Shadow Dancing with Mind: WRITER'S LIFE: "Being Sattvaa" - What to look for if you are planning A Writer's Retreat

Sep 13, 2016

WRITER'S LIFE: "Being Sattvaa" - What to look for if you are planning A Writer's Retreat

Being Sattvaa - An Idyllic Resort ensconced in Nature's lap

“… when I ask you to have a room of your own, I am asking you to live in the presence of reality, an invigorating life..” Virginia Woolf in “A Room of One’s Own".

And then she goes on to add in the later part of the book, “For masterpieces are not single and solitary births; they are the out come of many years of thinking....” and in my opinion, to put that body of thinking, in a common voice, one needs a space where the thoughts and ideas can freely flow...

A retreat group at the resort

That’s what was going on in my mind, as I had write and re-write my own second part of The Monk Key series, when I met Renuka Vaidyanathan, owner of a lovely retreat “Being Sattvaa” in Bali.

The underlying flow of nature surrounding you sounded perfect for a writer’s retreat that I have had been thinking about for some time. So I did some research and fixed up to meet Renuka, to understand what 'goes on' to make a worthwhile space for oneself within the nature’s beauty.

As we sat down for lunch, I asked one question that was foremost in my mind, why she - a banker, without any experience to manage a property in hospitality sector, decided to open a resort in Bali. And how did she nurture it into becoming a beautiful and popular resort?

She said that it was difficult in the beginning. But after moving to Singapore, where she worked with Singapore Fine Arts Society, she developed a strong interest in fine arts. Slowly this interest changed into an obsession to create something that holds nature and aesthetics together. A place that can provide a natural surrounding, which will help creative people to open up. And the result is the beautiful and serene retreat “Being Sattvaa” located in one of the finest spots of Bali.

Renuka and her husband 'zeroed in' to a property in Bangalore as well as in Bali, in year 2011. But things moved faster on foreign shores. The 3-acre site in Bali, which was mainly designed by Renuka, took shape while the one in Bengaluru was still on the papers. By August 2014, she launched her retreat, which now caters to worldwide customers.

Yoga Pavellion

She says, “Literature and art is healing”, so she consciously works around the theme. Her aim is to provide the visitors an avenue to heal themselves through nature, serene surroundings and healthy living. She runs various programs at her retreat. Subba Vaidyanathan even conducts an annual program on corporate leadership with spiritual content. At 'Being Sattvaa' there are annual Yoga Retreats, Organic Food Festivals and Culinary Retreats. From Chicago, Sunita - a famous raw food Chef organizes a retreat focused on non - cooked food. Her retreat program uses the homegrown food products and vegetables from the resort.

October Culinary Retreat

At the end of a very nice and interesting talk with Renuka, I had realised that to really bring out something good and beautiful creatively, you do need a space where the daily hustle bustle of life takes a back seat. It should not interrupt the free flow of your thoughts, ideas and emotions. And with a professional team to ‘day to day’ manage the resort, ‘Being Sattvaa’ can be the place to assimilate your thoughts to bring the story you always wanted to share with the World. Another thing that made me decide on the resort for my own Writer’s Retreat is its location. It is easily accessible to many of the spiritual sites around the country and then there is added charm of three beautiful lakes that dot the surroundings with its own serenity and peace.

Looking forward to organizing 'A Writer's Retreat' in the year 2017 at the place. So, if the author in you wants to join in with me, please drop in a comment or email. My first book “Songs of the Mist” has already reached there, looking for the time when my second book gets completed there...