Bali Writing Retreat
17 – 21 May 2027, Ubud
Your words deserve more than a dream.
A five-day literary and creative writing retreat in the heart of Bali.
Have you been dreaming of writing a book, deepening your craft, or simply finding the time and space to give your creativity the attention it deserves?
Imagine five days devoted entirely to your writing. The freedom and inspiration to open your heartspace. Mornings immersed in literature, language and the art of storytelling. Quiet afternoons writing among the palms. Gentle yoga, meditation, sacred Balinese ceremonies and meaningful conversations with people who share your love of words.
Held in a beautiful jungle sanctuary in Ubud, the HeartWriting® Bali Retreat brings together the craft of creative writing and the art of connecting with your heart.
Guided by author, editor and creative writing teacher Rose Mascaro, you’ll explore literary techniques, develop your writing skills and discover new depths in your creative expression.
Over five days we’ll weave together the magic of Bali, the skills of literature, and ancient heart wisdom to experience your deepest writing experience yet – with Rose, founder of HeartWriting® Australia.
This is your invitation to step away from everyday distractions and invest in the writer you want to become.
Daily writing ceremonies
Heart theory & modern literature
Creative meditation & yoga
Ancient sound healing night
Language & literature workshops
Balinese Tea Ceremony
Healthy vegetarian meals
Chakradance and art therapy
Astrology workshop
Beji Griya Water Temple tour
Ice bath, sauna, pool & massage
Heart-led creative community
Bonus 2 x writing courses
1000 words edited after retreat.
Your Host
Rose Mascaro
Rose Mascaro holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and brings over 20 years of teaching experience, a background in magazine editing, ghostwriting for brands, and more than a decade of spiritual study and practice. She has taught hundreds of students through her trademarked HeartWriting® courses, blending literary craft with meditation and creative psychology. Rose is the author of The HeartWriting Handbook, has written a novel, co-written books for Australian brands and works as a professional book editor.
Heart Nourishment
Rose Mascaro’s registered trademark curriculum has seen hundreds of writers face their fears, learn the intricacies of language, and write glorious words from the heart.
Multi-Modal Approach
Rose is an editor, a teacher of writing, plus a spiritual guide, yoga teacher and musician, ready to awaken your creative heart and help you get those words on the page. Paired with dance and art therapy, this retreat is not to be missed.
Writing Technique
We’ll be exploring an intuitive writing theme supported through the learning of technique to help you uncover your deepest writing potential. The themes and techniques for our group will be uncovered in the weeks leading up to our retreat.
Beginner or Experienced
Rose is an experienced English literature educator with a master’s degree in creative writing. Her lessons always invite layers of learning: exciting writing tasks that are both accessible to new writers while also deep and challenging for experienced writers.
The Ark, Ubud
The Ark Retreat Centre is nestled in the Ubud jungle, just 500 metres from Alchemy Yoga (and designed by the founder of Alchemy). The gorgeous airconditioned rooms feature daily servicing, fresh flowers on beds, gemstones, oil diffusers, and Balinese touches. The beds and linen are particularly comfortable and high quality.
The grounds feature gorgeous nooks and day beds for private writing, plus a large pool, ice bath, sauna, yoga shala, massage parlour, fire pit, and calming views of the mountains.
This retreat is a hosted writing experience facilitated by Rose. Accommodation, meals, and on-ground services are provided by our trusted venue partner in Bali: The Ark, Ubud.
lush private rooms
enquire to share
Comfortable queen beds
One room w/ two singles
Fully airconditioned
View of the jungle or shala
Daily housekeeping service
Oil diffuser & gemstones in room
Handmade bath products
Tropical style bathroom
All inclusive 4 nights/ 5 days
ONLY 4 SPOTS LEFT
friendship & healing through
writing.
We’ll start with an ancient writing ceremony for connection and healing. But this won’t be our only writing activity!
Merged with the signature magic of the HeartWriting curriculum, by the end of this retreat you will have several scenes polished, forming the bones of a transformative short story.
After the retreat, Rose and Raeleen will act as your editors, helping you to shape it into publishable perfection.
You are more than welcome to use the retreat to work on your own content/ book, infusing some of the taught techniques into your writing of choice.
The best part? Sharing your writing with people who truly understand the fire of language that burns within.
Semi-Silent Retreat
While our mealtimes are filled with deep conversation, most of our day will consist of silence and space encourages that glorious state of heart connection and theta flow state. This sacred writing retreat is inspired by Vipassana Retreats, and Ava Irani’s Functional Spirituality Retreats, which are labelled ‘semi-silent’. Rose practises this every day to encourage more ideas to flow, and less anxious space-filling in her life and interactions.
Stunning Location
Tropical Balinese gardens framed by mountains and rice paddy fields, a stunning undercover shala to sit in circle, outstanding restaurant, infinity pool, and gorgeous nooks and private cabanas for writing.
Heart Nourishment
Our days will be filled with nourishing and inspiring activities for the heart, including writing and art workshops, movement and meditation, chakradance, sound healing, sensory walks, and healthy meals all prepared by our chefs.
Writing Technique
We’ll be exploring an intuitive writing theme supported through the learning of technique to help you uncover your deepest writing potential. The themes and techniques for our group will be uncovered in the weeks leading up to our retreat.
Creative Community
It’s so important to connect deeply with other creatives who share in your values and heart. Bringing heart-centred writers together in healing, learning and harmony is a big part of HeartWriting’s mission.
Movement & Meditation
Gentle movement and deep meditation is the antidote to stuck energy and creative blocks. This retreat is designed to clear the clutter from the top layer of your consciousness, and from there, creative magic can happen – revealing words and ideas you’ve never dreamed of.
Preparation (and after)
You don’t have to prepare at all – you can just show up and enjoy the magic of writing and learning! You’ll receive a comprehensive and inspiring workbook on arrival, as well as a beautiful bag of creative + self-care goodies.
After our retreat, you will hand in your piece writing to the group via our online portal, so you don’t have to finish all your writing on the retreat. Rose and Raeleen will act as your editors, giving you light editing and feedback – plus you’ll get to read & give feedback on everyone’s work.
Meet The Team
Rose
Rose is a published Australian author, magazine editor, book editor, English teacher, and yoga and meditation teacher with a decade of spirituality immersion. In 2019 she completed a one-year spirituality mentorship with Ava Irani. Rose holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing, and was an editor at Lovatts Media. Rose is qualified to teach a range of advanced writing techniques with a spiritual twist.
Jesslyn
With over twenty years of experience as an Astrologer and Intuitive Tarot reader Jesslyn provides insight, guidance and clarity when you are faced at a crossroads in life. Astrology is your unique blueprint that helps you understanding yourself on a deeper level. This sacred modality for self awareness, empowerment and meaningful transformation helps you navigate the ever changing cycles of life.
Raeleen
Raeleen is our new editor. She was one of the first HeartWriters to join HeartWriting and has since completed a memoir under Rose's mentorship. Raeleen has taken every one of Rose's academic and spiritual classes and has been busy honing her editing skills over the last year. Today Raeleen helps Rose with editing and mentoring for students, and adds a heart-centred 'creative mama' vibe to HeartWriting.
Testimonials
Joanna
The HeartWriting Bali retreat with Rose was absolutely magical. From the venue, to the food, to the workshops - everything was thoughtfully curated to provide an incredible experience for our group. Rose's teaching is deeply authentic and embodied; you can tell that she lives and breathes this work. In every session, I felt held and safe to be myself. I came to this retreat as a beginner, and left feeling confident and inspired by my path ahead as a writer. If only I could stay in this bubble forever! Thank you, Rose, I can't wait to journey with you again soon. –Joanna, embodiedhealers.org
Suzie
Having completed Heartwriting Levels 1 and 2 courses in 2025, I had high expectations for the Bali Retreat. It exceeded expectations. Divine setting. Delicious food. Magnificent company. Marvellous facilitation. What a treat to enjoy to medicine of the collective wisdom, energy, and words of such intelligent women, yoga, meditation, and the freedom to just BE. The opening traditional Fire Ceremony and Blessing, as well as the screams of the ice bath, and giggles of our final dinner out together were icing on an already delicious, nourishing cake. Thank you Rose. It was brilliant.
Kelly
I cannot shout loud enough to anyone who is thinking about coming to this retreat and working with Rose that they need to run, not walk. It will be one of the biggest acts of self-care you’ll enact all year. There will not be a more well rounded or supportive writing course out there I assure you! So excited for the next group who will be held through some of the best days of their lives.
Raeleen
I'm coming back for a third round, I loved it so much... and this time as an editor! Rose always instinctively knows what's needed in her guided meditations and lessons, and the collective energy of her groups is pure magic! I have grown so much with Rose. My heart has opened and my writing? Well, I've finished my memoir and it's about to be published! Bali round three, here I come!
Alex
I attended the 2025 Bali Heartwriting Retreat with Rose Mascaro. I had tried yoga and meditation in the past and it never helped me but on this occasion I found the practice life-changing. I wrote more than I had in the six months prior to the retreat. The practice for teaching writing is unlike most that I have investigated. I came home filled with confidence in my ability to write and with so many new ideas floating in my mind. I cannot recommend working with Rose more!
Delys
The HeartWriting Retreat in Ubud, Bali was a feast for all senses – the venue was amazing, providing delicious food and a very comfortable place to rest and renew. The retreat itinerary left us with full hearts every day. The words, the lessons and the people all connected into a very powerful experience for me. Rose created such a wonderful event and I'm coming back next year! Rose radiates with beautiful wisdom and has an authentic way of teaching that is articulate, inspiring, heartfelt and passionate.
Em
The retreat was something truly special. A good blend of creative writing, yoga and outloud fun! It was an opportunity to hone in on my creative writing skills while connecting with like minded individuals in a luxurious calming space, the Ark in Ubud, Bali. There was a good balance of workshops where Rose (and Raeleen) shine in their skills and wisdom, with alone time to focus and write surrounded by jungle. A highlight was gathering over delicious made meals while learning about your fellow creatives; relating to their experiences through laughter and tears. For me, it gave me time to be me, learn more about creative writing while learning more about what drives my heart and soul. Rose is truly a wonderful human being who runs a retreat you won’t forget or regret attending.
With 200+ graduates of HeartWriting over the last 6 years, and overflowing with glowing testimonials, many have gone on to write their own books and lead heart-fuelled creative lives.
back to retreat details
WHEN + WHERE:
17–21 May 2027, The Ark Retreat Centre, Ubud, Bali, 4 nights, 5 day program. Arrive at 2.30pm on Monday the 17th May. Our program finishes at 11am on Friday the 21st May. We strongly recommend flying in at least the day before our retreat and heading straight to Ubud to acclimatise – there’s loads of accommodation options. You could also head to the coast or one of the islands after the retreat.
Accommodation:
Private rooms with bathroom. Can share a room on request at a higher rate. All rooms have been recently renovated with new furnishings and extremely comfortable beds – it really does feel like a treat to stay at The Ark.
DEPOSIT
A deposit is needed to secure my place. My deposit is my first payment in the payment plan, or 1/6 of the full payment. By making my deposit, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the full HeartWriting® Retreat terms.
TERMS SUMMARY:
I understand that my first payment is a non-refundable deposit after the 14-day cooling-off period and commits me to completing all scheduled retreat payments. I understand that refunds, credits, or transfers are limited according to the full Terms and Conditions, and that travel insurance is mandatory to protect me against cancellation, illness, flight disruption, or other unforeseen events.
I agree to obtain comprehensive travel insurance, including Emergency Medical, Trip Cancellation, and Trip Interruption cover, and to ensure I have a valid passport, meet Bali’s entry requirements, and obtain any necessary visas, vaccinations, or travel documentation before departure.
I confirm that I am physically, emotionally, and mentally fit to participate in the retreat. I understand that the retreat includes writing workshops, gentle yoga, meditation, breathwork, movement, cultural activities, and walking on uneven terrain, including sitting on the floor of the yoga shala and travelling by scooter to the retreat entrance. I agree to participate within my own limits and to inform HeartWriting® of any medical or psychological conditions that may affect my participation.
I understand that HeartWriting® provides education, creative writing instruction, and community support, but does not provide psychological counselling or therapy. I acknowledge that creative writing and the sharing of personal stories may evoke strong emotional responses.
I understand that participation in all retreat activities is voluntary and undertaken at my own risk. I accept responsibility for my own health, wellbeing, behaviour, alcohol consumption, personal belongings, travel arrangements, and compliance with local laws and customs.
I agree to treat fellow participants, teachers, venue staff, guides, and local communities with kindness and respect. Every effort is made to ensure that HeartWriting® participants feel safe, included, valued, and heard. If I have any concerns during the retreat, I agree to raise them with HeartWriting® as soon as reasonably possible. I understand that HeartWriting® reserves the right to refuse or discontinue my participation if my behaviour or wellbeing presents a significant risk to myself or others.
I consent to photographs and video being taken during the retreat and acknowledge that HeartWriting® may use these images for the promotion of future retreats and related events. I may request to be excluded from photography before the retreat begins.
I acknowledge that HeartWriting® works with independent accommodation providers, transport operators, tour guides, and other third-party suppliers. While we take great care in curating a seamless experience, certain elements of the retreat (including accommodation, meals, and local services) are managed by our venue partner. By joining the retreat, you acknowledge that these services are provided independently. Rose, your host, is not liable for any loss, injury, delay, disruption, or quality of outside service.
I acknowledge that participation in the retreat is undertaken at my own risk and agree not to hold HeartWriting®, Rose-Louise Mascaro, or its agents, teachers, facilitators, contractors, or representatives liable for any injury, illness, accident, loss, damage, expense, delay, or interruption arising from my participation, except where liability cannot legally be excluded under Australian law.
what's included
- Balinese tea ceremony
- Daily yoga classes
- Creativity meditations
- Writing workshops
- Dance and art workshop
- Astrology workshop
- Heart circles + sharing
- 1 x 30-min massage
- 1 x retreat gift bag (self–care)
- Delicious vegetarian catering
- Silent afternoons of writing
- Shamanic writing ceremonies
- Balinese Water Temple tour
- Pool, infrared sauna, ice bath
- Housekeeping, coffee, tea
- Locally crafted bath products
- Ancient sound healing
- Final dinner and cocktail at Zest
AND: - Ten Days of HeartWriting Course
- Substack with Heart Course
- Editing: 1 x 1000 word piece
- Discount to join the 8 week course
draft itinerary
Day 1: Monday
2.30pm Check in with coconut
3.15pm Welcome with Rose in shala
4.30pm Free time, writing
6pm Opening dinner banquet
7pm Tea ceremony and meditation
Day 2: Tuesday
7.15am Yoga and meditation
8.15am Breakfast
9 – 11am HeartWriting Workshop
11am Free time
12.30pm Lunch
1.30pm Writing Task in Shala
2 – 4pm Silent writing on grounds
(massages scheduled in afternoon)
4pm Sharing time in shala
4.30pm Free time
6.30pm Dinner
7.30–8.30pm Astrology Workshop
9pm Dessert before bedtime
Day 3: Wednesday
7.15am Yoga and meditation
8.15am Breakfast
9 – 11am Dance and art workshop
11 – 3pm Water Temple Tour + lunch
3 – 5pm Silent writing on grounds
5pm Sharing time in shala
6.30pm Dinner
7.30–8.30pm Ancient Sound Healing
9pm Dessert before bedtime
Day 4: Thursday
7.15am Yoga and meditation
8.15am Breakfast
9 – 11am HeartWriting Workshop
11am Free time
12.30pm Lunch
1.30pm Meet in Shala
2 – 3.30pm silent writing afternoon
3.30pm Free time, pool and ice bath
6pm Dinner at Zest Restaurant
Day 5: Friday
7.30am Breakfast and walk
8.30am Shala for closing ceremony
10am Readings, final meditation
11am Goodbyes and group photos!
Delighted by the program?
important info
Accommodation
There are limited rooms at this venue. First in best dressed. Can share with a friend for an adjusted cost.
The beds and the rooms are comfortable and stunning.
Cancellation Policy
Your first payment in the payment plan is non-refundable. However, there is a grace period of 14 days after paying your deposit if circumstances change and you need to cancel.
If you cancel for personal or emergency reasons within 90 days of retreat, your payments are not transferable or refundable. If there’s a family or health emergency and you have travel insurance, it’s easy to claim back your retreat ticket and flight costs. This is why it’s important to take out travel insurance as soon as you book this retreat – to cover both of us!
War or Force Majeure
If War, Natural Disaster or an Act of God impacts our ability to attend the retreat (for example war-related oil shortages = flight cancellations and lockdowns) The Ark will allow us to reschedule our retreat to another date, but we won’t get a refund. Your payments will go towards that next retreat date, and I’ll do everything possible to make sure this all works out best for all of us.
Liability
While we take great care in curating a seamless experience, certain elements of the retreat (including accommodation, meals, and local services) are managed by our venue partner. By joining the retreat, you acknowledge that these services are provided independently.
The retreat host (HeartWriting / Rose) provides facilitation, teaching, and hosting services only. Accommodation, meals, and on-ground services are provided by third-party partners. The host is not liable for any loss, injury, delay, or disruption arising from services provided by these third parties.
All participants are required to hold comprehensive travel insurance to cover travel, health, family emergency and personal belongings for the duration of the retreat.
We are committed to making this retreat as safe, enjoyable, and viable for each one of you. We want you to feel secure in the experience you are about to have. Please direct all enquiries to Rose who can explain items in the Terms list in more detail.
Full retreat terms and conditions can be read here.
Maybe you'd like to join the HeartWriting online course. You've missed out on the live workshops for this year, but you can catch up right now, or join us in Feb.
Level 1 Course: 8 Workshops
Learn how to become a gifted writer: with heart
Short story, memoir and fiction
8 x 2 hour writing lessons
Heart theory and art psychology
Editing and mentoring from Rose
Learning portal of readings & resources
Free entry to the ‘Ten Days of HeartWriting’ valued at $199
Free entry to the Substack with Heart course
Get started now!