Based in Bali Banyan Tree Escape It defies logic. Intentionally designed to connect you directly with nature, the property shocks the senses with mind-blowing beauty. Tucked away in the jungle, the 16 villas are free-standing treehouses with no walls, doors or windows, offering 180-degree views from every angle. The nature is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before: a lush, vibrant jungle with so many shades of green that Panton would have to visit for inspiration, spectacular views of seven mountain peaks, alongside the Ayung River with its audio-visual white noise, and of course, Balinese famous rice paddies.
As beautiful as it was, I just felt more and more sick as the day went on. Feeling sick on any vacation is boring, but feeling sick on a wellness retreat? That’s a whole new level of hell.
Far from home
The goal of a wellness retreat is to leave feeling more inspired, calm, and at peace than when you arrived. But somehow, I was feeling sicker with each passing day. Literally halfway across the world, a urinary tract infection that had been a nuisance on the day I arrived (probably from twisting around in my economy seat multiple times during the 24-hour-plus flight from New York) had turned into a full-blown infection during the four-day retreat. While others on my wellness journey were perfecting their breathing exercises and clearing their minds, I could only focus on one thought: Please don’t get an infection.
I, too, have had reason to be afraid. Hold up a finger if you’ve had a UTI in the past. Hold up another finger if you’ve had a UTI that turned into a painful kidney infection that landed you in the hospital. (I hold up two fingers.) So, I have a healthy, robust fear of UTIs. When one strikes, I turn to full-blown antibiotics rather than wasting time on over-the-counter tinctures or powders.
If you ever get sick anywhere (I hope you don’t), stay at a Banyan Tree property. If looks could cure you, then everyone who sees a Banyan Tree property should consider themselves invincible. In my case, a doctor was called (and antibiotics were prescribed) and the friendly manager of the property, Puspa, assured me that a chakra massage would cure my illness.
Magic Hands
I sit across from a Balinese healer who has been aligning my chakras since before I was born. We meditate together for 30 minutes so the healer can diagnose my blocks, then I lie face down, covered only with a sheet, for a 60-minute treatment. In the treatment, he targets the pesky blocked chakras. His hands hover over the areas I need to focus on, kneading and releasing them. It feels like a combination of massage and Reiki, and I can feel heat and attention on specific focused areas of my body. Lying in the middle of the jungle, I realize I am so far from home, both geographically and metaphorically. But I think I was shocked when I felt so light and aligned after the chakra treatment. After the treatment, I asked the healer if he thought the infection was gone, and he said, “No, not at all.”
The Skeptics Among Us
I am a full supporter of Balinese traditions and Eastern medicine, but I was convinced that the slight improvement I felt on the last day was due to the antibiotics and not some mystical practice. Why do we, including myself, tend to neglect traditional practices and switch to harsh Western solutions? There are a few reasons for this. Dr. Paige Yang (L.Ac).
“It’s just different, and people are naturally going to be skeptical of something they’re not used to and will want more information or ‘evidence’ before trying it,” she says. “Another reason is that Western medicine (WM) is fast and masks symptoms, which is convenient for a capitalist culture where you can’t always miss work, deadlines, events, etc.,” she adds. She also believes that “Western medicine is influenced by ‘Orientalism’, racism, or ‘othering.’ [Eastern] “It’s a medicine that feels more exotic, less accessible and inferior when compared to Western medicine,” Dr. Yang adds.
Retreat 101
But let’s step back for a moment: what actually happens at a wellness retreat? While each retreat is valued for being unique, the underlying premise is always to educate and empower you to incorporate discovery and wellness into your daily life during and after the experience. The Banyan Tree Retreat is particularly unique. Over the course of four days, we focused on mindset restructuring, physical practice, yoga (restorative and vinyasa), meditation, breathwork, ice baths, immersion in nature, and releasing old patterns through a fire ceremony.
Banyan Group retreats are custom designed with local expertise. In Bali, spiritualism and rejuvenation are the focus. The yoga retreat from June 15th to 20th, Buahan, the hideaway of Banyan Treehas a similar growth and empowerment mindset. Banyan Tree AlUla A yoga retreat in Saudi Arabia will encourage self-connection and discovery.
Retreats are indeed a privilege, and wellness can sometimes feel like something only those with enough money to enjoy it can afford. Beyondaims to address that problem. It’s designed to be an online, transformative wellbeing companion, promoting overall health and wellbeing and immersing you in captivating experiences inspired by destinations around the world. All from the comfort of your own home. Enjoy a retreat without even leaving your front door.
Let’s chase the waterfall
Banyan Group emphasizes local retreat practices, including a spiritual cleansing ritual that is unique in Bali and cleanses the body both mentally and physically. We hiked to Campuhan Waterfall, a few minutes walk from the center of the facility. I was dressed in traditional Balinese ceremonial attire consisting of a modest top, a ceremonial sarong carefully wrapped around my waist, and a handful of incense and intention flowers as an offering to the gods. While the other retreatants were probably thinking big things, I focused on a short-term intention: “God, please don’t let this become an infection.” (They were probably hoping for a more meaningful, important intention, but unfortunately, that was all my brain could come up with.) Guided by meditation, chanting, and offerings from a local monk, we began our descent down a mighty river to the roaring waterfall, where we aimed to stand under its intense force for a few seconds for purification. While the waterfall is designed to cleanse our souls, I am hopeful that it may also cure infections in a more literal sense.
Health is a reward
At the end of the retreat, I felt empowered by my wellness practices, but I was also nervous about the 24+ hour flight back to New York, fearing the discomfort of this dreaded infection. But you guys, when I landed in New York, I was indeed infection-free, as the chakra healer had promised and emergency room tests confirmed. Could it be the antibiotics, the cleansing rituals, and the chakra massage (or a terrible obsession made real)? We’ll never know, but I do know that a health retreat is a luxury, and one worth going to if you’re looking for a new beginning for yourself. Because it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I may not have implemented as many wellness practices into my daily life, but I did solidify one firm idea: being healthy is priceless.
