The Location

Bali is a tiny island, although it seems huge, just like its influence on anyone who visits. It is also like a magnet to nature loving people around the world. In fact, in 2022, on the sidelines of the G20 Bali Summit, the G7 summit was also held in Bali. The G7 is an annual meeting of leaders from the world's 7 largest economies, where they discussed and coordinated on a wide range of global issues, including economics, security, and climate change. Furthermore, Indonesia in general has a keen eye upon brining people together. Indeed, the national motto is "Unity in Diversity" or "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika", as written in Old Javanese, reflecting the country's diverse cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Albeit, Bali is primarily a Hindu Island, surrounded by thousands of other Indonesian islands that are 87% Muslim. But, given the country's motto and the beauty and magic of Bali, no one has dared to convert or change it. Instead, many other islands often try to emulate it. In fact, a common theme among many Indonesian leaders revolves around which other islands they can make seem more like Bali? However, this is true of many islands outside of Indonesia as well, from the Philippines to Costa Rica. Even in coastal areas of India, such as Goa, bringing in the "Balinese style" is a coveted goal. 

​

The Purpose

Our purpose for this event is not just to give Baha'i's, and friends of the Faith, some luxurious retreat on an exotic island. We are holding it in Bali because we truly believe it to be a powerful and unique atmosphere to address several urgent topics or the era:

​​

Respect For Nature / Sustainability

Nature's Role in Holistic Development / Education

Naturalists, Yogis, and Ardent Seekers of Deeper Truths  

​​

Respect for Nature 

Bali has many beautiful examples to give the world, to show what is possible by integrating nature, art and spirituality. When one comes home from such a place they realize how their cities and neighborhoods are just littered with tin shacks with neon signs and far bigger patches of blacktop for parking than green areas for living. And Bali doesn't just build structures around trees, it's buildings are works of art which integrate trees, gardens, streams, birds and other animals into its architecture; be it a house, restaurant, dollar store or boutique. Therein, it teaches the greatest luxury is free and found within an abundance of nature and creativity. Furthermore, the effects of fostering such environments upon human and environmental health are powerful and far reaching. Stress is not only greatly relieved, but also converted into creativity and energy. The question of nearly every inhabitant is "How can I make this place more healthy, beautiful and edifying for all?" Thus, education is built upon the understanding and preservation of nature's elements as well; all of which implies working with nature rather than the old paradigms of overcoming it. 

​​

Nature's Role in Holistic Development

Simply put, the virtues required for humanity to save the planet will also be the virtues humanity needs to develop in order for humanity to save itself. Thus, it should be of no surprise that the teachings of sustainability are full of virtues and other spiritual principles. This topic, however, is far too big to go into here, but that is what the workshops are for anyway. Therefore, let me impress you with the presenters instead:

​

Orin Hardy is a Bahai and the son of the founder of Green School, John Hardy, an international elementary school dedicated to fostering "Green Leaders." Orin played a pivotal role in shaping Green School and then went on to focus on permaculture and Bamboo U; where he holds workshops on building with Bamboo and other planet friendly materials. We will visit all of these and have presentations. However, Green School is something you might want to look up and study about beforehand. It has become so revered that other versions of it are starting to be built around the world. It attracts parents who deeply care for the planet and want to both preserve it for their children as well as raise them to become, as John Hardy intended, "Green Leaders".

​

Badi & Amita Yaganagi have run several schools and educational resource centers in India and several other countries. Their success stories eventually led to them being asked to lead the famous, international, Banani School in Zambia, Africa where they reside today. Amita primarily runs the Banani school while Badi founded the Five Element Farm School in the adjoining area. Both are very unique schools, and FarmSchool actually goes beyond the classroom to integrate sustainable, holistic, farming as a teaching modality and a community empowerment project. It's way too much for us to go into here, but you can read more about it HERE.  

​

Naturalists, Yogis, and Ardent Seekers of Deeper Truths   

It's already been mentioned that Bali is a magnet for nature lovers, but also for foodies, and with that are healthy living enthusiasts, and with that we often find seekers of healers, and with that we also (and even more so) find spiritual seekers, and with that we find legions upon legions of aspiring yogis. In fact, if yoga was a religion, it would not only be the world's fastest growing religion, but no other religion would come even remotely close. However, although yoga is generally not considered a religion -by comparative definition- all religions are a form of yoga.

 

Religion: (Latin) to bind back and make whole.

Re - to bind back to source

Legio - and make whole

 

Yoga (Sanskrit) was originally pronounced Yogh, and can be traced forward to the Greek Yolk and later to the Latin Yoke.

It derives its meaning from a Y shaped device that is used to yoke two or more wild beasts together so that they can work wholly as one, as well as be guided by the reins of the Driver. (Many depictions of this are seen in Hindu art.)

Simply put, the definition of yoga is the same as religion: to bind back and make whole.

​​

Yoga enthusiasts come from all religions as well as (by typical definition) no religion. Many come with no belief in God as well (until you get into a deeper conversation and find that concepts such as "Source" and phrases such as "the infinite wisdom of the Universe" are terms most atheistic yogis are completely agreeable). Nevertheless, in nearly all cases, yogis from around the world are among the most open to the teachings of the Baha'i Faith; for it, too, strives to Yoke the wild and diverse peoples and religions of the universe back to the One Source ~ to make humanity whole. And yet most Baha'i's, like most people in general, know relatively little about yoga beyond breathing and stretching techniques; which are actually just the means to yoga (virtue, integrity, wholeness), not the goal. Notwithstanding, however, such techniques are an excellent starting point for delving into deeper religious concepts and principles - such as virtue, integrity, service, devotion and other essential elements to spiritual development.