​This Retreat is SOLD OUT.  
​Please inquire here about our waitlist or future retreats.
When you do things from your soul you feel a river moving in you, a joy. 
​-Rumi

What is Life as Art About?

 Sometimes you need a wake-up call to remember that you are the artist of your life through each thought, belief, action, word and feeling.  Some believe that life just happens to us, but it is your free will at every given moment that responds, digests or resists life’s events, thus shaping the reality you live in and continue to create through perception. Gratitude opens our eyes to see the beauty that surrounds us, even amid suffering, and can raise your vibration instantaneously towards the highest form—love, your true nature.  To see your own life as art brings conscious intention to the energy you put into it.  As you sharpen your ability to perceive through the daily mindfulness practices we’ll explore on Life as Art Retreat, old subconscious patterns may surface in the contrast of what you are now creating by choice as you evolve.  And you'll learn tools to empower yourself to let them go when they no longer play supporting roles in your masterpiece. 
 
Another potent tool for seeing more clearly is stepping outside of your norm, such as international travel.  Better yet, immerse in a culture, like Bali’s, that organically nourishes seeing life as art, through heart-based, slower-paced and simple everyday living. Add on a breathtaking balance of natural and human-sculpted environment with majestic volcanoes and sacred temples, spiced with skillful creative expression through ancestral music, cooking, woodcarving, batik-making, dancing and more.  Life as Art Retreat in Bali primes your transformative awakening to living and loving the life you choose.  Then, let your radiance inspire and uplift those around you!

Is this retreat for you?  

Here are some benefits Life as Art has to offer:
  • A soulful travel experience to awaken lasting joy and clarity
  • ​Transformative happiness habits through daily yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices  
  • Authentically and mindfully explore Bali's inspiring culture, environment and people 
  • ​Handpicked places to stay where you can live like a local and explore the area by foot
  • Fun, freedom, affordability of multiple excursions and safety of group travel with a down-to-earth yoga community
  • Stay in 3 accommodations at various locations, from eco-luxury near the beach, homestays in a traditional village to bed and breakfast in the heart of an art and spiritual center
  • Guided introspection and group activities to refine your lens to see life, including yours, as art
  • A heart-led balance-minded host, who loves to facilitate meaningful connections among diverse beings to rise in wellness and consciousness together
  • Immerse in both local living and responsible tourism, appreciating different ways of living while supporting the local economy 
  • Discover art through delectable nutritious cuisine, music, dance, breathtaking nature, floral offerings, spiritual practices, language, exquisite architecture and daily living
  • Enjoy moving your unique body into greater fitness through your choice of Yoga asanas and flow, nature walks, swimming, adventurous hiking and more
 
If you’re smiling YES, this unique journey is calling you!  While Bali is the landscape and your senses the paintbrush, Life as Art will imprint a masterpiece within you, as your adventurous life-loving inner child flows through the following itinerary, with personal free time as you choose.

Itinerary: Choose 7 or 10 Days

Read about your retreat host, Michelle Chua, here.  In 2017, she visited Bali to research and appreciate it firsthand, in response to Root 2 Rise Yoga community's request to have a retreat there, after 4 years of successful yoga retreats in Costa Rica.
​Day 1-4
Arrive at an award-winning eco-luxury retreat center in the quaint art village of Sukawati in southern West Bali. Adjacent to tranquil rice fields and 20-minutes walking distance from the beach, unwind from travel with a Balinese foot massage and a welcome dinner with traditional dancers and musicians.  We'll enjoy an introduction to Balinese culture, visit a local sacred temple, participate in a purification ceremony, learn to make floral offerings, take a village painting tour, shop at an artisan market, participate in community outreach and practice daily yoga, mindfulness and meditation with your retreat host, Michelle Chua.  Our in-house Balinese chef will prepare delicious community meals three times daily, with an on-site swimming pool and spa services (at additional cost) available for your free-time exploration.  
Just got back from the 2016 Costa Rica Retreat and cannot say enough good things about the experience. Michelle is an amazing woman & I would not hesitate to travel under her guidance again. She was able to provide a warm, fun loving and educational retreat that made me feel like a part of the community we visited and not just a tourist "using" this beautiful country. I can't wait for next year...
-Heidi G. (Los Angeles, CA) from YELP
Michelle at Ketut's (the village healer) home in the rural village in Tabanan in 2017
Day 4-6
We'll ride to and stay in a rural traditional village off-the-beaten path in the region of Tabanan, about 90 minutes away, at a retreat center.  Surrounded by tropical nature and rice fields, we’ll enjoy homemade traditional meals three times daily, practice yoga and meditation alternately with Michelle and a traditional Balinese local yoga instructor. We’ll soak in hot springs and choose optional retreat inclusions, such as visiting the village healer, swimming at a nearby waterfall, practicing yoga at the beach or learning traditional music, dance, cooking or how to care for the rice fields.  With a slower simpler lifestyle close to Mother Nature, we'll dive deeper into our mindfulness practice and the liberating yogic virtue of non-attachment. On your free time, play outside with nature walks and conversing with local villagers or simply sit and breathe in the beauty of life.
Balinese fusion lunch at a restaurant in Ubud
Day 6 through 7 or 10
Landing in the art and spiritual center of Ubud, after about 60 minutes of travel, we'll stay in a bed and breakfast in the heart of town.  We'll have plenty of time to explore freely, located within  walking distance from art museums, markets, restaurants, temples, spas, rice fields, nature and adventure tours, cultural entertainment and classes, creative cafes and more.  Morning Hike + Meditation with Michelle along the scenic Campuhan Ridge will constitute our group yoga practice.  Breakfast and our farewell dinner at a local restaurant will be provided.  If you're staying for the 10-day retreat, we'll ride on a day trip about 2 hours north to the infamous Sekumpal Waterfalls to enjoy hiking and swimming, and you'll indulge in a second group dinner to say farewell to our 7-day fellow travelers.

What's Included:

  • All the tours, celebrations, treats and excursions described on the itinerary, such as a Balinese foot massage, welcome dinner with traditional dance and music, orientation to Balinese culture, temple visit, purification ceremony, painting village tour, offering-making class, community outreach (visiting and connecting with underprivileged children and bringing donations), art and culture shopping tour, transport and admission to natural hot springs, rural village life traditional practices, farewell dinner at a restaurant in Ubud, and if you're staying 10 days, transport and entrance to Sekumpal Waterfalls and a 2nd group restaurant dinner; Both retreat centers are dedicated to offering authentic experiences of Bali culture.  During our stay in Ubud, you can find plenty of popular tourist attractions and tours, if you prefer to book them additionally.
  • 6 Days Open-Level Vinyasa Flow Yoga and Meditation, few nights Restorative Yoga and Meditation (pending our day's itinerary) and 1-3 Days Morning Hike + Meditation in Nature with Michelle Chua (pending our group's needs and your chosen length of stay)
  • 3 Evenings Traditional Balinese Yoga and Meditation with local instructor
  • Community-building, creativity-enriching and personal reflection activities to polish your lens in seeing life as art
  • The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide, an 80-page handbook filled with everything you need to know about visiting Bali
  • Unlimited Complimentary Filtered Water at the first two retreat sites
  • Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner at the first two retreat sites and daily breakfast at the last retreat site, so you have the freedom to explore the diversely delicious restaurants within walking distance from your bed and breakfast and a more open itinerary in Ubud
  • ​6 or 9 Nights accommodation at the 3 retreat sites described on the itinerary above
  • Ground transportation to and from the airport and all 3 retreat sites
  • Ground transportation, guide fees, road tolls and admission costs to all the included excursions

What's Not Included:

  • Your roundtrip flight to Denpasar International Airport in Bali, Indonesia
  • Traveller's Insurance (Recommended)
  • Additional tours, spa services, excursions, entertainment or travel not included in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages or specialty drinks and any additional food and snacks
  • Lunch and Dinner in Ubud, except our group farewell dinner(s)

Root 2 Rise Yoga's Retreats Mission

Travel offers diverse contexts for Self-study, as part of the practice of living yoga, as well as opportunities to learn about and genuinely connect with other cultures.  Root 2 Rise Yoga seeks to offer soulful experiences that facilitate such exploration, as we support the economy of the communities we visit through mindful tourism, optional outreach for underprivileged populations and immersion among the locals to gain a deeper appreciation for our interconnectedness despite apparent differences.  Within the movement and often unpredictability of travel, we promote grounding practices, such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness, to rise as individuals and as a collective consciousness, wherever we are.  

Accommodations: Choose Single or Shared (Must register with your roommate)

Single: Private bedroom with 1 full size bed
Shared: Bedroom with 2 single beds or 1 full bed, as per your request on your registration form
Bathrooms may be shared for guests placed in homestays at our 2nd site in the rural village.  Rooms at our 1st and 3rd retreat sites have a private bathroom.
If you'd like to join a waiting list to connect with a potential roommate, please email us here with your request.
Prior to submitting any payment, please take a few minutes to carefully read and complete the online registration form here, and you will be contacted within 2-3 business days to confirm availability.

Available Packages

As of 9/16/18, only 1 room (single or shared for 7 or 10 days is available.  Please inquire about our waiting list. Early Bird Discount Ends September 15, 2018.
​Early Bird Shared for 7 Days: $1600  SOLD OUT
​Early Bird Single for 7 Days: $2100  SOLD OUT
​Early Bird Shared for 10 Days: $1800  SOLD OUT
​Early Bird Single for 10 Days: $2300  SOLD OUT
Regular Shared for 7 Days: $1850 Please Inquire for availability.
Regular Single for 7 Days: $2350 Please Inquire for availability.
Regular Shared for 10 Days: $2050 Please Inquire for availability.
Regular Single for 10 Days: $2550 Please Inquire for availability.

Space is limited.  Secure your spot with a deposit.

$500 Non-refundable non-transferable deposit secures your space until you pay your full retreat balance by February 15, 2019.  Payments in US Dollars are accepted via cash, cashier's check, PayPal or in person via credit card, the latter two accruing a 3.5% service charge.  Checks can be made payable to "Root 2 Rise Yoga" and mailed to: 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #313 Studio City, CA 91604.  Please submit payment only after your registration has been accepted and space availability is confirmed.  
Choose one:

Cancellation Policy

Root 2 Rise Yoga, Michelle Chua and their affiliates in Bali, Indonesia will do their best to facilitate an enjoyable inspiring nature, culture and yoga adventure retreat abroad.  In rare unforeseen circumstances, plans may change.  The following outlines Root 2 Rise Yoga’s cancellation policy:
 1.) Should you, the retreat participant, choose to cancel your participation in this retreat, you must state it in writing via email to Root2RiseYoga@gmail.com.
2.) The first $500 of your payment, per participant, is non-refundable and non-transferable.
3.) Cancellations before December 31, 2018 will be refunded total payment minus $500 USD deposit.  Cancellations after December 31, 2018 will not be refunded or credited.  
4.) Your total balance for the retreat must be successfully received by February 15, 2019 to secure your reservation.  Otherwise, your space will be forfeited without a refund or credit.
​5.) You are advised to purchase traveller's insurance on your own when purchasing your flight, in the case of unsafe conditions for international travel to Bali or unforeseen cancellations.  Michelle Chua and Root 2 Rise Yoga are not responsible for your expenses incurred in preparation for any canceled retreat.  These may include airline tickets, loss of work, or other costs associated with preparing for your trip.
​6.) Please read carefully on this retreat webpage what is included and not included in this retreat, as your completed registration verifies your agreement of these conditions.     

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