Photography workshop meets Sudaji wedding

My students at a Balinese wedding in rural Sudaji, powered by Omunity.

Feel the Love, share the Love and Heal yourself just by Being there.
Being in the moment: visit this magic place. Be, See, Zen.

Eyespiration by Melanie Rijkers, © 2015

Bali Retreat October 2015 - Let Nature Guide You

Straight To The Heart  Bali Retreat 1-7 October 2015

Ubud, Sudaji, Sanur

- Guided by Antonetta Fernandes and Melanie E. Rijkers -

Daily morning and evening check-ins, meditation, (photo) walks & workshops, purification water and fire ceremonies, temple visit, exploring villages, nature, waterfalls and much more

7 Days Straight To The Heart Retreat $1950,-

Short daily programme:

Morning check-in and sharing

Evening check-in and sharing

Day 1 visualisation exercise

Day 2 to 6 guided meditation with energy medicine exercise to clear blockages

Photography workshop

Organic meals

Bonus: One session of 20 minutes Angelic Reiki healing per person

Ubud 1-3 October (2 nights). Arrival and welcome at Ugung Raka 2-4 PM, a wonderful resort with rice fields on our doorstep. Ubud once was the highlight of cultural Bali, so next to the wonderful garden and pool of the hotel there’s plenty for you to do.

Sudaji 3-6 October (3 nights) true rural Bali. Omunity Bali, founded in 2010 by ZANZAN. This is a special place in the middle of lovely Balinese villages. It’s not like any other resort. Living with and amongst the community and local people of Sudaji. 

Sanur 6-7 October (1 night) Hotel Segara Agung, Sanur beach. Closure of our journey with walks and talks, mostly at the beach. End of our journey: 7 October noon.

Of course you can extend your stay if you wish to!

Be, See, Zen

Join us if you would like to experience first-hand real Balinese people and culture, taste the very good organic food and receive all other gifts from nature. It's al about being in the moment ♥


Come to this beautiful island and meet the locals, no crazy tourist stuff.

7 Days Straight To The Heart daily programme: 

Day 1, Unwind - arrival at Agung Raka Resort and Villas, Ubud. Enjoy this oasis of peace as Ubud itself is a very busy place. Take a dip in the pool, a walk through the rice fields or just enjoy the views and details of nature in the garden. 

Welcome meeting and a short introduction. Dinner in Ubud.

Day 2, Exploring Ubud - Ubud once was the highlight of cultural Bali. Visit a museum or art gallery. There’s also the monkey forest or watch a Balinese (fire) dance at night. 

Antonetta daily: Guided Meditation (30 mins). Energy Medicine Exercise, to clear blockages (20 mins) Body Alignment - clear blockages (10 min) - 1st time may require a bit longer. Evening Check-in and sharing 30 mins.

Melanie: An introduction to Straight To The Heart Photography (1,5-2h) with a photo walk through the gardens of Agung Raka. Daily photography workshop or walk, ending with a beach walk day 7.

Afternoon: free time. 

Day 3, Rural Bali - Omunity Bali, Sudaji.

Staying in Sudaji area, meeting the locals will create inner peace. You Are, you See, you become Zen, just by being there. Lunch & Dinner.

Day 4 & 5, Exploring rural Bali 

- Waterfalls & ricefields adventure. Earth with unspoiled nature of rural Bali.

- Local Traditional Market 

- Canang/ Traditional Balinese Offering Making

- Cleansing and Purification Ceremony - You will experience a real Balinese cleansing and purification ceremony at our local “holy spring” accompanied by a local priest. You will recieve pure energy from the spring to cleanse your body and mind. Participants must be dresssed appropriately.

- a journey to one of Sudaji’s most powerful temples to give thanks and gratitude

- Spiritual (Fire) Ceremony

- visit a local school

- Spiritual Dinner: This dinner is a teaching… in order to maximize learning experience exact details are kept secret. This dinner will nourish much more than your body. It is a spiritual journey of awareness.

Day 6, Beach time! After breakfast transfer to Hotel Segara Agung, Sanur. Check-in from 2 PM.

Day 7, Closure at the Beach - Sunrise Meeting to share experiences and maybe a dip in the ocean. 

Photo walk. Breakfast. End of our journey together: noon.

$1950 incl. breakfast, lunch, dinner 

day 2-6, all group transfers & trips

Of all the places I have visited in the last 15 years, Bali is undoubtedly the best. It has everything: sincerity, simplicity, purity, humility and peacefulness. 

Even outwardly it is so beautiful. You can see how beautiful the little cottages and villages are. They have such simplicity!

Bali had maintained most of its pristine purity. You don’t even have to meditate here; nature will meditate on your behalf. Early in the morning if you walk around the villages, their divine qualities will enter into you and you will become a different person. Here in Bali, nature itself will accelerate your inner progress!

Sri Chinmoy - ‘Heaven On Earth’ 

Travel details & bookings

The group will be 8 to 10 people max. As this is a popular retreat destination we may sell out quickly. If that is the case we will publish more dates asap. Please email us to register you interest: e-mail Melanie or e-mail Antonetta.

Your passport needs to be valid at least 6 months after your return flight from Bali. We recommend you to book your flights only after we confirm your booking. We recommend you fly in a day (or two) early so you can adjust to the hot and humid climate.

We’ll share twin and double rooms, if you are booking as a single person please consider sharing a room. It depends on the hotel what the extra costs will be for single occupancy.

$1950,- per person

$500,- deposit due immediately after booking (no refunds)

$1450,- to be paid no later then 1 September 2015.

Paypal: info @ mery(.)nl 

Nederland: you can also pay via NL41ABNA0607286849 t.a.v. Artstudio23 

BIC/Swift code: ABNANL2A

By booking this retreat you support the local community of Sudaji and the children of rural Bali. We e.g. will donate English books to the school libraries and the public library of Omunity. 

Itinerary

Ubud 1-3 October (2 nights). Arrival and welcome at Ugung Raka 2-4 PM, a wonderful resort with rice fields on our doorstep. Ubud once was the highlight of cultural Bali, so next to the wonderful garden and pool of the hotel there’s plenty  for you to do.

Sudaji, rural Bali 3-6 October (3 nights). Omunity Bali, founded in 2010 by ZANZAN. This is a special place in the middle of lovely Balinese villages. It’s not like any other resort, e.g. they are concerned with providing a future for their children, in a world without plastic, dangerous chemicals and fertilisers. Returning to basics – what the anchestors understood and practised. Omunity seeks to educate and inform both locals and visitors. To bridge the gap between environmental concerns and human interests through practical education and sustainable Sudaji community involvement. The concept for Omunity Bali is living with and amongst the community and local people of Sudaji. 

Sanur, Hotel Segara Agung 6-7 October (1 night). Closure of our journey with 

walks and talks, mostly at the beach. End of our journey: 7 October noon.

Antonetta is: An Author, Life Coach/Mentor, Public Speaker and Angelic Reiki Practitioner. Additionally she also graduated at the Academy of Wealth & Achievement as Master Results Coach, NLP Master Practitioner, NLP Trainer, Hypnotherapist and Performance Consultant. Antonetta continues to enter un-chartered waters from practicing energy medicine to getting her messages across the global showing her appeal is universal and her inspiration has no boundaries.

London, UK. Feel free to contact her via e-mail

www.antonettafernandes.co.uk

Melanie is: ZIENer. Photographer. Mother & Wife. Teacher of Miksang Contemplative Photography. Inspirator & Storyteller. Living in the Netherlands, traveling all over the world to spread  PURE vision. Photo Therapy Coach. Zien means ‘to see’ in Dutch. ‘Ziener’ also means prophet. #ikzieikzie 

Breda, the Netherlands. Feel free to contact her via e-mail 

www.mery.nl

ZANZAN is: our Balinese spiritual guide and founder of Omunity (day 3-6). A highly experienced Yoga instructor (traditional Maha Patanjali). He loves to share his knowledge. Father of three, married to Putu Shelly. You can ask him anything!

Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih - Bali, Indonesia www.omunitybali.com 

You can also follow our event on Facebook.

See, Feel, Love Omunity - Love in Action

SEE, FEEL, LOVE Omunity by Melanie E. Rijkers|Blurb

Just published my book of Omunity, a spiritual resort full of love, in the middle of rural Bali. What a peaceful spot in Bali Indonesia, founded by ZANZAN in 2010. Feel the love of Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih area, where you'll find unspoiled rice fields, waterfalls and much more. Combining Balinese, Eastern and Western tradition and culture, Omunity is primarily concerned with providing a future for our children.

A world without plastic, dangerous chemicals and fertilisers. Returning to basics – what the anchestors understood and practised. Omunity seeks to educate and inform both locals and visitors. To bridge the gap between environmental concerns and human interests through practical education and sustainable Sudaji community involvement.

The concept of OMunity Bali is “living with” and “amongst” the community and local people of Sudaji. Full board (all organic food) and field trips are included, and will give you so much positive energy you never want to leave again. Excellent for yoga retreats, with full use of the Wantilan.

My other two books about Sudaji:

Book 1

Book 2


SEE, FEEL, LOVE

Bali: Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih - part two

Bali: Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih by Melanie E. Rijkers|Blurb

Visiting rural Bali will blow your mind and touch your heart.

It will earth you and connect you with your true and pure spirit. Positive energy will be yours, for ever.

SEE, FEEL, LOVE - PART TWO

www.Omunitybali.com 

Help the CHILDREN OF SUDAJI, SEKUMPUL AND LEMUKIH - Please send donations to: Stichting PUUR Zien - IBAN NL21INGB0006544911 ING Bank N.V. Foreign Operations PO Box 1800 1000 BV Amsterdam The Netherlands, BIC: INGBNL2A (swift code) or use Paypal: info@mery.nl, thank you!

Please send books directly to: 

Omunity, Banjar Dukuh, Desa Sudaji Kecamatan Sawan, Singaraja Buleleng 81171 Bali, Indonesia



If possible 6 copies each, as there are 6 elementary schools in this rural area. Namaste.

Help Bali school kids

During my last trip to Bali only a week ago, I had the chance to visit some of the local schools of Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih village. 650 Kids age 4-12 go to 6 elementary schools in this district. There's also one secondary school.

Guided by Mr. I Gede Joni Setiawan, I saw a whole bunch of Balinese school kids running around the schools or sitting down nice and quiet in their class room. Outside the boys made funny faces when I took a photo, the girls a little more shy in the back. Boys will be boys and with hard rock being the latest thing in Bali, Indonesia, a lot of the boys kept making the sign of the horns, o my.

We sat down in the offices and talked about the schools, how the system works in Indonesia and how Gede once was a student of this school too. The schools look good, but not great, you know what I mean. Being in the Netherlands, our elementary schools seem to (over)flood with toys, maps on walls and other school materials. Here, in rural Bali, nothing is too much and only the basics are there. I don't think there will be much ADHD/ADD diagnoses here.

There's even a school right next to the rice fields. Wow, tropical nature all around the children, and being off at 14:00 (2 PM) or earlier, they have enough free time to run around in the village. I saw kids chop woods, climb trees, ride motor bikes (2x 8 = also 16) (in age, LOL) and be HAPPY. Even though to Western standards they don't seem to have much, they have it all. They are pure, happy and healthy. Eating 3 rice meals a day, I did not see much obesed people.

The red wood tea ZanZan's wife made was awsome. ZanZan is the founder of Omunity, the retreat where I was staying and taking photos for. The school kids are provided for too, and when I asked, I was told the children never get any school photos, at all. Being a mother of two myself, I buy these photos always, as I think it's so good to see your kids grow when you put these photos in a line from age 4 to 12... Melts my heart to see how they grew up. And I am very happy to have these photos.

But in Sudaji there's no school photography, never. The only photos I saw were an occasional photo of the teachers group and one of the Independance Day games... But no class photos, no portraits. The parents also aren't able to afford the prints, but still, there aren't even digital photos available!

Now I want to go back and teach the local photographer(s) how to do this, how to do class and portrait school photos and make sure the parents will get their copy too. The school would really love bigger copies to put on the wall, and really, what are the costs?!? It's all about making it possible. For a lousy € 2,30 per child we are able to set a school photogaphy system up. We only need € 1500,- in total, this way we can teach a local photographer how to shoot and print all the photos. Next year's costs will be much lower, as then it's only the prints that need to be covered.

Next to school photos the schools need (English) books, so if you are a publisher with books which can't be sold anymore and suitable for age 4-16, please let me know. The libraries are being built as we speak, as the government decided to invest in the schools, but there can never be enough books. For the books we'll need € 6000,- around € 10,- per child. We're especially looking for books about spiritual, social and cultural life.

We'll need € 1500,- to get school photography set up, and € 6000,- for spiritual, cultural and social books, please donate to Stichting PUUR Zien, IBAN NL21INGB0006544911 ING Bank N.V. Foreign Operations PO Box 1800 1000 BV Amsterdam The Netherlands or use Paypal: info@mery.nl, thank you! Our BIC: INGBNL2A (Swift code)


If you are a publisher who would like to donate books, please send 6 of each to:

OMunity
Banjar Dukuh, Desa Sudaji
Kecamatan Sawan
Singaraja Buleleng 81171
Bali, Indonesia


THANK YOU, Namaste ♥

Inner Peace - Zen Mode On with Photography

Pure beauty comes from within they say. It's indeed true that when you have a lot of negative energy inside, you look less beautiful, as you show off this negativity. Being in Bali, participating in a women's gathering by Gina Lazenby and Mynoo Blackbyrn, I took photos of somehow 'unhappy' ladies. Though almost all of us blossomed during the trip, touched by Bali and its people.

I felt so blessed to be allowed to take photos of them, thank you so much ladies! And in return they thanked me, for seeing things and taking photos in a way they never thought of.


"I think my feet are the only beautiful part of my body, that you took this photo! (without knowing)" 

Happy faces after the fire ceremony at Omunity Bali - thank you ZanZan

If you want to explore inner peace, I'd like to highly recommend Omunity Bali. Founder ZanZan is an inspiring man, with a good eye for his village and the commercial way of how to build and run a resort for medidation and yoga retreats. Would love to go back! Check out all photos at Flickr.

After the fire ceremony, with founder ZanZan at the left - Bali retreat Indonesia - retraite

Bali Retreat 2015 - Let Nature Guide You

Straight To The Heart  Bali Retreat 1-7 October 2015

Ubud, Sudaji, Sanur

- Guided by Antonetta Fernandes and Melanie E. Rijkers -

Daily morning and evening check-ins, meditation, (photo) walks & workshops, purification water and fire ceremonies, temple visit, exploring villages, nature, waterfalls and much more

7 Days Straight To The Heart Retreat $1950,-

Short daily programme:

Morning check-in and sharing

Evening check-in and sharing
Day 1 visualisation exercise
Day 2 to 6 guided meditation with energy medicine exercise to clear blockages
Photography workshop
Organic meals

Bonus: One session of 20 minutes Angelic Reiki healing per person

Ubud 1-3 October (2 nights). Arrival and welcome at Ugung Raka 2-4 PM, a wonderful resort with rice fields on our doorstep. Ubud once was the highlight of cultural Bali, so next to the wonderful garden and pool of the hotel there’s plenty for you to do.

Sudaji 3-6 October (3 nights) true rural Bali. Omunity Bali, founded in 2010 by ZANZAN. This is a special place in the middle of lovely Balinese villages. It’s not like any other resort. Living with and amongst the community and local people of Sudaji. 

Sanur 6-7 October (1 night) Hotel Segara Agung, Sanur beach. Closure of our journey with walks and talks, mostly at the beach. End of our journey: 7 October noon.

Of course you can extend your stay if you wish to!

Be, See, Zen

Join us if you would like to experience first-hand real Balinese people and culture, taste the very good organic food and receive all other gifts from nature. It's al about being in the moment ♥

Come to this beautiful island and meet the locals, no crazy tourist stuff.

7 Days Straight To The Heart daily programme: 

Day 1, Unwind - arrival at Agung Raka Resort and Villas, Ubud. Enjoy this oasis of peace as Ubud itself is a very busy place. Take a dip in the pool, a walk through the rice fields or just enjoy the views and details of nature in the garden. 

Welcome meeting and a short introduction. Dinner in Ubud.

Day 2, Exploring Ubud - Ubud once was the highlight of cultural Bali. Visit a museum or art gallery. There’s also the monkey forest or watch a Balinese (fire) dance at night. 

Antonetta daily: Guided Meditation (30 mins). Energy Medicine Exercise, to clear blockages (20 mins) Body Alignment - clear blockages (10 min) - 1st time may require a bit longer. Evening Check-in and sharing 30 mins.

Melanie: An introduction to Straight To The Heart Photography (1,5-2h) with a photo walk through the gardens of Agung Raka. Daily photography workshop or walk, ending with a beach walk day 7.

Afternoon: free time. 

Day 3, Rural Bali - Omunity Bali, Sudaji.

Staying in Sudaji area, meeting the locals will create inner peace. You Are, you See, you become Zen, just by being there. Lunch & Dinner.

Day 4 & 5, Exploring rural Bali 

- Waterfalls & ricefields adventure. Earth with unspoiled nature of rural Bali.

- Local Traditional Market 

- Canang/ Traditional Balinese Offering Making

- Cleansing and Purification Ceremony - You will experience a real Balinese cleansing and purification ceremony at our local “holy spring” accompanied by a local priest. You will recieve pure energy from the spring to cleanse your body and mind. Participants must be dresssed appropriately.

- a journey to one of Sudaji’s most powerful temples to give thanks and gratitude

- Spiritual (Fire) Ceremony

- visit a local school

- Spiritual Dinner: This dinner is a teaching… in order to maximize learning experience exact details are kept secret. This dinner will nourish much more than your body. It is a spiritual journey of awareness.

Day 6, Beach time! After breakfast transfer to Hotel Segara Agung, Sanur. Check-in from 2 PM.

Day 7, Closure at the Beach - Sunrise Meeting to share experiences and maybe a dip in the ocean. 

Photo walk. Breakfast. End of our journey together: noon.

$1950 incl. breakfast, lunch, dinner 

day 2-6, all group transfers & trips

Of all the places I have visited in the last 15 years, Bali is undoubtedly the best. It has everything: sincerity, simplicity, purity, humility and peacefulness. 

Even outwardly it is so beautiful. You can see how beautiful the little cottages and villages are. They have such simplicity!

Bali had maintained most of its pristine purity. You don’t even have to meditate here; nature will meditate on your behalf. Early in the morning if you walk around the villages, their divine qualities will enter into you and you will become a different person. Here in Bali, nature itself will accelerate your inner progress!

Sri Chinmoy - ‘Heaven On Earth’ 

Travel details & bookings

The group will be 8 to 10 people max. As this is a popular retreat destination we may sell out quickly. If that is the case we will publish more dates asap. Please email us to register you interest: e-mail Melanie or e-mail Antonetta.

Your passport needs to be valid at least 6 months after your return flight from Bali. We recommend you to book your flights only after we confirm your booking. We recommend you fly in a day (or two) early so you can adjust to the hot and humid climate.

We’ll share twin and double rooms, if you are booking as a single person please consider sharing a room. It depends on the hotel what the extra costs will be for single occupancy.

$1950,- per person

$500,- deposit due immediately after booking (no refunds)

$1450,- to be paid no later then 1 September 2015.

Paypal: info @ mery(.)nl 

Nederland: you can also pay via NL41ABNA0607286849 t.a.v. Artstudio23 

BIC/Swift code: ABNANL2A

By booking this retreat you support the local community of Sudaji and the children of rural Bali. We e.g. will donate English books to the school libraries and the public library of Omunity. 

Itinerary

Ubud 1-3 October (2 nights). Arrival and welcome at Ugung Raka 2-4 PM, a wonderful resort with rice fields on our doorstep. Ubud once was the highlight of cultural Bali, so next to the wonderful garden and pool of the hotel there’s plenty  for you to do.

Sudaji, rural Bali 3-6 October (3 nights). Omunity Bali, founded in 2010 by ZANZAN. This is a special place in the middle of lovely Balinese villages. It’s not like any other resort, e.g. they are concerned with providing a future for their children, in a world without plastic, dangerous chemicals and fertilisers. Returning to basics – what the anchestors understood and practised. Omunity seeks to educate and inform both locals and visitors. To bridge the gap between environmental concerns and human interests through practical education and sustainable Sudaji community involvement. The concept for Omunity Bali is living with and amongst the community and local people of Sudaji. 

Sanur, Hotel Segara Agung 6-7 October (1 night). Closure of our journey with 

walks and talks, mostly at the beach. End of our journey: 7 October noon.

Antonetta is: An Author, Life Coach/Mentor, Public Speaker and Angelic Reiki Practitioner. Additionally she also graduated at the Academy of Wealth & Achievement as Master Results Coach, NLP Master Practitioner, NLP Trainer, Hypnotherapist and Performance Consultant. Antonetta continues to enter un-chartered waters from practicing energy medicine to getting her messages across the global showing her appeal is universal and her inspiration has no boundaries.

London, UK. Feel free to contact her via e-mail

www.antonettafernandes.co.uk

Melanie is: ZIENer. Photographer. Mother & Wife. Teacher of Miksang Contemplative Photography. Inspirator & Storyteller. Living in the Netherlands, traveling all over the world to spread  PURE vision. Photo Therapy Coach. Zien means ‘to see’ in Dutch. ‘Ziener’ also means prophet. #ikzieikzie 

Breda, the Netherlands. Feel free to contact her via e-mail 

www.mery.nl

ZANZAN is: our Balinese spiritual guide and founder of Omunity (day 3-6). A highly experienced Yoga instructor (traditional Maha Patanjali). He loves to share his knowledge. Father of three, married to Putu Shelly. You can ask him anything!

Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih - Bali, Indonesia www.omunitybali.com 

You can also follow our event on Facebook.