Yoga in Ubud – Week 3

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein 

    
We wanted to get outside into nature again on our day off at the end of week three. We spend a lot of our time in the beautiful Lotus Studio at Yoga Barn, practicing and learning… But it was nice to break out from the bubble and walk in the sun (and rain!). 

We went for a self-led rice field hike. We began by walking straight up Jalan Kajeng (near Ubud Palace) past all the little shops and home compounds… until we were following the water channels into jungle and rice fields! 

        
We like moving at our own pace, taking photos and exploring on side trails. There were lots of interesting butterflies, bugs, and birds. The rice fields and water flowing through the land is a fascinating setting.    

  Eventually we climbed up a bank and walked back to Ubud along the route that passes Sari Organic (a well-known organic farm and cafe). We stopped there for lunch and it was so yummy and so beautiful!

   

It did rain a bit (and the ground was muddy) but the skies looked beautiful and weather was cooler. For us, it was a perfect day off.

One of our favourite things we did during the week at The Yoga Barn was attend a 90 minute Sound Healing. We had never experienced anything like this before… And it was amazing!     

We were in an acoustic room, lying on the ground, whilst two people created a soundscape on around 70 instruments – from gongs to didgeridoos. They moved around the room as they played, so it sounded incredible. The vibrations of the instruments resonate with vibrations in the body, creating healing and deep relaxation. If you are ever in Ubud we really recommend giving it a try!

Still so much to experience… It is hard to believe we have reached our last week of training.  Next post, we will be graduating. 

Yoga in Ubud – Week 2

“Remember, it doesn’t matter how deep into a posture you go – what does matter is who you are when you get there.” ~ Max Strom

  

It is hard to believe we are already half way through our training. The first week was quite overwhelming – new people, new teachers, new location and a challenge to our ideas of who we are. But now we feel like we have come out of the energy dip and things keep getting better!

Our days in the course are long, but full of amazing information and physical classes… there is so much to take in.

Here is an example of what our schedule is like:

  • 6:00am – Leave our hotel, watching dawn break over the rice fields and walk to The Yoga Barn
  • 6:30-9:00am – Meditation / Pranayama (breath work) / Asana (physical poses) 
  • Breakfast (usually at Yoga Barn’s Garden Cafe)
  • 10:30-12:30pm – Lectures (in week 2 we studied Anatomy, Yin Yoga, Pre-natal, Meridians and more…)
  • Lunch!
  • 2:00-5:00pm – Posture Clinic (breaking down poses and practice teaching)
  • 5:00-6:00pm – Yoga Nidra (yogic ‘sleep’ to help expand our consciousness) Or Yin Yoga 
  • Dinner and home time!

   

 

All up it was a fantastic week. We really feel like we are getting in the swing of it now. We have inspirational teachers every day. We have have made 30 amazing new friends, from all different backgrounds. So many new concepts and seeds are being planted in our minds. It is going to take some time to let it all settle in and see what grows… it is exciting.

Fortunately we do get a break from all that thinking to enjoy Sundays off. The perfect time for exploring Ubud!

  

Last weekend we had no energy (massage time!), but this week we felt great, and took a walk up the Campuhan Ridge. Campuhan (Cham-pu-han) Hill is a hill that is just off the main road of Ubud. It is a 2km walk that goes up the hill and along the ridge and at the top there is a nice cafe overlooking the rice paddies.   

    

  
 

In the little village at the top there are a few art galleries. We talked to a man who has been painting for 25 years (the knowledge passed down from his family) and then bought two pieces of art from him.    

 Another really cool thing about the hike was the number of locals also taking the walk. There were so many couples on romantic strolls and groups of friends just hanging out. It was nice to see the inhabitants of Ubud just being themselves. 

The walk up the hill took us about an hour but we went very slowly. From the cafe at the top you can continue along the road which takes you through another village and back to the main road but we decided to just go back the way we came. 

 

Every day is a gift and we are so grateful to be here. Two more weeks to go. Namaste