With this?

This exclusive twelve-day retreat in Bali will open you up to your own divinity, and in this perfect setting you'll discover the best part of yourself through meditation and self care. Sarah McLean, an expert meditation instructor recommended by Dr. Deepak Chopra, and Danny Fitzpatrick, a world class personal coach, together will make your journey of self-discovery and transformation a reality.

Bali has a reputation for being a deeply spiritual place. The climate is wonderful most of the year with the average temperature hovering at just below 80 degrees. It's an easy place to love and nurture yourself. The natural environment of Bali will help you to reconnect to your true nature, and in this setting, your practice of meditation will create a solid foundation for your awareness to expand and your transformation to occur.

Our trip is timed to fall during the dates of Hari Raya Nyepi, the Balinese New Year celebration, when the entire island undergoes ritual purification. Nyepi is a day of meditation, contemplation and renewal – themes that parallel the intent of our retreat. The day before Nyepi focuses on purification by noise and fire, culminating in our favorite spectacle of the year – a torchlight parade of up to 200 giant demonic figures accompanied by a raucous Gamelan orchestra.

Rituals and Ceremonies
The Bali Hindu Calendar operates on a 210-day cycle, so significant holidays never fall on the same day as those on our Gregorian calendar. The dates of our trip will coincide with some of the most important rituals and ceremonies of the year, including temple festivals and an authentic trance ceremony.

Art and Culture
In Bali, art is part of religion and in some cases, healing. This trip includes many performances of Balinese music and dance. Some are private, some part of regular tourist performances, and some take place at temple festivals. All are of the highest quality.

Massage
Massage is regarded as an important healing art on the island of Bali. Because every family has a member who practices this art, there are many professionals. These special Healers are even called upon in emergencies to set broken bones or dislocations. The skills of some massage professionals have been handed down from generation to generation, while others have received their skills directly from the Hindu deities. During the trip each participant will receive traditional massages with opportunities to schedule other sessions.

Mysticism
Purification ceremonies are an important part of Bali Hindu religious cycles. Usually held during times of stress, plague, or purification, these ceremonies many times involve sacred masks, and most are held within the village temples. During the rituals, those who fall into trance communicate the wishes of the high and low spirits to their attentive observers. Our trip will includes attending an authentic trance ceremony, including Nyepi, the Balinese New Years, where the entire island undergoes purification.

The Balian
Besides visiting a western-style doctor when ill, the Balinese consult a Balian, a traditional healer. These men and women work in different ways: some mix herbal remedies; some create drawings of magical inscriptions and symbols to protect the wearer; and some, while in trance, communicate messages from the Bali Hindu deities that dictate the creation of certain offerings and ceremonies. Visits to traditional Balians will be central in our healing experience.

Meditation Training
The meditation practices you'll learn during the retreat, although secular in nature, can lead you on a deeply spiritual path. They are ancient and time-tested, and will help you to reduce stress that has been building up in your mind and body so that your awareness can easily expand. As Deepak Chopra says, “Meditation is the quickest way for you to explore your essential nature - who you are beyond your roles and responsibilities.” You'll find that the practice you learn on this adventure is one that will nourish you for the rest of your life.

Sarah McLean
Sarah has been teaching meditation and mind/body health programs since the early 90's. Her experience is vast: she was the education director of Deepak Chopra's Center for Wellbeing, directed Byron Katie's School for the Work, and assisted Seat of the Soul author, Gary Zukav. Along with her 19-year meditation practice, Sarah was 2-year resident in a Zen Buddhist monastery, lived in an ashram in India, and spent time with the Dalai Lama. She's been around the world twice: first by bike (most of the way) and recently she circumnavigated the globe the traditional way. She's always searching for the secrets of this life and explores many cultural approaches to connecting with the divine. She loves to share what she discovers with others.

Rejuvenation Workshop
This workshop focuses on self-exploration and creating the life of your dreams. We address the concept of authentic happiness and identify specific strengths and values that support a life of meaning unique to each of us. We learn what a profound effect any habits that don't support our core values have upon our moods and emotional states. We practice techniques to unlock stored memories and release emotional blockages.

You'll learn to detoxify the emotional and physical body. What is often the cause of people feeling “toxic” is both the psychological and the physical effects of lack of sleep, poor digestive function, emotional stress, negative thought or relationships, etc… Any and all of these issues can cause the body's normal purification process to become compromised, so a spring emotional cleanse and rejuvenation program can be helpful to restore the body's normal function of detoxification.

Restoration of normal functioning brings the body toward a healthy balance, and in the process we learn how to better support ourselves throughout the year.

Danny Fitzpatrick
Danny is an author and professional life coach who brings a passion for the balance of mind, body and spirit to her practice. Her goal is to see everyone on the planet leading well-balanced lives based on supporting their core values and life purpose.

After a twenty year career in the world of corporate marketing, Danny knows the importance of taking responsibility for one's health and assists others in doing the same. Having achieved a well-balanced life of her own, Danny's aim is to empower and support her clients to realize their goals and full potential. She brings a wealth of creativity and project management skills to her work. She knows how to bring any team, including the client/coach team, to the resolution of a common goal.

Danny holds a Bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University in Communication Arts and a Masters degree from the University of San Francisco in Organizational Management. She is a Member of The Ayurvedic Institute and the National Ayurvedic Medical Association.

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Itinerary
March 3-18, 2010

Wed. & Thur. March 3 & 4: Transit. Depart USA. Cross international dateline and lose one day, which is made up on your return.

Sat. March 6: Sanur. Arrive in Bali where you are met by your guides and transported to your hotel for a comfortable night's sleep.

Sun. March 7: Munduk. Buffet breakfast and orientation session, with focus on basic Indonesian manners & customs, followed by transport to Munduk mountain village. Check into hotel, and after lunch, walk to Bali's most beautiful waterfall. Late afternoon meditation. Dinner and fruit-tasting-- a chance to sample some of Bali's exotic, succulent fruits.

Mon. March 8: Munduk. Morning guided meditation and instruction. Second orientation and language sessions, seminar on Rites of Passage in Bali: birth, tooth filing, marriage and cremation ceremonies, followed by a hike through the neighboring countryside: small villages, rice fields, coffee and clove plantations, culminating at the Growing Stone. Lunch followed by Rejuvenation Workshop.

Tues. March 9 Munduk. Morning guided meditation. Third orientation and language session. Lunch, followed by Rejuvenation Workshop. Seminar on the Balian, local shaman. Afternoon visit with local taditional healer, with time for treatments. Evening performance of traditional Balinese dance by acclaimed local company.

Wed. March 10: Munduk. Morning meditation followed by a hike around Lake Tamblingan and through the rain forest. Lunch, followed by final orientation/language session, focusing on the Bali/Hindu religion and caste system. Afternoon leaves time to read, journal and get massages.

Thur. March 11: Munduk. Morning meditation. Optional visit by mini bus to Bali's only Buddhist Monastery and the nearby holy hot spring. Afternoon Rejuvenation Workshop.

Fri. March 12: Ubud. Morning meditation before departing for Ubud, Bali's cultural center, crossing the center of the island and volcano country. Stops along the way at Pura Ulun Danu, our favorite temple, which floats on a lake, and the fruit and flower market. Arrive in Ubud and get settled in our lodging. Dinner at our favorite local restaurant, and shopping for sarongs, requisite local costume for ceremonies. Evening performance of traditional Legong dance by Bali's best performers.

Sat. March 13: Ubud. Melasti Festival Day (On this day Balinese from all over the island march in procession to the sea, purifying themselves and their sacred objects.) Brief talk on the meaning and symbols of the up-coming holidays and a talk on trance and sacred masks, followed by a visit to the Ubud market where guides point out herbs and spices used in making food and traditional medicines. After lunch, we learn the art of creating temple offerings from a local expert. Late afternoon we travel to the sea to watch the procession of hundreds of Balinese, culminating with the Priests and Priestesses in trance. Those who wish may join the Balinese at prayer.

Sun. March 14: Tour Day. Ubud. Early morning departure to visit (and perhaps bathe) in the Sacred Springs of Tampaksiring, believed to have healing properties, followed by a visit to the home of a local Balian (healer) to watch him practice with an optional check-up. Return to Ubud. Late afternoon luxuriate in a traditional massage and herbal body treatment.

Mon. March 15: Denpasar. Tilem Kesanga Festival Day. Morning meditation. Massages continue. Late afternoon trip to see a torchlight parade of over 200 giant demonic figures, accompanied by a raucous walking Gamelan orchestra. This will be a highlight of your visit.

Tues. March 16: Ubud Festival Day: Hari Raya Nyepi. A day for guided meditation and contemplation. Everything must be still. Balinese cannot work, light a fire, cook, or leave their home. There will be food available at your comfortable, quiet accommodation. Final workshop on personal renewal and purification.

Wed. March 17: Ubud. Free day. Time to shop, hang out, get another massage, etc. Evening performance of the Fire trance dance and Kecak, followed by a traditional Balinese ristaffel.

Thur. March 18: Travel Day Time for your journey back, or stay on and discover more of Bali or Indonesia. Singapore Airlines also offers several tempting stopovers.

Itinerary may change subject to unplanned opportunities. Although no one is required to attend all activities, there will be no refunds for missed activities. Anyone who leaves the tour at any time, for any reason, is on their own.

Not Included:
Visa fee ($25.00), airport taxes ($15.00), tips, laundry, most meals.

Cost: $3,595.00 based on two persons sharing a room with bathroom. Single supplement available. Minimum 10, maximum 20 participants. The cost of the trip may be affected by fluctuations of airline fuel surcharges.

Roommates: Single people may sign up for accommodations desired on a shared basis; roommates can be chosen from other tour members. If a roommate is unavailable, the participant will be notified of the adjusted price for a single supplement: $269.00 extra.

Deposit: A deposit of $350.00 per person is due at the time of booking. Final payment is due 45 days prior to departure. Deposit, minus a $75.00 cancellation fee, is refundable until 45 days prior to departure. No refunds will be made after departure.

Passport, Visa, and Health: A passport, valid six months from date of entry with proof of onward transportation is required for entry into Indonesia. Visa on arrival with payment of a $25.00 fee valid for 4 weeks. If you wish to stay longer, apply to the Indonesian Consulate for a 2 month visa prior to arrival. No inoculations are required or advised. Everyone participating in this trip is expected to be in good health and able to walk at least three miles unaided.

Trip Organizer/Leader: Madé Surya B.S. is a professional tour organizer and has been leading study tours in Bali for 23 years. He has translated and worked with scholars and educational film and video crews, including National Geographic, and lives in Bali half the year. He was senior research assistant for several scholarly books relating to the Balinese view of the After Death. He is on the advisory board for Sacred Sites International, and has been a contributor to Hinduism Today. Surya has led tours to Bali in 1987.

Call toll free 888-476-0543 or email for further information.
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