There’s no better time to focus on setting intentions and embracing healthy habits that nurture mind, body, and soul than a new year. We discuss all things wellness with Damian Chaparro, the co-creator of Aro Ha Wellness Retreat. Tucked away in the breathtaking landscapes of Glenorchy, Damian has cultivated a sanctuary that blends mindful movement, nourishing food, and nature immersion, allowing guests to strip away the noise of daily life in a luxurious setting. In this Q&A, Damian shares his career journey, offers insight into his philosophy of wellness and celebrates Aro Ha’s evolution over the past decade.
In conversation with Damian Chaparro
Let’s get up to speed. Please tell us a bit about you, your background and your career to date:
I grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, an artful and alternative high desert community. My journey in wellbeing was born out of desperation to find true happiness. I worked as a yoga teacher and retreat guide in the coastal mountains of Los Angeles. Along the way, I trained with experts in insight, human potential, and movement. These experiences showed me the importance of creating spaces where people can pause, immerse themselves, and create lasting change. My own personal path of inquiry ultimately inspired the creation of Aro Ha.
10 years of Aro Ha is an impressive milestone. What inspired the creation of this space and how has its mission evolved?
You could say that Aro Ha was born from my suffering. My priorities and lifestyle at the time left me yearning for something more, and when I first experienced the indescribable joys of true wellbeing, I knew I could never go back. I genuinely believe Aro Ha offers what we all deeply need: a sense of connection, vitality, and purpose. Our intention to create the most impactful experience possible has remained the same. While our retreats continue to improve, the most recent change is that we have developed potent support for integration and continuation. So the glow you feel from an Aro Ha retreat can now come with you.
How do you personally define wellness, and how has this definition informed the work you do both at Aro Ha and beyond?
For me wellness is the art moving toward balance. It is our continued quest to notice what serves us, and what depletes us. What uplifts our energy, and what interrupts it. Thought by thought, action by action, we balance being and becoming, effort and ease. When we’re doing it right, our path should get easier and less conflictual over time.
Your work is deeply rooted in nature immersion. Why is reconnecting with the natural world so central to your programme, and what do you believe it offers in today’s fast-paced world?
Go outside right now and move in nature—without rushing. Take a deep breath. Walk without urgency. Let your mind rest in the natural world. You’ll feel better every time. Do this for a week, and you’ll feel a lot better. Research supports it, but practicing it is what truly matters.
What have been the most transformative lessons for you personally, and how have they shaped your leadership?
Leading Aro Ha has taught me the power of presence. True transformation doesn’t happen in the future or the past – it happens in the now. This realisation has shaped how I lead, emphasising authenticity, active listening, and adaptability. It’s also taught me the value of community – surrounding yourself with people who share your vision amplifies what’s possible.
How to make your positive habits last:
The start of a new year is a time where many of us aim to put healthy habits into motion and commit to new wellness journeys. What are some impactful, actionable practices or mindset shifts you’d recommend to start making meaningful changes today?
One of my favourite things to do is to get still. Close your eyes. Feel your heart, and then ask it what it really wants. You can then take a leaf out of the ‘Layers’ philosophy (Aro Ha’s new online retreat programme) and create one incremental change that brings your heart joy.
For physical health: There is really only one thing we need to do. Notice. Notice how that last meal affected your energy for the day. Notice how your movement or lack there off leaving you feeling. Just keep noticing, and you’ll find decisions around health come naturally. Give yourself time to integrate the noticings and create change.
For mental health: Log out and tune in. Actively reduce the amount of content you consume, particularly on your phone. Then use that time to learn about what you’re made of. Meditate, and just be curious about what occurs inside.
For sustainability: Notice where your joy comes from. Sustainability can feel like deprivation until our worth moves from outside in. Be kind to yourself. We live in a world that measures its worth in GDP. The Bhutanese have it right, we should be quantifying success in GNH (Gross National Happiness) instead.
How to access Aro Ha online:
Tell us more about Aro Ha’s online retreat programmes. What inspired this development, and how does it capture the essence of the in-person experience?
One of my favourite things to do is to get still. Close your eyes. Feel your heart, and then ask it what it really wants. You can then take a leaf out of the Layers philosophy and create one incremental change that brings your heart joy.
Our latest offering, Layers, is our simplest, yet possibly most effective programme yet! Through Layers, we only ask our participants to commit 15 minutes a day over the 6 week programme to see lasting transformation. They log on to the platform, and are supported to create positive habits that stick.
Images: Supplied
