Escape urban living with spa village tembok bali’s return to yourself retreat
Escape urban living with spa village tembok bali’s return to yourself retreat.
While visitors to Bali usually opt for the beaches of Jimbaran or Ubud’s rice terraces, for something different, Tembok offers serious seclusion. A winding two-and-a-half-hour drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport along the northeast coast is home to black-sand beaches fringed with palm trees. En route is fishing village and dive site Tulamben, and Kintamani where the majestic Mount Batur volcano looms ahead.
Serene nature provides an ideal setting for the Return to Yourself retreat which caters for busy women who wish to reconnect with their authentic selves, which can be a challenge in urban lifestyles where their identity is tied to gender or profession. To this end, Wi-Fi is only offered in the lobby and there are no televisions, providing an opportunity to truly switch off. Designed by wellness director Savitri Talahatu who is a yoga teacher, lifestyle and holistic wellness coach and reiki master, she hopes to provide the lone traveller with a safe environment to decompress from everyday pressure.
DAY 1
Any tension from the long journey is eased with the welcome at the lobby, not just a cold towel and refreshing drink, but also a foot scrub with that famous black volcanic sand and a shoulder massage. Instantly relaxed, I head to my Kamar Room with a terrace opening out on to a grassy courtyard, and a marble bathroom where a candlelit rose petal bath has been drawn.
Arriving just as the resort’s only restaurant Wantilan is about to close for the evening, the friendly chef kindly prepares a selection of Indonesian dishes to be sent to the room.
We set an intention to let go of the things that no longer serve us.
THIS PAGE: The pool’s cool blues blend with ocean views. OPPOSITE PAGE: Lush grounds showcase nature at its finest; Take a break from the sun in a breezy sala. OPENING PAGE: Downtime in a serene pool villa.
Before I have time to unpack, a tray of fish curry, beetroot, broth and green beans in peanut sauce arrives so I can have a bite before bed in preparation for tomorrow’s early start.
DAY 2
At 6.30am while still dark, I meet Savitri to start a day themed ‘Beauty and Creativity’, which begins with kundalini yoga. Known as the yoga of awareness, it focuses on chanting and meditation with the objective of helping people achieve their potential. We silently chant “Sat Nam” which means ‘I am truth’ during ‘breath of fire’ (a foundational form of rapid breathing) to encourage us to shake off the labels and how others try to define us, be it through job titles or our relationships, so we can experience the most genuine version of ourselves.
Savitri explains that we should wake with the sun to regulate our circadian rhythm, which tends to be off-kilter when there are no chirping birds to take a cue from, or the disorientation that comes with travel. Unlike Bikram yoga which only has one kriya (an orchestrated pattern of movements and meditations), kundalini has hundreds. Today’s is to sharpen intuition by focusing on the pituitary gland behind the third eye chakra and help us sharpen instinct and inner wisdom, which tends to be dulled due to the logic and convenience of city life.
Feeling centred, I head to breakfast for a delicious granola parfait, green juice and cashew milk cappuccino. Next is an excursion to Les Waterfall, a 15-minute car ride and short walk through a local village, past the shrine of Dewi Sri, the goddess of fertility and growth. Framed by lush greenery, the tumbling cascade refreshes the senses, and according to the Balinese taking a shower in its powerful spray, purifying.
Back at the resort, I am guided to the pre-spa treatment area to experience Segara giri, a treatment celebrating the sacred space between the ocean and mountains where we are situated. The Balinese believe that the feet serve as a conduit between the earth and the self, and mine are steamed clean over black volcanic sand from the resort beach.
A cooling lemongrass-infused towel is placed over my shoulders along with a refreshment of ice and palm sugar. This soothing introduction to the spa was followed by a blissful foot massage, listening radiating outwards into a star, flower and sun. Savitri interprets the colours I used in the mandala in relation to the seven chakras, which are meant to correspond to the centres in our body through which energy flows.
She notices my drawing uses only five colours, missing out the red and purple of the root and crown chakras completely, which may indicate that grounding and spirituality are off my radar, for the time being at least.
THIS PAGE : Complimentary yoga classes are held daily. OPPOSITE PAGE: Balmy afternoon in a Kamar Room; dolphin watching from a traditional jukong.
The day ends with dinner at Wantilan, where I’ve come to expect three courses for both lunch and dinner. As the majority of guests are here for pleasure and not a retreat, there are plenty of decadent menu offerings. After a creamy pumpkin soup, mie goreng to the calming sound of rain.
In the afternoon, Savitri leads a mandala making session, accompanied by some rather scrumptious scones. Reflecting on the morning’s yoga session we discuss understanding our own identity, and how others perceive us. She says we are more than just our physical beings, with mental, emotional and spiritual layers, and asks me to focus on this while drawing the circular ritual symbol, which represents the universe in Indian religions.
Feeling like a child in art class, I snap up the crayons and begin drawing a circle spicy fried noodles and white chocolate and orange mousse with cappuccino ice cream, I have another early night, anticipating what tomorrow will bring.
DAY 3
I meet Savitri for sunrise meditation at 6.15am on the resort beach for the ‘Integration’ part of the retreat. There’s still mist lingering in the air and the first pink rays of the sun peek through the clouds revealing sailboats as little specks on the horizon in the distance. It’s a peaceful start, the two of us on our yoga mats joined only by the odd crab poking out of the jet-black sand.
Today’s kundalini kriya is for elevation, focusing on exercising the spine to aid the circulation of prana, the universal life force in the body, and to balance the chakras we touched upon yesterday. Ever inquisitive, Savitri asks what makes someone a yogini, and how this differs from the gateway perception of yoga as a trendy exercise with the fashion to match. She asks whether holding a newborn baby or being entranced by a good book might also be considered yoga, if the practice is about experiencing pure joy in the moment with a sense of clarity.
On this note Savitri and I head to the nearby ponjok Batu Temple for a purification ceremony. Carrying a basket of offerings we climb over rocks to a black sandstone shrine, where we set an intention to let go of the things that no longer serve us and focus on what we wish to invite into our lives instead. The priest prepares holy water in a case with flowers and incense while we sit cross-legged on the floor meditating, chanting mantras in ancient Sanskrit, before the blessed water is poured over us supposedly to cleanse on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels.
For a ritual of a more indulgent nature back at the hotel, I am booked in for a Balinese massage using a variety of acupressure tempos, rolling and long strokes with organic coconut oil. This is followed by a traditional Balinese facial using natural ingredients including yoghurt, cooling cucumbers, sandalwood and tamarind leaves, finishing with a head massage. Lunch is a Caesar salad with cashew dressing, perkedel kentang potato patties and chocolate fondant with ice cream. Savitri tells me a six-pack makes it more challenging to get the breath flowing in yoga, so I don’t feel too guilty about my rapidly expanding waistline.
In the afternoon Savitri is ready with the scones again and more pearls of wisdom. She explains the models of wellness used around the world, and she asks me to select the one which resonates with me most.
The ultimate goal is oneness, and the ability to see the divine in everyone and everything, is the way to achieve this.
I choose the one based on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual layers, and she reminds me to keep tabs equally on each to prevent any emotional issues from becoming physical ones. For her, the ultimate goal is oneness, and she tells me that the ability to see the divine in everyone and everything is the way to achieving this.
A lot to ponder on my way to the sunset cruise in a traditional Indonesian boat called a jukong, which takes us out into the calm waters of the Bali Sea. Drifting further away from the resort beach, a stunning view of Mount Agung shrouded in mist appears as a backdrop to the towering palms. Bobbing up and down with the last of the sun on my face is incredibly tranquil, and I am lucky enough to see a family of four dolphins doing the same – bouncing gently on the surface seemingly rocked to the lullaby of the peaceful water, hardly moving and content. It’s easy to see the divine here.
The last dinner at Wantilan is a delicious feast of local chicken meatball soup, mahi mahi and wajik, sticky rice cooked in pandan leaf with palm sugar and coconut milk. As I head back to my room via the pool, I am offered a chance to stargaze which I gladly oblige. Floating on a towel-covered lilo while admiring the sparkling constellation in the night sky is a dreamy end to an intense day.
THIS PAGE: Relaxing post-treatment with a medley of refreshing juices. OPPOSITE PAGE: Black-sand beaches offer a dramatic backdrop.
DAY 4
The kriya in the last session of kundalini yoga is for Ten Bodies. Devotees believe humans are made up of the physical body, three mental bodies and six energy bodies, which can be thought of like layers of clothing. We are most aware of the first because of its tangibility, and this practice aims to heighten awareness of the negative, positive and neutral minds, as well as the soul, arc line, auric, pranic, subtle and radiant energies. To awaken intuition which helps in decision-making, we engage in the stretch pose, nose to knees, ego eradicator, life nerves stretch, spinal flex, arm pumps, shoulder shrugs and frog pose.
The session wraps with a laya yoga mediation where we chant “ek ong kaar saa taa naa maa siree wha hay guroo“, which translates to ‘There is one creator. Truth is his name. Ecstatic beyond words is his wisdom and guidance’ for three and a half cycles.
Next is the Bountiful, Blissful, Beautiful meditation where Savitri and I sing first to ourselves, then to each other, holding hands and looking into each others eyes. It was the most challenging exercise, pushing me far beyond
my comfort zone, but I also felt grateful for the extremely full-on experience.
While the retreat isn’t for everyone, particularly those seeking a luxurious getaway, it is geared towards women travelling alone who are experiencing loss or going through a time of transition, whether between careers or relationships, and wish to explore their spiritual side and learn more about kundalini yoga, and a unique opportunity to have one-on-one time with a healer throughout the entire programme. Where it does excel is the level of attention you receive from the nurturing Savitri who is not only a mentor, but certain to become a friend after sharing so much together. www.spavillageresort.com
