Rachel Hunter yoga: Waiver releases supermodel from death blame

Rachel Hunter practising yoga in the pursuit of wellness for herself and others.

Keen yogis seeking wellness and meditation tips from Kiwi supermodel Rachel Hunter at an event this weekend have first had to sign a document releasing the star from any responsibility if they die or sustain personal injuries as a result of her negligence.

Hunter, 53, is leading a four-day weekend of “breathwork, meditation and yoga” at Parohe Island Retreat on Kawau Island and then heading to Auckland city for an event in St Heliers on Sunday night.

The “wonderful evening” will take place, led by Hunter and her daughter Renee Stewart - at the St. Heliers Centre from 6.30pm.

“Join Me and Renee Stewart for an evening of breath-work, a little movement and meditation with the elements and chakras,” said Hunter on the page.

A Q&A session will follow.

Rachel Hunter. Photo / Paddy Foss

Participants must sign a “release, waiver and indemnity” document before attending.

It states that in signing they “hereby release, hold harmless, indemnify and waive any claims” the company running the retreat and its members “including Rachel Hunter” as well as “directors, officers, contractors, employees, volunteers, agents, executors, administrators, successors, family members”.

It also removes those parties from “any liability and damages arising from death or personal injuries, including the contraction of Covid-19 or other communicable diseases” caused ”including as a result of Rachel Hunter’s negligence”.

“You are releasing the Released Parties at your own risk and you agree to forfeit any and all forms of legal recourse which may be available to you, including but not limited to any form of damages, as a result of your participation in the activities,” the document states.

“You agree that this provision applies to you, your family, heirs, executors or anyone else who may be able to bring a legal action on your behalf in the future.”

The weekend retreat is currently underway and entitled “Ritual of Elements/True Nature” promising participants will “practice in nature on the amazing yoga-purposed platforms, and the private marina”.

“Here we get to relax, reset and relate to the elements,” said Hunter on the retreat website.

“The nature that is within us and that is externally at play all the time in the world we live in.

“Elements of Being is relating to the foundations within us and external making up this divine play we dance in.

“This weekend is a translation and a shared experience from my dance with the elements.

“For all, it is a personal journey. So please come with openness and fluidity. Also with this work sometimes there is connection to the teachings sometimes not. This is all personal experience. So there are no expectations.”

The weekend pricing ranges from $2495 to $3495 per person.

Each morning of the retreat starts with a 7am meditation session then yoga - with a “fruit break” between.

There is plenty of free time for attendees to ”use the paddle boards, kayaks, archery, golf, swim, sauna, or walk the tracks at Parohe” before afternoon activities including a question and answer session with Hunter, talks, breathwork and more meditation.

Group dinners follow before the group “gather around outdoor fire” in an area called “the Enchantment”.

Rachel Hunter has been training at the Sattva Yoga Academy in the foothills of the Himalayas. Photo/Instagram

The organiser stated the waiver for the Sunday event “must be read, understood and signed off on, in order for you to be able to take part in your registered event/s with Rachel Hunter”.

The entire waiver spans more than 1400 words.

“The purpose of this release and waiver is to openly communicate the risks of practising yoga together, either in person or online, and have you release Rachel Hunter of any liability,” it states.

“Please be aware that if you do not sign this waiver and agree to its terms, you will not be permitted to participate in any classes.”

Tickets for the St Heliers event are still on sale for $70 per person.

The retreat this weekend is sold out.

Hunter has spent many years teaching and leading events after training as a yoga and meditation teacher in India.

She - alongside Stewart, who is also a trained yoga teacher - has run retreat events in Bali and other places around the world.

Hunter spoke to the Herald last year about her wellbeing journey.

“I’ve been on this journey with spirituality since I was born,” she explained.

Renee Stewart, Rachel Hunter and Jacqui Hunter-Monk having family fun in LA.

“My mum was into tarot, Buddhism, Mormonism, born-again Christianity, we did the whole thing.

“Before she passed away, I asked her, ‘What did you regret?’ And she said, ‘I really regret not being fully who I wanted to be’.”

Inspired, Hunter took a pilgrimage to India, not only to help her move through the grief, but to follow her heart into yoga.

She’d been practising for 12 years by that stage, and although she didn’t set out to teach, she went through a stage of questioning the direction of her life.

“You go through grief and fear, to what is my purpose? Where am I? What am I doing?” she said.

“All these questions arise at certain points in our life. And it usually brings us to our knees somewhere along the line. It’s always been in me.

“It’s just that the modelling was part of the journey at the beginning.”