Arrive in Denpasar Bali in the early afternoon, and then settle into their hotel room. If you arrive early, feel free to book a spa treatment!
Tonight, we meet as a group and get our first taste of Balinese cuisine at a welcome dinner,
Today, we will explore elements of the First Chakra, which is our root chakra associated with the colour red. As we dig into Balinese Culture and Community, we will also dig into how we feel firmly rooted in life, both from an individual and community perspective.
After our morning mindfulness practices and breakfast, you and your retreat mates will attend a short welcome orientation with details about your time in Bali and enjoy a special introduction to the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana, which roughly translates to “the three sources of good,” is the central philosophy of Balinese life. (Read more about this under Trip Highlights)
After lunch,
Next, we will participate in a Banjar workshop, with traditional Balinese music, dance, woodcarving and offering-making. After, we will participate in a Sisya Upanaya welcoming ceremony.
Later, we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and enjoy a free evening.
The second chakra, also known as the sacral chakra, is associated with how you experience sexuality, creative expression, emotions, and intuition, and is associated with the colour orange.
After our morning mindfulness practices and breakfast, we stroll through the winding paths in the lush jungle and terraced rice paddies on a herbal walk to learn about Bali’s native plants and how they’re used for traditional medicine, food and body care products. We will also learn about Bali’s subak irrigation system which has been designated as a U.N World Heritage Site.
Later, we visit Tirta Empul, a holy spring temple considered a sacred site to purify the soul and mind by the Balinese people.
Afterwards, indulge in a delicious lunch above panoramic views of the Mt. Batur volcano and take in the sites and sounds of the vibrant landscape.
After lunch, we will visit to Made Tea, a local farm and business that cultivates a wide variety of local plants and herbs to share with the world a dream of improving health, happiness, and well-being through the creation and beauty of unique, uplifting, and delicious teas.
This evening, enjoy dinner on their own among many of Ubud’s delicious restaurant options.
Spend the rest of the evening enjoying free time in Ubud.
This is a day of exploring our power and self-confidence through the third chakra, which is associated with the colour yellow.
After our morning mindfulness practices, we head to the local market to gather ingredients and learn how to make some delicious traditional Balinese and Indonesian dishes in a cooking class at an Ubud landmark serving authentic Balinese food for more than 25 years. Once finished, we will enjoy the delicious dishes made for an immersive lunch!
This evening, you will put on a special Balinese outfit to enjoy an exclusive Royal Palace tour and dinner at the Peliatan Palace with Prince Cokorda Agung Krisna Dalem, who is one of the young Royal Family Balinese Princes. He will personally meet our group and spend an evening discussing issues facing Bali in the 21st century.
Later, we will have a free evening.
Today is a heartfelt day, as we learn about the amazing work of two non-profits focused on empowering women and maternal health. This is also a day of exploring our heart chakra, which focuses on the ability to give and receive love, compassion, forgiveness, and empathy.
After our morning mindfulness practices, we will enjoy a presentation at Burmi Sehat, a natural birth clinic and non-profit foundation with a mission of reducing maternal and child mortality in Indonesia. The Clinic’s founder, Robyn Lim, was recognized in 2011 as CNN’s Hero of the Year.
Next, we gather for lunch at a delicious local restaurant before visiting PKP women’s centre, where we learn about the founder’s dream of creating a space for Balinese women to support each other and learn new skills.
In the evening, we enjoy a catered dinner by the Women’s Center cooking class and discuss what we learned today.
Rest of the evening is free.
Today is a day of learning about Balinese spirituality, and culture and working with our fifth chakra, an energy centre that focuses on Throat, Speech and communication linked to our integrity and morals (blue).
We will visit a traditional healer or Balian and learn about theirs to becoming a healer and their role in providing physical and emotional healing in their local community.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we will take a private tour and coffee with Agung Rai, the founder and visionary behind the world-renowned ARMA Museum home to an outstanding collection of traditional Balinese art.
After dinner together, we will marvel at an evening performance of traditional Legong dance.
Today we explore the Sixth Chakra, focusing on intuition and foresight which associates with the colour purple.
After our morning mindfulness practices and breakfast, we enjoy a hands-on art workshop on the traditional wax drawing and dyeing techniques of Bali batik fabrics. The instructor will guide us through the process of applying hot wax to a stencilled design on a fabric canvas, then apply coloured dyes to the patterned fabric, before finishing the day with the new batik creation to take home.
After lunch, We head onward to Celuk, a village made famous for its silver craft and jewellery production. Meet some of the artists behind the creations and observe the production process while browsing their wares.
Enjoy dinner on your own in Sanur and the evening is free.
Later, we will participate in Agni Hotra, a fire ceremony from the ancient Vedic texts that energizes and purifies the environment and offers healing and prosperity to the participants.
Today we explore the Seventh Chakra, focusing on how we connect with the Divine and tapping into our awareness and wisdom (Color white).
After our morning mindfulness practices and breakfast, we will discover the natural and cultural wonders of the Balinese countryside during a guided trek through the lush jungle and rice fields of east Bali with gorgeous views of the majestic Mount Agung. The trek will be in the Tengenan home of the indigenous Bali Aga people.
After lunch, we head to Sanur to settle into the hotel. You will enjoy your free evening and eat dinner on your own.
Start the morning with a body scan and meditation led by a local Balinese healer. Collin and Djazia, our retreat leaders will then recap what we learned about ourselves on this trip through exploring culture and community and the chakras.
After lunch together, you will explore Sanur on your own and enjoy the boardwalk and beach, shop the markets, get a massage or relax, before meeting up for a final special dinner with our group.
Prepare for the journey home, exchange contact information with new friends and reflect on the memories created.
