demonstration with Valya. This changed most days and was followed by our dinner smoothie at 4pm. We had another 2 hour session with Tom doing "The Work" at 5pm, followed by an awesome pudding smoothie and then a documentary each night. These were always inspirational and eye opening health related films or films on "The Work".
A lot of people also participated in Coffee Enemas a few times a day as well. These help to clean out the liver faster and relieved any detox symptoms. I did not do this, but I am going to in the future I think. There was one lady there who cured her cancer in nine months I think it was through a daily plan of green smoothies, coffee enemas and rest. (Plus the fact that she totally gave up the toxic substances she had been putting into her body for years).
I made some great new friends throughout this fantastic week. Many of these amazing people were customers of mine who I had only known by a name on our website until now. We now share a bond that will last forever hopefully. I hope you have enjoyed reading this and that you look into it further.
So, what are your thoughts on this retreat? Does it sound like something you would like to try?2 people like this
8 responses
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
10 May 11
Strike a light! Welcome back, old son. So this is what you've been up to?
Yes, I'd give it a go - finances & wife permitting! But they'll need to throw plenty of G D Coconuts into the bargain with lashings of coconut oil on a daily basis! Goodness, I drive a hard bargain.
Just flicking through your diary... interesting about greens & sunshine - always thought Queenslanders were solar powered! We know that's what greens do when they're growing, but does it translate to us after we've digested them?
The barefoot running sounds great! Weren't you worried you'd step on something? Or step on something when you try it at home?
I didn't know that about omega 3 & 6! Would you say the plant kingdom contains more of a balance of the ideal 50-50 & that consuming animal products yields more omega 6?
Oh man! Two hours of listening to women air their grievances about men... that does it. I'm not going there!!!
Is there any weeds that grow down here that I can eat without giving myself a gutsache or worse? I remember going around eating all the nut grass bulbs when I was a kid, but didn't feel too good after that. Looks like you were right all those months ago when you mentioned all the free food there is lying around the place. Now I know how Queenslanders survive in such a wage-poor, but high living costs state!
So many people!
Yes, I've been to Tropical Fruit World & done the full bit. Hint for the tractor ride: bring a big, empty backpack & wear cargo pants with deep pockets - fill 'em both up with free macadamia nuts!!!
You were served garlic? No thanks. Not going now.
I'd go one step further with parasites & chemicals... some chemicals actually rapidly accelerate the growth & breeding of certain parasites.
I thought meat was the most acid substance to the human body, but I didn't even see it on that list.
I could certainly do with those coconut opening lessons!
That's it, I'm going to grow sunflowers from now on.
Yes, I'd give it a go - finances & wife permitting! But they'll need to throw plenty of G D Coconuts into the bargain with lashings of coconut oil on a daily basis! Goodness, I drive a hard bargain.
Just flicking through your diary... interesting about greens & sunshine - always thought Queenslanders were solar powered! We know that's what greens do when they're growing, but does it translate to us after we've digested them?
The barefoot running sounds great! Weren't you worried you'd step on something? Or step on something when you try it at home?
I didn't know that about omega 3 & 6! Would you say the plant kingdom contains more of a balance of the ideal 50-50 & that consuming animal products yields more omega 6?
Oh man! Two hours of listening to women air their grievances about men... that does it. I'm not going there!!!
Is there any weeds that grow down here that I can eat without giving myself a gutsache or worse? I remember going around eating all the nut grass bulbs when I was a kid, but didn't feel too good after that. Looks like you were right all those months ago when you mentioned all the free food there is lying around the place. Now I know how Queenslanders survive in such a wage-poor, but high living costs state!
So many people!
Yes, I've been to Tropical Fruit World & done the full bit. Hint for the tractor ride: bring a big, empty backpack & wear cargo pants with deep pockets - fill 'em both up with free macadamia nuts!!!
You were served garlic? No thanks. Not going now.
I'd go one step further with parasites & chemicals... some chemicals actually rapidly accelerate the growth & breeding of certain parasites.
I thought meat was the most acid substance to the human body, but I didn't even see it on that list.
I could certainly do with those coconut opening lessons!
That's it, I'm going to grow sunflowers from now on.
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
12 May 11
I kind of agree with them on the coconut oil issue. Not 100% though. I do have coconut oil every now and then as we sell an awesome one. It took us two years to find one that we were happy with after our last supplier started heating theirs too much. Anyway, I find oils do not sit as well in my tummy sometimes, whereas the fresh coconut water and flesh always goes down well.
I know soaking nuts and seeds can change certain properties in them, but I do not know if the omegas would change. I doubt it. I could always ask Victoria as she has done a lot of research on them over the last year or so.
$30 a kilo! Wow! Every day I drive past them selling for $5 per kilo at a roadside honesty box stall! Maybe we can turn this into a little business? 
So what don't you like about garlic? I happen to enjoy garlic a lot. Onion too!
I know soaking nuts and seeds can change certain properties in them, but I do not know if the omegas would change. I doubt it. I could always ask Victoria as she has done a lot of research on them over the last year or so.
$30 a kilo! Wow! Every day I drive past them selling for $5 per kilo at a roadside honesty box stall! Maybe we can turn this into a little business?
So what don't you like about garlic? I happen to enjoy garlic a lot. Onion too! @RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
17 May 11
No, I have not kept up to date with your responses. I have enough trouble keeping up with my own. Those responses were all pretty much identical to each other. You might get into trouble doing that? The link you provided also advocates dairy, so I do not go along too much with that viewpoint all though I have been happy to eat at Hare Krishna temples in the past as you know. I am happy eating garlic and onion, but I do not rely on them for every meal.
"carefully planned, well-rehearsed responses"! You will not really find too much of that with these guys. Victoria Boutenko has done more research on health than anyone else that I have ever come across. The whole family are the most ethical and caring people that I have come across in the raw food world also. All I know with the oil thing is that I feel sick if I have too much oil, be it fish and chips
, organic olive oil or to a lesser extent coconut oil, but coconut water and flesh always leave me feeling great.
, organic olive oil or to a lesser extent coconut oil, but coconut water and flesh always leave me feeling great. @veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
18 May 11
Fair enough. The responses, though using similar arguments, are tailored to each specific question. The topic was similar in each case, so my responses were similar. I wouldn't might getting into trouble for posting these, though the viewpoint is unique in all of these topics & it's well worth anyone reading the topic to read an opposing point of view. The fact that the Hare Krishna's endorse dairy products does not in any way detract from their reasons for steering clear of the onion / garlic family. Many of the Asian religions also forbid eating these foods, especially those who practice spiritually within these religions, like some Hindus, Buddhists, etc. It's a good idea to go for a month or longer without them & see how you feel eating them after that. These foods do not sit well with me, so I doubt if I'll attend a retreat where these foods are included in our diets.
Carefully planned & well-rehearsed responses refers to the types of responses my wife has received to hers & others questions when attending & working at the many health retreats she has been to over the last twelve years. It's difficult to imagine these guys would be any different, but if you say so...
I guess we all have our different experiences with various foods. What works for some has a different effect on others. I have seen my wife come back from some retreats looking much worse & feeling much worse than what she was when she left. I can't justify spending so much money & time on something that offers foods I can't eat, takes away from me those that I need & has activities that I can see will do me more harm than good. Maybe the end result will justify the means, but I just can't see it from here.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
10 May 11
hi raw bill I like a lotof what you are talking about but not the coffee enemas those I wo uld leave out. but I love the fact that the retreat has helped two diabetics. of course I am type 2 but I like a lot of the stuff about healthy food and healthy life styles too.It sounds like
a pretty neat program to me. I am for parathion to help me as an oldster diabetic to better control my diabetes. also I can pick up a few ideas here.
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
11 May 11
Hi Hatley. See above post for my response about the enemas. One of the people running the retreat, Sergei, he was insulin dependent as a youth with type 2 diabetes until he changed his diet to raw foods and cut out the toxic chemicals from his life. He has had stable blood sugar ever since. He still regularly checks his levels. It was awesome to see the two ladies report that they had been able to cut their medication as they were so happy about it.
@GardenGerty (169453)
• United States
10 May 11
It sounds very healthy, and it sounds like it was rejuvenating. I would probably do fine with the smoothies, and some of the physical activity but do not sign me up for the coffee enemas.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
10 May 11
he he GardenGerty yes me too I am okay with everything but the 'coffee enemas lol lol
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
11 May 11
In the past I would not have been open to enemas at all and I was still a bit wary of these as they were coffee ones. I do not have any caffeine at all, so that was a concern for me and one of the reasons why I did not do them. But after seeing the results of other people at the retreat, I am going to give them a go at home soon. I will start with water though before I do coffee. They are a great way to flush out toxins from the liver and colon. Toxins that could cause cancer!
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
10 May 11
It sounds very rejuvenating and healthy. The place sounds beautiful too. I would give it a try but I am not so sure about the meals! I think my body would probably get sick from the lack of junk food! Jokes aside it does sound like a great thing. I would love to be able to afford to go somewhere like that once a year or so for a bit of a rebirth. I will pass on the enemas though and speaking of coffee I doubt I could get by without my daily caffeine...In a cup....As a drink...
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 May 11
Sounds like you guys had a great time! It sounds like stuff I need to be doing for myself. I would consider it for sure. There might be a problen with getting my tail up for morning runs but after a coffee enema..who knows what I would be capable of.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
12 May 11
I really believe that everyone should have their own food producing garden. If we were not currently selling our house, then our garden would be a lot bigger and more productive than it is.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
11 May 11
Hi Jen. I had not run purely for exercise for over 20 years! I thought I could do it though and barefoot running on soft ground opposed to running on concrete paths wearing shoes is a much more natural and less stressful way of running. The bones, muscles and joints work like they are supposed to. The coffee enemas were mainly there to help with the detox symptoms that a lot of people were experiencing. I did not expect too much detox so I did not do them. People that did do them spoke of remarkable turnarounds from how they were feeling beforehand to how they felt 30 minutes later after doing them! 
@moksha09 (467)
• India
11 May 11
I have had my experiences with raw food and enemas, but coffee enema is something I have not heard before.I believe garlic enemas are also tried on cancer patients.
Our retreat was for 4 days.On the first day you take 50% raw food and 50 % cooked food and then it is raw food 100% and then the enema is administered .
The procedure is very simple.
Pure water is warmed and crystal salt is mixed in moderation. The mixture should be mildle salty. Drink as many glasses as possible and keep doing mild exercises as you down the glasses. I downed about 10 glasses before i felt the need to void my bowels.It took about 12-15 minutes. The first visit to the toilet was to discharge the semi solid body waste but subsequent visits was to discharge watery contents and finally it was only water and it was as if i was urinating and not defecating. The water came out in clear jets and the overall experience was comfortable and smooth. I felt hungry but was given soups for the rest of the day and from next day onwards started eating normally.This procedure is to be once in 6 months. It is a very effective detoxifying method.
I am interested in coffee enemas to detoxify the liver.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
11 May 11
I have never heard of garlic enemas before. Interesting! That retreat that you went on sounds like a great way to get people onto raw foods initially. Most people who were eating a raw food diet already at our retreat had some mild detox still through just adding more pure food and cutting out nuts, seeds, powders, etc.
Those people who were not on a raw food diet already or were only new to it had some major detoxing going on. That is where the coffee enemas helped them to relieve the pain quickly by eliminating the toxins fast. The liver flushes every bit of blood in your body every 2-4 minutes and if there are toxins being stored in there, then they will keep circulating the blood stream. The coffee forces the liver to panic and release it's valve, flushing all the toxins out.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
12 May 11
I agree. Meditation is an amazing tool to have for inner peace. I sometimes struggle to meditate though while at home, so sometimes I get the urge to go off for a walk or a ride into a natural area by myself and just be at peace within nature. That seems to do the trick for me.
I guess soaking the feet in crystal salt may have similar benefits to being barefoot in the sea or anywhere else directly connected with the earth. Grounding ourselves to the earth is an important thing that most of us in western societies have lost due to our addiction to wearing shoes. This is why I try to go barefoot as much as possible. We are now getting some cooler weather here, so it is not very comfortable doing it all day every day anymore, but over our long summer, I do manage to be barefoot most of the time.
I guess soaking the feet in crystal salt may have similar benefits to being barefoot in the sea or anywhere else directly connected with the earth. Grounding ourselves to the earth is an important thing that most of us in western societies have lost due to our addiction to wearing shoes. This is why I try to go barefoot as much as possible. We are now getting some cooler weather here, so it is not very comfortable doing it all day every day anymore, but over our long summer, I do manage to be barefoot most of the time. @moksha09 (467)
• India
12 May 11
There is a specific diet for the liver too. One very simple and effective method to cool down the liver is to place an ice pack on the liver region just below the rib cage on your right side and let it remain there for 15 -20 minutes.
Soaking your feet in water mixed liberally with crystal salt for 15 minutes is another way of removing the negativity.
But all this will be of help if you are a regular meditator because you will feel yourself becoming calm, composed and a silent and effective worker.
Most of us discontinue these beneficial processes once we return to normal behavior because we do not seek the most essential spiritual connection with th the divine.If you can feel the love of the universe in and all around you you will see yourself evolve rapidly.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 May 11
HI BILL, Thanks for sharing your experiences. Seems as if u really enjoyed yourself & that's always good. It's great the woman w/cancer was able to cure herself. Wish everybody that has cancer could do this. Cancer is raging here, i'm afraid. Good discussion, interesting reading. Take care, jo
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
12 May 11
Hi Jo, yes I did enjoy myself. I had a few reservations going into the week, but once I was settled in there, I absolutely loved it. Amazing people, beautiful surroundings and good food created a positive atmosphere for all of us.
Cancer sadly is raging in just about every country that lives on a western diet. With all the knowledge that we have these days, there is no need for it to continue, but unfortunately the cancer industry is a huge business that has lots of power. They do not want it to stop. 
Cancer sadly is raging in just about every country that lives on a western diet. With all the knowledge that we have these days, there is no need for it to continue, but unfortunately the cancer industry is a huge business that has lots of power. They do not want it to stop. 
@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
10 May 11
It was a most rewarding experience no matter whether physical constitution or mental outlook,which will exert a great influence on your daily life in future.To my surprise,over there some people who suffered from all sorts of diseases recovered themselves without medicine.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
12 May 11
The human body knows how to repair itself. It does it on a daily basis all the time. We just have to help our bodies out by avoiding toxic substances and providing it with good healthy food with very high nutritional content, give it time to relax and rest and the body will do the rest. We do not need modern medicine. Plants will give us all the medicine we need without the harmful chemicals.
