We are experienced retreat leaders, facilitators and volunteers who are dedicated to providing exceptional programs and service to our guests. We believe in the power of community, collaboration, and compassion, and we strive to create a supportive and nurturing environment for everyone who visits our centre. 

Toni Hackett

Toni Hackett is a creative thinker, a natural researcher and keen observer.  Her openness and genuine interest in others builds trust, creating a safe space for practise and learning to take place. Toni’s holistic and integrative approach to learning is human centred, creative, and dynamic. She celebrates diversity, values multiplicity, promotes inclusion and nurtures authenticity. Toni strives to shift the cultural lens from the transactional to the relational, focussing on our human capacity for connection and collaboration instead of our limitations in competition. 
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EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
Toni is an advocate for the benefits of conscious experiential learning and embodied living. At age 18 Toni travelled to and lived in India and Papua New Guinea. In her twenties Toni and her family life partner lived as houseparents in a (Sydney City Mission) Mission Australia family group home for 4 years with 8 adolescents. At age 25 Toni had her first child in a birth centre and 6 years later her second child was born at home. In 2005/6 Toni and her family lived and worked on organic farms in Europe and for 5 months Toni worked in a Swedish Rehabilitation Centre. From 2006 – 2008 Toni hosted over 30 people from all over the globe through the voluntary Help Exchange program. Between 2016 – 2022 Toni shared her home with more than 25 people from 15 different nations. 

Jagad Samuel

​Jagad is also a custodian at Flourish Sanctuary. Jagad gently supports people on their journey to rekindling a personal connection with their inner guidance and their connection with the divine. Without assuming the role of a guru or master, he guides people in a manner that encourages independence, helping them cultivate a deeper and more meaningful connection with themselves and the sacred.

Jagad's vision for Flourish Sanctuary is based on the principles of community, compassion, and personal growth, and he has worked tirelessly to create a space that is welcoming, supportive, and nurturing for all who come through its doors. ​One of the key programs at Flourish Sanctuary is its meditation and mindfulness classes. Jagad teaches these classes himself, drawing on his direct experience. His approach is rooted in the teachings of various spiritual traditions, including Taoism, Sufism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity. Jagad emphasises the importance of cultivating mindfulness, compassion, and self-awareness in order to live a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

Jagad's work with Flourish Sanctuary is a testament to his commitment to promoting wellness, personal growth, and community building. His teachings and programs have helped people to find greater peace, happiness, and meaning in their lives, and his vision for Flourish Sanctuary continues to inspire and uplift all those who come into contact with it.
In addition to meditation and mindfulness, Flourish Sanctuary offers a range of other programs and services, including yoga classes, workshops on personal growth and development, and holistic therapies such as massage and energy healing. The centre also hosts regular community events, such as potlucks dinners, concerts, and other gatherings, which provide opportunities for people to connect with one another and build relationships. J
Flourish Sanctuary exists primarily to serve the people of our community. To date, we have proudly not taken any government grants or corporate money and are totally independently funded. Everybody who works on the property is an unpaid volunteer apart from our cleaner, but they do get to live on this sacred land. Black Sheep Farm and Compassion Temple are operated by volunteers of Flourish Sanctuary. Our purpose is people, not profits. If you can make a donation to support our purpose then please click here.
We believe this world is for everyone regardless of spiritual beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity or species. ​We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather, the Bundjalung people, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water, and community, and we support their ongoing efforts towards self-determination and sovereignty.