SUKHAVATI AYURVEDIC RETREAT & SPA, Bali
Monday, 23 October 2017
I arrived in Bali a little bit broken. Twelve days of non-stop partying as well as making some major life decisions had taken its toll on my body and I was starting to get ill. I only got to bed an hour before my flight the night before; going to bed at 6am was a terrible idea, hindsight eh? so apart from waking up for some instant noodles, I slept the whole way to Bali and woke up tired and disorientated in a new country. Basically, I was in a bit of a state and I needed to sort myself out. Luckily, I was heading to Sukhavati retreat for the next three days and they did just that for me.
I didn’t really think too much about going to a retreat on my own when I booked it in but after the week I had had, it was the perfect place to reflect on what had happened and being there alone gave me the time to just think and really understand what being on my own felt like.
The villa was very similar to the one I stayed at in Ubud last year although it was much bigger and this time I had the whole thing to myself. It had a private pool, a huge outdoor sofa area at the front and an incredible outdoor bathroom out the back so I lived in my bikini for three days and didn’t leave unless I really had to (aka going to the spa).
Although there was the option to have dinner brought to the villa, I decided to use meal times as another opportunity to leave the room. There were only a few of us staying at the resort which meant we could all go hours or even days at a time without seeing another else so each night we all sat together and ate at one table which I thought was really lovely - we all got to know each other pretty well over the few days.
It was here, talking to everyone on the first evening that I realised that this retreat wasn’t just about staying somewhere nice and being pampered; people actually came here to get better. A few of the guests were on some kind of starvation day which the doctor had prescribed for them and they were telling us how much the felt better for it. Those of us eating had delicious vegetarian meals each time. This one, beetroot curry, a dahl, quinoa, pumpkin and spinach which was full of goodness and was one of my favourites of my stay. It was just the kind of food I was craving after eating Nandos almost every single day for two weeks back in Kuala Lumpur.
Mornings at the retreat started with early yoga on the terrace, followed by breakfast; which I ate in the villa both times. It was so amazing just getting out of bed, opening the big doors of the villa and sitting down to eat by my private pool.
After breakfast on my first day, it was my turn to meet with the doctor. I was a little bit worried he was going to put me on a food cleanse but luckily he didn’t. He did however do something which completely amazed me. He asked to feel my pulse and held down on my write for a few minutes. From that he told me that I had disrupted menstruation, which he was right about; he also said there is a stiffness in my back and that I have problems with my digestion. Three things are that really affect my everyday life; I just sat there in shock. He must be a wizard.
A few hours later, I was booked in to have three Ayurvedic treatments that he had prescribed for me; Abhyanga, Body stamping & Shirodhara and they were completely out of this world. Abhyanga is an oil massage but it was different for two reasons, firstly, I was completely covered in oil which the Dr said was important for penetrate the skin and help flush out toxins but also, this massage was done by two people. A couple of times, I caught myself thinking how on earth is she doing that before I realised there were actually four hands rather than two. The next treatment was described to me as body stamping and involved the two therapists using bags of compressed herbs to push more hot oil into my joints.
The last treatment, Shirodhara was just other worldly. I had read about it online and didn’t really understand the benefits of running hot oil over the forehead but once I had experienced it I changed my mind. I laid there for 15 minutes drifting in and out of consciousness; it was a little bit like having an out of body experience. I remembered having conversations with people back in Kuala Lumpar as if it was really happening. It was really strange but totally amazing and I felt so relaxed afterwards - I'd definitely recommend it if you get the chance.
Back at the villa, I had a couple of hours to relax before dinner and just to process my day. Even after just a few hours here, I was totally relaxed and feeling very spiritual, ready to take on the world again.
Check out their website at Sukhavati retreat
*Thanks to Sukhuvati for hosting me. All comments are 100% my own
Check out their website at Sukhavati retreat
*Thanks to Sukhuvati for hosting me. All comments are 100% my own