The Gifts of Imperfection: Guideposts for Wholehearted Living, Bali Retreat

Eco-luxury resort, 15mins from Ubud, Bali.

Six days/Five nights, Sunday 27th July – Friday 1st August 2025

 

Combining Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfection,” together with mindfulness, yoga, guided rest & creative practices, excursions, nature, massage, cultural experiences and much more in a stunning Balinese location

 
 

Please be in touch to register your interest for 2025.

 
 
"I now see that cultivating a wholehearted life is not like trying to reach a destination. It’s like walking toward a star in the sky. We never really arrive, but we certainly know that we’re heading in the right direction.”

Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection, xxiii

 

Escape this winter with The Gifts of Imperfection: Guideposts for Wholehearted Living Mindfulness and Yoga six-day Retreat in beautiful Bali. Following sunrise yoga sessions, join the daily creative workshop exploring and practicing the ten guideposts that Brené Brown’s Daring Way research identified as essential if we are to live our fullest, most meaningful lives.  Afternoons and evenings will include guided rest nidras, sunset happy hour, and optional local excursions or time for a massage or relaxing around the pool.

The Gifts of Imperfection is one of Brené’s earliest books and the one I found more than a decade ago after being blown away by her first TED talk, The Power of Vulnerability. I was inspired that – just like our efforts in the mindfulness world – all of her work insists that wholehearted living requires not just a great theory, but a life-long process and practice. I have found it so helpful to understand that each of the guideposts require not just cultivation in their own right, but practices to help with letting go of the obstacles, mind-states or patterns that habitually get in the way. 

Most fundamentally, this is a retreat about cultivating joy, compassion, creativity and much more in truly difficult times. The retreat will bring together ideas and practices not just from Brené’s work, but from the worlds of mindfulness, compassion, yoga, Rick Hanson’s Positive Neuro-plasticity and more.

 

 Photos (from Maggie’s 2023 Bali Retreat): The surrounds and atmosphere of the beautiful retreat venue.

 

What the retreat fee includes:

  • Five nights, Six days accommodation in a beautifully designed twin-bed or kingbird single room
    - all rooms have A/C, mosquito nets, ensuite (most with large bath), & wifi

  • Six three-and-a-half-hour workshop sessions, plus daily sunrise morning yoga/practice session &/or afternoon nidra/practice

  • All delicious breakfasts, and one additional vegetarian lunch or dinner per day

  • Excursions and cultural experiences including: walk to Telega Waja, an ancient Temple inside the rainforest, rice paddy field walks in Ubud and/or locally, Balinese dancing, a traditional water cleansing ceremony

  • Celebration sunset cocktail on last evenings

  • Excursion to nearby waterfall, including traditional water cleansing ceremony

  • Regular free shuttle bus to and from Ubud should you choose to do your own exploring in town



    Not included: Airfares, travel insurance (compulsory), airport transfers (approx. AUD $45 each way), additional meals/drinks/activities.

To work through the program supported by mindfulness and yoga practice, plus the opportunity to spend time in nature is a wonderful combination. I can’t imagine doing it any other way. The sharing has been so meaningful and the combination of activities give great clarity to the teaching … 

Fiona, Rising Strong retreat participant 2022

This is one of the most beautiful things that I have ever done for myself - thank you! Your vulnerability and generosity of spirit creates a safe space. I have learned so much and really loved the mix of activity - the walking, meditation, yoga nidra and Brené’s work - really hit the spot for me. I know this has changed my life.

Georgie, Daring Way retreat participant 2021

The Ten Guideposts from The Gifts of Imperfection

  • Cultivating Authenticity: Letting Go of what people think

  • Cultivating Self-Compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism

  • Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting Go of Numbing & Powerlessness

  • Cultivating Gratitude & Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity & Fear of the Dark

  • Cultivating Intuition & Trusting Faith: Letting Go of the need for Certainty

  • Cultivating Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison

  • 7 Cultivating Play & Rest: letting Go of Exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as Self-worth

  • Cultivating Calm & Stillness: Letting Go of anxiety as a Lifestyle

  • Cultivating Meaningful Work: Letting Go of Self-doubt & ‘Supposed to’

  • Cultivating Laughter, Song & Dance: Letting Go of being cool and ‘always in control’

Typical daily format:

6:45 – 7:45am – Sunrise yoga/creative practice outdoors 
8 – 9:30am – Breakfast
9:30 – 12:30pm– Workshop Session
12:30 - 4pm Lunch, optional group excursion, or time for rest, swim, massage or your own exploring 
4:30 – 5:30pm – Guided deep rest or creative practice
6 pm – Sunset Happy Hour or relax
7pm – Dinner

Fee

$2,490 Earlybird Twin Share (deposit by 1st February), inclusive of GST. $2,690 (after 1st February). Secure your place with first instalment deposit of $490 (earlybird) by 1st February or $690 (after 1st February). Single room supplement (limited availability - priority given for specific needs): $1000. Private plunge pool supplement $300.

Payment, Refund Conditions, Travel insurance & other important information - please read before booking

Fee can be paid in full or in instalments. Deposit ($490 Earlybird/$690 after 1st February). If paying in instalments, second instalment $1000 is due 1st March (along with proof of your travel insurance), followed by final instalment $1000 due 1st May. You will be looking for return flights to Denpasar, Bali (Ngurah Rai International Airport) & as our first session will be 1pm Sunday July 14th, you will need to be flying into Bali by Saturday 13th at the very latest & flying out no sooner than the night of Friday 19th (or preferably later). For competitive prices, it is recommended to purchase your flights several months before the retreat.

A full refund, minus your deposit, is available up to three months prior to commencement of retreat. After 1/4/24, no refunds can be provided for withdrawals or cancellations. Please purchase travel insurance that covers any conditions that might impact your ability to attend this retreat. If the retreat needs to be postponed or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, a full refund will be made or, if preferred, transfer to anotherMindfulPresence retreat offered.

 

To secure your place, please submit the Registration form (above) and deposit.

Direct deposit details:
Account name: Margaret O'Shea
BSB: 633000
Account number: 145643953

 

Indonesia currently requires proof of 2 x Covid vaccinations. To check changing requirements, please go to SmartTraveller Indonesia: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/indonesia

 

Maggie, I am so grateful for this retreat! I really loved your approach, combining the program with yoga, meditation, poetry and other practices. This really helped me to ‘join the dots’ and integrate a lot of different practices - it has been truly special. I leave feeling brave, wholehearted

and connected, thank you.

Tracey, Daring Way retreat participant 2021

Maggie your teaching is beyond words! I feel privileged to have participated and have learnt a lot to bring into my work. An awesome role model

Georgie, Daring Way participant 2022