choosing, fresh fruit and eggs are on offer.
Everything is made fresh on the premises
and they pride themselves in using fresh,
organic ingredients. After a hearty
breakfast, it was time to hit the waves for
my fi rst surf lesson.
The idea of combining surf lessons with
yoga came through an organic process.
One of Chelsea’s friends who had
learned to surf with her was also studying
to be a yoga teacher. At that stage, there
was no yoga being taught down by the
coast, it was up in Ubud, known as an arts
and cultural centre. She believes she coined
the phrase “Surfi ng yoga retreat...never
camp”.
The morning practice leads us naturally
to the surfboards, which Susan believes is a
perfect fi t. “Yoga builds body strength,
fl exibility, stamina and balance. It also
helps develop a strong core and keeps your
neck and shoulders open - all great for
surfi ng,” she says. She believes that at a
fundamental level, surfi ng requires you to
operate in the moment, as does yoga. “Yoga
requests you to be present. Surfi ng offers
the same discipline. Both are solitary things
to do - in your yoga practice, it’s all about
being present on the mat, and on the
surfboard, it is the same space - just you
and the board, or you and the mat.” Susan
believes it’s through “that space of being in
the moment that leads to enormous tools of
self discovery”.
The surfi ng was a lot different in Bali,
but under the guidance of qualifi ed and
very patient instructors, I advanced. I even
opted to stay in longer and the feeling of
getting up on a wave was so exhilarating.
It was already 2pm, the time had fl own:
we’d done yoga, gone for a surf, had a bite
for lunch. Now, it was time to get ready for
a three-hour massage at the Prana Spa.
After being gently guided to my
treatment room, I soon found myself
face-up, looking at a billowing fabric
ceiling. I’m home, I thought.
My treatment of choice was a fi rst for
me – a hot-stone massage. Fifty-degree
basalt stones were rubbed gently into my
skin by two therapists with lashings of oil -
the perfect antidote to a physical day of
yoga and surfi ng. I was then treated to a
facial and woke only a few times to an
embarrassing snort from what was clearly
me asleep and well snoring. The
practitioner didn’t miss a beat. She was
clearly used to clients falling asleep during
treatments. Talk about relaxed! As I made
my exit, slightly dazed by my sudden bliss, I
noticed my friend and Aussie export to
Bollywood, Tania Zaetta, pass me at
reception. Our Yoga Goddess’ Susan’s wise
words of there being no such thing as
co-incidences ran through my mind. This
place was freaky, in a good way.
Back at the villa, I saw a strange person
in the mirror. She was a younger, happier
and healthier me. I couldn’t believe my
refl ection. Relax, I told myself. I reminded
myself how important it is to relax and
breathe.
Each day for the week to come
commenced with our two-hour morning
yoga session at 7am, followed by breakfast,
then a surf. If it sounds structured, it
wasn’t. It was a healthy, invigorating
routine we could break, but didn’t. The
yoga combined with the surfi ng wasaddictive, meditative... we came to need it. I
miss it now, writing this.
Chelsea says easily about the retreat’s
sole purpose, “It’s a time to sit back,
re-evaluate and take time out for
themselves, which most women don’t often
give themselves permission to do.”
She has seen some profound changes,
and women taking control of their lives,
which for her is the best reward. Chelsea
smiles proudly, “This retreat is often the
catalyst for change.”
Back in Australia, the petty problems in
my life sorted themselves out, as they
always do. I felt different, changed, better,
more connected with people. It wasn’t just
the post-holiday glow, but a profound
change and I realised the most important
lesson I took from the retreat wasn’t
just the yoga and surfi ng. It’s the
sisterhood that surrounded it that made
it a worthwhile life adventure.http://www.surfgoddessretreats.com. Prices
start from $2, 545 USD for seven days.