​Master Cleanse Retreat - TBA

This retreat brings the Hatha Yoga Shatkarmas to Bali, the ultimate salt water party guided by guest teacher, Rishi Hridayananda. It's a rare chance to restore your gut health, wash away, both physically and emotionally, what doesn’t serve you, and then be nurtured and nourished back to full vitality.

The yoga cleansing practices that form the basis of this retreat are called the Shatkarmas (6 Actions). Taken from the branch of Hatha Yoga these practices are recognised as having a deep cleansing action on all levels of our being: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The process is an exact science and cannot be learned at home or from a book. This makes the guidance of an accomplished teacher essential to provide over-sight and care both during the practice and for the following week.

To enhance the experience, the retreat dates have been carefully chosen to coincide with the New Moon: a time of letting go and releasing; and the advent of Spring: a time of renewal and re-birth. It’s an ideal way and time to cleanse your body, clear your mind and recharge your energy.

Cleansing options

Participants have a choice of 2 cleansing options depending upon their level of experience and any relevant health issues. Both options involve repeating a specific sequence of asanas (postures). Each repetition is interspersed with ingesting a warm saline solution, i.e. drinking 2 cups of warm salty water between each round of asana.

Option 1 – Lagoo is the short form intestinal wash, followed by Kunjal (stomach wash) and Neti (nasal wash). There are no specific prerequisites for this option.

Option 2 – Poorna (full) Shanka (conch) Prakshalana (to wash completely) is the long form intestinal wash, followed by Kunjal and Neti. This is known as the full master cleanse and is more suited to the practitioner who is already comfortable and familiar with the short form intestinal wash and other cleansing practices.

        Pre-requisites for Option 2:
  • Previous experience with Hatha Yoga cleansing practices
  • Willingness to rest for the week, and
  • Willingness to commit to careful diet and lifestyle measures for a further 3 weeks (a total of one month following the practice).
Picture
Practising Neti
Following the cleansing practice (morning of the 3rd day – Monday), participants will be supported for the remainder of the retreat with a general daily program that will include a gentle early morning asana class (yoga postures), sessions on yoga philosophy, Ayurvedic cooking and lifestyle workshops, Yoga Nidra (relaxation meditation), massages and plenty of space to rest and enjoy the beautiful surrounds of Narasoma Retreat Centre.

While anyone can practice these techniques, you are recommended to consult your physician if you have heart problems, high blood pressure, gastric ulcers or are pregnant.  Please check the relevant box on the application form if you are planning to undertake the full cleanse.
Your Team: Throughout the retreat you will be supported by a team of 4 experienced yoga teachers: Rishi Hridayananda; Sangita; Agni and Girishaa plus the Narasoma staff.
​More information:
If you would like to find out more about the cleansing practices, the following references are provided. You can also contact us for more information or advice.
  • Shatkarmas: The Cleansing Practices of Hatha Yoga by Rishi Hridayananda
  • Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
  • The Practices of Yoga for the Digestive System by Swami Shankardevananda
  • Health Management through Yoga by Swami Bhaktipoornananda Saraswati
Picture
Guest Teacher: We are very excited to have Rishi Hridayananda as the  guiding light for this retreat and we could not be in better hands. Rishi has lived and taught the Hatha Yoga cleansing practices in India and Australia for over 40 years. She is  without a doubt Australia’s most accomplished teacher of the Shatkarmas.
Read our inspirational conversation about Hatha Yoga cleansing with Rishi Hridayananda here
​(PDF view or download)
This residential retreat includes:
  • 7 nights single or twin/double share accommodation at the beautiful Narasoma Retreat Centre. Each room is beautifully appointed and includes a balcony and air conditioning.
  • Deliberately simple vegetarian fare to support your body during this cleansing process. Meals will be intentionally unadorned by any strong tastes or spices, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free throughout the whole week. Ghee however plays an important part in relining the gut and supporting the strengthening of the digestive fire, so this programme would not be suitable for anyone who does not wish to ingest ghee.
  • The day of the cleansing practices and the following day focus on complete rest and then the programme will gently build over the week to include the following:
  • Sunrise yoga classes, incorporating asana, pranayama and meditation. Greet the day in our roof-top yoga shala surrounded by coconut palm treetops and the locals (crowing cocks, inquisitive squirrels and local birdlife).
  • Daily Yoga Nidra – a profound yoga meditative/relaxation technique.
  • Workshops exploring the Ayurvedic understanding of food and digestion.
  • Time in the kitchen to explore Ayurveda’s approach to cooking and eating.
  • A complimentary traditional Balinese massage at the Narasoma day spa and the opportunity to enjoy more in your free time.
  • Participate in Narasoma’s New or Full  Moon puja.
  • A care kit to support your cleanse regime and help establish your own Yoga and Ayurvedic daily well-being regime when you return home.
  • A workbook with recipes to guide your journey and provide ongoing support when you return home.