Health and wellness bloggers Julia and Libby have announced the details of their Four Pillars Retreat – seven days of wellness, nutrition, fitness and fun at East Residence in Bali this September. The Kiwi sisters have designed the retreat to encompass the four pillars of wellness; nutrition, stress, sleep and emotional health and wellbeing through activities such as yoga, Balinese massage, meditation, immersion in the local culture and even a session with Ketut Liyer, the fortune teller from Eat Pray Love. We caught up with Julia and Libby to find out more…
FQ: What inspired you to organise the Four Pillars Retreat and how long have you been planning it for?
Julia and Libby: The team at East Day Spa in Auckland asked Lib and I if we would like to host a retreat at their accommodation, East Residence, in Bali. Libby and I had stayed at the sister residence, Villa Camilla at the end of last year and fell in love, so it was lovely to be able to create a retreat with them. Ina (owner of East Day Spa) spends a lot of her time in Bali at East Residence and Villa Camilla, she knows the place very well and was largely responsible for putting the itinerary together.
What is it about Bali that makes it such a good place for wellness?
The people, the energy, the food and the weather, plus Balinese people are gentle, friendly, always smiling and they make you feel really welcome. Some of them may not have a lot but they make the most of what they have and are content, it is beautiful to see and makes you step back and say okay, all of those petty things I usually worry about, they aren’t such a big deal. Waking up to the sound of prayer and being surrounded by rice fields is bliss!
Can you talk us through how you’ll be focusing on the four pillars of wellness?
The Four Pillars are nutrition, stress, sleep and emotional health. Libby and I will talk about our journey, how to achieve optimal nutrition, how to tackle stress, emotional health and why sleep is so very important. Each session will be followed with an activity to tie everything together. As the retreat is so intimate we will have a chance to share stories, encourage one another and lift each other up to be the best versions of ourselves.
The retreat includes a session with Ketut Liyer the fortune teller from Eat Pray Love. Have you had a session with him before or if not, what are you looking forward to most about meeting him?
We have not had a session with Ketut before and are very much looking forward to it. Just meeting him will be enough to make our day so being able to sit down with him and see what he can tell us will be incredible. Our Father has met many healers in his life and the stories he has told us are fascinating, being able to experience what he has will be special.
Can anyone take part in the retreat and how big will the group be?
Yes absolutely, anyone can take part. The retreat will be very intimate with no more than 15 people.
In what main ways do you hope your guests will benefit from the retreat?
Learning more about the mind-body connection, how our emotions affect our health and trying new things. We will visit a temple, go surfing, have cooking lessons, experience Balinese culture, and do yoga. Most importantly we hope everyone has a fun experience.
With wellness retreats gaining popularity around the world, what do you think it is that makes Four Pillars stand out?
Each day will be different; this isn’t just yoga or just exercise based. We will be doing a bit of everything and with the group being so small everyone can feel involved. The accommodation is out of this world, it truly is one of the most beautiful places we have seen.
The Four Pillars Retreat will take place from 26th September – 3rd October 2015, with prices starting from $2250. To find out more visit juliaandlibby.com
