If you're following my blog I figure you must realized that I've been silent for a few months now. Things happened and I was broken down, but one day in August my best friend Ferly told me about this book Suwung so I bought and read it (check this out). The book gave me a new perspective and slowly put me back into track. But it wasn't enough so I went to the class on one Tuesday in November--it was precisely last month!
Thus my life changed. The speaker/book writer/spiritual guru Mas Setyo Hajar Dewantoro had really opened my eyes and mind and soul to this new knowledge for me: to be connected with our own Higher Self. I was never interested on joining him before, even tho his name was mentioned by other friends throughout the past 14 months. But from that first workshop class, I've changed and now I feel happy all the time. It really is a true bliss, and I want everyone to experience the same!
So when they told me there'd be a retreat in Bali, I signed up despite my limited budget. And last week on Thursday I flew from Jakarta with my mother to attend the 3-day Mahadaya Suwung Retreat: Awaken The Greatness Within. It was never a regret -- in fact, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made!
Day 1 - Nov 9
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| the welcome kit: kamen, sapuh/kampuh, and name tag |
We gathered at Aston Hotel Gatsu Denpasar after lunch and departed by car to Umejero Village in Buleleng, North Bali. It was an almost 4-hours drive but it was all worth it: lovely scenery of mountains, valleys, lakes, rice fields, and forests all the way to this secluded little village. We arrived at Villa Sangkih at 4:30 p.m. (Bali time; GMT +8) and soon introduced to the villa owners: Pak Putu Wikaya and wife, their son Bli Ketut and wife Mbok Dewi, and the cook Mbok Loli.
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| After almost 4-hour drive we finally arrived here! |
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| the stairs on the left led us to the main house and the pathway on the right to the 'meditation hall' |
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| the entrance kori to Villa Sangkih |
We had snack time while enjoying the chill breeze of cloudy afternoon there, and soon it was dinner time. We got along with the other retreat participants, which came mostly from Jakarta and Bali (the others came from Surabaya, Semarang, and even Singapore). We came from different religions but united by the same faith in the Greatness Within. At around 8 p.m. we had a welcome gathering and night meditation, then we all went to sleep.
Day 2 - Nov 10
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| Mas Setyo and Bli Dana meditate before the session |
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| and I took the moment to pose ;p |
We woke up early and gathered to do a morning yoga before breakfast. After shower, we dressed up in white (shirt or kebaya) and put on the yellow kamen (it's called jarik in Javanese or simply a piece of cloth to cover the bottom part for women) and kampuh (or sapuh/saput, a thin shawl to be worn around the waist) that came with our 'welcome package' (the cloths were lent and we must give them back upon departure on last day).
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| walking barefoot to the Pura |
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| Pura Gunung Kembar |
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| The Altar |
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| The Altar |
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| we are connecting ourselves to the gods, goddesses, and the Universe |
We sat on the forest floor, lit the incense, and pray with flowers; the way the Balinese Hindu do it. The difference is, there was no Mangku to give us rice and water for the ceremony. That morning we were just meditating and trying to be connected with ourselves (the micro cosmos), the gods and goddesses, the workers of the Universe, the nature, and the Universe (the macro cosmos) itself.
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| arrived at the entrance to Umejero Waterfall |
We spent about 1 hour in this spring waterfall and went back by cars to the villa for lunch. We took shower and changed clothes to the red T-shirt given for this retreat group. I wore the endek 'kamen skirt' that I so proud of having (feeling like a true Balinese gek just by wearing it), and after the beautiful 30-minutes-drive with panorama of mountains and rice fields on our sides, we arrived at the Bhagavad Gita Museum.
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| Suddenly became a model for Instagram |
The museum has a hundred steps down the hill, so I warn you to be fit enough to visit this. The museum showcases paintings of the events described in Bhagavad Gita scripture, mostly about the Mahabharata. But what I enjoy more is the golden statues they put outside, each placed in a house to keep them from rain and sun. With the beautiful forest around the valley, the place was perfect to do contemplation. The thing is that this museum is heavily influenced by Indian Hindu. We had a study and meditation in the Krishna's hall; a small, open bale-bale for us to sit on the floor.
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| Study under the statue of Krishna |
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| Do I look Balinese enough? |
The trip to go home was challenging: we should climb the stairs all the way back to get to the front door and it was quite a hard work. But with the fresh air and surrounded nature, the trip could be such a therapy. (It's all depends on how you see things, my friend!) We went back to the villa and for the whole 30 minutes we could only be amazed by the amazing panorama laid on both sides. How great Thou art!
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| Mount Gunung Kembar (left) and Batukaru (right) |
We had a break time for shower and dinner before our next session and it was another interesting one. It was 'soul dance' time and we were dancing to the song, following the heart, while closing our eyes. We moved as the soul lead us. It is an act of activating our senses, to just flow and not worry of any judgment. It was so beautiful I couldn't stop smiling. I felt as if I was one with the souls I reincarnated before. My spirit has become one with all of the souls in this journey.
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| Back to the villa |
After that we had discussion and meditation as usual, and ended up with private consultation. We took turns for the consultation but I chose to go back to the room and had rest. It was a tiring day and I was starting to get flu so I called it a day and took my beauty sleep early.
Day 3 - Nov 11
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| Rice paddy trekking |
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| Absorbing energy from The Sun and Mother Earth |
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| Soul-dancing to bless the Mother Earth |
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| Happy faces before morning shower |
The next morning felt heavier. We all woke up late and had our legs/calves/body ache. But somehow we managed to gather at 7 a.m. and had morning barefoot walk in the rice field. It is an act of connecting our body and soul to the Mother Earth, and we ended up gathering in big circle on a vast land. There, we soul danced under the morning Sun and it was different than the soul dance we did the night prior. Under the Sun we bless the Earth and we charged our chi / prana energy.
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| Our last meditation session |
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| Mas Koko and my soul & chakra sketches |
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| (sorry can't share the name with you but this was "me" before) |
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| funny enough, this lady and I shared a similar 'past' and same name! |
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| Before saying goodbye |
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| The sisterhood of the Universe |
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| At mba Tesny & bli Komang's place |
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| The magnificent purification pool of Tirta Empul |
We had dinner at home and went to Gusto for a cup of gelato. Then Mark, Teh Norin's husband, drove us to Tirta Empul. At 10:30 p.m. we did another melukat (purification) but this time in a pool instead natural pond. Tirta Empul has 14 showers and we dove our heads under the water fall and just follow our Higher Self to lead. Just let go of the thoughts and let the heart lead. As simple as that, although many would find it difficult. We ended the ritual with meditation and finished by 12 a.m.
So there it goes, my whole retreat experience in Bali. My mom and I had two extended days that we spent to visit jewelry and keris gallery in Celuk, visit Teh Norin's new restaurant Warung Indung (at Jl. Teuku Umar, Denpasar), and meet our family friend Pak Nur. We bade goodbye that afternoon, as some of us went back to Jakarta and we decided to stay in hotel just to enjoy our last night. We spent the last day by shop hopping all the way from Warung Italia (at Jl. Kunti I) to Pantai Petitenget, then bought some souvenirs before going home.
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| Took a pic at Warung Indung |
This trip was really something, and I just want to share the joy and contentment I feel with everybody. I'm writing this with a hope that you too will experience this beautiful journey of the spirit, because this is everyone's true human's right. If only everyone of us know our Life Blueprint and stick with it, we can see how life itself is such a blessing that we cannot waste.
If you are interested to join the retreat or 1-day workshop or to know any information about spirituality, feel free to contact the Mahadaya Institute,
Mas Setyo Hajar Dewantoro,
Mas Tunjung Dhimas Bintoro, or
Mas Sasongko Hendratmojo.
Or visit their website Mahadaya Institute.
