Treat Yourself Like the Goddess That You Are
By Monique Parker
Back2Bali Goddesses on the Go with Monique Parker
If you’re like most women today who multitask with aplomb, juggling responsibilities at home with a full-time career, then you have probably (at one time or another) fantasized about taking a vacation in some exotic locale where you can unplug and recharge without an alarm clock or laptop.
While you love your family and your job, you love yourself too. Deep down you recognize the necessity of getting away every once in a while in order to rest, regain peace of mind, and widen your perspective on life. Whether you’ve taken a personal vacation before (and loved it) or find yourself putting it off to some distant future when you win the lottery…let me give you two good reasons to trade in those frequent flier miles now:
- A Goddesses on the Go Vacation in Bali: May 20-30, 2012
- with me, Monique Parker, who will instruct you in two daily sessions of Svastha Yoga
Still not convinced? Stay with me.
Location, location, location
Have you ever dreamt about taking ten precious days in a warm tropical garden where tension melted away (maybe along with a few extra pounds)?
Look no further. Bali is the perfect place to reclaim your goddessness. Whether you’ve been feeling spiritually hungry, lackluster in your career or creativity, unmotivated to exercise, or simply needing to break out of the monotony of routine, a vacation (sans husband, boyfriend, and children) in exotic Bali may be just what you need.
Back2Bali specializes in retreats for women who want to combine an exotic cultural experience with world-class yoga instruction. If you’ve always wanted to visit Bali, but have been uncomfortable traveling there on your own, Back2Bali’s Goddesses on the Go is the ideal way to take PTA (personal time away) with like-minded women.
Back2Bali is the brainchild of husband and wife team, Barbara Millstein and Henry Abramson, who’ve been traveling to Bali for over thirty-five years. As hosts and tour guides, they assure the highest level of service and pampering (including a Balinese massage, facial, manicure/pedicure, and natural scrub at the local spa, in addition to a meeting with a local Balinese healer). As well, they will lead us along the back roads of Bali to experience music, art, dance, and religious ceremonies. Our sightseeing includes a visit to the water gardens of Tirtagangga, the village of Tenganan, and finally, lunch in the picture-perfect seaside town of Candidasa.
For those unfamiliar with Bali, it is located in the center of the Indonesian Archipelago, between the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. The island is a natural paradise with waterfalls, volcanoes, beaches, villages along rice fields, and modern cities. Hinduism has predominantly influenced Bali’s culture, whereas most of the other 15,000 islands follow predominantly Islamic religion.
Our accommodation the first week will be at Gaia-Oasis, a comfortable seaside resort with ample sacred spaces for quiet reflection. It's elegant bungalow-style guest rooms have private verandas and are set amidst a lush tropical garden and swimming pool. And if the complementary spa treatments aren’t enough, in-house massage and facial services are available for reasonable rates. Three luscious meals are included, with most of the fruits and vegetables coming from gardens up the mountain.
The last three nights we’ll be staying at the Arma Resort in Ubud, the cultural heart of the island. There we'll visit museums, attend dance and gamelan performances, and enjoy additional spa treatments. Oh, and did I mention—shop until we drop? (Think antiques, artifacts, jewelry, silver, textiles, baskets, and a whole lot more). While at Arma Resort daily breakfast is included.
The timeless teachings of Svastha Yoga
Have you ever wished you could take a magic elixir that would help you feel like you again?
Now you can because each day while we are in Bali, I will be facilitating two group Svastha Yoga classes, one in the morning that focuses on core strength and stability; the other in the afternoon, a restorative practice that will include meditation and chanting.
The word Svastha in Sanskrit refers to the state of complete health and balance. It literally means, “to stay as yourself.” The approach is based on the teachings of the legendary Sri T. Krishnamacharya, as passed on by his personal students A.G. and Indra Mohan, founders of Svastha Yoga and Ayurveda in Chennai, India.
The beauty of Svastha Yoga is that it honors the individuality of each person. The practice is breath-centered, meaning we synchronize the movement with the breath in order to maintain spinal integrity and to focus the mind. Intelligent, orderly sequencing of asanas will leave you feeling balanced and complete after each session.
Even if you are new to yoga, rehabilitating an injury, or consider yourself a beginner, you will benefit from Svastha Yoga because each class is personalized—the postures are adapted to meet your body so the sessions are both safe and effective.
Each afternoon, after our restorative class, we will use Sanskrit chanting as a baseline for pranayama and meditation practice. Chanting is considered nature’s organic pharmacy: it boosts the immune system and reduces anxiety by balancing the endocrine system.
Chanting calms the mind by lessoning mind chatter and compulsive thoughts, moving us towards more positive vibrations or thought patterns. It also awakens and enlivens our connection with all by opening our heart so that we can begin to feel more subtle energies. Similarly, by opening our ears we learn to hear from a place of receptivity and openness. Chanting is easy and it’s free. Even if you don’t think you sing well—like I once did—you’ll surprise yourself because it’s not about singing, but surrender.
For more information or to register for Back2Bali Goddesses on the Go with Monique Parker: May 20-30, 2012, visit www.classicyogaofindia.com or www.back2bali.com
Monique Parker is the director and co-founder of the Yoga Teacher Certification Program at UNM-Taos. A practitioner of yoga for the past sixteen years, she has spend the past decade working with students from all over the US, synthesizing the fundamentals of asana, yoga psychology, pranayama, mantra, and chant. She specializes in yoga therapy and individualized practice through breath-centric movement.
