Appreciation post: My quiet hotel yoga beat the busy Bali studio scene

Just got back from Bali. Everyone raves about the open-air yoga studios there. Tried a famous one in Ubud. So crowded. Flies buzzing around. Distracted by other people's poses. Felt more like a show than practice. Moved my flow to my hotel balcony instead. Had the ocean view all to myself. Could actually breathe and move. Don't buy the idea that fancy studios make the flow better.

4 comments

4 Comments

rivera.sam1mo ago

But what if you missed the whole point by hiding on your balcony? Those crowded studios have a crazy energy that actually pushes you harder - hearing fifty people breathe together makes you hold that pose longer. A good teacher in person can spot your weak spots instantly, like if your hips are crooked in warrior two, something you'd never notice alone. Yeah there's flies and it's hot, but sweating through it with strangers creates this wild shared feeling that a solo practice just can't match. That "show" you felt was probably other people inspired by each other, which is way better than just staring at the ocean by yourself.

sean_bailey931mo ago

Totally get this. Those big name studios can feel like a zoo sometimes (like, who needs flies buzzing near their face during downward dog?). Your hotel balcony setup sounds perfect - just you and the ocean, no one to compare yourself to. It's crazy how the "best" experience is often the simplest one you make for yourself. Glad you found your groove.

waderamirez1mo ago

Flies during yoga, sean_bailey93? That’s a wild detail I can’t unsee.

stone.claire1mo ago

Wait, hold on, flies? Like actual flies in the yoga studio? That's a deal breaker for me. I can't even focus if there's a bug in my apartment, let alone trying to find inner peace while swatting at something. Really makes that overpriced class seem even less worth it. The balcony thing sounds like the only sane option.