Sister Projects

Hidup Lestari Kembali (Sustainable Living Bali) supports ‘sister projects’ with wisdom, time, advice. (no money)

‘How-To’ of BSR

*This documentation is inspired and sponsored by one of BSR’s favorite ‘repeater’ guests, Jack Smith who consistently reminds BSR to record and protect the process & land & integrity.

Below is a modest attempt to remember and share the experiences and processes of the birth and growth of Bali Silent Retreat. We hope it offers basic information to others in their attempts to successfully create their visions of retreat, peace, self-discovery, and well-being.  

The back-story of ‘why, who, how’ is on the Bali Silent Retreat website:    https://www.balisilentretreat.com/about/why-who/

O V E R V I E W

The How-To of Bali Silent Retreat from 2008 to 2023*

2008-2009following the calling to create a ‘silent retreat for prayer and meditation’
2009-2010leases, agreements, master plan, land protection, cultural integration
2010-2013master plan, architectural sensitivity, construction, business model
2013-2019opening & developing loyalty to guests and each other and how to expand being ‘ in-service’
2020-2023bouncing back from covid with an added mission of protection of land and ancestral culture

Vision – Mission

THE CHARTER: Accepting a mission to create and serve a living project that will last for at least 100 years:

  • For the greater good.
  • For individualized spiritual accessibility.
  • Which is not entirely understood.
  • Which the visionary cannot take credit for.
  • Writing Questions and Listening for the answers.

Vision

  • Understand the Purpose & End result: BSR’s vision was and is, creating and maintaining a spiritual & healthy place that’s a catalyst for individual spiritual awakening — no gurus.
  • Where people are integrated with very little communication to each other. And they feel ‘in community’ and ‘safe’ and ‘open’ to explore their inner self, without the input or sharing with others.

Mission

A SUSTAINABLE VENUE:

  • 6 hectares of jungle,
  • farm, jungele, & rice land,
  • eco-structures
  • happy & integrated staff, dedicated to integrity and authenticity, with collaboration at every step.

MESSAGE
“Build a Silent Retreat for Prayer and Meditation, in Bali.”
(very specific)

PJM NOTE
When asked, ‘Why the silence?’
The answer: ‘When we stop talking, the ego goes down. When the ego goes down, there’s more space for Spirit’.

ashram/minimalist venue model

  • The activity focus is wellness & spiritual (non-religious) and eco-sustainability.
  • The structures are in alignment with an ashram style simplistic lifestyle.
  • No phones.
  • No social talking
  • No electrical outlets
  • No air-con (windows/ walls open to breezes)
  • No swimming pool (water meditation is natural spring water flowing onto guest head, while sitting on bench)

programs model

BSR web site shows current programs:  www.balisilentretreat.com

  • Most programs are self-initiated; no teacher or schedule
  • Scheduled programs are daily weekly, monthly:

food model

  • Organic vegetarian: grown, harvested, cleaned, prepared & cooked, served on a snack & tea table and all-day-buffet, (8am-8pm).
  • No imports: All food is from Bali except flour, which is grown in Java.

Staffing model & Cultural integration

staffing model

  • No General Manager. But there are 3 corporate partners.
  • Schedules are made by each department.
  • Tasks brought to weekly meetings (15-30mins), for collaboration, status update, and experiment data sharing.

cultural integration

PJM NOTE: “Not being Balinese, requires trying harder to understand and adapt processes that can become compatible with the Balinese culture generally  AND  the specific village where BSR,  birthed, grew, and evolved. The success of the business model is dependent on the trust and health of the relationship with the local Balinese. I was never a business partner and never took money from the business. My role was and is, an advisor and mentor of good business processes and values.”

Land

PJM NOTE: “For Bali Silent Retreat, the land found me. After 2yrs, I discovered an ashram had been here 600 years ago, built by the son of the King of Tabanan, who was healed here. There’s magic in this land !”

Priorities

  1. Land, Location, and 100yr Leases were complicated. So,  focusing on detail and listening to intuition was essential. (writing questions on paper and listening to answers).
  2. Protecting the land for 100 yrs from being sold and developed.
  3. Maintaining spiritual-vision-continuity for 100 years.
  4. Integrating the family who own the land, AND local village people who would work at the retreat, so they are their families feel they are partner in their project; ergo a profit share model and a collaborative operations-model (no GM).
  5. Commitment to the Tri Hita Karana philosophy (nature, human, spirit) in all activities. Although this is a Balinese thing, why not adopt & adapt it to other places in the world. It’s a worthy and practical philosophy to embrace.

Land Planning

  • Sketch and create 3D topographical/elevation map out of paper mache, plus adding structures. Below is one of BSR’s  original planning maps, which included energy flow (in yellow), as indicated by a Balinese Priest.  The next plan was where to put the structures with the least negative impact to the land.
  • Land to Structure Ratio is an important formula.  This includes a significant ‘raw-landscape’ component. The intention is to provide a feeling of privacy and/or solitude, yet maintain a sense of community.
  • Business model with profit calculations for maximum and minimum number of guests is essential for maintaining basics & balanced growth. In this situation, the common area of the Lodge, dictated the maximum number of guests.

Permits & Usage

Documents of extreme importance: zoning maps, land certificates, leases, building and use permits,  water rights and usage,  right-of-way for walking, motorbike, car, truck, etc.,  AND most importantly what types of structures and activities are appropriate and compatible.

Utilities

UTILITIES should be discussed BEFORE land is purchased or leased or partnered.

  • water (agricultural use, personal use, and/or government provided),
  • electricity, (solar, hydro, wind, and/or government provided)
  • sewage ( natural- old-school, eco-bio-chambers and/or government provided)

Assessments Needed

  1. Ratio of structures & humans to raw land/ara or hectar.
  2. Water for drinking and/or agriculture and water flo to subak and/or river and/or jungle.
  3. Tests and/or assessments with as many professionals and experienced workers/installers, as possible.
  4. Weather patterns and possibilities of natural disasters (flood, drought, wind, earthquake, volcano, tsunami) should be factored into decisions.

Water

Rivers, wells, public systems, rain, subak agri-system, even a waterfall.

BSR NOTE: BSR selected deep water private wells (90M deep) with a double-filter system, plus a limited public  system connection as back up.  The Balinese Subak system for agriculture is also in place.

Electricity

BSR NOTE: BSR selected solar panels AND back-up to government provided electricity : the battery bank consists of old-style ‘Edison’ batteries with water because:

  • they last longer
  • are less polluting when they are discarded
  • there is abundant room in the battery-bank-room,  for their large size
NOTE: This technology changes sooooooo fast. It’s important to keep up on it.

Sewage

Choices: For septic systems, there are various kinds, depending on the amount of land, type of land,  and other water sources, ie’ rivers, lakes, agri, etc. Sloping or flat land is an important consideration near the structures and septics. AND of course, do NOT put a septic within 100M of a well.

NOTE: BSR selected a basic old-school system of  separate systems for black and gray water.  3-concrete-cylinders system for black water and 3 for gray water. Plus leach fields,  with long fingers. These are in 4 locations that drain into a teak forest, a jungle, a lotus pond and a grass terrace.

Construction Sequence

1st:PRIVATE ROAD: built to where the lodge would eventual be. A very large storage building for construction materials and workers was immediately erected at the edge of the site. (This was later removed when construction was finished. A parking area and office and co-work space was created.)

2nd:SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY STRUCTURES: Meditation Octagon Tent and Labyrinth and Chrystal Circle installed first.

3rd:DORMITORIES: (2 recycled wooden jogolo structures for 16 beds) at the furthest end of the property, because all materials were carried in by hand.

4th:WOODEN BUNGALOWS: (5rms;7pax)

5th:LODGE- 3 levels for:

  • (lower level) kitchen and food washing & storage
  • (middle level) 2 entrances, toilets, programs/event board, herbal tea table & buffet
  • (top level) dining; 360 degree view of rice fields & mountains, eating tables (facing outward), lounge&library

Later, a co-work space and offices spaces were needed; placed at the entrance of the property, where guests can be comfortable talking & using electronics, and small workshops take place.

Landscape Note: Abundant  space is needed BETWEEN structures, walk ways, gardens, ponds, animals, etc. This is energetically necessary in an environment of silence, peace & sanctuary.

Maintenance Model

  • Minimum maintenance strategies: landscape, vegie gardens, fruit trees, and animals.
  • Combination of long term and minimum maintenance for structures. Examples:
    1. Highest quality roof tiles: to minimize leaking but allow easy maintenance if replacement is needed. No drop ceilings, so an leaks are easily in view & repaired. This avoids the growth of any moisture or mold.
    2. Utilize sustainable methods when possible, ie, sun dry sheets, DC solar lanterns, DC solar pumps, gravitational watering systems.
    3. Repurpose all materials: A. broken tiles or bricks are saved and used on the road during rainy season to abate muddy/slippery areas.  B. old sheets used to make fabric ties for tying vegies to sticks in the garden.

PJM NOTE: “ I found every aspect of the planning and construction to be an adventure. Although I’d been engaged in a variety of construction projects, for many projects,  this project allowed new culture, new materials, different attitude toward constructions (a bit scary, but I learned many interesting lessons), and a whole new list of questions and learnings and perspectives. I feel so blessed to have had such a huge set of creative dilemmas. Important construction advice: be more detail-diligent about the ugly-boring aspects than the glamour-ego aspects.”

Basic Checklist for Development & Construction

Land Protection and Use

Zoning

  • Weather and Agricultural realitites
  • Ratio: structure to land
  • Ratio: occupants-to-land
  • Number of scholarship/volunteer guests
  • Purchase or lease, legacy of land ownership
  • Permits (land, water, road, agriculture, business, residential)
  • Land protection codicils
  • Community – Culture – Activities – Expectations

Costs

In addition to Architectural & Construction & Staffing Categories, consider costs of Utilities; Electricity, Gas, Water (well or public).

Sewage septic or public

  • Farm/Gardens – food (animals, vegetables, fruits, grain crops)
  • Rooms, Lodge, Office, Laundry
  • Activity/Events

Access & Egress, of land or water; private or public

  • Water ways or bodies; flowing or still
  • Right of ways; walk ways, transit ways: motorbike or car.

Build Outs

  • Sleeping: single, double, dorm
  • Eating: single, double, group
  • Co-work space for guests
  • Activities inside & outside
  • Check In&Out
  • Laundry & House Keeping
  • Parking
  • Deliveries
  • Office/s
  • Maintenance & Storage
  • Empty and/or landscape space
  • Solitude spaces Prayer spaces
  • Landscape, Farming, Animals

Income categories

  • Food
  • Single Guests
  • Couples Guests
  • Family Guests
  • Groups
  • Room/s
  • Transport
  • Massage
  • Private classes
  • Events/Activities

Business & Culture Integration

  • Strategies & logistics/processes in place for long term & short term.  Low maintenance methods, which are a combination of old-school and modern techniques.
  • Values and support processes in place to understand cultural components needed for integration into the village and be a high standard example for the regency development (adhering to green zone rules, guidelines, etc.)

The simplest explanation of BSR is a  ‘complicated business agreement’ and a ‘simplistic operations model’

BASICS

  • Balinese land owners retain ownership.
  • 100yr lease is held by the business (small corporation), with small annual lease payments to land owners (equivalent to farming profits).
  • Profits: profits are generous due to low operation & maintenance costs. They are shared with:
    1. family who owns the land
    2. workers (based on 3 categories: longevity, responsibility & creativity, and an additional ‘equal’ category that includes the daily workers who hold a significant amount of work load. The psychological message is that we’re all equal and succeed together.
    3. land-trust-non-profit-organization, which protects adjacent lands.
  • Safety-net-bank-account is set in place, for unexpected events, ie natural disasters, pandemic, etc.
  • Very low operational costs due to ‘ashram’ style and sustainable processes (electricity, gardens, water, etc)
  • Guest Expectation is an internal examination & spiritual expansion; not an external expansion of ego.
  • Simplicity is accepted as an asset; not a deficit. However, beds & food & service are rated at beyond 5star.
  • Environment, including eco-responsibility is highly valued by this audience of guests

ashram/minimalist venue model

  • Pricing (rooms & daypass are separate):
    • ROOMS (5 styles; 5prices)
    • DAYPASS (all food & programs)
  • The activity focus is wellness & spiritual (non-religious) and eco-sustainability.
  • The structures are in alignment with an ashram style, simplistic lifestyle.
  • No phones.
  • No social talking.
  • No electrical outlets.
  • No air-con. (windows/ walls open to breezes)
  • No swimming pool. (water meditation is natural spring water flowing onto a person’s head, as they sit on a bench)
  • No groups. (the energy seems to be non compatible and acutally invasive for the guests in ‘personal sanctuary’

programs model

See web site for most current programs www.balisilentretreat.com

  • Most programs are self-initiated; no teacher or schedule.
  • Scheduled programs are daily, weekly, monthly.
  • Programs evolve as the audience evolves. All leaders/teachers are Balinese and just sharing their experience; ‘not professional yoga teachers’. Note: BSR embraced volunteer teachers for about 8 years, including a special house for volunteers to live. We then tried using local Balinese, which seemed much more compatible with the BSR rhythm  AND more consistent.

food model

  • All-Day-Buffet: Organic-vegetarian: grown on site, harvested, cleaned, prepared&cooked, served on a snack&tea table and buffet table (8am-8pm). NOTE: this results in VERY little waste. Food scraps go to staff pigs and BSR’s ducks (duck eggs – sooooo yummy)
  • No imports: All food is from Bali, except flour, which is grown in Java.

Staffing & Cultural integration

(philosophy about culture)

Every culture has its patterns from which it automatically functions. When integrating a business or any activity into that culture, explore the value system of the culture is important.  Language is the vehicle. And language is where confusion arises.  90% of all problems at BSR have been due to language. So to minimize confusion, we repeat, clarify, draw sketches, discuss in groups

Simple story/example:

In trying to translate from English to Indonesian, the concept of ‘just being’.  No one could find a suitable word or term. However, Igung, (head gardener) who speaks medium good English and several levels of Balinese,  was walking past, and I asked him if the Balinese language has any words for ‘just being’. He said, “Of course, Ibu. Balinese has 6 or 7 words for ‘just being’ ”  and he exhaled a deep and beautiful laugh.

Cultural Integration of staffing processes

Include cultural aspects:

Processes are written and re-written and shared and discussed until everyone agrees.  Every decision and process includes multiple people and perspectives. The biggest challenge has been creating a safe place for Balinese to honestly share their perspective. They are encouraged to speak their mind and share their stories.  They know their perspective has been included, and  trust, that in the end, the best decisions will rise to the surface.

Processes are subject to change all the time: with guest comments or staff suggestions, things change and evolve, often, and as needed.

The Balinese business partner (1 of 3 Indonesians)  who’s role is to communicate HR and high level processes with staff, is a highly respected member of the local village,  with Very High Integrity Values and family owning most of BSR leased land.

Staffing basics

  • No General Manager. But there are 3 corporate partners
  • Guideline mantras:
    • Work smart.
    • Work creative.
    • Work in collaboration as team.
  • Task importance guidelines:
    • 911, try to complete by end of day
    • 922, try to complete at earliest realistic time/convenience
    • 999, complete when there’s extra time
  • Schedules are made by each department.
  • Tasks brought to weekly meetings ( 15-30minutes only), for collaboration with meeting model:
    • status update
    • experiment data sharing
    • new tasks

NOTES

  • Cultural integration: PJM NOTE: “Not being Balinese, I knew that I would need to try harder to understand and adapt processes that were compatible with the Balinese culture generally, as well as, the specific village where BSR grew and evolved.  The success of the business model is dependent on trust and health of the relationship with the Balinese.  I was never a business partner and never took money from the business. My role has and continues as an advisor and mentor of good business processes and values.”
  • Business PJM NOTE: I think a main factor of BSR’s generic success is that, I’ve never accepted any funds $$ of profit. Repaid for construction & start-up expense=YES. But Profits;  my half of the profits go the workers, ergo the term ‘profit share’  and/or the land trust non-profit-fund (for protecting the agricultural land surrounding BSR).   I had no idea the amount of respect and cooperation would accumulate with Balinese, Indonesians, foreigners . . . . everybody.  Along with the ‘zero’ personal profits,  is an integrity philosophy that has been adopted and grown as standard.  AND it’s very  inspiring to watch it in action.
  • Because the vision and mission was a ‘calling’; not particularly my idea; I was more of a tool to accomplish something amazing. I do, however, live in the most wonderful, happy, and easy place to live, especially for an older person. It’s filled with love and healthy food, and people always willing to collaborate and work hard, as if it’s their business . . . because it is.

How does Bali Silent Retreat run its marketing strategy?

Purpose and Mission: Looking into the heart&mind of the audience and meeting that need, is the foundation for our marketing strategy. 

  • The marketing Strategy must be in alignment with the Vision-Mission/Purpose/Integrity, which has an actual value-system & standards.
  • All processes are measured to the Vision Mission. The audience is unique, yet changing, of course, as the spiritual-community and well-being-seekers evolve.

At this time (May 2023) Bali Silent Retreat has been operating for 10 years. (Original opening in 2013).

In the first 3 years, the audience was 50% backpackers, many who travelled to India, South America, etc.  Our accommodations were designed to be Ashram Style; minimalist size rooms, but with private toilet&shower and 5-Star linens.

  • Small low cost amenities were included and customized requests were always accommodated if possible:
  • Herbal tea in a thermos served in the basket in the front of their door at 6 am prior to the 7 am movement and meditation.
  • special hair towel.
  • make-up-remover towel.
  • special towel for the hot-springs, everyday.

In the last 5 years, including 3 years of covid adjustment, the audience changed significantly.

In year 9, the audience became more upscale. Example: the 16 dormitory beds within 2 dormitory buildings (1 male & 1 female) were reduced to 4 deluxe single rooms. There are now, higher profits from 4 beds than there were from 16 beds, because the audience changed. The beds and space were upsized. The spiritual seeker audience evolved into upper income categories.

The first marketing strategy is the name, ‘Bali Silent Retreat for Prayer and Meditation’, where all the words are typical google search words:

  • ‘Bali’, automatically explains the location
  • ‘Silent’ indicates the main differentiator
  • ‘Retreat’ implies the category of accommodation
  • ‘Prayer and Meditation’ alerts to the main activities

The secondary marketing engages various advertising modalities;

  1. Print media, 2013 – 2018 (magazines, advert cards, posters)
  2. Banners in “densely populated yoga community locations”
  3. Facebook
  4. Instagram
  5. Website

NOTE: Google Maps Reviews grew  tremendously, from 2022-2024, largely with on-island guests.

The most successful marketing tool are the guests themselves, their recommendations to friends, “You must go to Bali Silent Retreat. There’s no place like it anywhere else in the world. AND the food is to die for!”

Audience

Currently after 10 years,  the marketing demographic is categorised into 2 groups; 50% are Repeat guests and the other 50% are First-timers.  80% of the First-timer guests have heard of Bali Silent Retreat from friends or referrals, so we assume that 20% of the first-timers are from google search & google maps, social media, google maps, and local banners.

Other marketing strategies

  1. Thank-You-Discount-Voucher: after checking out, every guest receives an email with a discount voucher.
  2. Outreach email program: during covid, a invitation was sent to all our databases to be part of a specific email sub-database to keep them informed of when and how to return to Bali. 40% of the database joined that email group.
  3. Loyalty Programs: We are currently initiating an email outreach program for our Agni Hotra “fire ceremony events” 2x a month (full moon and new moon). Guests are invited to join the ceremony ENERGETICALLY, regardless of where they are on the planet. This helps maintain our loyalty connections and strongly supports our Vision Mission spiritual commitment. Guests who join the list have a choice of email or WhatsApp to maintain connection

Bali Silent Retreat Philosophy

The philosophy is about supporting persons, finding their own personal spiritual path; no gurus, no religion, no dogma, where a wide variety of programs/activities are available to support an awakening a person’s inner voice, their essential and authentic Self. People are encouraged to set aside the social stories of ‘should, could and would’ and lean into ‘just being’ or ‘knowing’ or ‘feeling’ and experiencing an authenticity from within.

Most of the events and activities are self-motivated with no leader.

  1. Labyrinth
  2. Water Meditation
  3. Jungle Path
  4. Medicine Herb garden
  5. Star Gazing Beds
  6. Fire Pit with “I am Sorry Papers”
  7. Words on steps
  8. Crystal Circle
  9. Prayers for the world map
  10. Gratefulness Tree
  11. Library (over a thousand books)
  12. Freshly picked Herbal Tea – make yourself
  13. Food, locally grown (no imports) and picked fresh, mostly in our gardens
  14. Sunset Gamelan

Events/Classes that have a leader: (leaders are Balinese staff or previous volunteers who want to return to BSR and live temporarily.)

Daily:

  • morning and afternoon movement & meditation class
  • hot-springs trip
  • sunset and bamboo gamelan

Weekly:

  • Living Pharmacy class
  • Sound Bath event
  • Cooking demonstration by appointment
  • Green-to-Extreme garden tour by appointment
  • How-to-Make-an-Offering class

Monthly:

  • Agni Hotra fire ceremony 2 times a month

Authenticity, values, standards are woven through every aspect of the philosophy, business model, marketing,  logistics – staffing. After 10 years, the original business model has successfully resulted in being worker-owned and profit shared. This has also become a marketing asset.

Food

We consider food,  a spiritual experience, eating mindfully in silence, with a view of nature. The food is branded as an All-Day-Buffet. It is grown organically and picked fresh every day; no imports or additives. And no recipes; the kitchen angels cook what they harvest and make it up as they go along. It seems to have become famous all over the world.

Because the food is fresh and prepared with love and humour and collaboration, it is delicious and seems to be highly valued by almost every guest. This high standard of a food experience, is one of our marketing points. Maintaining what we call ‘Green-To-The-Extreme’, includes the food; from growing it to eating it. It’s a strong element in our social media and has become part of our reputation and therefore a marketing asset.

Why do you think people want to come to Bali Silent Retreat?

Three categories of guests:

  • 45% are Spiritual seekers, who don’t want religious overtones and want more self-awareness.
  • 45% are RRRR ( relax  refresh  restart  restore ) who want to get away from the chaos and into nature, quiet, and clean.
  • 10% are Eco/Environmental seekers

How do you communicate Bali Silent Retreat to your audience through digital media?

  • Basic Mood/Feeling: there’s no selling of a product, but a sharing of philosophy or knowledge or spiritual experience or eco/environmental info.
  • Photos of what’s going on at BSR: a program or ceremony, a guest quote, food pics from garden to table, an inspirational quote.
  • Style: specific, clear, detailed, heartfelt with helpful intentions and always in service.
  • No canned music.
  • Only 2 events/month are announced in terms of dates and times: Agnihotra Event and Living Pharmacy Class because guests have requested easier visibility for those events.