Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Located about a 1.5 hour drive from the Denpasar airport, Mandapa is secluded from the hustle and bustle that surrounds Ubud these days. Driving up to Mandapa, I felt like I’d just entered a secret Balinese compound. We were greeted by the most welcoming staff and ushered towards the lobby. ‘Lobby’ was code for a dreamworld full of day beds and local drinks infused with indigenous herbs, all overlooking a plunging valley below.

After check-in, I did something that I’d never done before: I saw a healer. Ibu Ketut Mrusi is an intuitive blind healer who has a gifted intuitive awareness and touch. I was beyond excited as I headed into the room, undressed and plopped myself on top of a massage table, so extremely curious about what would happen next. Ibu Ketut and her assistant spent the next 40 minutes massaging my arms and hands, felt the pressure points on my feet, and finished with a lot of knocking on my stomach. Yes, you read that correctly. I could hardly wait until our debriefing session afterwards so she could promptly tell me what the heck was happening to my insides 🙂 Was I eating too much? Was I pregnant?! My mind was working in overtime. Turns out, she was able to realign and release any blocked energy pattern through body work and reflexology, but here was my take away: She told me to 1) eat almonds, apple + tomato juice and get enough vitamin C. 2) walk 30 minutes every day. 3) Told me there was too much energy in my stomach and that my chakras were out of alignment – but not to worry – she put them back into place. My solar plexus was free of negative energy!

After the interesting healing session, it was time to get the party started now that I was back in alignment 🙂 I was ecstatic to be staying with Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve yet again – but this time with the LimitLes women! The tranquility, wellness options, cuisine and welcoming staff can’t be replicated anywhere else.

Clear Cafe

The tag line for Clear Cafe in beautiful Ubud is ‘Clean Food for Clear Minds.’ The About section reads: Clear Cafe is a community. It is a center of wellness. It is a platform for communication. It is a space where people can come in and be present. It is a place for people to share experiences and ideas. It is a home. It is a family.

Le siiiiighhhh. If that doesn’t make you wanna eat breakfast, lunch and dinner there, I don’t know what kinda of establishment you’re after. Heed my advice: Book a plane ticket to Bali, go here and then order the Moringa smoothie. Tell me it wasn’t the best thing to ever grace your taste buds.

Kul Kul Farm Apothecary Workshop & Lunch

This farm to table lunch was straight out of a dream world, and many (if not all!) of the LimitLes women agree that it was our favorite lunch in all of Bali!

We spent the day learning how the many plants around us can cure so many different types of ailments. For example, lemongrass is an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic and relieves cold and flu symptoms, digestive problems, poor circulation, low concentration, varicose veins, menstrual cramps and nausea. Talk about healing powers! Shoutout to Maria and Kul Kul Farm staff for filling our brains and bellies with plant medicine. They offer many, many workshops while educating the masses all about how incredible our environments truly are!

The Lawn

If you want a front row seat to every sunset in Bali, The Lawn is the place. With a number of seats next to the beach, guests can enjoy just about any tropical drink while bidding the day adieu. With a literal “lawn” in place alongside cozy seating, the establishment truly lives up to its name with additional features like a pool, rooftop and beach access.

The Practice

I’ve been to quite a few yoga classes in Bali, but The Practice was so incredibly memorable from its open-air shala to its teachings. The schedule here is broken up into moon, sun and fire classes, and each one focuses on varying parts of the body, breath work and meditation. Moon practice is a deep, challenging and nourishing asana practice with longer holds and an emphasis on creating stability and calmness of both body and mind. In Sun classes, the moon teachings are applied here with additional energy management and a deeper relationship to our breath. Fire is about cultivating all that has been learned and Igniting the radiant power of soul with deeper work with Bandhas and Mudras. Our LimitLes group partook in a Sun class with a large focus on meditation towards the end.

From lodging to eating well to education and fun in the sun, we did it all during LimitLes in Bali 2019! Stay in the LimitLes loop for more 2020 happenings!