Are you ready to reflect deeply about teaching, learning and well-being from a unique educational, cultural and historical perspective? Join us for this unprecedented mindfulness and education experience, carefully designed to intimately engage us with the exquisite land, culture, traditions, and people of Bali

Created with educators in mind, psychologists, therapists, leaders, and other practitioners will also delight in this captivating adventure which promises to awaken a deeper sense of inquiry, insight and imagination.  The lasting effects of this magical retreat are sure to transform our own reflective and teaching practice and will also touch the lives of students that we care deeply about.

Expect to spark playfulness and elevate well-being in body, mind and spirit. 

Program Overview

Spend 10 days living in harmony with nature and fully immersed in ancient wisdom. This Mindfulness and Education Retreat will deliver the perfect balance of sacred spaces for personal, quiet reflection, with enchanting adventures and profound connections to one another, ancestral land, local educators, and indigenous Balinese communities. Here we will find concentrated time to deepen our own personal practice and inner knowing while situated within the magical, exotic backdrop of Balinese culture. During these 10 days of tranquility and discovery, plan on being nourished – inside and out – with organic, delicious and locally sourced cuisine, beautifully designed and eco-sustainable accommodations, several tours of local schools including thought-provoking conversations with educators, and the profound appreciation of another day in Paradise. This beautiful 10 day journey can be thought of as simply a Playground for the Soul.

You’ll dig deep into Balinese culture during your first five days near Ubud, the cultural arts capital and hub of “global transformation.” Witness this extraordinary culture and its honoring of ancient traditions at its best.  You’ll visit remote temples with private guides, meet with visionary Balinese, experience healers first-hand, and enjoy a private meeting with of one of the Royal Family princes and visit his palace. You will also have the opportunity to connect with students and educators from local schools and learn more about their unique approaches to education.

Your journey continues to the northwest remote ocean village of Pemuteran where you will spend 3 nights staying right on the beach. Considered the “spiritual capital” of Bali, experiences will include visiting one of the most unique temples of Bali for an evening visit and blessing ceremony, dinner at a local Balinese home compound, a visit with students and teachers at a local school, snorkeling in some of the best areas of Bali including the coral reef restoration area, optional divine spa treatments, dining on fresh organic tropical foods and more. Attend local ceremonies as available.

A final night of renewal brings you to Sanur, a seaside town in southeast Bali made up a long stretch of gorgeous beach with calm, shallow waters.  Colorful jukung fishing boats rest on the sand and a paved path snakes along the beach for several kilometers.  Sanur is home to excellent restaurants, a wide variety of shops and a relaxed atmosphere.  After an amazing tour of The Green School which teaches a progressive curriculum focused on environmental sustainability and creativity, these last moments will be spent preparing for your journey home, enjoying delicious meals and wrapping up your Study Group sessions as you reflect on the treasured memories you have created!

About the Program Leader:

Dr. Elizabeth Joy Erwin is Professor of Education at Montclair State University where she prepares graduate and doctoral students to think critically, reflect deeply and teach inclusively. Elizabeth is well known for her work on well-being, mindfulness, early childhood and inclusive education. A solid commitment to challenging injustice (with a particular emphasis on disability), has been at the heart of her teaching and research over the past 30 years.

In pursuit of social justice – locally and globally – Elizabeth has published widely in prestigious academic journals, and has authored multiple books and chapters. Her most recent book, The Power of Presence: A Guide to Mindfulness Practices in Early Childhood,  offers educators new understandings and tools to transform their teaching practice and explore a deeper sense of inquiry. Even though the focus of this book is on partnering with young children to promote justice in the world and peace within, everyone who cares about humanity and the planet will discover timeless wisdom and contemporary perspectives threaded across these pages.

Elizabeth brings to this Balinese adventure 20 years of study as a devoted yoga practitioner, as well as her scholarly work and university teaching which embeds practices such as mindful breathing, reflective inquiry and critical thinking.

Elizabeth currently lives in New York City where she practices yoga and meditation every day.