Yoga in Daily Life Retreat in Bali 2025

20 – 26 July 2025 | Ubud, Bali

From 20 - 26 July 2025, 19 participants from Australia and New Zealand gathered in Ubud, Bali for a week-long retreat hosted by Yoga in Daily Life Melbourne, in collaboration with Swami Madhuram Puri.

The retreat offered an authentic immersion in yoga, meditation, and self-reflection, enriched by the natural beauty and stillness of Bali. Although Ubud is increasingly known for its lively streets and bustling markets, the retreat venue—set among lush rice fields—provided a quiet and secluded environment. This setting allowed participants to step away from the demands of daily life and experience the depth of yogic practice in a supportive community.

Retreat Experience

Over the course of the week, participants engaged in daily yoga and meditation sessions, guided by Swami Madhuram, Gita, and Yoga Mudra. The program combined physical practice with philosophical reflection, creating space for both inner stillness and shared connection.
The retreat fostered an atmosphere of simplicity and presence: early mornings began in silence, followed by group practice in the yoga shala. Time spent together encouraged the formation of new friendships, while the teachings provided insight into the practical relevance of yoga for contemporary life.

Key Teachings

Two central themes emerged during the retreat: the significance of individual impact, and the understanding of raga (attachment) and dvesha (aversion).

Individual Impact

Participants were reminded that personal efforts—however small—contribute meaningfully to the wider world. Inner peace and outer peace are inseparable; each compassionate action, moment of awareness, and choice for understanding over judgment contributes to collective wellbeing.
This message was illustrated through a parable shared by Swami Madhuram: a frog and a dove observed snowflakes falling on a branch. The frog insisted they were too light to break it, while the dove counted them carefully. With the 6,567,935th snowflake, the branch finally snapped. The story highlighted the cumulative power of individual actions and the importance of continued effort.

Raga and Dvesha

The second theme explored two fundamental concepts from yogic philosophy: raga (attachment) and dvesha (aversion). These tendencies—chasing what is pleasurable and resisting what is unpleasant—were examined as key sources of mental suffering.
Throughout the retreat, participants practiced methods to loosen the grip of this cycle. These included:

• Present Moment Awareness – returning to the present moment, again and again, to simply being—without needing to fix, avoid, or control.
• Seeing as a Neutral Observer – noticing without immediately naming or judging an experience as “good” or “bad.”
• Cultivating a Beginner’s Mind – approaching each practice with freshness and openness, allowing the experience to unfold.
• Nurturing Curiosity – stepping beyond fixed likes and dislikes with openness and willingness to explore, within and beyond our fears.
• Listening Deeply – especially in Self-Enquiry Meditation from the Yoga in Daily Life System, listening not only with the ears but with the whole being.

These approaches encouraged a more balanced, open, and compassionate way of relating to life.

Lasting Reflections

The Bali retreat affirmed that yoga is not confined to the mat, but is a way of seeing and engaging with the world. Participants left with renewed inspiration to continue their personal practice, not as a demand, but as an act of care—for themselves, for others, and for the shared world.
The retreat was a reminder that transformation often arises through small, consistent steps—snowflake by snowflake—shaping a path towards greater peace and understanding.