The Yoga Barn, a Yoga centre in Ubud, is a place which primarily focuses on the activities of Yoga and Qigong. The place attracts many tourists, who visit there to experience the uniquely soothing and therapeutic exercises which are done there, alongside the dazzling natural jungleland, which surrounds and engulfs the place. It is one of the most prominent places to practise yoga, and so we decided to go there, as we wanted to preserve our previous flexibility and strength from yoga in Penang.

The first time we came to Yoga Barn was indeed a unique experience. After having walked down a narrow street during a dimly-lit morning, we were greeted with the astonishing structure that is Yoga Barn. A dense greenery and fauna surrounded the area, emanating a fresh, serene and peaceful feeling to all passerbys. It was akin to a jungle mansion, with many rooms used for yoga classes in sight. Thick, raw planks of wood were used to make the complex, which blended into the dense, natural but tamed forest. After registering for our classes, we walked across a wooden bridge to a large hut beside a waterfall, where our yoga class would be at. The sound of the waterfall crashing down onto the rocks was soothing and in a way therapeutic to the soul, drowning out all stress which could accumulate.

Before the Yoga class started, I could instantly see numerous differences in the atmosphere compared to my own, personal experience of Yoga in Penang. The place was broad and expansive, which gave a sense of freedom. This was further amplified by the fact that this hut was also exposed to the outside. Since we were the first ones to come, a sparse amount of people were in the hut, warming up. The hut was dimly lit by the faint glimmer of orange light, as the sunlight peeped out of the thick grove.

Not long after, the teacher had arrived, and we began our Yoga lesson. We started with chanting a few Ohm, chanti and the opening mantras of a sutra. The coagulation of all our voices singing the verses in unison turned into a deep reverberation, which perforated into our souls. By this time everyone had arrived, and therefore the hut was packed with a few dozen people. After a considerable amount of meditation, we began to practise our sun salutations.

When the yoga class had finished, we walked across to the Yoga Barn cafe for breakfast. This place, which was situated higher up, gave us a better peripheral view of the whole scenery. Multiple trees exhibited their olive-green leaves, which swayed hither and thither according to the faint gust of wind, dancing in a soft, relaxed manner. The majestic plethora of shrubs, trees and bushes all created a picturesque landscape that awe-inspired us.

Overall, saying that the place was a wonderful, unique experience is an understatement. The yogic practises there are indubitably nourishing to the soul, complimenting the beautiful jungleland which surrounded this place.