Silent Retreat in Bali

My experience disconnecting over a word-less 72 hours

Last week, I did a silent retreat in the north of Bali, Indonesia. For 72 hours, I did not speak a word or use technology. Only yoga, meditation, reading, writing, and walking.

The result was extreme disconnection. Similar to putting your phone away, not speaking lessens the distractions of everyday life. It reduces the noise so you can find the signal.

In this blog, I’ll describe what was the most unique and relaxing 3 days I’ve had on my trip.

The retreat grounds. The Lodge (eating area) on left, bungalows on right, and rice field in front.

The Setup

Located in the lush northern Balinese jungle, the retreat grounds were similar to a summer camp (just with less teenage hormones). There were 20 people on the retreat. Everyone had their own room. There were shared facilities including the Lodge for eating and chilling and the Bale for yoga and meditation. There was also a fire pit, a reception area, and walking paths through jungle and rice fields.

The Lodge where retreat-goers ate, read, and chilled - all in silence.

People join and leave the retreat on their own schedule. Most people stay for a few days, but there were some who had been there for over a month. You see others during group activities like yoga or mealtime. The only interaction you have with them is head nods and smiles.

There are areas designated for speaking or using your phone. While some choose to make use of them, I went full buddha and didn’t do either for the full 72 hours. The retreat is also ashram style, meaning that you make your own bed and clean your own dishes.

Upon arrival, I had a brief orientation. I was then led to my room by a staff member. She explained the room’s amenities, said goodbye, and shut the door. I realized I’d already spoken my last words. I began to chuckle to myself for 2 minutes at the absurdity of where I had found myself. The retreat began.

The Schedule

Each day at 6:30am I woke up to the sound of a metal gong. Everyone met at The Bale for 90 minutes of yoga and meditation. Then we made your way to The Lodge for breakfast. The next 2 hours I would read and journal. Then I’d eat lunch, go for a walk through the rice fields, and take a nap. 

My view of the jungle when eating my meals.

I’d wake up from my nap to the gong calling for our 3pm yoga and meditation session. Then the best meal of the day: dinner - followed by a long walk through the jungle. I’d return to the grounds to watch the bats dance over the rice fields while the sun set.

After dark, I’d walk to the fire pit to sit with the others, staring at the fire and journaling in silence. Then I’d go back to my room to read before falling asleep to a symphony of crickets and frogs at around 9pm.

The Results

1. Relaxation

Not speaking offers a deep disconnection. It removes a major distraction in life: talking. Or from a broader scope: socializing.

Throughout the retreat, I felt the relief of not having to socialize - but simultaneously the comfort of being around others. I could focus on distraction-less decompression.

The food was incredible. It was all vegetarian, picked fresh from the retreat garden and served buffet-style. There was a tea station with every tea ingredient you could dream of. I was sleeping for 10+ hours each day including my naps. The 3 hours of daily yoga and meditation was invigorating. Walking helped clear the mind. I read and journaled relentlessly without distraction.

All of this made for a deeply relaxing 3 days.

The buffet and tea station all made fresh by the “kitchen angels”.

2. Introspection

Silence can be scary. It’s sobering. It leaves you alone with your own thoughts. Many avoid silence by filling their environment with noise. Talking, music, TV, social media.

But silence is good for you. It forces you to think. It removes the noise so you can find the signal. It leads to introspection. Through journalling and walking, I did some good thinking about myself.

Some took this even further. Case in point: the crying bench. Along the retreat’s jungle path, there’s a bench facing a river that’s designated for crying. I’d imagine people came to sit and release intense emotions.

I sat on the crying bench for a while trying to think of something emotional that might trigger some tears. No luck. Had a good laugh at having tried though.

The crying bench where I unsuccessfully attempted to shed tears.

I’ll admit that by the end of the 3 days, I felt restless. I had all this mental energy with no outlet. My mind started playing tricks on me, overthinking basic components of my life well beyond what was productive.

Readers of this blog know my belief that fulfillment comes from doing hard things. In turn, I believe meditation, yoga, and rest are tools to refuel for tackling ‘hard’ endeavours. They are not the endeavours themselves.

By day 3, I felt I had fuel in the tank and was ready for the next challenge.

3. Uniqueness

The final outcome: a unique life experience. The silence, the meditation, the location. Even the more obscure yoga practices were intriguing.

Perhaps the most unique experience was silently making a friend. There was one fellow retreat-goer with which I exchanged many friendly head nods and smiles. One day after lunch he gesture-asked me if I wanted to go for a walk (I’ll leave the gesture up to your imagination).

We walked together through Balinese jungle and rice fields for 2 hours - all in complete silence. We’d interact by smiling at a beautiful sight or gesturing at the heat. But that was it.

The jungle path where mosquito repellant is a must.

By the end, it felt like we had a relationship. I learned language isn’t always necessary to connect with others. You can also connect just through sharing an experience.

After the walk, we shook hands and went on our way. I know nothing about him - not even his name.

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After 72 hours, I sat by a river to ceremoniously break my silence. My first words were the Jewish prayer of שהחיינו. It is typically said to offer thanks for new and unusual experiences. Felt right given the novelty of the occasion.

I left the retreat with a fresh energy for my travels. I spent the next week on a nearby surf island called Lombok. There I met a group of Germans, Aussies, and Brits. We travelled together to Gili T island, sharing a hostel room, a night out, and a heartfelt goodbye.

Next stop: Australia. A new chapter of my travel begins.

Thanks for joining me on the adventure 🏔