Spiritual Retreats in Bali: Insights and Reflections on Esoteric Trends

Hello everyone,

Without any introduction or preamble, let me ask you right away: Have you heard of the following?

Unveiling one's personality through spiritual practices;
Awakening femininity and sexual energy with unique, author-created techniques;Unblocking financial flows by working through karma;
Financial expansion on a metaphysical level;
Changing destructive ancestral programs through family constellations;
Finding one’s purpose in life and unlocking the energy of unconditional love by attending transformational retreats;
Cleansing the soul and energy through ancient rites and rituals;
Entering the world of spirits, receiving answers, and learning the future through ancient shamanic techniques;
Predictions, advice, and deep personality analysis through natal charts, astrology, tarot cards, numerology, destiny matrices, and the Lila game;
Realizing desires through affirmations, asceticism, visualization, and transformation;
Working with mentors and coaches who specialize in unconventional psychology...

And the list goes on...

I’m sure that even those who have never been particularly interested in all of the above, but spend time on the internet and social media, have at least vaguely come across these magical methods and techniques for quickly changing one’s life, fulfilling desires, unlocking extraordinary power, and predicting the future.

Personal Experience: My Journey with Spiritual Practices

And I have heard about all of this. Moreover, I’ve tried many of these things at least once. Interestingly, I never actively sought them out myself. I learned about most of these techniques from friends who involved me in the process. For instance, a friend hired an astrologer to create my natal chart while we were planning to start a business together. She believed it was important to ask the stars if everything was aligned with our plans. The stars promised success and prosperity. We never started the business, but I did get my natal chart. And I’ve never asked the stars about my future since then.

Another friend, after completing a course on the destiny matrix, offered to make one for me as well. It was the same story with numerology. At the invitation of friends, I attended various retreats, seminars, and courses. During the lockdown in Bali, when we spent 2.5 months without leaving the complex where we were staying, my friends and I became obsessed with tarot cards. In 2020, it felt like the world was plunging into chaos. No one understood or knew what would happen next. That’s when, with the help of tarot and metaphorical cards, for the first and only time in my life, I tried to find some answers about the future and get advice in an unconventional way. But at some point, I realized that I had stopped analyzing situations—myself and others—rationally. If I drew a "bad" card for the day, it would ruin my mood. The cards seemed to program me, describing the future and telling me how I should act to avoid unpleasant situations. So, after a few months, I stopped using them.

I always have a question about such forecasts (cards, horoscopes, etc.): Is it a prediction or programming? For example, a person finds out that Mercury retrograde starts tomorrow, which is always associated with chaos and difficulties in life. And it doesn't matter how accurate the astrological forecast is; the person immediately sets themselves up with, "Well, that's it, chaos starts tomorrow"—and chaos indeed enters their life because they believed in it.

However, if I summarize my experience as a whole, some techniques have helped me incredibly at certain stages of my life, some have genuinely impressed me with a "how is that even possible" feeling, and some only made me smile.

Observing Bali's Spiritual Boom: My Insights After Three Years

Once, I used to enjoy identifying a person’s verb. Why a verb? This part of speech indicates the action or state of an object and answers the questions "what to do?" or "what to accomplish?" If you talk to someone, you can identify their verb – that is, how they act in life. For example, one of my friends always said, "I feel... my feelings tell me." Another had the word "want" – her whole life revolved around this word. Then there's a friend who constantly saw things: "I see in this situation..." My verb is "analyze, think about..." It helps a lot with people; once you identify their "verb," you understand how to interact with them. There’s no point in presenting bare facts and logical proofs to someone who feels everything; they need to be wrapped in emotional packaging. Or with a friend whose verb is "want," there was no point in imposing my interests. It was necessary to turn my interests into her "want," and then we would move in the same direction. Interesting stuff. Try identifying the verbs of those closest to you; you’ll discover a lot after such observations.

So, coming back to the topic of this post, with my "analyze and think" approach and my pragmatic view of life—where I rely more on the mind than emotions—I find myself on Bali, which has a reputation as a spiritual center. A kind of "mecca" known worldwide, attracting people from different countries, united by their interest in everything mystical and spiritual: some are looking for answers to their deep questions, while others promise to know how to find them.

I asked myself, "why is this?" My friends, who are into esoteric practices, say it's because I need to develop my sensual side—that’s my task on the island. I don't argue—so be it. Honestly, I’m still trying to understand, see, or feel something deeper in some people who, according to them, bring light and goodness into this world.

But there’s always a "but." ;)

If you add up the 8 months I spent in Bali in 2020 and the time since March 2022 when I have been living on the island, it totals more than 3 years. Plenty of time to observe everything around and draw certain conclusions.

From my observations over the past few years, the number of teachers, guides, psychologists, coaches, mentors, astrologers, and numerologists in Ukraine and Russia has been growing and continues to grow. Many of them spend several months in Bali, calling the island their "place of power," organizing various retreats here, and offering services online. And Instagram feels obligated to advertise them to me, no matter how many times I mark that I'm not interested in such content.

While I’ve researched Ukrainian and Russian mentors more deeply, I’ve also checked mentors from other countries—and to be honest, they are not much different. The patterns, promises, and methods are largely the same everywhere.

Spiritual Mentors Unveiled: The Key Types and Their Stories

Let’s start with the portraits of mentors.

In most cases, the mentors are women; there are men, but not as many. Therefore, in my post, I will focus more on describing women. They can generally be divided into three groups:

Couples – partners, husband, and wife. Since they work together, they transform practically everything. Their activities depend on how far their imagination allows them to go. They promise everything: to restore self-love, cleanse toxins on a physical level, change destructive programs that prevent you from living a happy life, unlock your inner woman, develop spiritually, and so on.
A married woman – her husband does not participate in her enlightenment activities but is present in photos and videos on social media as proof that her techniques work. She conveys how happy, loved, and in love she is, and everything she does is not for the money (because she has a successful husband) but solely to help other women through her transformational retreats to unlock their sexuality, become a magnet for men, meet "the one," build harmonious relationships, and unlock their creative potential.
A woman without a partner, possibly divorced, with a child or children, but thanks to her spiritual teachers, the transformations and ascetic practices she has undergone, her meditations, and various other practices, she is incredibly whole, fulfilled, and always in a state of resourcefulness—and promises to teach you the same.

All of them have perfect social media pages. Lots of atmospheric videos and photos at sunset, by the ocean, in the jungle, in the rain, or near local temples. There are always photos of cleansing ceremonies in places that ordinary tourists have no idea about. There are also stories and reviews from the participants of their sessions and retreats. As a rule, everyone is crying, hugging each other, and thanking them, always stating how this incredible experience has changed their lives.

In the daily stories of mentors, you’ll find short quotes with deep meanings, moments of life in slow motion. If there was or is a pregnancy, all its stages are highlighted. If there are children, there’s a lot of talk about conscious motherhood and how it fills them up. Women from all three groups are well-groomed, projecting how calm, harmonious, balanced, and resourced they are. They know their shadow sides, but despite everything, they are living their best lives.

Yes, I remember that I mentioned in the first group that there was a male partner, but, as a rule, he’s not much involved in the process of attracting the audience; he is more engaged in the actual learning processes :)

The Making of a Mentor: Experience, Titles, and Self-Proclaimed Gifts

Each of them describes herself as a woman who has gone through a long, difficult path of transformation and now wants to teach others how to do it while avoiding mistakes. They all believe they are endowed with special talents: some see themselves as a "witch"; some claim the ability to heal on a spiritual level, seeing what ordinary people cannot; others possess a temple of knowledge they’ve gained throughout all their previous lives.

To impress the audience with numbers, spiritual psychologists, coaches, mentors, and guides combine their personal experiences in therapy with their learning periods and even self-study. I followed a girl on Instagram who started offering psychological consultations about 4-5 years ago. Her experience grew by 1-2 years every few months from event to event, where she was invited as a speaker. She added or multiplied absolutely everything. The last information I saw about her indicated 17 years of experience.

So, the post mentioned below is not at all rare, when, after 7 months of personal therapy, followed by self-study, voila—a "newly minted healer":

"...I had a similar experience 3 years ago. I attended therapy for 7 months and faced the same feelings of a dead end and hopelessness. The therapist did her job well, but it wasn't enough. Obsessive thoughts, suicidal tendencies, panic attacks, apathy, etc. In the end, I pulled myself out of depression by diving into esotericism and holistic medicine. I found harmony, peace, and my inner support. All of this gave me the strength to overcome crises. Now I help others go through what I went through."

In their profile bios and on their websites, the number of saved souls is always indicated. The numbers vary greatly, but it’s never fewer than 150 and can reach several thousand.

There is no single specialization among them.

They all deal with everything. Below are real texts from mentors, taken from their pages or websites, where they describe themselves and their activities. I haven't changed anything in their texts, only translated them:

"Psychotherapist, physiognomist, psycho-diagnostician, author and facilitator of transformational games, media expert."

"Come to me for a Lila game. I also conduct private sessions. In addition to basic psychotherapeutic assistance, you will receive answers to existential questions and ways to solve and overcome destructive states."

"I am a spiritual psychologist, numerologist, energy therapist, and I conduct the Lila game."

"I became a coach because I realized my purpose is to help people. I want to share my love, support, and kindness with the world, all of which God has blessed me with. I believe I can share all the positive energy that fills me. My goal is to positively impact the lives of 100,000,000 people."

The Business of Healing in Spiritual Retreats in Bali: What Mentors Sell and How Much It Costs

There are no pricing limits. Each mentor charges what they feel is appropriate.

The Lila game can be $500 per person or $100 if a group of five people gathers. Individual consultations on any topic (destiny matrix, numerology, natal and astrological charts, a personal conversation with a mentor) start at $100 or higher, with $150-$350 being common. I’ve even seen a personal consultation for €1500. Group online intensives for 1-2 hours start from $50. A more extended online course of 3-4 days starts at $150, and if you opt for a package that includes personal mentoring, it can be $450-$750. However, most mentors offer a free basic online course to attract an audience, where you can learn the fundamentals.

Retreats. The average duration of retreats is about a week, and the prices I’ve seen range from $2000-$3000 and up to $7000 (which is the highest I’ve heard of to date). The more packed the tour program, the higher the price. Retreat programs can include everything. In addition to basic accommodation, meals, transfers, mentoring lessons, meditation, and yoga, they may also feature group ascetic practices, energy cleansing practices, breathing exercises, work with sexual energy, tantric practices, standing on nails, art therapy, island tours, ecstatic dance, cleansing rituals at waterfalls, spa services, tea ceremonies, sound healing, entertainment events, handouts, participant gifts, and, of course, photography and videography services. Flights, insurance, and visa services (if needed) are additional costs.

Behind the Hype: Analyzing the Appeal of Modern Spiritual Mentors

While preparing the information for this post, I read through and reviewed dozens of pages on social media belonging to teachers, guides, and mentors. In my opinion, it is a treasure trove of material for conducting research on any social topic and studying human behavior.

Most of them look and speak alike—the same words, phrases, poses, and gestures. Of course, they try to stand out in some way, to impress. They use an extensive vocabulary related to all the practices, but in the end, it’s not something exclusive—just more of the same, over the top.

It seems to me that I have never encountered such a large number of gifted people in any other field because the amount of activities that one mentor can combine is astonishing. Simply saying "I’m a psychologist" isn’t an option; the list should be at least two lines long, preferably three.

After reading through the programs of about a dozen retreats, my brain was boiling from the style in which the information was presented.

Text inviting participation in Retreat 1:

Every woman holds a secret, a mystery, a unique code, strength, and wisdom. But not all of us know how to use them, trust our intuition, or follow our desires. Witches possessed this knowledge, courtesans, and geishas used it in everything. They were destroyed because they were feared. Feared for their mighty feminine power. In this power lie the answers to all our questions.And to reveal it, to return the power that rightfully belongs to every woman by her birthright—we will embark on a mystical journey.

What awaits us:

Acquaintance with sacred feminine energy;

Meetings with powerful guides;

Spiritual practices and meditations;

Bright emotions, visiting incredible places, and gaining new knowledge.

Witches, geishas, and courtesans were all mixed together—those who had a “gift” and were destroyed. I don’t know in what world the retreat organizers live, but every other mentor imagines herself as a witch, while the escort service is alive and well all over the world—only the names have changed. Women involved in providing these services are intelligent, beautiful, and very gifted and experienced on all levels—probably more so than the organizers of this retreat. But they sincerely promise to unlock your sacred feminine energy. And take note: not just “feminine energy” but “sacred” feminine energy.

Retreat 2

When I received a 20-page presentation for Retreat 2, if you quickly glance through it without reading, it makes an impression. Lots of atmospheric photos of the mentor in various poses, picturesque photos of Bali, pleasant colors, and well-chosen fonts—the aesthetics of the presentation are top-notch. But when you start reading the text and focusing on its meaning, you start to lose the logical connection between the words. They wanted to show that you would unlock everything within yourself, but at the same time, they seemed to feel they weren’t conveying the message of the retreat enough, so they repeat the same thing over and over from different angles. So, you will “open your heart” and “discover yourself,” you’ll “gain confidence” and, at the same time, “courage,” you’ll “reset yourself” and “reach a new level.”

Text inviting participation in Retreat 2:

Allow yourself the luxury of being yourself! Step out of the silence and begin to manifest! This is true freedom of self-expression. It is an important skill in our world, without which realization and goal achievement in life are impossible.

If you want to manifest yourself even more in the world, to bring your value, find your authenticity, be yourself, and express the full spectrum of your emotions—this retreat is for you.

Your consciousness will push you out of your comfort zone, and by facing your fears, you will level up your thinking and manifestation in life.

What you will gain after the retreat:

Understanding your purpose in life and formulating clear goals for the future;
Spiritual fulfillment and an open heart;
Confidence in yourself and your abilities;
Connection with yourself and your true self;
Courage and desire to face your fears and step into them;
A reset of consciousness and reaching a new level of personal development;
Self-discovery;
The ability to assert yourself and speak publicly;
A free body and mind.

But I must admit, I consider all these mentors incredibly successful.

What do I mean by this term? All those I reviewed while preparing the material for this topic have thousands, tens of thousands, or even half a million followers on social media. Their services are in demand, and people are willing to pay for them. You can’t achieve such numbers without systematic work and services that fully meet the needs of consumers. All these mentor-bloggers have clearly understood the demands and needs of society and are producing products that are in maximum demand today.

And what is in demand today? Change in life, self-development, and self-discovery.

What is change? Most often, it is painful and not very pleasant. To bring about change, you need to clearly understand that only you are responsible for your life, make a decision, show willpower, take responsibility for your actions, and act.

What is self-discovery? A process that can take a lifetime as you search for the answer to the question, "Who am I?"

Self-development? Endless hard work from birth to death in all spheres of life.

All of this is long, boring, and not interesting. But people want it quickly, painlessly, effortlessly, and most importantly, with a guaranteed result.

Mentors and spiritual guides promise to solve all problems quickly. The methods vary, but they are always spiritual-mystical-esoteric.

One of the versions of the transformational cycle that I created, based on dozens of mentor pages reviewed on social media and feedback from participants in their events:

You begin the process by searching for a mentor on social media. After reading the posts filled with wisdom and deep meaning, you choose your mentor. Then you attend her retreat, preferably in another part of the world. Retreats close to your home are not as effective. Here, within a week, you will completely transform and become a new person. After that, you order a destiny matrix or natal chart, where you will receive a detailed instruction—often dozens of pages long—on 'how to live your life. You maintain the acquired experience by occasionally attending online seminars on various topics, depending on what your soul desires at the moment: awakening feminine power, financial expansion, or perhaps cleansing on an energy level, and so on. In your daily routine, you can gain insights through Tarot cards or clarify things with astrologers. Once you have transformed, unlocked, and cleansed everything, while being in a state of resource, flow, and balance, the final step to make your dreams come true is to take on some ascetic practices. Of course, the effects of everything you’ve gone through don’t last for life, so when you feel something has gone wrong, don’t think or analyze why it happened—just repeat the cycle, and everything will be fine.

Sometimes, after 1-2 cycles, or even after the first retreat, a person may discover a hidden gift to see and feel more than others can. This is accompanied by the urge to help people in their search for life’s meanings. The newly minted mentor opens a personal Instagram page to fully update it for their new spiritual calling. A new, but much higher-level, cycle begins.

Between Skepticism and Belief: My Personal Reflections on Esoteric Trends

Based on my communication with friends, I can trace the trend of how people relate to mystical-esoteric topics in general. Some joke about it, while others are active participants.

For example, in one case, a friend sent me a story of our mutual acquaintance who, after drinking coffee at a café, decided to meditate. But to make the process look less mundane, she spread out a mat and other attributes on the café’s lawn—and of course, showed it all on her Instagram. In response, I sent my friend a photo from the café where I was having breakfast. Across from me was a girl who, after placing her order, meditated, and when her food arrived, she performed some rituals over it. All actions were done very theatrically—it was hard not to notice. And yes, this girl also took selfies. My friend and I joked, asking each other when we would be in such a state of resource and flow like these two—and then we moved on with our day.

Friends from the other camp suggest I take a course on how to change karma, sign up for the Lila game, or do a destiny matrix.

As you can see, two different poles :)

My opinion regarding these situations is the following: I firmly believe that everyone has the right to do whatever they want, as long as it doesn’t harm society. The two women performing their rituals in the café didn’t harm anyone. My bigger question is for whom they are organizing such public “shows,” displaying intimate rituals like prayer and meditation to the public and on social media. I don’t have an answer to that.

In the case where my friend sent me a link to an online karma course. The course was conducted by a couple, and the description was classic—“over the top”—with the full set of promises about the problems they solve and how they will transform you. What did I respond to her? I thanked her for the invitation, said that I wasn’t very interested at the moment, and asked if she sees results from attending such courses. She assured me that it helps her. I thought: maybe it really does help? And I wished her success.

At the very beginning, I mentioned that I also have experience with different practices. But looking at my personal mentors, the picture is as follows: none of them are active on social media, they don’t write texts with deep meaning, they don’t talk about their boundless talents, they don’t share their incredible personal experiences, they don’t indicate the number of people they have saved, they don’t organize retreats or online courses that promise to transform you in a week. They all repeat the same thing: working on yourself is a long and painstaking process, often painful; yes, after all that, changes in life do occur, but they are often far from what a person imagines in their rosy dreams.

On that note, I’ll conclude my long post.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Share them. I’d be happy to hear your opinions too.

Random Photos from Our Bali Life