Buahan Banyan Tree: Embracing the call of the wild

Nature almost comes as a histamine response for some city slickers who find themselves in the Balinese wilds of Ubud. American writer and naturalist Greta Erlich muses that “everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are”. This is both beautiful and terrifying, especially considering I’ve gone cold turkey on urban life and plunged myself in the heart of the jungle at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape.

I’m here for the Nature and Self-Growth retreat curated by Beyond by Banyan Group, which is kickstarting a series of wellness experiences in its properties worldwide. Developed in conjunction with renowned practitioners, the four-day/three-night journey into and out of the self is structured around eight pillars of well-being: growth, practice, connection, nourishment, movement, groundedness, rest and mindfulness.

It’s not hard to see why Buahan was selected as the site for this luxury women’s wellness retreat. Buahan’s novel ‘no walls, no doors’ concept means that guests are exposed to its untamed surroundings. And true to its environment, the unpredictability of nature can mean that comfort zones are stretched and tested.

Buahan will have you reframing your understanding of luxe eco resorts filled with buggies and hillside lifts. It’s an immersion in nature that, for many of us, comes once in a lifetime. But the freedom that comes with this escape may be a little confronting tothose who count on their four walls for psychological security and retreat. All the more reason to let go.

Day One: Earth Element

I, alongside a small group of fellow retreaters, arrive at Buahan after a two-hour journey from Denpasar Airport, just in time fora self-discovery practice led by Beata Justkowiak, a psychologist and life coach at Energising Goals. Described as Earth Day, my introduction to the retreat is about rediscovering groundedness, setting intentions and making new connections. Yoga and meditation expert, Kimberley Utama, then leads us through a restorative session of yin yoga, followed by a vibrant dinner that’s made of more than 70 per cent plant-based ingredients, before I turn in for the evening in one of the property’s 16 bales.

Day Two: Air Element

Despite the bale not being walled, I find my bed to be surprisingly comfortable with an in-built overhead air conditioner (would you expect anything less of a luxury jungle retreat?). I report at 7.30am at the yoga pavilion for hot drinks and fresh fruit before class begins. The goal here is about reframing the mindset through yoga, meditation and other somatic practices such as breathwork, ice baths and immersion in nature. Justkowiak leads the group in a TRE session, Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises. The silent body-based practice aims to release deeply held tension and stress within the muscles, particularly along the psoas, lower back and pelvis, through muscular shaking or vibrations within the body. It’s particularly activating for those with anxiety, trauma or PTSD, and is said to help naturally rebalance the nervous system, assisting those with digestive issues, sleep disorders and depression.

Word to the wise, the therapy is contraindicated to those who experience epilepsy, seizures or are, as in my case, currently pregnant. A session of vinyasa yoga with Utama ensues, flowy postures and asanas helping to further release any deep-seated tension. Post-lunch sees us on the mat again, this time for an intense breathwork session with Dr Elvina Jessica, a general practitioner.

Day Three: Fire Element

After another mindful morning session, we wind our way through the villages of Ubud by car before stopping at a private residence to discover the spiritual and physical aspects of rural domestic life. Tucked away in the jungle nearby, we discover Maharsi Markandeya’s first meditation place. Credited as the priest who introduced Hinduisim to Bali, the religious site is worn by time and Mother Nature. We pass the sacred Sabahang Dehet temple before crossing a thriving rice field and encountering a palm forest, Alas Jakar, where we each plant a tree. This time on the land and with its ancestral protectors makes the deepest impression on me. With such respect for life, both tangible and unseen, their roots into the earth, their community and practices are entrenched. We then trek further to have lunch at a local farm, where Buahan’s chefs and locals alike have prepared a traditional feast, vivid in flavour and vibrationally alive with the fresh produce of the region.

Utterly defeated by the heat and humidity, the skies pour down for the rest of the afternoon and I retreat with a migraine as the others experience an evening meditation and a fire ritual, where they were invited to let go of old fears and ways of thinking, before releasing them to the flames. As a reformed people pleaser and journalist who’d experience almost anything for a good story, choosing to listen to my body and advocate for rest is a seismic shift in what I’d otherwise do—power through sick, never wanting to inconvenience anyone at the expense of my well-being. For some, saying ‘no’ is self-growth.

Day Four: Water Element

The Soul Freedom Journey begins with the creation of your own Balinese offering, the Canang Sari. Here, guests don traditional Balinese dress before hiking to a private valley featuring the Tjamuhan waterfall. The spiritual purification ritual aims to cleanse mind and body, renewing the spirit while dissolving negativity as participants release what no longer serves them.

Considering the focus of this retreat was on nature and self-growth, Buahan delivered. Like life, the way in which it is delivered, however, differs for everyone. As a pregnant woman whose cardiac output was operating 2.5 times above average, self-growth came in the form of persevering through the physicality of the location, overcoming my fear of falling. It happened anyway. The 64 vertiginous steps from my villa to the hilltop Open Kitchen crystallised the fact that I was grateful to be able to move and embrace the beauty of Buahan.

While open to women of all ages and backgrounds, one would have to be physically fit to navigate the resort’s steep and slippery paths alongside activities such as the jungle trek. So as to preserve its natural environment, lamps are dim and handrails on this tiered, hillside property are limited. We all have different interpretations of luxury, and mine is not of gilded floors but rather time and space to be—to process, especially when the coursework delves into ‘heavier’ emotions such as releasing trauma. While I cherish the meaningful connections made with other guests on this journey, there was also a yearning to go deeper into stillness—sitting with whatever the day brought up. Less doing, more being.

I emerged not well-rested in the traditional sense, but rather energised by, and grateful to be returning to a life I truly love. And that, to me, is self-growth.