Solstice Retreats are multilayered community gatherings aligned with the solstice — an astronomical moment when the sun reaches its greatest or lowest point in the sky, marking a turning point in the cycle of the year. During the summer solstice, when the sun shines at its fullest, the retreat carries themes of vitality, warmth, expansion, and inner illumination. In contrast, the winter solstice invites a different movement: a return inward, bringing themes of stillness, reflection, restoration, and the quiet rekindling of light within the darkness.

Together, these gatherings honour the natural rhythm of expansion and contraction, inviting participants to pause, reflect, and realign with both the cycles of nature and the deeper cycles of their own lives. 

At Solstice Retreats, we gather at the turning points of the year—both the depth of winter and the height of summer—to pause, reflect, and realign. Whether it’s the inward pull of the winter solstice or the expansive, celebratory energy of the summer solstice, each retreat offers a relaxed evening to connect, learn, and drop deeper into yourself. These urban gatherings, hosted by Chardin of Soul Room and Iris of The Healing Room, blend tantric and Buddhist traditions with Japanese and modern healing practices through meditation, ritual, and sound. Together, we honour the natural rhythms of the seasons—embracing stillness, release, growth, and renewal as the cycle continues.

Chardin is a Traditional Meditation Teacher rooted in the Sri Vidya Tantric tradition, dedicated to sharing practices that lead toward clarity, devotion, and self realisation. With over 15 years of training across Buddhist, Tantric, and yogic lineages, his work centres on deep stillness, energetic awareness, and the inner journey. At Solstice Retreat, Chardin will be guiding two dedicated sessions. The first draws from the Himalayan masters lineage of Sri Vidya, centred on Vishoka meditation, alongside a discourse on Samadhi—exploring its different levels and the pathways toward experiencing it. The second session moves into Buddhist meditation, where we go deeply into the practices of Anapanasati, Vipassana, and the Thai forest tradition method. These are time-tested approaches used to cultivate awareness, insight, and ultimately access higher states of consciousness.

Iris is a Reiki Master and Yogic Guide with a deeply intuitive and intentional ethos. Each experience she offers is richly immersive, creatively driven, and engages all the senses to support clarity, relaxation, and balance. She holds a deep reverence for a woven tapestry of ancient practices, honouring them while making them accessible for the modern world. Throughout the evening, Iris will gently hold the space, creating a grounded and nurturing container for the journey to unfold. At Solstice Retreat, she will once again be serving Blue Lotus cacao, guiding intention setting, and leading a Reiki-infused ocean sound journey. Alongside this, she will offer a ceremonial tea ritual and intuitive tarot card pulls with insights—each element thoughtfully woven together to deepen connection, reflection, and presence.

Yoga mats and bolsters are provided. Please bring a pillow, blanket, eye pillow, journal, crystals, or tarot if desired. All participants will also receive a ceremonial Solstice gift bundle to take home at the end of the retreat.

Chardin’s path began in the vineyards of New Zealand and France, where he earned two degrees in Oenology and Viticulture and spent years immersed in the rhythms of the land. Over time, his journey turned inward, drawing him toward the world of meditation, yoga, mantra and healing. For the past 15 years, he has been walking the path guided by teachers, mystics, alchemists, seers, shamans, traditions and practices that continue to shape his understanding and devotion.

His meditation journey began under the guidance of a Master Buddhist Monk, where he was introduced to the Theravāda lineage and the profound stillness of vipassanā practice. This foundation naturally evolved into a deep exploration of the Himalayan Tantric Hatha Yoga tradition, where he completed a 500-hour teacher training and received initiation into mantra, pranayama, and meditative practices rooted in the Sri Vidya lineage, a path revered for its wisdom, beauty, and pursuit of Self-realisation. Along the way, he also immersed himself in the study of alchemy and was initiated into Kriya Yoga in the tradition of Paramahansa Yogananda, a meditation practice akin to the Himalayan Raja Yoga taught at Soul Room. In addition, years of study with two Bhakti masters deepened his understanding of devotion and sacred sound, opening the heart through the power of love and mantra.

Chardin’s exploration of healing emerged through direct experience - first through plant medicines, then through subtle energy work. His work with master teacher plants unfolded over several years, bringing him into deeper relationship with nature as a healer. Later, under the guidance of a Chi Master, he began to work with the subtle frequencies of prāṇa/chi and the healing intelligence of energy. These experiences, alongside Reiki training, helped awaken an inner sensitivity and a calling to be of service and a guide to others on their own paths of healing and awakening.

Iris Bellve is a Reiki Master, Tarot Reader, and Yogic Guide who offers ritualistic 1:1, online, and in-home experiences. Blending intuition, intention, and yin-like energy, Iris creates a welcoming space where you’re invited to arrive exactly as you are. She embodies the sacred feminine in a deeply balanced and grounded way, gently guiding women on the path of healing, self-discovery, and the awakening of their inner power and natural beauty.

As a yoga teacher, Iris supports others in aligning body and mind, guiding them toward stillness, presence, and deeper awareness through intentional movement and breath. She is also an experienced facilitator of sound healing, known for her signature ocean sound journeys—immersive experiences that carry people into profound states of relaxation, alignment, and inner healing. 

Iris’ journey into energy work and holistic healing began at a young age, attending women’s circles, yoga trainings, breathwork immersions, and Tarot intensives. Through her own experiences with mental health and womb healing, she discovered firsthand the power of these practices. Years of assisting on retreats and hosting wellness events have given her a deep awareness of the emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical bodies.

In addition to her healing work, Iris was crowned Miss Taranaki and went on to become a semi-finalist in Miss Universe New Zealand—an experience that reflects her confidence, presence, and ability to connect with others on a meaningful level.

Whether through Reiki’s gentle recalibration, the insights of Tarot, or immersive sound and ritual, every offering becomes a multi-sensory healing experience—woven together through energetic healing, ancient divination, and modern spirituality. Each ritual is designed to inspire growth, clarity, and positive transformation on your journey.

Solstice Retreats are multilayered community gatherings aligned with the solstice — an astronomical moment when the sun reaches its greatest or lowest point in the sky, marking a turning point in the cycle of the year.