Yoga Retreat Bali: Spirituality and Healing in Ubud

As I packed my bags at the beginning of July this summer, said goodbye to my loved ones at home, and boarded the plane headed towards Jordan, I already knew that this trip would not just be normal sightseeing or discovering new places. I desperately wanted to learn more about myself and gain exciting new insights into completely different ways of thinking and life perspectives than those I've known all my life at home.

And now, here in Bali, thanks to Oneworld Retreats, I have truly come into contact with something significant for the first time: I participated in a week-long yoga retreat in Bali, which honestly has profoundly and positively transformed my entire mindset.

While yoga is usually seen at home as merely a means to an end-either to shape the body as one would like or as a pure relaxation technique-I quickly realized here in Bali that the whole yoga lifestyle entails so much more.

In fact, physical fitness during my week at Oneworld Retreats, much like during my Ayurveda Retreat in Kerala, South India, was completely secondary. The primary focus was on releasing blocked energies in the body and being able to heal real ailments through that.

Linda, the best teacher I could imagine for this topic, explained to us that almost all diseases are triggered by energy blockages if they persist for a long time without being resolved.

I found the questions about who or what we actually are incredibly intriguing. I don't want to elaborate too much on that here, but I am deeply impressed and already know for sure that the entire yoga lifestyle resonates with me, and this week here will certainly not be my last retreat of this kind!

I really enjoyed that in the early morning, we were not abruptly awakened by an alarm clock or a phone call, but by the gentle ringing of a bell, which a hotel staff member carries around to each room at seven in the morning.

I also loved this in Mexico, during my Life Source Retreat in Tulum on the coast! At 7:30 AM, the first session began punctually with a glass of hot lemon water and energy exercises. In all asanas, breathing and thereby directing the energies in the body was the focus.

It was quite challenging for me to not eat anything until 10 AM since the morning session lasted a full two and a half hours. But the beautiful surroundings around the open yoga shala on three sides, the calls of kingfishers, and the many lively squirrels made me forget about the time each time. Every evening at 5 PM, we meditated during the sunset, which I found incredibly beautiful and relaxing!

The Kumara Sakti Resort, where all the retreats take place, is not a luxury hotel in that sense. Its true luxury lies in the truly beautiful nature that surrounds it and makes it easy to relax and unwind. The lovely pool, for example, is located at the far end of the property by a small river and is surrounded by lush greenery. Countless squirrels also play here, and huge butterflies flutter around.

Also, the stunning view from my terrace of the palm trees and rice fields across the way was a form of meditation for me. Overall, I've noticed recently that I can easily unwind and feel quite relaxed amidst beautiful nature. Often, soft mats, nicely arranged rooms, and CDs with guided relaxation techniques are not even necessary. Sometimes, a beautiful sunset can be enough to help you find your inner balance.

On the second day of the Oneworld Yoga Retreat in Bali, we all went on a little hike through the surrounding rice fields together. This also served the purpose of getting to know each other a bit at first. After all, everyone here had their personal reasons for being in a healing retreat like this and not just in a regular yoga class or wellness hotel. By the way, the beautiful rice fields and lush nature are one of the main reasons why I love Bali and also Nusa Lembongan. I truly believe I could never get enough of it.

I will also never forget the stunning sunrise at Mount Batur. We sat at a large viewpoint at six in the morning, watching the sun slowly rise in soft pink hues behind the mountain, and then all meditated together. What a magical experience!

The Balinese are truly masters of this: there is a ceremony for everything and everyone with a holy priest. You smell the scent of incense everywhere and have to be careful not to step on one of the countless offering baskets with every step. I think for few of us Europeans is it possible, or would it be natural, to live such spirituality in everyday life. But we should really cultivate a small part of that, whatever that may look like for each of us, right?

Through Linda, each of us had the opportunity to visit a genuine Balinese healer and participate in a traditional Balinese ceremony. Both aimed to release old and no longer useful energies, take in new ones, and restore the flow of these energies in the body. For me, this ceremony was an absolutely incredible and beautiful experience. I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity!

And? What do you think about this rather big and complex topic? Have you also come into contact with the yoga lifestyle, or do you think all of this is complete nonsense? I look forward to your comment on my travel blog!