In May 2009 I did something I had never done before.
I travelled overseas solo, so I could attended a Yoga Retreat in Ubud.
The Retreat I choose was called
ESCAPE THE WORLD
I find it hard to put into words how wonderful this was. Yes, it was challenging on many levels, but it was also the most liberating, relaxing experience in my life to date. The experiences I had, I will treasure forever. It cemented the connection I feel to Bali.
There are many Retreats of all types available in Bali. If it is something you are thinking about, just do it. Prices can vary enormously and may seem expensive but once I had paid for my Retreat that was pretty much it. I did not open my purse for 6 days. That's food, accommodation, massages & treatments, yoga, bike riding, ceremonies etc. I used Frequent Flyers to Get there.
I know I spent less than I did on either of my next 2 trips
My wonderful room at Kumala Satki
Bathrobe, neatly on bed at arrival
I had to cross these stepping stones across the pond to reach my room.
Luckily No Bintang this trip
Looking out across my balcony. Did plenty of this on Silence Day
Lower pool. I used to pop in after brekky each day.
of raw, vegan, organic food. YUM!!
This was my table setting for lunch, on my private balcony during Silence Day. No interaction ( except Yoga) no talking, I didn't even read. I wrote, I painted, I wandered and took photos.
It was Amazing
We had several specialised Ayurvedic Treatments during the Retreat.
They were Divine. I now go to Bali Botanica when in Ubud as the retreat & spa are run by same people. It brings back such wonderful memories.
Each morning a gong signalled that our Early Moring Meditation & Yoga was about to begin.
We would quietly wander down to the pavillion, sip our warm, lemon honey drink and begin.
Early on in the retreat we learnt about Bali Customs & Rituals.
This was a lead up to a Purification Ritual and Blessing Ceremony at Tirta Empul, Bali's most sacred spring pools for a purification ritual.
a local mangku (priest) will carry out the prayers.
The morning after Silence Day were were quietly woken by the gong at 4.30 am. This meant that the weather was being nice to us and our trip up to Gunung Batur - One of Bali's most spectacular volcanos - was happening, so off we headed to do some yoga and witness sunrise.
We were truly blessed. Sunrise was amazing and Iyan was very gracious when not much yoga happened that morning.
Iyan still doing his Sun Salutation. Us girls were just taking photos.
My Breakfast On Top Of The World
Our Retreat group was small, just the four of us. 1 Aussie and 3 young Dutch girls.I had 25 years on these beautiful women and could have let that, and the fact that I remember once being trim and terrific like them bother me. BUT this Retreat was about me. So I moved on quickly.
Another day we walked along the ridge following the Yos (?) river, til we came to Sari Organics. Beautiful food and lovley spot to have lunch.
The rest of the photos are of the Yoga Pavillion, which looks across the valley. It is where we met each morning for Meditation & Yoga and again late afternoon for Restorative Yoga.
I can still clearly hear the distant bellow of the cow that I would hear each morning, the thump noise which took me forever to realize what it was and eventually the silence.
A Beautiful Experience
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