A Mini Retreat Centre
in a tranquil setting on the edge of Seal Bay Regional Park
The Heart Gate, home of Natural Health Pratcitioner, Yoga and Energy Work Teacher, Christina Nienaber-Roberts’ business Relax and Feel Radiant, is situated in the Comox Valley 15 minutes north of Courtenay and Comox and 30 min south of Campbell River, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Services offered at this Small Retreat Centre include
Sacred Movement consultations, Life Continuum Doula Services, as well as Relaxation and Rebalancing Services such as yoga, massage, energy work, and educational programmes of classes, workshops, retreats, inspirational talks and labyrinth walks. Although The Heart Gate is not able to offer accommodation, there are some lovely B&B’s nearby – please visit Programmes for links.
The Centre, in its Peaceful Park-like Garden, includes
an intimate, multi-purpose boutique-style yoga studio cum workshop space that also serves as a gallery and shop featuring inspirational gifts, such as Christina and Keith’s “Images of Light” photographic images on canvas and cards, as well as Christina’s books. A peaceful healing room in a small cabin – known as The Womb – sits behind a heart-shaped labyrinth, featured in Aryana Raine’s book Labyrinths of BC. The beautiful variegated cedar tree next to the labyrinth enfolds a meditation platform with its lower branches, while the Tranquility Pond with its meditation bench is also a great bird-watching spot – as it is often the only water available in the area and busy haven for forest birds.
The Land is True to the First Nations name for the Seal Bay Area
Xwee Xwya Luq
“The Place with an Atmosphere of Peace and Tranquility”
and stepping through the blue-grey heart gate, the peaceful atmosphere of the place is tangible. Visitors often express amazement at the instant experience of peace when one steps onto this land even though it fronts onto busy Bates Road, for nestled among majestic Douglas Fir Trees “.
Bookings may be made to Walk The Heart Gate Labyrinth
by Appointment
Also, clients visiting The Heart Gate for consultations, classes, workshops, retreats, talks or other programmes are welcome to stay and linger a little longer to enjoy the peace and tranquility. Walkers are invited to bring a small donation as well as a low-growing aromatic herb to plant into the living community quilt that is evolving to anchor their energy into it, or to bring a heart-shaped beach cobble or stone of their choice in memory of someone who has passed.
How The Heart Gate came to Keith and Christina
A Story of Manifestation
Since Christina’s transformational experience that catapulted her onto a jounrey into self, related in About Us, she had yearned for a mini retreat centre where friends, family and clients could come to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect with Mother Nature and their own True Nature – on Vancouver Island. At that time, their funds were very limited and they lived in a small apartment in Vancouver’s West End. One day she sat down and started writing down exactly what she envisioned – even though to the logical mind it was an ‘impossible dream’. For five years, with Keith’s help, she added what they would love it to look like and eventually their 3-page list went right down to the healing cabin in the woods in the left-hand corner of the land, with a water feature in the right hand corner of the land. Christina wished for a garage suitable to be transformed into a small yoga studio, no more than 15 min outside of both Comox and Courtenay. They envisioned it to be on the edge of Seal Bay Park.
When the time came for them to move, as they walked in through the gate of the second house they viewed they felt a peace enfold them as if they had “come home”. As they stepped in through the front door and saw the wooden floors and big windows they had envisioned, the looked at each other and the deal was sealed – even though they had not stepped more than one step into the front door. As they toured the house and garden, the were in awe for as the ticked of their list every single item was there – and more!
Christina believes that the most important components of the manifestation process were: being clear about what they yearned for with all their hearts, right down to the finest details; visiting their vision often, without any attachment to when it would manifest; feeling herself being there, truly experiencing it; and wanting it not only for them, but for the greater good of those who came there; not seeing themselves as owners, but custodians of the land; and remaining grateful and awed every day for the honour of being here now! And, who knows, perhaps they did not manifest it at all – perhaps the seed was planted by spirit, perhaps the place was waiting for them. Who really knows?
