Wild Stillness Bali
Slow Travel through Craft, Nature, Culture and Self
Dates: 6 - 10 July 2026 (4 nights/5days)
Location: Ubud, Bali
Facilitator: Jan Carey, Director - Centre for Mindful Education. Author – Wild Stillness: A Journey into Mindfulness, Creativity, and the Sacred Wisdom of Nature
Immersion: This five-day slow travel experience in Ubud is an invitation to experience Bali differently. The days are designed to slow the pace and open up a richer way of travelling — through hands-on craft, traditional practices, time in nature, and meaningful connection with place and self.
Across the five days, we will explore Bali through workshops, creative activities, and place-based experiences that bring you into direct contact with the artistry and traditions of the island. From a traditional Balinese cooking class to silver jewellery making, batik, indigo dyeing, and other hands-on cultural workshops, the experience is designed to be immersive, tactile, and memorable. These activities are woven with time spent outdoors, opportunities for journalling and creative response, and moments to enjoy the beauty of the river, gardens, and slower rhythms of Ubud.
This journey offers a balance of guided experiences, personal exploration, and shared time with like-minded travellers. It is a chance to enjoy Bali through its beauty, its traditions, and its creative spirit — not as a rushed itinerary, but as a deeper, more meaningful way of being there.
With a small group and a thoughtfully curated program, the experience is designed to feel both personal and relaxed. Many guests come on their own, and the journey is held in a way that allows solo travellers to feel comfortable, included, and well supported from the beginning. There is space for connection, shared experience, and conversation, while also allowing room to step back, reflect, and enjoy quiet moments in your own way.
Everything is carefully organised so that you can settle into the experience without needing to figure out the details for yourself. Rather than trying to piece Bali together on your own, this journey offers a gentle and well-held way to experience the island through its craft, culture, nature, and slower pace.
No artistic experience is needed to enjoy the workshops or creative elements of the retreat. The focus is not on skill or performance, but on participation, enjoyment, and the pleasure of engaging with beautiful materials, traditional practices, and meaningful experiences. Whether you already love creative travel or are simply curious to try something different, the journey is designed to feel accessible, welcoming, and rewarding.
For those who are drawn to slower, more intentional travel, this is an opportunity to experience Bali beyond the busyness and surface-level tourism that so often defines a holiday. It is a chance to spend time with local traditions, enjoy hands-on cultural experiences, connect with the beauty of Ubud, and return home feeling enriched by something more than sightseeing alone.
Our Slow Immersive Activities
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Embodying Wild Stillness
Time beside the river becomes a practice in embodied attention — strengthening focus, steadying the nervous system, and reconnecting with the clarity that emerges when we are fully present with place.
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Canang Sari – Everyday Offerings
We will learn how to weave traditional canang sari offering baskets using palm leaf and flowers, slowing down into the quiet rhythm of the hands and experiencing how simple acts of making become expressions of gratitude, presence, and connection to culture.
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Balinese Cooking Class
Connect with your senses... A cooking class is a great way to practice mindfulness through our senses, as we taste, smell and cook traditional Balinese cuisine. We will... grind spice paste by hand, cook and enjoy the delicious flavours of 6 Balinese vegetarian dishes.
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Learn Batik Painting
Simply, batik is an amazing and ancient method of color dyeing. Indonesian batik artists are well know through out the world as the best batikers. Become present in the moment while doing this ancient craft and creating your own batik painting.
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Sound Healing at The Pyramids of Chi
The Ancient Sound experience guides you into an effortless state of relaxation. The Pyramids of Chi is an innovation to the world through the combination of Pyramid Power, Sacred Geometry, Polar Alignment, Ancient Sounds, and the ever-present magical energy of Bali.
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Silver Jewellery Workshop
Working with silver in a traditional jewellery-making workshop, we will experience the mindful process of shaping something beautiful from raw material, creating a meaningful piece that carries the memory of our time in Bali and the journey we have shared.
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Indigo Tie Dye Class
We visit a dye studio and dye plant botanical garden, and dye our own cotton scarf and a T-shirt. Immerse our senses into the beauty of nature’s colours.
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Ephemeral Art Mandala
Discover the quiet joy of making mandala art designs with nature’s beautiful gifts, before letting the art return to the cycle of life.
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Botanical Printing
Working directly with leaves and natural materials, we will experiment botanical printing, noticing textures, shape and colour.
The Adiwana Svarga Loka Resort
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Located in serene Ubud
Adiwana Svarga Loka - A Retreat Resort is situated near Campuhan River in Ubud. Set within a short distance to the centre of Ubud, the hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool set amongst the lush tropical landscape.
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Modern Deluxe Rooms
The rooms at this resort all come air-conditioned and feature a terrace. The rooms also feature a seating area with a sofa. Each room has an en suite bathroom.
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Traditional Balinese Beauty
Set within lush gardens, our retreat home reflects traditional Balinese design, with carved wood, stone statues, and open spaces that invite rest, ease, and a deep sense of arrival.
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Daily Breakfast
Each day begins with a relaxed breakfast overlooking the pool and gardens, where simple, nourishing food and unhurried mornings set the tone for presence and connection.
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Evening Cultural Dance
On one evening, we will gather to experience traditional Balinese dance, sharing dinner and witnessing the artistry, rhythm, and storytelling that are woven into everyday Balinese culture.
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A Space to Gather
Our meeting space is a light-filled yoga room surrounded by gardens, where we come together as a group to connect, reflect, and share our experiences.
About Your Journey Guide
Jan Carey is a highly experienced educator with over 30 years of teaching and school leadership. Her long interest in mindfulness has steadily deepened into advanced international training in contemplative and awareness-based practices. Shaped by her own life - living on her 46-acre bushland property in the Adelaide Hills and her long-term immersion in India - her retreats blend mindfulness, creativity, and connection with place.
Jan has spent many years living, working, and volunteering in India developing a deep understanding of its culture, communities, and educational landscape. Alongside this, she has been returning to Bali regularly and has led four previous immersive retreats in Ubud.
Through years of facilitating retreats and trainings across Australia and internationally in both Bali and India, Jan brings a grounded familiarity with the places, practices, and experiences that shape each journey. Her work is guided by long-term relationships, local knowledge, and a deep respect for place, allowing participants to feel held, supported, and thoughtfully immersed throughout their time together.
Costs & inclusions
The cost includes ALL of the following:
Expert guided program over 5 days facilitated by Jan Carey, Director, Centre for Mindful Education
4 nights resort accommodation at Adiwana Svarga Loka - A Retreat Resort, in Ubud
Buffet breakfast and morning tea each day
Welcome dinner on Mon 6th July
Traditional Balinese Cooking Class (3 hours)
Arts Workshop at the Deking Bali Arts Centre (Batik painting)
Indigo Tie Dye Workshop (2 hours)
Ancient Sound Healing Session at The Pyramids of Chi (90 mins)
Traditional Balinese Dance Performance
Silver Jewellery making Workshop in Ubud (2 hours)
Transport to Cooking class, Arts Centre, Jewellery workshop and Pyramids of Chi.
A journal and access to art materials
NOT included
Flight to Bali
Transfers to/from the airport
Lunch and dinner not mentioned above
Any additional spa treatments or activities
Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Costs and room options
Twin Share: All inclusions as per above in twin share Deluxe Room = $1390 AUD
Single Occupancy: All inclusions as per above list, in Deluxe Room (single occupancy) = $1890AUD
An Invitation to Join our Slow Journey
If something in this journey has stirred your heart, you are warmly invited to join us for Wild Stillness Bali. This is an experience shaped by presence, creativity, nature, and deep connection—an unfolding that asks not for certainty, but for openness and a simple yes from within.
Places are confirmed through full payment. To keep the cost of the tour as accessible as possible, payment is made via direct bank transfer, with details provided below. If you would prefer to use PayPal or another payment option, please feel free to contact me and we can explore an alternative together.
To BOOK your place…
Flights to Bali are a GREAT price now, so now is the time to lock it in before they go up!
Step 1: Complete the attachedBooking Form and email to centreformindfuleducation@gmail.com
Step 2: Make payment upon confirmation there are still vacancies in the journey.
A detailed itinerary plus additional information about what to expect will be sent soon after booking.
An online zoom ‘Meet the group’ session will be offered 3 weeks prior to departure date, so we can connect, talk about what to bring and answer any other questions.
Payment Details
Account: Centre for Mindful Education Pty Ltd
BSB: 015 237
Account Number: 304 285 869
For booking flights, please note - The program starts on Mon 6th July at 3.00pm, and ends on Friday 10th July at 12.00pm.
Please contact me for any further information.
Jan Carey
Director
Centre for Mindful Education centreformindfuleducation@gmail.com
Professional Development & Tax Considerations
This five-day journey is grounded in mindfulness through nature, creativity, and embodied practice. For therapists, wellbeing practitioners, educators and school leaders, the experiences offered throughout the retreat translate naturally into classroom, wellbeing, and whole-school contexts, particularly where mindfulness, wellbeing, creativity, or nature-based learning are part of your professional practice.
Many participants choose to attend Wild Stillness journeys as a form of professional development, as the approaches explored can be adapted for use with students, staff, or school communities. In some cases, this may make the retreat tax deductible as a professional development expense. As individual circumstances vary, we recommend checking with your accountant or financial advisor to confirm eligibility.
Testimonials from our previous retreats and events in Bali
"Wow, what an amazing 5 days. I have loved the mix of both personal and professional learning, and content delivery mixed with hands-on experiences. I feel changed and excited about what lies ahead. Thank you!!"
"Loved everything! Awesome location, life changing experiences. The Pyramids of Chi was an amazing and unique experience. Fantastic group of people. Great presentations. Thank you!"
"Great range of practical & theoretical activities. Perfect for people who are beginners to mindfulness and those who want to continue their knowledge and and practice. Thanks for an enjoyable 5 days"
"Full of practical ideas for my own growth, and also as 'take back to school' strategies for self and students"
"Loved the connections between the personal and professional. A rare opportunity to engage with educators from different states."
"The changes I have learnt to make in myself will help me to help the children in my care to 'be more in a peaceful state' Enjoyed every moment"
Frequently asked Questions
Who is this 5 day journey for?
The 5-day program will include practical applications for using mindfulness everyday in our own lives, and in the schools, preschools and centres that we work in. While the program has been created for anyone it is particularly useful for therapits, teachers, school support officers, child care workers, leaders and other educators, it is beneficial to anyone working with children/ students or support roles.
Do I need to have experience with mindfulness already?
The intention of the program is provide knowledge and practical application of nature-based art and mindfulness for everyone. It is suitable for complete beginners and those with more experience.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, we offer payment by instalments if needed. Please email Jan at centreformindfuleducation@gmail.com to seek more details about this process.
Should I get travel insurance?
For peace of mind, we absolutely recommend each participant arranges travel insurance.
What is the Cancellation & Transfer Policy
Because Wild Stillness Bali is offered as a small group experience, all bookings are confirmed through full payment and are non-refundable. Once your place is secured, that space is reserved especially for you.
If you are unable to attend, you are very welcome to transfer your booking to another person of your choosing, subject to suitability and final confirmation. This approach helps keep the journey fair, sustainable, and accessible for everyone involved, while honouring the care and commitment required to hold a small-group experience.
We strongly suggest that you arrange travel insurance as soon as your flights and journey are booked.
If you have any questions or concerns before booking, I warmly encourage you to reach out so we can explore whether this journey feels like the right fit for you at this time.