A former student and friend from our training in November 2013, Jess Rice, from My Poor Tired Liver, wrote an amazing article on her experience here in Bali. She is doing wonders in Nashville, since our retreat – supplying local eateries with her amazing raw food dishes, hosting raw food classes, and now chefing for international retreats!
“What we didn’t realize we’d gain…was the courage to be imperfect, the encouragement to put myself first, and the safety and guidance to let go of who I thought I was in order to be who I truly am.”
“Deep cleansing with a group is one the best experiences I’ve ever had. In Bali, every morning we would meet (after a 6am run through the rice fields, a 7am yoga class, and 8am meditation and vocal warm ups) and discuss how we were feeling. Everyone was given 1 minute to speak to the group. This was one of the best parts of the day and the experience as a whole; the difference in what my fellow retreaters shared from day 1 to day 10 was incredible and very telling that this retreat was affecting them the same way it was me.”
Our tight-knit group on the last day of retreat
“When you’re in a safe environment among others who are seeking the same clarity, education and growth that you are, you bond. Being with a group during this experience was key to the healing I experienced for a few reasons:
“It puts your own problems, fears, and concerns in perspective. When you hear yourself say things out loud to a group and allow whatever emotions that come up to be released, it’s incredibly freeing. This includes joy as much as it does anything sad or negative.
You have a built-in support system. When you share how you feel publicly, others will come to your aid throughout the day or lean on you if you’re strong and they need you. This support system can carry on past your trip… I still keep in touch with everyone I met and have plans to visit my friends in Australia, Canada, and other places around the world. They know my door is always open to them in Nashville, too. Whenever I have a business idea or concern, I ask them first and they do the same. Since we all share the same interest and varying degrees of education when it comes to living foods and holistic health, they provide me with a wealth of knowledge and perspective that is invaluable.”
“You’ll discover new networking opportunities with likeminded individuals. I’m a business-minded person through and through, so this may be unique to me, but I was so inspired by the people I met on my retreat that I’ve started working with some of them. One talented chef from South Carolina will be assisting me on an upcoming retreat I’m teaching at… another friend I made is co-writing an eBook with me… another friend we met there is editing said eBook… and a few other friends have offered me places to stay when I go to their country to throw raw food pop-up dinners later this year. Without the group atmosphere in Bali, I would have never met these people or allowed myself to grow as close to them as I did.”
“Our daily 6am barefoot run through the rice fields. These runs weren’t mandatory during our training, but the few of us who went every morning formed a special bond. It was absolutely breathtaking.”
“You’ll discover new networking opportunities with likeminded individuals. I’m a business-minded person through and through, so this may be unique to me, but I was so inspired by the people I met on my retreat that I’ve started working with some of them. One talented chef from South Carolina will be assisting me on an upcoming retreat I’m teaching at… another friend I made is co-writing an eBook with me… another friend we met there is editing said eBook… and a few other friends have offered me places to stay when I go to their country to throw raw food pop-up dinners later this year. Without the group atmosphere in Bali, I would have never met these people or allowed myself to grow as close to them as I did.”
—-Jess Rice
Beautifully written and from the heart. Thank you Jess!
Read more here: http://blog.newganics.com/2014/02/10/get-outside-your-comfort-zone-however-you-can/
To follow Jess see:
www.mypoortiredliver.com
https://www.facebook.com/MyPoorTiredLiver
Email: MyPoorTiredLiver@gmail.com
