The Immersive Path: Transformative Holistic Practices Through Intensive Yoga
Damien’s yoga intensive 2024
In the quest for genuine wellness and self-discovery, intensive yoga programs offer a rare opportunity to dive beneath the surface of typical practice. This summer, Ubuntu Bali presents "THE WAY OF PATANJALI," a transformative yoga intensive that transcends the conventional understanding of yoga as merely physical postures.
A Holistic Approach to Ancient Wisdom
From July 7-18, 2025, this immersive experience invites practitioners to explore yoga as a comprehensive science for self-transformation and healing. While many Western interpretations focus primarily on asanas (poses), this intensive honors the complete system as outlined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras—a framework addressing body, mind, nervous system, and spiritual awareness.
The fundamental philosophy of Ubuntu—"I am because we are"—permeates this intensive, recognizing that personal transformation exists within a web of interconnection. This perspective aligns perfectly with yoga's holistic principles, where individual wellness contributes to collective harmony.
Beyond Physical Practice: The Four Pillars
What makes this intensive truly holistic is its balanced approach across four essential dimensions:
Functional Yoga Practice: Rather than rigidly adhering to "traditional" sequences, the program emphasizes a functional approach to Ashtanga yoga. This adaptation makes the practice accessible while maintaining its transformative potential, focusing on supporting healing and nourishing the whole person—body, heart, mind, and spirit.
Nervous System Anatomy: Understanding our internal wiring provides crucial context for yoga's effects. Participants explore experiential anatomy, developing neuroception on the mat to create "vagal anchors" that support nervous system regulation in everyday life. This science-backed approach bridges ancient practices with contemporary understanding of how our bodies respond to stress and relaxation.
Meditation: Building sequentially like the physical practice, daily semi-guided meditations develop gradually through a process similar to the Mysore approach. This user-friendly methodology ensures that practitioners of all levels can access mindful awareness, deepening their relationship with their own consciousness.
Philosophical Foundation: Daily exploration of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras provides the contextual framework that connects all elements of the practice. Rather than abstract concepts, these teachings are presented as practical tools for integration into modern life, including Kriya yoga principles and the application of yoga's eight limbs.
A Different Kind of Intensive
Set in the lush surroundings of Ubuntu's garden in Bali, this intensive offers a balance of deep practice and personal exploration. Morning classes leave afternoons free for integration and discovery, with weekends available for rest or adventure. The location—just minutes from beaches and Canggu's vibrant atmosphere—creates the perfect container for transformation without isolation.
Led by Damien, who brings over 35 years of practice and study, the approach integrates psychology, bodywork, and yoga therapy perspectives. This multidisciplinary foundation creates a comprehensive learning environment where practitioners can truly engage with yoga as a biotechnology for self-transformation.
Who Will Benefit?
This intensive serves dedicated practitioners seeking deeper understanding, those exploring yoga beyond physical practice, aspiring teachers focusing on quality education, current teachers expanding their skills, and anyone wishing to better integrate yoga's principles into daily life.
Through this immersive path, participants discover that intensive yoga practice becomes the gateway to holistic transformation—not just on the mat for those two weeks, but as a sustainable approach to living with greater awareness, regulation, and connection to both self and community.
