Is Yoga Barn the unofficial centrum of Ubud?

Are you new to town or planning a visit to Ubud soon? You may be wondering if Yoga Barn Ubud is a good place to start your journey. Some people can’t imagine living in Ubud without it, while others say it’s not their cup of tea. What was my experience starting from my first day in Ubud?

How did I discover Yoga Barn Ubud?

When I planned my trip to Bali a few years ago, I wanted to be close to the conscious community. I also wanted decent-quality yoga, a variety of classes, and other spiritual events. But, the main goal was to find my tribe. That’s how I first heard about the Yoga Barn.

When I lived in Europe, I yearned for my pre-COVID life. I wanted to connect with like-minded people and attend gatherings, circles, and classes. On the one hand, I felt isolated. On the other, I felt I lacked the space to grow. I knew that to accelerate my progress, I needed to be around people like me.

Years ago, I noticed that people with similar interests often congregated at yoga schools, consciousness events, and circus groups. But first and foremost, they gathered at one more type of event…

Ecstatic Dance – my secret to finding a community around the world.

No matter where they are, my community always gathers at ecstatic dance events. It’s more than just the dance; it’s a form of meditation. These spaces attract those seeking ways to express themselves, be creative, and connect with others. Weekly events are also a great place to catch up with friends and hear about what’s going on in the community.

I did my research and found out that Yoga Barn hosts the largest and most popular Ecstatic Dance in Bali. When I arrived in Ubud, I found everything I expected. The “Sunday Dance” was especially noteworthy, as it was the space where I could meet almost all the members of the Ubud community: ex-pats who had lived there for years, long-term stayers, and new friends who had just arrived.

PRO TIP: Tickets for the popular Sunday Ecstatic Dance are selling quickly. To secure your spot, buy them online a few days before. You can do so here:https://megatix.co.id/events/sunday-ecstatic-dance

Is the Yoga Barn a good place to spend your free time and hang out?

At Yoga Barn, it’s impossible to be bored. With over 75 classes each week, there’s something starting nearly every hour. The variety of offerings is impressive: practitioners and teachers from different countries, schools, backgrounds, and experience levels. Plus, the locations are stunning. The yoga spaces (shalas) are bright and offer great views of the neighborhood, some even surrounded by rice fields.

Over 12 kinds of yoga in Yoga Barn

Since I’m living in Bali, the Yoga Barn Ubud was my first yoga class destination. I must admit that I haven’t attended a hatha yoga class since then. I discovered so many different types of yoga I had never heard of before 🤩 So I decided to explore them first… and I’m still exploring. What have I found so far?

Kundalini Yoga (⭐️ my private recommendation)

This is my personal favorite: an ancient form of yoga known as Kundalini. It combines breathing and targeted movements, and its main benefit is that it purifies the body, mind, and spirit. It’s much more than just asanas – it can help you feel more connected to your higher self. Through the practice of Kundalini Yoga, we can learn to control our breath and energy, leading to a more balanced and uplifted state of being.

Himalayan Kriya Yoga

Kriya yoga may come as a surprise if it’s your first time. It’s a practice that helps purify us on all levels, balancing our physical, mental, and emotional bodies. It’s even said to de-carbonize human blood! Years ago, this practice was only available to monks, but now it’s accessible to everyone. If you want to rise above your life struggles and make positive changes, it’s an interesting option. It works regardless of physical condition, age, religion, or cultural background.

Yoga Nidra

This could be a beneficial option if you need to regulate your nervous system. It’s a deeply calming practice that works on all aspects of our body, mind, and spirit. During the practice, you will be encouraged to go inward and connect to your innermost feelings, allowing for a greater understanding of your mental, emotional, and physical state. In the end, you will be guided through meditation practice to help you find clarity and inner peace. Props and cushions are provided to support your body in each posture, allowing you to fully relax and release. This practice can help to rewire your brain and reduce embodied tension, stress, and anxiety.

Nada Yoga

Nada Yoga is an ancient practice of using sound vibrations to create a space of peace and relaxation in the body, mind, and spirit. It is a form of vocal activation that utilizes the movement of the tongue, mouth, and vocal tract to produce sound waves that can alter the chemicals in the brain. Benefits of this practice include feeling energized, releasing energy blocks, creating a feeling of joy, and promoting healing. It can also be used to open the throat chakra and remove inhibitions. Nada Yoga incorporates traditional vocal techniques using Indian scales, as well as more modern approaches to the yoga of sound. So you will explore vowel/consonant sounds and learn about Sanskrit mantras from a new perspective.

Vinyasa Flow (also with live music!)

Vinyasa Flow is a dynamic form of yoga that focuses on linking your breath with movement. It is a practice that builds strength, flexibility, and balance while allowing you to go deeper into your body and mind. When practiced in Ubud, Vinyasa Flow brings all of these benefits, while also allowing you to be in tune with the energy of the surrounding area. The movements in the practice help you to become more aware of the present moment, while the breath work helps you to deepen your connection to yourself and your environment.

With its combination of breath, movement, and mindfulness, Vinyasa Flow can help you to find balance and harmony, both on and off the mat. Class with live music is a moving prayer of vinyasa, guided by Lawrence Jay and Narayan of the Hanuman Project. Breakouts explore pathways of movement and community activation, including elemental movements, chanting, partner stretches, and tribal dance.

Lucid Flow

Lucid Flow-Mandala Vinyasa is a practice that invites you to flow 360° on the mat. Move slowly and deeply, connecting with your breath as you salute all directions in circular movements. This brings you back to your center. The structure of this practice helps you to become fully present and observe your inner world. You’ll explore ancient Vedic teachings and the latest research on fascia and mobility. Experience the ‘flow state’ and end with a blissful savasana accompanied by live music and mantra meditation. This class is suitable for intermediate students, but all levels are welcome.

Fly High Yoga

This belt is an innovative and unique tool for a creative and alignment-based style of yoga that defies the laws of gravity. The FlyHighYoga belt helps you perform regular yoga poses and other gravity-defying movements in a supported way, making it easier and more precise to advance your practice – and more enjoyable too! With the FlyHighYoga belt, you can take your practice to the next level, allowing you to focus more on perfecting postures and deepening your understanding of alignment. Plus, the belt offers a fun and creative way to challenge yourself, enabling you to explore a variety of gravity-defying movements in a safe and supported setting. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, the FlyHighYoga belt can transform your practice, making it more thrilling, fulfilling, and satisfying.

Acro Yoga

Acro Yoga is a form of partner yoga that combines the wisdom of yoga, acrobatics, and healing arts. It is a practice that uses the strength of two or more people to help each other explore and expand their physical and mental boundaries. Acro Yoga has many benefits, including increased strength, flexibility, and balance; improved coordination and communication; and the opportunity to connect with others in a meaningful way. It is a practice that encourages trust, support, and creative self-expression. Additionally, Acro Yoga helps reduce stress and anxiety while boosting self-confidence and body awareness. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, Acro Yoga can be a fun and transformational experience.

Yin Yang Yoga

This class combines vinyasa flow and yin yoga. It starts with a dynamic, all-level asana practice that focuses on breath and movement. Then, it finishes with a long cool-down of poses designed to open up the body physically and energetically. The yin postures are held slightly shorter than in a traditional yin class, making the yin-yang yoga class suitable for yogis of all levels.

Traditional Hatha Yoga

Start your day off right and invigorate your soul with this early morning yoga practice on the banks of Ubud’s own Ganga river! Traditional Hatha Yoga is an ancient practice that includes both asanas (yoga postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises) to bring peace to the mind and body. The combination of these two components can help to prepare the body for deeper spiritual practices such as meditation, making them the perfect way to start off early morning. This class is suitable for all levels, from beginner to advanced, and is designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of experience. With this practice, you’ll gain clarity for the day ahead, become more aware of your body and mind, and be able to carry a sense of inner tranquility with you as you go about your day. It’s the best way to start your day off right!

Yoga Barn Ubud offers more than 3 types of Qi-Gong classes every week

Qi Gong Foundation (⭐️ my private recommendation)

Adolf Brown, a teacher of these classes is a master of Qi Gong and has been practicing for more than 20 years. He has a deep understanding of the principles and practices that make Qi Gong so powerful and has a passion for teaching and helping others to benefit from its healing properties. I can’t imagine my Tuesday without his class.

Qi Gong comes in many styles and forms, but all share foundational principles. A strong grasp of these principles will lead to a strong practice in any Qi Gong or internal martial art form. This class will focus on developing these principles and applying them to any form studied. You will practice Qi Gong movements while learning the technical information, to help you understand Qi Gong anatomy and technique. Suitable for all levels.

LifeForce Qigong – Cultivating Vital Energy

All LifeForce Qigong practices are gentle, most of them are seated, so any level of fitness and ability are welcome. You can activate your vital energy field through movement activation, and connect to your life force energy through active breathing and movement meditation. Later on, you will activate your dantien energy centers using breath energy. You can also activate your energy circulation through the microcosmic orbit exercise.

Qi Gong

This approach to Qi Gong combines the body awareness, sensitivity, power, and structural alignment of martial arts with health and spiritual growth. In today’s world, where people often live in their heads, qi gong is even more valuable for connecting the body and mind. Other benefits include integrating the physical system into a harmonious unit, grounding into the energy of the Earth, recognizing and correcting old mental and trauma patterns, and safely building internal strength. Mentally, this training helps to reach a state of calm, relaxation, and stillness. When the mind is still, qi will move.

Breathwork classes in Yoga Barn

Clarity Breathwork Description

Clarity Breathwork is a gentle breathing practice that activates the subconscious mind. It brings insight that is not as easily accessed through traditional therapy. This practice opens energy channels in the body, allowing repressed feelings to surface and be healed and released.

This powerful and nurturing style of Breathwork helps us discover deeper awareness, and clear away old energies, patterns, and negative thoughts. It also opens the way for new life and greater consciousness.

Meditation

Active Consciousness Meditation (⭐️ my private recommendation)

Active Consciousness Meditation is an ancient and powerful chakra-clearing technique. It combines rhythmic fast breathing with a meditation on the seven main chakras. This practice cleanses energy channels, washes out hidden emotions, blockages, and/or old hurts, and activates the chakras. This raises your level of consciousness, resulting in a feeling of wholeness and bliss.

Sacred Heart Meditation

Be guided into the higher dimensions of your inner being, allowing yourself to attune to the sacredness of your heart energy. Open your heart to create a deep and meaningful connection with Spirit, the angelic realm, and ascendant masters. Invite in feelings of joy, inner peace, and happiness with the sound and vibrations of Tibetan Sound Bowls and Koshi chimes. Feel the healing energy washing over you, expanding your awareness and guiding you to a higher level of consciousness. Immerse yourself in the transformative energy of the bowls and chimes, allowing it to bring you closer to the divine and to your true, authentic self.

Loving Kindness Meditation

Guided meditation from the Buddhist tradition helps you understand, be happy, and love yourself and others without expectations or goals. Consistently practicing this meditation builds internal love and compassion, allowing self-healing, improved focus, and eventually softening the mind and heart into deeper levels of love and kindness.

Tibetan Bowls Meditation

Vibrational sounds and a variety of instruments are used to reduce stress, change consciousness, and create a feeling of harmony, peace, and well-being. Come and experience the unique healing sounds through meditation or lying down.

OSHO Energy Dynamic Practice

This dynamic energy meditation practice, inspired by Osho, is a powerful, transformative practice that allows for deep catharsis. It is aimed at cleansing the unconscious of limiting attitudes, suppressed emotions, past traumas, and unprocessed thoughts.

We will go through several stages, including breathing, shaking, moving, filling space with yourself, gibberish speaking, jumping, silence, and a final celebratory dance of freedom.

River Meditation

A peaceful and centering guided practice, infused with the wisdom of nature and the flow of water. A selection of seated and walking meditations from great traditions are offered to help you connect with the flow of life within and around you.

Other interesting classes and complete Yoga Barn Schedule

Except listed above, Yoga Barn offers a variety of other activities:

• Watsu class
• Group Reiki healing mediation
• Salsa and Bachata dance class
• Power Yoga
• Thai Yoga massage class
• and much more.

Here you can find a complete list of all classes happening in Yoga Barn:

https://www.theyogabarn.com/class-schedule.html

Class prices in Yoga Barn Ubud

• 150k IDR – Single Class
• 100k IDR – Single Class for students, Indonesians, and long-term ex-pats (KITAS holders)
• 420k IDR – 3 Class Card
• 675k IDR – 5 Class Card
• 1.300k IDR – 10 Class Card
• 2.600k IDR – 30-day Unlimited Card

Special events have different pricing:

• 130k IDR – Ecstatic Dance
• 250-400k IDR – Night Events
• 150k IDR – Thursday Community Kirtan (100k for KITAS)

Other facilities inside Yoga Barn

SPA and Healing center in Yoga Barn

Yoga Barn’s SPA and Healing Center provides an array of services to help you relax and rejuvenate. Choose from a variety of massage treatments, spa packages, and healing therapies, all of which are tailored to meet your individual needs. Whether you are in need of a full-body massage or a healing session, the experienced and knowledgeable team of therapists are on hand to provide you with the care you need.

Yoga Barn Cafe & Restaurant

The restaurant has a range of delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes, designed to nourish both your body and soul. It also offers a selection of fresh juices, smoothies, and detox drinks, as well as snacks, salads, and more. The restaurant has a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere, perfect for relaxing and taking some time out of your day to enjoy a meal.

Accommodation in Yoga Barn Ubud

Yoga Barn offers a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets. From budget-friendly dorms to private rooms and apartments, there is something for everyone. All of the rooms have been designed to ensure a peaceful and comfortable stay, with facilities such as air conditioning, private bathrooms, and Wi-Fi access.

Conclusion

Yoga Barn is the essence of Ubud to me. They offer a variety of classes, some of which are “must-dos” when visiting Ubud. Their Garden Cafe serves delicious food. Whether you have a lot of yoga and meditation experience or none at all, you can find something to suit you. It’s also a great place for singles to meet new people. If you want to be part of the Ubud community, it’s a great place to start.

If you’re unsure of where to begin in Ubud, come to Yoga Barn. Your friends await you here! And if you’d like to make new ones, Yoga Barn offers the best selection of activities to do so.

Come! Let’s meet at the Yoga Barn! 🤗