Tanked-out & wired to blissed-out & inspired

Wind in my hair; carving up the jungle with reckless abandon!

“You’re stuck. Stagnant. You need to move B. You have to keep moving. What are you doing next week? Come to Bali. It’ll be good for you.”

And that was that.  The famous last words from my dear friend James – regular spiritual healer at one of Bali’s most successful line of wellness destinations this side of the equator – Goddess Retreats.

He was right - and like the vast majority of us, I was desperately yearning for a transformative rewire, a reboot, and a gentle distraction from the burnout I was feeling.

By Sunday, I was on my way to the mystical motherland and into the spiritual arms of Ubud where the outfit’s most recent baby – Wellness Goddess (Ubud) – was awaiting the arrival of seven inspirational women.

Aside from a discreet little sign from the road – you’d never know this nirvana existed.

Perched on the outskirts of flowing streams, rice paddies and flanked in tropical glory, the retreat was in fact, part of a generational estate where members of the original family still peacefully resided just outside the walls of our holy sanctuary. 

Goddess Retreats is the creation of its founder and one of the most gracious women you’ll ever meet – Chelsea, who more than 20 years ago began curating a handful of specialised ‘women’s-only’ lifestyle retreats in the chicest corners of Bali. The first was Surf Goddess Retreats in Seminyak which continues today.

The intention was to offer a place of insurmountable beauty where women could feel safe, nourished, relaxed and inspired at a deeper and spiritual level - encouraging sustained change, healing and empowerment.

Solo travelers simply wishing to escape for a week and be taken care of in a cocoon of bliss, is one of the key drivers of the goddess experience, and on this particular week, I was joined by several fearless women – most who’d travelled alone from various parts of the globe, and many on their first foray to Bali, to get that magical fix of “goddess goodness”.

That “goddess goodness” is Chelsea’s signature style all the way - beautifully wrapped in one big pandan leaf parcel of love.

Ocean dweller, surfer babe and world traveler for most of her life, her creative spirit is omnipresent. She says the retreats represent “everything she loves” – and it shows.

From the immaculate aesthetics of Indochine décor, traditional Balinese carvings and hand-crafted furniture sourced from around the island’s archipelago; the impossibly drool-worthy meals, cold-pressed juices and personally sourced fresh young coconuts (trust me, they were the best on the island!); along with the ever-present scent of lemongrass, jasmine and sandalwood layered over sexy high-vibrational tunes streaming throughout the property.

If the Garden of Eden was to exist - this was surely it.

My cocoon of bliss for seven days, inclusive of freshly baked oatmeal cookies - refilled every morning!

My challenge now was to surrender to the selfless assistance of our beautiful guides, Tina and Ina.

Always at our disposal, their role was to make our stay as seamless as possible – whether it was booking our (unlimited) spa appointments, arranging specialised juices or smoothies (I was so satisfied from the food, homemade cookies & bliss balls I didn’t need one!), fetching a driver to take us into town, or, in my case, sourcing band aids for my dreadfully blistered hoofs – the result of a 10km walk in the wrong shoes just before my arrival! I cringe at the thought of my gnarly feet being presented to the gorgeous masseuse who, as expected, accepted them with grace and kindness.

During times of reflection, we collectively agreed that there was a very special energy about this place.

It was obvious Chelsea and business partner James had not only created a space of peace and beauty, but their devotion to the Balinese culture and its spiritual teachings was very much felt by all of us.

The balmy saltwater swimming pool, but there was also a sauna & cold plunge pool on site (which I was too chicken to use).

My warmest memories, and probably my fondest were early mornings – cup of tea in hand – the gentle flow of water in the background and on a good day, a misty glimpse of Mt Agung in the distance – just sitting quietly at the temple which had been created with so much care and intention.

During these pre-dawn moments, before the guests woke, I’d catch James, discreetly lighting incense and giving offerings to the many Hindu gods placed around the property; other times, it would be just Chelsea and me – sitting reflectively – staying present – and chatting about life in a wholly unfiltered way; just two women bonding over topics that nourished our souls.

I learnt so much during these beautiful conversations which will stay with me forever. I still pray to Hanuman, who looked over us with his knowing smile – his right hand raised as if to say “everything’s gonna be alright kid”.

Hanuman is the strongest Hindu god and James encouraged me to visit him daily. As a symbol of human excellence, inner self control, faith, and service to a good cause, he is revered for giving strength and the courage to face challenges head-on.

My cherished part of the day - early mornings, a hot cuppa and soulful conversations with Chelsea & James overlooking the temple (and Hanuman :) PS: how gorgeous is the Goddess Kimono - designed by Chelsea and hand-dyed and made in Bali.

He’s also known to prevent accidents and ensure a successful trip.

Now, I don’t want to sound all woo-woo here, but on my final day, like most mornings, I sat with the great god, and thanked him in advance for a peaceful journey home – without delays or incidents.

Call it traveller’s luck (because chances of it happening again are pretty slim!) or sheer coincidence, but after an easy run to the airport, I found myself on the jammed flight to Perth with three random seats available in front and two more to my left.

I changed my seat the night before, and that row was definitely occupied, but as the final couple boarded – headed my way with a restless newborn in tow, they offered the empty row to me.

The newborn settled, I got my beloved butter chicken – which missed the aircraft heading over (I was gutted! Ha! ; ) - and managed a horizontal lie-down. After touch down, I decided to catch the new airport line home – which was surprisingly chilled compared to waiting in a busy queue for a cab.

“Thank you for hearing my prayers dear Hanuman. You truly are a legend.”

But there is so much more to Wellness Goddess than just spa treatments, yoga and meditation…for sure, there’s all of that – and I loved every minute of it, but the most beautiful surprise was the immersive experience into Balinese culture and its outlook on life.

We each spent time with Pat Bagus, a local healer who joined us on a trip to the magnificent spring waters of the Tirta Empul Temple where he anointed us with his blessings.

My personal session with him was unique, if not curiously quirky.

“What journey did you go on just now?” he said, referring to my monkey-brain taking over my thoughts as usual.

Patting his chest he said, “You must lead from the heart” after which he performed a dry massage technique that picked up some pretty uncomfortable pressure-points in my body – mostly my toe (referring to my throat chakra) and yep, at the base of my head.

He prescribed me with an unusual tea to calm heartburn, settle inflammation and assist my lymphatics – something I wasn’t aware needed attention.

As we headed to the kitchen, Pak asked the girls to grab him a clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, a mug and a very large knife.

“Do you have a papaya tree?” he asked.

“What?…ahhhhhumm… my Dad might?”

“Come with me.”

Off we trundled, knife and mug in hand, into the garden where Pak picked papaya flowers and stabbed a green fruit to extract its sap which dripped at a snail’s pace, into the mug.

“You must drink this tea five times,” he asserted.

I did – and I’m sure I became the laughingstock of the gorgeous kitchen staff, who soon anticipated my visits. A knife, a clove of garlic and a slice of lemon – delivered with a giggles and animated cackles.

On other days we drove two hours into the jungle where we rode bikes through rice paddies and traditional villages; visiting a classic compound, where three generations lived simply yet contentedly, with everything they needed for sustenance. Built around traditional feng shui principles, there was a temple at the front, a communal kitchen to cook over fire, a central courtyard to play and interact, and pigs, chooks and produce growing at the back. What more do you need?

Children giggled, flashing megawatt smiles along the way – chasing one other bare foot bereft or tech or flashy toys to distract them.

We honestly ate in a way that was other-worldly. Intentionally-made food with so much love, flavour and creativity, and sourced mostly from the property’s permaculture garden – inclusive of chooks who presented us with fresh eggs daily.

I still dream about my dragon fruit smoothie bowls, the chicken satay with Indonesian greens, fragrant fish curry with taro roti and the incredible buddha bowls abundant in colour and an endless surprise of healthy goodies – I could feel the fresh, organic ingredients literally nourishing my cells.

Dessert for breakfast - dragon fruit smoothie bowl - but other nourishing options were also available - including sweet fresh fruits, turmeric shots and cold-pressed juices every morning.

Gluten-free desserts included banana and peanut butter ice cream, an incredible lemon tart I can’t stop thinking about and silky smooth coconut custard which we enjoyed as part of a Balinese afternoon tea on day of departure.

Our dining table was dressed with flowers and adorned with rose petals each night, which was not only a delight to the eye but a joy to the senses.

And before we knew it, the week has passed, and here we were again, assembled cross legged in a circle of life, just as we did at our welcome ceremony where we built a beautiful flower mandala together.

On this night, we were asked to wear white as a symbol of purity and as each of us peeled back our layers, divulged our stories, and shared our learnings from the week, I struggled to hold back tears.

A combination of joyful, grateful tears for presenting me with this “once in a lifetime” journey; mixed with empathy and connection as I related to the stories of others.

I was moved by the gentle kindness, gratitude and respect embedded in the Balinese culture, and its dedication to a being much higher than ourselves.

As our ceremony concluded, we heard the distinctive croak of a gecko.

“Oh wow! - it’s good luck to hear a gecko in Bali,” Chelsea exclaimed.

“If you see one in your room, please don’t get rid of it. It’s there to protect you from bad influences,” she said.

And that’s the truth.

Until next time dear Bali. Stay blessed and stay beautiful.

The best young green coconuts on the island (in my humble opinion!)