Welcome to our Gallery of Past Retreats at
Gaia Retreat Center, Ubud, Bali.
Ubud,
THE PHOENIX RETREAT
ALCHEMY OF CONNECTION: SELF - SOURCE - SAFETY
BY KENDRA DAVIES
AUGUST 30- SEPT 6, 2023
Learn how to lead, guide and become an outstanding Thai Yoga Massage Practitioner in 2023 and experience the beauty to enter into the mystic 'Unknown'
Do you know the feeling, when all seems to be ‘ok’, but somehow you feel stuck in Life?
Or you might feel anxious, stressed about life and you don’t really know what to do?
You feel it’s time for change but you just don’t know where to start?
Or, are you just curious to go far beyond the physical body, and tap into the mental, emotional and spiritual bodies?
We are honored to have been selected by Phoenix Magazine as one of the top 5 eco hideaways in Bali!
Vegan Tastes Good Retreat by Felicia Cox
Spiritual Vegan Health Coach, Felicia Cox, who made the transition in 2012 and tried it all from raw vegan, to vegetarian, plant-based, and vegan throughout her spiritual journey— is excited to introduce the rundown on everything plant-based/vegan and how her spirituality began with food and meditation. Felicia believes that a plant-based is more than a diet. It's a lifestyle and spiritual practice that contributes to your overall physical, mental, spiritual, emotional wellness and health. Felicia offers education through services and products with personalized guidance that will get you on track to be confident in what you eat and how you feel about it, while enjoying every step of this uplifting (and delicious!) retreat at your own pace.
300hr Shivakali Elemental Yoga Teacher Training by Serge Bandura
The return of Shivakali Yoga 300hr Elemental Yoga Teacher Training in October 2022, hosted by Serge Bandura and faculty, focused on restorative postures, meditation and pranayama, the ancient sciences of yoga and tantra through a course of the 5 elements. The 28 day training revolved around learning how to teach Alignment-Based Advanced Vinyasa Flows, Traditional Hatha teachings, Yogic philosophy, Daily Ayurvedic self-care practices, Fire ceremonies, Buddhist & Nyingma teachings woven with our delicious healthy meals at Gaia Retreat Center and cherry picked spiritual and wellness excursions. Woven throughout the course is the element of space, during which time we will look encounter the poetry of Kabir, meditate on emptiness, and read from the Tao Te Ching. We will find what it means to discover our own practice, our own path, and our own truth within... as teachers, and as human beings.
Serge Bandura (E-RYT 500) is co-director at Shivakali Yoga, and has been teaching the Yogic arts of India & Tibet since since 2001. His approach evolves out of a deep transmission from younger years living in Kula (yogic community), engaging in lengthy daily practice before the hours of dawn, and undergoing rigorous study with his teachers. In classes, Serge blends his knowledge of traditional Yogic practice & philosophy with 1000's of hours of training in Ashtanga, Yin Yoga, Rudra Yoga, Vinyasa, Kundalini Tantra, Ayurveda and Tibetan Buddhism. He holds a BA in Religious Studies with an emphasis on South-Asian traditions, a certificate in Yoga Philosophy, a diploma in the study of Yoga & Ayurveda, an E-RYT designation from the Yoga Alliance, he reads/writes Sanskrit, and is a practicing Ngakpa (Tibetan Yogi) with Pema Khandro Rinpoche.
Journey from Ashtanga Yoga to the Island of Bali by Monika Balicka
"It has long been my dream to organize an Ashtanga yoga workshop on the island of Bali. I now bring the project to life! It is with great pleasure that I invite you to a dynamic ashtanga experience tailored for both advanced and beginners. Classes will be conducted in groups, depending on the level of advancement.
We will stay in beautiful Villa Gaia in Ubud, which is the Yoga Mecca of the Bali's spiritual mecca. The entire venue will be reserved exclusively for us. The yoga shala overlooks the exotic rice fields, swimming pool, swaying palm trees... you can spend your free time by the pool, in the sauna or enjoy the Balinese massages available on site.
The city of Ubud is a great starting point for exploring various parts of the island, but it also offers many attractions. (Sacred Monkey forest, waterfalls, Saraswati temple & more)" - Monika Balicka of Yoga Loft Poznań
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Monika Balicka is the owner of Yoga Loft Poznań School. Economist by profession and yoga teacher by passion, Monika is a Vinyasa yoga teacher who conducts classes inspired by the styles of Vinyasa Krama Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, which combine concentration on the breath.
She has a certificate of completion of training for teachers led by Manju Pattabhi Jois: "The Primary Series" (1st series of ashtanga in the tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois).
She also completed a teaching course in the Ashtanga method with Beata Darowska, studied Vinyasa Krama Yoga and meditation with Maciej Wielobob, a specialist in yoga therapy, meditation and yoga psychology.
High on Chi Quest Retreat by Trent Banyan
Creating potent habitual change to harmonise and elevate are the key focus of this carefully designed program founded by Trent Banyan.
High On Chi retreats are a culmination of 4 years of running and co-facilitating global wellness retreats and Trent's passion led him to bring this offering for his guests at Gaia Retreat Center. Daily activities focused around improving energy levels, following your blueprint to support your overall Chi levels, moving through the various Pillars of Chi Flow.
Chi Quests were created by Trent Banyan after facilitating and co facilitating over a decade various global wellness retreats, Rites of Passages and conscious events. He curates the program during the Chi Quests around the Pillars of Chi Flow, a guide to identify where you are leaking and wasting your (chi) energy and identifying how and what you can do to cultivate and harness it.
Guided by Trent and his team of expert facilitators, they embarked on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, where they gained a deep understanding of the inner mechanics of Chi and its transformative power.
Chi Quests take a holistic approach to wellness, where we infuse each experience with life-enhancing tools derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine & Qi Gong, educational workshops, connection with the culture of the land, relationship-building activities, and most of all, adventurous trips that will take you on a transformational journey.
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ABOUT TRENT BANYAN
Hi, I am the Creator and Director of High on Chi and live in the Noosa Hinterland on an organic farm in a tiny home with my wife and young daughter. I am a fully registered Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner and have been in private practice since the beginning of 2015. Since that time, I have worked with Noosa Confidential a sort after private rehabilitation program as an Acupuncturist, Yoga Therapist and Mindfulness Trail Facilitator. I was also the Program Leader of Dream Catcher Rehab, a program that ran Jost Sauer’s Recovery System.
I travelled extensively throughout my 20s and left a very well-paid job in construction in pursuit of creating the life I desired. In 2010, I found my calling to begin studying Traditional Chinese Medicine during my time in a 1-month meditation course in Guatemala. It was a pivotal turning point in my life. I moved from a life of material abundance, alcohol, drugs and partying to a holistic lifestyle filled with yoga and meditation practices. I found and connected into the power of chi (energy) and observed how it moves through everything. The ‘chi’ highs and reaching altered states naturally, is one of the main reasons why I have not turned back to old patterns.
Now, when I am not climbing mountains, I am providing Chi Flow Consultations and Esoteric Acupuncture from my High on Chi clinic space on the Sunshine Coast in Australia as well as online via zoom.
Free Community Ayurvedic, Wellness & Meditation Talk with Dr. Yogesh
Opening doors to Free Community Ayurvedic, Wellness & Meditation Talk with Dr. Yogesh.
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About Dr Yogesh & His Story:
A doctor, a nonconformist researcher, a thinker, and a spiritually awakened individual.
A Near Death Experience in his early 20s while he was still an undergraduate student pursuing degree in Ayurveda made him ponder about life and beyond. He found himself embroiled in existential questions often, trying to find out answers in spiritual texts such as Vedas and Upanishads, soon to realize it is futile and analogues to grope in darkness unless you have light of your own, to say your own experience..
Dr Yogesh turned to Meditation and after almost 13 years of sadhana –spiritual striving –a true sense of being awakened in him, call it “self realization” or “oneness with all” – terms rarely matter.
In the meantime he did his masters in Ayurveda (specialization in social and preventive medicine) and started medical practice. Being invariably inquisitive,he expanded his horizons of understanding human predicament –diseases by gaining insight into functioning of the human mind.
As a doctor / researcher he devised “Timeless healing” programs which aims at “healing” person not alone with just
medicine or therapy, but by going beyond the body and entering into the realm of uncharted territory of the mind.
The “Awakening” series begins with “Samaahit” which is all about awareness and foundation of the series. Then come Visuddhi and finally vimukti. His programs will help you attain “inner freedom” by surpassing mental impurities such as hatred, anger, and loneliness and “Self transcendence” by experiencing oneness with all.
Dr Yogesh welcomes everyone today to be a part of a noble endeavor.
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RETURN TO PURPOSE BY CLARIFINO RETREATS
Clarifino's mission is to nurture transformation within individuals struggling through their quarter-life crisis. She has guided guests towards their highest potential through personal development, holistic wellbeing and more via:
*A personalized plan for you to achieve your highest potential
*A community of like-minded new friends from all over the world
*Unforgettable experiences from beautiful island of Bali
*An empowered mindset, ready to design and embody the life of your dreams
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A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER:
"Grayson Waataja, founder of Clarifino Retreats, was established through discovering my purpose and embodying my highest self. Two of the tools you will gain for yourself on this incredible retreat.
I felt called to design a safe space for facilitating transformation within those struggling through their quarter-life crisis. Firstly, I know how it feels to lose your sense of direction in your mid-twenties. It is a challenging phase of life to navigate. Although, through those difficulties I have learned how to align the soul toward one’s fullest potential. In short, that is what I am here to help you with.
I Was a Dancer for Nearly 2 Decades.
It not only consumed my life, but also my identity and sense of self. Dancing on Broadway was where my dreams were focused, but a serious injury to my lower back in my early-twenties changed the course of my future significantly. Therefore, the hard truth I had to accept was that the current path I was on was no longer sustainable for my body. In other words, I needed to decide what else I could do with my life.
I Set the Intention to Heal my Body Holistically and Rediscover Who I Was. As a result, this journey directed me to surrender to yoga and receive its remedies for the mind, body, and spirit. The transformation I experienced through my yoga practice helped align me with my purpose and consequently treat my injury through living more intentionally.
I Absolutely Loved the Work That I Did, but I Knew my Soul had More to Offer. As a result, this urged me to I searched to find a way to combine my studies of yoga with my passion for coordinating events. From blending my skills, passions, and talents, I moved to the island of Bali and created Clarifino.
Now more than ever, the world needs your unique gifts to be of service for humanity. I believe every person was brought to this Earth to fulfill a purpose. Let’s uncover your reason for being and make a plan to achieve your fullest potential together...."
Ph credit Captures by 
Gede Widarmana
JIVAMUKTI /ASHTANGA RETREAT BY MICHELLE & DINA
Michelle and Dina invited their clients from Dubai and beyond - to take a moment to reset, re-centre and rev up their practice at Gaia Retreat Center in Ubud, Bali - a perfect platform for personal yet guided exploration of the mystical practice, Attendees were challenged, yet supported, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Classes were refreshingly invigorating & open to all levels with hands on assists to help each participant reach their fullest potential. Morning sessions focused around the Ashtanga or Jivamukti Yoga method while evening classes took the form of a gentler, yin flow, to build physical practice, embody key alignment principles, learn the fundamentals of meditation and walk away with knowledge of select yoga scripture and philosophy.
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Empowered Women's Retreat By Erika & Hamish Cramer
This co-facilitated 6 day women's retreat led by Erika Cramer of The Queen of Confidence + Hamish Cramer of Manfulness, focused on working with the mind, thoughts, feelings, beliefs and behaviours via modalities of coaching, mindfulness, cognitive behaviour therapy, shamanic healing, movement, meditation & neuroscience to inspire action, change, connection and deep compassion and acceptance of self and others. Here, they were safely guided and led in order to push past comfort and into the rebirth of who they truly are meant to be.
Photos credited to Neil Wakefield of Indiefilmstudios.com.au
200HR ASHTANGA YOGA TEACHER TRAINING BY JOY KUNKANIT & RICARDO MARTIN
Kunkanit Phrombut (Joy) from Thailand and Ricardo Martin from Venezuela are co-directors of Bright Yoga School | www.brightyoga.com
They have created their school with the idea to support yoga practitioners all around the globe who want to bring their Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice into a complete new level, and also for those who want to share the love and the passion of the practice with others through teaching, develop a solid Ashtanga Self Practice, gain detailed knowledge about, breathing, alignment and how to modify all the asanas in Full Primary Series of Traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, learn how to practice Vipassana Meditation, understand how to live a life base on mindfulness, anatomy in relation to Ashtanga with extra skills to develop strength & flexibility.
300HR SHIVAKALI ELEMENTAL TANTRA YOGA TEACHER TRAINING BY SERGE BANDURA
Serge Bandura has been practicing the Yogic arts of India & Tibet since his youth, and teaching Yoga for over 16 years. His approach evolves out of a deep transmission from younger years living in Kula (yogic community), engaging in lengthy daily practice before the hours of dawn, and undergoing rigorous study with his teachers. Serge blends his knowledge of traditional Yogic practice & philosophy with 1000's of hours of training in Ashtanga, Yin Yoga, Rudra Yoga, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Ayurveda and Tibetan Buddhism. He held a BA in Religious Studies with an emphasis on South-Asian traditions, a certificate in Yoga Philosophy, a diploma in the study of Yoga & Ayurveda, an E-RYT designation from the Yoga Alliance, he reads/writes Sanskrit, and is currently enrolled in a Ngakpa (Tibetan Yoga) Seminary program. Serge's training at Gaia Retreat Center was based in India's Sacred Traditions, with Alignment-Based Vinyasa Flow practice. Culminating in restorative postures, meditation and pranayama, his practice served first to awaken the body and break-up stuck energy, and then to soften the mind and nurture his participant's inner being through a grounding practice, restorative, yin and classical tantric asanas.
ICEMAN BATH CHALLENGE - THE WIM HOF METHOD BY BART BIERMANS
Similar to Tummo (inner heat) Meditation and Pranayama (yogic breathing). Yet it is something else entirely. While Wim has read a lot of books on yoga and meditation for many years, this technique primordially comes from what he terms ‘cold hard nature’. By subjecting himself to the bitter conditions of nature, he learned to withstand the extreme forces of cold, heat and fear. Thanks to Ice Bath Challenge Certified Practitioner Bart Biermans for teaching our participants this empowering technique before plunging into the ice bath at Villa Gaia under his expertise!
THE 5 ELEMENTS RETREAT BY NAIMA WOODSON
Diving into the true Goddesses, connecting to our inner radiance and beauty, removing ancestral blocks and limitations, loving ourselves deeply, planting our dreams and manifesting our sacred desires, tapping into universal abundance, living from a place of truth and authenticity, feeling our magnificence and honoring our path in deep gratefulness. The Inner Goddess Retreat explored all of the beauty that Bali has to offer, with beautiful and deeply healing ceremonies at a natural waterfall, a sacred water temple experience, a one-of-a-kind pyramidical sound healing temple visit, Balinese outdoor market shopping in Ubud and more. All organic farm to table meals and a massage will be all inclusive at Gaia Retreat Center, Ubud, Bali.
200HR PRANAVAYU VINYASA YOGA TEACHER TRAINING BY DAVID MAGONE
Yoga Alliance registered 200 hour vinyasa yoga teacher training program offered the opportunity for students to deepen their own practice, explore their voice, and gain valuable teaching experience in a beautiful and supportive environment at Gaia Retreat Center led by David Magone, founder of Pranavayu School in Boston, USA - a five star rating on Yoga Alliance, with graduates teaching at some of the world’s top tier teaching venues around the globe including Equinox, Exhale Spa, national yoga festivals such as Wanderlust and the world’s larges yoga website, Gaiam TV.
9 DAY INSIGHT WORKSHOP RETREAT BY MICHAL PASTERSKI OF LIFE ARCHITECT
During those 9 days two certified life coaches from Poland, Michael Pasterski and Sandra Lasek, invited participants to practice techniques included in the Insight method; Road to Mental Maturity ~ learning new techniques and different approaches to working on oneself including: Zen Coaching. Gestalt therapy. Mindfulness. Transpersonal coaching. Behavioral-cognitive therapy. Zen meditation - allowing participants to learn a whole set of practical tools for systematic self-work.
7 DAY ASHTANGA YOGA IMMERSION BY IMAN EL SHERBINY
From India to Egypt to Bali, Ashtanga Yoga Egypt by Iman El-Sherbiny a KPJAYI authorised Ashtanga yoga teacher who has developed two Mysore programs in Cairo, invited a lovely group to reset and return to their deeper sense of self while immersing in the traditional 8 limbed path of yoga across 7 days at Gaia Retreat Center, Ubud, Bali. Here are some flashbacks of her retreat weaving in a strong, yet soft and playful practice to help her guests cultivate awareness with their body, a steady and clear mind and a healthy easy filled life.
NOURISH YOU SINGING RETREAT BY BETSY HANSON
"Nourish You Singing Retreat" is a unique way to explore at a deeper level, our own voice and the stories we have around it. Within a supportive group environment we can shift, find and connect with a more authentic singing voice and experience the joy that comes in singing with others.
Over the last 20 years, Betsy Hanson has been creating choir arrangements by taking amazing songs and making them unique by creating a new version with 4 part harmonies and a range of different instruments or A cappella. Daily singing sessions with fabulous contemporary, world music and indigenous songs with gorgeous harmonies, exploring your voice, what it means to you to express yourself through singing as well as working together as a group to improve your skills and confidence - were topics covered along with thought-provoking discussions and honest, gentle conversations about authenticity, beauty, music, creativity, feeling good and learn a little more about how to ask ourselves better questions in order to move through life's sticky moments!
SOUL INSPIRED RETREAT BY MORGAN WEBERT
A week of inspiration & restoration in Bali with Morgan, Webert
Yoga Lifestyle Strategist Yoga | Meditation | Sound Healing | Soul Sessions | Ayurveda | Nature | Nutrition
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Morgan loves leading retreats and watching the deep connections forged when practicing, exploring and diving deep together for a week. She's passionate about empowering people to break through limiting beliefs, negatives thought patterns and habits that harm and giving people practical tools to live an inspired and balanced life by running transformational Ayurvedic lifestyle programs for 5 years and working as a certified EFT Matrix Reimprinting counsellor for 4 years. She's trained with neuroscience meditation guru Dr. Joe Dispenza, habit science expert James Clear and Ayurvedic thought leader Cate Stillman as well as through the Kerala Ayurveda Academy. Over the past few years, she has led 8 retreats to Bali to take people on a magical, tropical journey that drops them into full life-force, letting go of stress and embracing the moment to create a life changing, unforgettable retreat. This year was being located at Gaia Retreat Center in Ubud, Bali.
"Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement. ....get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed."- Abraham Joshua Heschel
Feeling this so strongly after such a deep heart opening week!" - Morgan Webert
SACRED 5 ELEMENTS RETREAT BY MELISSA GHATTAS
Glimpses from Sacred Elements Retreat by Melissa Ghattas as her students dove deep into the "five great elements" in the Vedas, bhūmi (earth), jala (water), agni (fire), vayu (air) and akash (aether), to reinforce connection to Nature. The afternoons varied between sound healing, yin, walking meditations, sacred dance, internal reflection, journaling, sharing circles, creative writing/drawing, reading, connecting with friends and time off by the pool.
Melissa E-RYT 500 traveled to the Brahmani Centre in Goa for a series of teacher trainings with Julie Martin and has since been teaching Vinyasa flow in Dubai. Melissa maintains her seasonal teaching travels to India and now assists Julie Martin in both level 1 and level 2 teacher trainings giving her the confidence to share this passion with others while deepening her empathy-driven style of teaching with the likes of Julie Martin and Shiva Rea.
ph credit: Danielle Evans Photography
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