IWSG – Sept 2020 – Blooming Lotus Yoga Bliss Retreat
, Just this morning I was saying to myself, “Self, eleven months have passed; you’ve written three posts about your trip to Bali and you’re still not finished. What’s with that?”
- Post #1 – https://joylenebutler.com/may-2020-iwsg-me-encountering-manila/.html
- Post #2 – https://joylenebutler.com/june-2020-iwsg-tuban-kuta-bandung-bali/.html
- Post #3 – https://joylenebutler.com/july-2020-the-long-flight-to-bali/.html
There are five reasons why I’m not finished:
1. All my photographs won’t fit in one post.
2. It was a huge experience, hard to wrap up in 3000 words or less; at least, for me.
3. If I’m putting this out in the world, I need to do it justice.
4. Long posts take time to read .
5. I’m an author. When I finish a book, I say goodbye to my characters. I don’t want to say goodbye to Bali.
To recap:
- Oct 1 – I left Canada.
- Oct 3 – Arrived in Manila and stayed at the historical Luneta Hotel.
- Oct 5 – Flew to Denpasar and stayed at the beautiful Novotel Hotel.
- Oct 6 – Traveled north to the Blooming Lotus Yoga Bliss Retreat.
BTW: I did this BY MYSELF!
I returned to Canada on October 17, 2019, looking like the same ole joylene, but I wasn’t. I’d visited heaven on earth and I came away breathing a more joyous, loving, and compassionate life.
Now 11 months later, COVID-19 later, I yearn to go back to that glorious feeling of awareness, peace, and gratitude in Indonesia.
The wise one inside of me, the one who’s always been, even though I don’t always feel her, knows I don’t need to go back. I have the capacity to be aligned with my spirit without having to travel 13000 km. All I need to do is be still and breathe.
The Blooming Lotus Yoga Bliss Retreat is set in the lush jungle of Bali. The place is magical. There are classes in the sacred wisdom of Yoga, Tantra & Vedanta. My 7 days encompassed the Hatha, vinyasa, & yin styles of yoga asana.
What you’re seeing in the photo below is the compound. The three tiers house private and shared villas, which can have 2 to 6 guests in each. Please forgive the poor quality photos. They didn’t transfer from iPhone to Dropbox to WordPress the way I’d hoped.
I stayed in a single room, (centred in the photo) under the yoga studio, sharing the villa with 4 others. Each villa had its own swimming pool. The community swimming pool near the bottom of the photo is next door to the spa.
The top tier with the rows of lights is the dining room on your right with the large yoga studio on your left.
There were 26 in attendance … from all walks and countries. Five travelled from Canada. The others were from Spain, Australia, Turkey, Sweden, Korean, Denmark, United States, Switzerland, and the UK.
Among these beautiful souls were a nurse, yoga instructor, doctor, teachers, computer coders, designer, government worker, animal rescuer, accountant, banker, lawyer, prosecutor. I was the only author.
Going out on a limb and admitting I was the oldest person in attendance.
My room, behind the glass doors.
The interesting thing is my room was very white, not the colour in the photo at all. I had the room to myself.
I did have a single suite like the one below, but I moved to be closer to the studio.
After morning lessons and before the evening ones, we were left to our own devices. I did a walkabout as often as I could. Camera in hand.
Breakfast was at 7:30 sharp each morning.
Dinner was 7:30 pm sharp…
There was a temple across from us. 
Blooming Lotus is strictly vegan so some of us went to town for junk food.
One day we all went to a temple and had our chakras cleansed.
A moving experience.
Our teacher and angel: Bindi
I will conclude my posts on Bali next month, summing up my impressions of the people, the landmarks, and the overall trip. If you are considering a trip to Bali in the future and have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below. I’ll answer next month.
So much happened that I’m left a little overwhelmed, still. I don’t feel as if I’m adequately showcased just how special my trip was. It was life-changing.
“In Yoga everything is centered upon letting go and falling in love with love itself.”
… Ramananda Mayi
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Comments 36
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Oh, how lovely! Thank you for sharing your trip with us!
That looks and sounds blissful.
And how nice to have your life changed by beauty and calm. Too often the changes are forced upon us by very different things.
Author
@Patsy: I know, but I also think I should stop obsessing. Maybe.
@Pat: I would love to visit Germany. One of my dearest friends is from there and goes back every year.
@Tamara: I feel very fortunate that our building has a community pool. We take turns.
@Jemi: Thanks. Hope your book sales are going well.
@Suzanne: It’s another reason I’m blogging about my trip; so I don’t forget all the little details.
@Chrys: It was beyond amazing.
@Erika: I’m trying for day by day too, or even moment by moment.
@Lynn: Exploring our minds was partially what Bali taught me.
@Anna: I can’t imagine not being changed.
@Sadira: Thank you for visiting.
@Alex: It was totally awesome.
@Jennifer: I met some very nice people.
@Loni: Thanks, it was.
@Jemima: I had no idea I like Vegan food. LOL.
@Lynn: There is certain junk food worth the trip. LOL
@SE: Thanks, because it just may.
@CG: Thanks.
@Diane: Yes, there were 4 ladies celebrating their 60th birthdays.
@Lee: You’re right, there is so much to explore.
@Martha: True, once was a blessing. Twice would be great too.
@Olga: Thanks, I took 100s.
@Carrie-Anne: I never thought I would.
@Jonnie: I almost researched it to death. LOL
@Louise: Age is a state of mind, absolutely.
@Denise: thanks. Next month.
@Hilary: I’m glad you’re back.
@Janet: I never thought I’d do it either. Your mind is powerful.
@Sonia: Namaste.
@Yvette: thanks, and more.
@Toi: You’re never too late.
Sorry for my late visit. Thank you for stopping by my blog.
Thank you for continuing to share your experience with us. I really enjoy and appreciate your words. Despite your Dropbox issues, I think all the images are lovely.
Wow! Sounds like the trip of a lifetime, Joylene. Love the photos. 🙂
Those pictures Joylene! I am sure I know how wonderful the Yoga retreat must have been. Loved this post!
Namaste
What beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing your amazing trip with us, but not just for the photos. That sense of peace and getting inside yourself is something I wish I could let myself do. So happy for you. Still shaking my head at you traveling alone to Bali! Good for you.
JQ Rose
Amazing trip … I’ll be back on a more regular basis – not sure where the link when haywire …
Anyway – I’ll need to read the rest of these … extraordinary and wonderful trip. Love the photos – poof if they’re not perfect!! Take care and I’ll be back shortly … Hilary
Wow. That yoga retreat looked awesome. And the picture, great. Look forward to more.
I absolutely love your Bali posts, Joylene, and all the gorgeous photos. The photo below the beds and the pools of the two mirror image people on opposite sides of a door radiate calmness and peace, so soothing for someone highly strung like me. They remind me of the apsara dancers that grace so many temples and buildings in Cambodia. Who cares if you were the oldest one there? ~ You were showing everyone that age is a state of mind. There are chronologically old people who will never be “old.” I think I’d like having my own room to retreat to at the end of a long day ~ This introvert would need to recover! Obviously your experiences in Bali had a profound impact on you. I’m so glad that you went for it!
Oh Joylene, it has been some time since we sat pen in hand together. And here you are sharing Bali with us. Somehow I missed this conversation last winter, so pleased to be caught up partially now. I def wish to know more about this place. Imagining you researched heaps to find/ create the best spot. Or maybe the lotus simply released a blossom and you were welcomed with ease. Much, much Love Always, till we return once again to the pen n’ paper, Thank-you so much for all your wkshops this past winter. May you continue being safe, and my oh my, look how many folk responded in one day!
That looks and sounds like an incredible retreat! I’d love to have an experience like that.
Than must’ve been an unforgettable experience. The photos relay your sense of wonder perfectly. Great post.
I think going to an exotic retreat is the treat of a lifetime! We don’t need to do it many times, but once or twice gets us thinking far beyond our normal boundaries. Next time I want to go!
This was a true adventure not only to Bali but into yourself, Joylene. I wouldn’t want to stop writing about this experience at all, and perhaps you won’t. There has to be so much to explore.
So beautiful! You might have been the oldest but I saw someone else with grey hair in the lineup.
Eleven months seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? We took our trip to New Hampshire 11 months ago and I look at the photos and think, “Wow, we had no idea what was about to happen. Thank goodness we took the trip when we did.”
What a beautiful place! And what an amazing adventure you went on!
Gosh the pictures of Bali are so beautiful, and calming. I honestly don’t care how long it takes you to get one of the Bali posts up as long as I get to relax with the photos eventually, LOL.
There is a joy and sense calm understanding that comes through with each post. An extraordinary gift to get through these challenging times. When you guys went to town for junk food, did you feel guilty? LOL
Author
No… okay, maybe a little. Haha
I really enjoyed that trip with you. I’ve been to Indonesia – a very special trip with a friend who lives in the States, having married a US citizen. But that retreat looks very special… and just as I was wondering if they cater for vegetarians, you slipped in ‘vegan’! I might have to break my vow not to fly anywhere ….
Wow! Sounds and looks like an amazing experience!
Stunning photos, Joylene! How cool that you took the trip by yourself. Such freedom. And it looks like you made some friends along the way. How long have you practiced yoga?
Author
A long time, off and on. I taught T’chi for decades. Ooh, I sound old. haha.
Your room and that view – and your own pool! Awesome. Again, what an adventure for you.
Thank you for sharing this experience and your gorgeous photos with us!
No wonder you came back changed. I would have too. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
This looks like an incredible adventure for you! I heard a small clip on the CBC today from a philosopher who was talking on the benefit right now of changing our focus to explore more with the mind than with our physical bodies in a different place (since we are grounded). But I can see how the beauty of Bali would still draw you to want to go back sooner than later!
Wow! What an incredible experience! The photos made it all so real! You’re right. Happiness on some level, is within our power. For me, it’s a day by day thing 🙂
Happy IWSG day.
Bali would be an amazing place to travel to. And a Yoga Bliss Retreat sounds amazing.
That looks and sounds so amazing, Joylene. Something to remember for ever.
Such beauty and such a marvelous experience!
Love the pics 🙂
How wonderful that you were able to enjoy this experience before everything went haywire! The pictures are beautiful. Swimming pools are one of the things I miss the most this summer along with traveling.
Hi,
It is wonderful to feel the sereneness in your pictures when I look at them. I plan to enjoy a short wellness long weekend in the northern mountains of Hessen, Germany and I am looking forward to the stillness.
Long ago, I learned that if you want to find happiness, look within yourself. It’s a scary thing to do because you have to remove all the junk in your mind and open yourself up to change and get to know who you really are.
I am happy that you got the opportunity to find yourself. Things are not as stressful when we do that.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
I can see why you don’t want to feel done with a trip like that!