All about you

Throughout December, people are extra nice — it’s that wonderful time of the year when everyone is more cheerful. ‘Tis the season of merrymaking and feeling the love, after all!

But shouldn’t love and kindness be all year through?

Over songs or poetry or endless homilies, I think a person will only imbibe this truth were he or she to go on a journey of self-discovery. What is the best gift you can give yourself, anyway, but time to nurture your soul?

For me, this month that ends the year is a time of deep reflection. Looking back with gratitude at 2024, I think of the blessings that made it a good year — unforgettable, very special, life-changing.

Amazing space

When an invitation arrived in my mail for The Sovereign Soul Experience Retreat in Ubud, Bali from my friends who are more like family, Lia Bernardo and Malou Araneta, I immediately accepted and prepared for a memory of a lifetime.

We spent six days and five nights in September at the enchanting Bedulu Cliff Estate. The curated immersion was thoughtfully designed to offer an authentic Balinese experience, set against the backdrop of the lush Petanu River Valley.

Located in the heart of Ubud, the entire property is swathed in green, sprawling from the top of the valley (where the villas are situated) down to the base (where the yoga studio is located), and one can hear the river waters running around big boulders.

The air is clean, crisp, refreshing — almost like a filter cleansing. Looking at the surroundings alone is already balm for the spirit, and the sounds one hears are nature’s perfect binaural beats or solfeggio tunes.

Acoustics are au naturelle — you can hear the symphony of birds chirping and crickets, the rustling of the leaves and even whispers of the wind that often covers you in a much-needed embrace. The estate is nestled within a genuine Balinese community, lush forest, rich local culture and all.

Everything happens for a reason

We were a group of 11, half whom I am close to. By the end of the trip, it felt like I knew everyone — perhaps through a sense of familiarity from a previous lifetime? Who knows?

During our stay, the group participated in a variety of transformative experiences such as Shamanic Breathwork, Ice Bath Therapy (which I didn’t do due to a heart condition — consult your doctor first before doing this), Cacao Ceremony, Balinese and ecstatic dance, blessings, Temple Tours and spontaneous exercises that were food for the soul.

The schedule was loose, nothing too stringent — it was basically an outline of what we were going to do, yet free and easy. We never did anything we didn’t want to do.

Most of the time, we all did things together, but there were times some didn’t join, and it was all good. Everything just organically flowed smooth and easy like a natural high.

Dining out was a good bonding experience — to get to know the way to Ubud’s heart is through food. For the adventurous foodie, it is paradise where one can really enjoy an explosion of spices and flavors. But the food at Bedulu Estate was amazing.

Our healthy and delightful meals were home-cooked Indonesian cuisine served buffet style — a modest feast, if you ask me, that certainly hits the spot. Every dish was savory and every bite gave a flavor of its makers’ good intentions.

Every day is a blessing

It was an enriching, humbling and gratifying journey of self-discovery, inner work and healing. It’s like shedding off dead skin and unwanted, accumulated layers that need to be released.

We went to cleansing and prayer temples, immersed in their civet coffee/tea culture and was in the vibe of the spiritual landscape. The days were full, from the simple to the mundane, but they all led to understanding yourself better — seeing reflections of yourself in others.

Going through it all without judgement and surrendering to love — that was the beauty of that experience.

Each moment, big or small, is special, and every experience is a blessing that unfolds. Life endlessly showers us with so much. Yet oftentimes, prejudice, self-judgement and insecurities blind us to the beauty that is around us.

All about love

The soul sovereign retreat personally digs deep to one’s core. It is a reminder that we are born and made from nothing but pure love — this is the essence of our being. Transcending all planes of existence, the journey is about discovering, accepting and embracing all the love that is you.

It’s a trip one should take if you want to know the next step, if you’re looking for answers to the questions in your head, or finding reasons in life that will make you feel worthy. It can be any reason, but at the core, it is all about the love.

You are the greatest gift you can give to yourself, and when your cup is full, share to the ones you love, who are around you and, most importantly, who deserve you.

This was an experience that made a difference in my life, made me new and see things through the eyes of love. It will be an annual journey of the spirit — same time and place, September 2025 Soul Sovereign Experience. Remember, you are the greatest love you can give to you.

For updates, check out IG @Malou_a29 and @liabernardo.