Bliss Balls - Surf Goddess Retreats Recipes

These are our favourite snack for a quick energy boost before yoga or surfing. They are deeply nourishing and more importantly bring an instant smile to your face. 

We believe that bliss balls are the healthiest and yummiest snacks in the whole wide world...plus they are easy to make! 

There’s no cooking, no fussing and no lengthy preparation time.  Simply throw your ingredients into the blender, wiz away and then roll into balls. 

Chocolate (cacoa) and Cashew Bliss Ball:

1/2 to 1 cup of cashews blended until smooth ( or you can cheat and buy cashew butter)

2 tablespoons of agave nectar (a natural sweetener extracted from the Mexican agave plant) or swap for honey or rice syrup

1 tspn vanilla extract

4 – 8 dates (to your taste)

2 tablespoons organic cacoa

Optional: roll in coconut

Our Secret To Yummy Bliss Balls:

Quality ingredients. Quality ingredients. Quality ingredients

Organic is best with pesticide free being second best. The taste is better and the nutritional value higher.

http://www.surfgoddessretreats.com/cuisine.html

Over 4,000 females participate in Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day over the weekend

Surf Goddess Retreats partnered with Rip Curl School of Surf to develop the first women only Surf Program in Bali and is has been a match made in heaven.

We just had our Girls Go Surfing Day here in Bali a couple of months ago and now it was time for the Aussie Girls to jon the fun...and boy did they ever!

Although final numbers are still being confirmed, the 2010 Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day is estimated to have attracted over 4,000 females over the weekend. Under the guidance of qualified Surfing Australia instructors, participants either got their first taste at surfing or gained a few tips to improve their current level.



2010 is the 21st consecutive year the program has run, making it the longest running and largest participation based all girls surfing program in the world.


“We had an excellent weekend with a big turnout at all locations. It’s fantastic to see so many girls participating in the sport and there’s no better way to get you started for surfing this summer,” said Marine Cole.


By the end of the weekend, most girls had stood up for the first time on a surfboard and more importantly all were smiling. After each session the participants receive their official Girls Go Surfing Day ‘goodie bag’ with a limited edition singlet and other assorted gear.





The Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day is proudly presented by Virgin Blue with partners Surfing Australia, DOLLY magazine, WIN TV and The Butterfly Foundation.

Soul Surfing - Thoughts and Musings

When we fully realise that the flow of our life's story has been directed by the choices we made in response to any given situation.....the great gift of each new day is that we always have the opportunity to choose again.

Blissful Bircher Museli (Surf Goddess Recipes)

If you've been tiring of eating breakfast cereals first thing in the morning, the original Bircher muesli offers a tasty and healthy alternative that we serve on our retreats!

Bircher muesli, originally brought to the world's attention in about 1900, was created by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital. The idea was to provide a nutritious morning food as an aid to therapy. (More generally, he went against the grain, suggesting that plant based diets are much healthier than meat based diets, something which science is beginning to corroborate.)


What we think of as muesli today, is actually a descendant of the original muesli created by Bircher, but quite often with the essential healthy qualities removed, due to the shelf life of products - that is, the fresh fruits. Today's mueslis also often have added salt and sugar, both of which are unnecessary to get a great taste. Though some manufacturers do provide a healthier alternative (i.e. no added sugar), the obvious drawback is that packaged breakfast cereals can't contain fresh fruit. After getting a taste for Bircher muesli, it's hard to go back and enjoy food from a box in the same way!

Following is the recipe we prepare daily on our retreat - which is incredibly tasty and brimming with energy!

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 green apple, unpeeled, quartered, core removed
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
1/2 cup (125ml) apple juice
1/2 cup (130g) fat-free natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve
Large pinch ground cinnamon / nutmeg
1/4 cup (25g) flaked almonds / walnuts
1/4 cup (30g) diced tropical dried fruit
2 tbs freshly grated coconut ( or pepitas / pumpkin seeds)
1/2 tbs flax seeds
Freshly diced mango, papaya or berries to serve


Method

Coarsely grate the apple. Mix the grated apple, rolled oats, apple juice, yoghurt, dried fruit and cinnamon in a bowl until well combined. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.

Combine the flaked nuts and seeds in a small bowl.


Stir half the nut mixture through the muesli with 1/2 cup of yoghurt if the muesli has been soaking overnight. (If the muesli has been soaking for 1 hour, add a little extra yoghurt only as desired.) Top with the remaining nut mixture and fruit to serve.

Tip: Adapt this recipe to suit your tastes or whatever you have in the pantry. Replace the apple juice with orange or pineapple juice, milk or soy milk for a non-dairy alternative. Add some toasted shredded coconut, diced dried apricot or currants.

prep: 5 mins (+1 hour or overnight soaking) - Keeps for 2 - 3 days


Enjoy!

Practicing Extreme Self Acceptance

Before you head out today, whether its to the surf or work.... I invite you to practice 'Extreme Self Acceptance'. 

Happiness and Self Love shouldn't be conditional.  

Understand that you are already 'perfect' just the way you are today in your uniqueness.  

Enjoy being in your skin, enjoy doing things 'imperfectly' because perfection is just an illusion.  

When we accept and celebrate ourselves just as we are in each day, that is we give ourselves the freedom to experience happiness - nobody else can truly give it to us.  

Wishing you a wonderful self-judgement free day!

Raw Ceasar Salad Dressing from the Surf Goddess Kitchen

There is nothing like going for an early evening surf in warm weather then coming home and having a big salad fresh salad!  This is just one of our favourites dressings.
It does not need to be served with traditional cos lettuce, as it is also wonderful with arugula, olives, tomatoes, radishes, avacadoes, hemp seeds....mix it up!

Ingredients

1/4 cup cold-pressed olive oil


2 cloves garlic, chopped


4 medium stalks celery, cut into fourths


1/2 cup water


1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice


1/4 cup Namu Shoyu soy sauce


2 Tablespoons sweet white miso


5 organic unsulphered dates ( I substitute 1 t. raw honey)


freshly ground pepper to taste




It's very simple to make....Blend all ingredients in blender


Makes 3 cups and keeps for about 10 days

The Joy of the Beginner's Mind - Surfing's Hidden Treasures

Humans are the only creatures that are self-conscious. You never see a cat blush when they slip, dogs never cringe when they fart in public and I am sure lions don’t beat themselves up over ‘the one that got away.’



It’ s only we humans that have set up the world so that we try to do every thing perfectly...every time. With this in mind, surfing can teach us one of life’s finest lessons…that is to not take ourselves so seriously!

To learn to surf we must be willing to lose our self-consciousness in order to participate. No person has ever picked up a surfboard and ridden a wave perfectly on their first try. We have all fallen off our boards in uncoordinated ways and been unceremoniously tossed around by the white wash - both as beginners and as seasoned surfers!


Surfing teaches us to keep humble, be patient and have a few laughs as we give ourselves a good long period of time where we can be ‘kooky’ surfers as we try something new.

This is also a great lesson to take into life in general. How often are we afraid to try something new because we may fail and worse yet, look foolish or uncomposed while trying?

All the wisest teachers throughout the ages have taught the benefits of keeping a beginner’s mind - to lower the bar and allow ourselves to ‘not know’ and not be ‘perfect experts’.

Indeed I have always thought that some of most fun I have had in the surf was when I was an absolute beginner. It was all great back then. Every small improvement a momentous victory, every slip, slide and tumble and chance to laugh, giggle and get bounced around by the bubbly froth.


How much more serious we become when we lose the beginner’s mind. Every small mistake becomes an excuse to berate ourselves for not doing better. Where is the fun in that?

So if you are a beginner enjoy your bumpy, frothy, fun discovery of surfing; and if you’re a seasoned surfer, re-discover your beginner’s mind.


There are many ways you can do this. One way is by teaching another to surf. As we teach what we know we share the beginner’s experience and re-visit that part of ourselves. Another way is to surf somewhere new or on a different length of board than you usually ride. Surf just for the fun of it. Let go of how you look, how ‘well’ you rode the wave or if you got wiped - just do it because you love it!

http://www.surfgoddesretreats.com/

Surf Goddess Retreats in Shape Magazine Online

Getting fit doesn't have to  mean going to the gym and slogging it out on the  stairmaster...surfing provides a great way to get in shape and have fun doing it!

http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/classes/yoga_surf_camp

About Commitment.... (Surf Goddess Life Coaching Series)

The word commitment often brings out mixed emotions for people. At a time when we are presented with endless options, making a commitment to something or someone can appear to be a challenge.

Often people resist fully committing to an idea because they want to minimise their risks. The only hitch is that, when it comes to life, a partial commitment usually returns only partial results and partial joy.

It is fear that often holds us back from going after our heart’s desire. First there is the fear of people seeing us fail, or at the very least struggle as we stretch ourselves to reach out for something new. We also fear success and the new responsibilities that success always brings.

I like to compare the process of making a commitment to the process of surfing. When you see a wave coming that you want to ride, you launch yourself forward into action preparing to ‘catch’ the wave. This is the same as the first steps you take when you want to achieve a goal or make a vision a reality.

Then comes the point when the wave ‘catches’ you! Sweeping you up, it starts to pull you forward with it’s own momentum. It is at this moment the crucial decision has to be made. Do I want to catch this wave or not? It is a decision that relies on gut level instinct.

You can either pull back, and let the wave roll on by, or throw your whole being into it. You know that a half hearted commitment will have you being dumped in the white wash, tossed unceremoniously around like a wet rag.However, if you throw every bit of your being at the wave you can have the chance to experience a wild and joyous ride.

Life is very much like the ocean. There are endless options to choose from, just as there are always new waves. But to experience the sense of triumph and satisfaction that comes from fully realising our dreams, we have to commit to that vision, person or goal; just the same as we need to commit to the wave we want to ride.

Commitment requires not only action, but a sense of purpose that is unwavering even in the face of challenges.

Happy Surfing!

Where the Girls Are - A Sports Guide to Getting Away from the Guys

Where the Girls Are - A Sports Guide to Getting Away from the Guys
(Excerpt from Asian Wall Street Journal Article - 2009)

Sometimes men just can't help being boys when it comes to sports. For those who prefer to pick up their sporting skills away from the guys and all that competitive zeal, here's a guide to some top spots for golf, surfing, skiing and trekking -- for women only....

Daphne Tan doesn't consider herself much of a sportswoman, but when she went searching for a trip she could take on her own, what she settled on was a one-week retreat to learn to surf.

Ms. Tan, 31 years old, a Singaporean who works for a hotel company in Hong Kong, says she was in dire need of a break from the job, from the hustle and bustle of city life -- and even from herself. "I thought about going to a resort on my own and chilling for a week," she says, "but I realized I couldn't stand it on my own for three days, never mind a week."

While hunting around for an activity that could give a focus to her holiday and offer a chance to meet new people, she chanced upon Surf Goddess Retreats. Its pitch: a little surf, serenity and sisterhood in Seminyak on the Indonesian island of Bali. Ms. Tan made up her mind: She would take the plunge into "something completely new."

"It turned out to be the best thing," Ms. Tan says. "I loved it! We surfed three hours a day, and they made it really simple. We did yoga every morning, and I got to meet this great group of women."

Surf Goddess Retreats provides luxury surf, yoga and spa retreats which groups get eight days of surfing lessons, daily yoga sessions, health-oriented organic food, spa treatments and cultural tours of Bali.

The morning yoga classes focus on core training, balance and concentration, meant to complement the afternoon surfing lessons, which are delivered by certified instructors. The cultural tours take in temples, markets and art studios; one highlight is a visit to Wayan, a traditional Balinese healer from Ubud made famous in Elizabeth Gilbert's novel "Eat, Pray, Love," the story of a year-long spiritual journey.


Surf Goddess offers surfing retreats between March and November when ocean conditions are considered optimal for all skill levels. Clients come mostly from the U.S., Australia, U.K., Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore and range in age from their late 20s to their mid 40s. Most, like Ms. Tan, come on their own.

"I was at this crossroads in my career, and I met women who were very successful, a woman who was a mother of two, and my roommate was my age and at the same point in her career as me -- thinking, What next? And another lady who was traveling for two years straight," says Ms. Tan. "It was special for me -- I met all these people who were at different stages in their life and it was a real boost for me." She keeps in touch by email with the women she met on the surfing holiday.

Tokyo resident Mami Kistler, 28, who works for a French investment bank, also took a solo trip to Bali, with the encouragement of her American husband. "When I saw this on the Web, I decided I wanted to go because I wanted to meet other girls who want to do exactly the same thing," she says. "The group was great -- all girls, all very chilled out, laid-back and just wanted to be there to have fun."

Mrs. Kistler, who grew up in Kochi, in southern Japan, and studied in the U.S. and Canada, had recently tried surfing in Japan, but hadn't yet gotten the hang of it. "I'm a beginner -- my goal from the retreat was to be able to actually go out and surf myself," she says. "It was really a fantastic experience. By the end, I was surfing by myself. When you catch a wave, it's a feeling you can't explain."


—Cris Prystay is a writer based in Singapore

For current information visit http://www.surfgoddessretreats.com

Choosing the Right Surf Board

The board you ride makes all the difference to your surfing. Choosing the right board for the waves and your experience can affect whether you have a great ride or a frustrating time in the surf.

One of the most common mistakes that new surfers make in choosing a board is that they want to start off riding short boards similar to the ones they see professional surfers ride. Short boards usually have a very pulled in or pointy nose, are not very thick in the body and are usually 6 foot or under in length.

The problem with a beginner or inexperienced surfer riding a short board is that these boards are designed to be very responsive in the water, their reduced surface size makes them turn easily to do ‘cut backs’ and other maneuvers; but what this means for the new surfer is that they are really hard to balance on for both lying on the board and also for standing up and riding a wave!

Also, because they are light and thin, when they are paddled in the water, the surfer’s body is half immersed in the ocean rather than lying on top of it, so it creates a lot more drag and they need a lot of upper body strength to get up the speed to paddle onto most waves.

So what happens to inexperienced surfers who ride short boards is that they struggle to catch unbroken (or ’green’) waves because they can’t paddle fast enough and when they do get up they find it hard to stand up to ride the wave and fall off very easily….not much fun really!
The best boards to ride when you are first learning are long boards which are also commonly known as Malibu boards (named after the famous long boarding surf break of Malibu in California).

Long boards are generally wide overall having a full nose area, are long, starting from around 8 + feet, and are 2” to 3” thick. They are perfect for learning as the board is very stable for riding and because they float high in the water it makes them very easy to paddle onto waves. I think of them as the ‘instant gratification’ surfboard as its is so easy to catch waves and have a fun ride in most conditions. They are great for learning the basic skills of surfing because you get lots of practice when you can paddle successfully on to waves and also once you catch the wave you can work on improving your skills instead of having to put all your focus on just trying standing up on the board!

After mastering your balance on a long board and developing the basic skills, many surfers often move onto Fun boards, Mini Mals or Hybrids. These are either a shorter version of a long board or a hybrid / combo of long board and short board features. They are most often between 7ft to 8ft long and are still quite thick (around 2” ).
There is a reason they are often referred to as ‘fun boards’ as they are ideal for most recreational surfers as they have a high degree of manoeuvrability on the wave, while still being stable to balance on and floaty enough to keep it fairly easy in paddling onto waves…so your pretty much going to have a good time when you go out surfing!

The important thing to remember when choosing a board is start BIG and move your way down in size as your skills improve. Even for experienced surfers, smaller doesn’t always mean better, there are many surfers who love to ride only Malibu boards and skilled wave riders turn surfing these boards into an art form with graceful dance like moves that require amazing balance and timing.

The main thing is to have fun and the simplest way to do this is to ride boards and waves that are suitable to your surfing level, fitness and experience.

Live Well, Laugh Lots and Surf with a Smile!


http://www.surfgoddessretreats.com