This isn't a typical yoga retreat. It's a gentle homecoming for people aged 40+ who are exhausted from caregiving, recovering from illness or injury, or navigating life's difficult transitions.
In the quiet district of Tejakula—far from Bali's tourist crowds—you'll spend seven days learning to feel safe in your body again through trauma-informed somatic movement, nervous system regulation, breathwork, and journaling. You'll be welcomed like family by the local community and held by a small circle of people who truly understand what you're going through.
You'll leave feeling like yourself again—rested in a way you haven't been in years, reconnected to your body, and equipped with sustainable practices for managing stress and staying present. Plus you'll have an ongoing community who continues to support you long after you return home.
This is deep rest. Real transformation. Genuine welcome.
Your choice of private or twin share suites. Staying at the beautiful Poinciana Resort.
All breakfast, lunch and dinner are whole food, plant based and made with care and designed to support your healing and recovery. Intolerances and allergies can be catered for.
Daily morning and early evening trauma-informed gentle embodied yoga and restorative somatic rest practices. All movement practices adapted for all bodies. Personalised modifications for injury.
Learning to listen to your body's signals and soothe your nervous system.
Time and space for personal reflection. Processing support in small group settings.
Small, intimate group. Private WhatsApp group for ongoing connection.
Airport pickup and drop-off from the airport ( 3 to a car). All transportation during the retreat.
Enjoy a traditional Balinese and herbal massage to help you relax and unwind.
A local trip to Ponjok Batu Temple.
Learn to make the local offering- Canang Sari Making.
3 weeks of free online classes with Ellen (for integration) Continued access to WhatsApp community Ongoing class options (online and face-to-face).
Sent before arrival.
Mats, blocks, straps and bolsters provided.
Please book your own flights to Denpasar - Ngurah Rai International Airport.
We strongly recommended you take out travel insurance.
Please organise your own visas and complete the Indonesian custom form before arrival .
Spa treatments or additional services can be booked and paid for onsite.
Please purchase your own alcoholic beverages.
Please feel free to purchase any snacks, drinks, coffees from the restaurant outside of the shared meal times
Activities and trips outside the retreat schedule are possible and can be organised with the reception at the resort for an additional fee
We can organise a private airport transfer to and from the retreat for an additional fee of $120. Please buy an add on if needed.
This schedule is designed to support deep rest and nervous system regulation. Each day balances gentle movement, breathwork, reflection, and spaciousness—with plenty of time to simply be.
Please note: This is a guideline, not a rigid timetable and it is given here as an example of what is on offer and will flex and change with the needs of the group. You're always welcome to rest instead of participating in any activity. Your body's needs come first.
10:00am-1:00pm
Airport pickups begin (shared transfers from Ngurah Rai Airport - example times only)
3:00-4:00pm
Arrive at Poinciana Resort
Check into your room, settle in, explore the grounds
4:00-5:00pm
Welcome Drink
Iced Tea
Meet your retreat companions
Share intentions (no pressure)
5:00-6:00
Welcome Ceremony on the beach
Guided by the local priest. A local welcome to the island and the retreat.
6:30-7.30pm
Welcome Dinner
Plant-based meal, eaten together
Get to know each other gently
7:30pm onwards
Free Evening
Unpack, rest, adjust to the time zone
Early to bed encouraged (you're probably exhausted from travel)
Note: No formal practice today—just arriving and settling in
7:00-8.00am
Morning tea/coffee / fruit or walk on the beach
8:00-9:30am
Morning Somatic Practice: Arriving
Gentle movement to help you land in your body
Learning interoception—what does your body need today?
9:30-10:00am
Light Breakfast
10:00am-12:30pm
Free Time
Rest, swim, walk the beach, read.
Your first massage can be scheduled during free time today or tomorrow
12.30-1.30pm
Lunch
1.30-5:00pm
Extended Free Time or Guided Journalling Circle
This is your time—nap, explore, be alone, connect with others
5.00-6:30pm
Restorative Somatic Rest Practice
Learn to regulate your nervous system and enjoy deep rest.
7.00-8.00pm
Dinner
8.00pm onwards
Free Evening
Stargazing, rest, connect with others, early to bed
7:00-8:00am
Morning tea/coffee or walk on the beach
8:00-9:30am
Morning Somatic Practice: Tension & Release
Where do you hold tension in your body?
Gentle movements to release shoulders, neck, hips, jaw
Breathwork for letting go
9:30-10:00am
Breakfast
10:00am-12.30pm
Free Time
Beach, pool, rest, massage
This is your day—structure it however feels right
12:30-1:30pm
Lunch
1.30-5:00pm
More time for beach, pool, rest, massage
5:00-6:30pm
Evening Practice: Restorative Somatic Rest
Lie down and receive
Nervous system reset
Deep rest
7:00-8:00pm
Dinner
8:00pm onwards
Rest, read, connect.
7:00-8:00am
Morning tea/coffee or walk on the beach
8:00-9:30am
Morning Somatic Practice: Grounding
Connecting to earth, to stability, to safety
Standing practices (with chair support available)
Breathwork for feeling grounded
9:15-10:00am
Breakfast
10:00-11:00am
Canang Sari Offering Workshop
Learn to make traditional Balinese offerings with local community members
Cultural connection, gentle hands-on activity
Beautiful, meditative, grounding
11:00-1:30pm
Temple Visit: Ponjok Batu
Visit beautiful local temple
Short transport, gentle walking (take your time)
Cultural immersion, connection to place
Bring your handmade offering
1:30-2:30pm
Lunch
2:30-600pm
Rest, swim, nap.
6:00-7:00pm
Early Dinner
7:00-8:00pm
Yoga Nidra and Sound Healing
A a simple guided practice that does not require physical effort. You only need to lie down and follow gentle instructions, allowing layers of stress to melt away from both body and mind.
7:00-8:00am
Morning tea/coffee/ fruit or morning swim or walk on the beach
8:00-9:30am
Morning Somatic Practice: Moving with Ease
Exploring gentle movement that feels good in YOUR body
No "should"—just curiosity and kindness
Breathwork for energy and vitality
9:30-10:00am
Breakfast
10:00am-4:00pm
Extended Free Time - Rest Day
This is your deepest rest day
Sleep, swim, read, journal, stare at the ocean
Second massage scheduled for those who haven't had one yet
No agenda, no schedule—just being
12:30-1:30pm
Lunch (during free time)
5:00-6.30pm
Evening Practice: Restorative Yoga & Breathwork
Gentle somatic movement
Breath soothing your nervous system
Permission to do nothing but receive
7:00-8:00pm
Dinner
8:00pm onwards
Optional: Sharing Circle
Informal gathering for those who want to share
What's shifting? What are you noticing?
Or rest, solitude, early to bed
7:00-8:00am
Morning tea/coffee / walk on the beach
8:00-9:30am
Morning Somatic Practice: Sustainable Self-Care
What practices are you taking home?
Creating your personal routine
Movement, breath, rest—adapted for your real life
9:30-10:00am
Breakfast
10:00am-12:00pm
Free Time
12:30-1:30pm
Lunch
1:30-3:00pm
Free Time
Last chance for massage, beach time, rest
3:00-4:00pm
Journaling & Reflection
"Who am I now?"
What's changed? What are you taking with you?
Writing your integration plan
5:00-6:30pm
Restorative Somatic Rest
Integrate all that you have learnt about regulating your nervous system and experiencing deep rest.
7:00-8:00pm
Closing Dinner
Celebration meal together
8:00pm onwards
Closing Fire Ceremony
Releasing what no longer serves
Calling in what you're creating.
7:00-8:00am
Morning tea/coffee/ morning beach walk
8:00-9:30am
Final Morning Practice: Gratitude & Closing
Gentle movement
Breath of gratitude
Closing circle—brief words if you have them
No pressure
9:30-10:00am
Breakfast and Goodbyes
10:00am First transfers to the airport for those with afternoon flights.
10:00-12:00am
Free Time
Final packing, last swim, goodbyes
12:00 onwards check out and departures.
Shared airport transfers (staggered based on flight times)
Note: If your flight is very early or very late, we can arrange accordingly
Please organise with the retreat if you would like a late check out ( extra $30 paid to the resort) based on availability of your room.
Otherwise you are welcome to stay and make use of the pool, restaurant and spa until your departure.
Ellen Blackman Yoga is an inclusive, nurturing and non-
competitive global yoga community where you are invited to
move gently and safely. We believe that yoga is much more
than a movement practice, it’s about using ancient yoga
traditions and a trauma-informed approach to help you thrive
in the modern world. Classes are small, intimate and
personalised, allowing you to explore the harmonious
connection between your inner world and physical world, in a
way that is right for your body. Immerse yourself in a wide
variety of yoga experiences including in-person classes with our
welcoming community in South Melbourne, online or private
classes, events and international retreats.
