Take a 'silent' wellness break in Bali

I'm a restless being. I find it hard to switch off. I'm always doing something; my mind is always ticking along - no time for tumbleweeds to roll through this brain. The sound of silence is a rarity. So how does the sound maker become silenced?

I have come to be shushed in Bali at the beachfront luxury resort, the Mulia. Nusa Dua's hedonistic resort provides one-on-one sound healing sessions in its lush Eden Garden. As it is a labyrinth to navigate, I am taken by a golf buggy to greet my sound healing practitioner, Sukadana. I arrive to see my name spelt out in rose-coloured petals surrounded by two love hearts shaped in leafy greens. This is the most romantic set-up I have ever seen with my name on it. But there's no time to take the romance in.

The soft-spoken Sukadana asks me, "Why am I here"? Whoa - is this meant to be a trick question? Am I meant to say something profound? I am here to Marie Kondo my brain, declutter it. I tell him it's hard for me to maintain focus. He catches on to the urgency to silence this woman before him, loose-tongued with two hamsters on a wheel running marathons in her brain.

It's time to settle down. Sukadana tells me to lie on the thin mattress next to a colourful mandala made of pink flower petals and pandan leaf. As the scene is set, I happily oblige. I am ready to be silenced.

Sound healing is an ancient Tibetan practice involving Tibetan singing bowls. Each bowl omits different vibrations and soothing sounds to realign the body's energy centres, or chakras, and improve physical health and emotional wellbeing.

Sitting down, he walks me through the meaning of each chakra. He starts from the top, naming each of them: the crown is associated with knowledge and spirituality; the third eye represents imagination and intuition; the throat represents communication; the heart represents love and compassion. Then there's solar plexus, sacral, and root. My mind wanders. My previous experience with healing bowls included those filled with salad, fruit, soup, and pasta, where I was both silenced and satisfied. Oops! Switch back! I tell my brain. I close my eyes. I am ready to go into relaxation mode.

Slowly, my sound master starts to make noise. The bowls are being hit, one by one, their energies and frequencies hypnotic. I begin to feel like I am in a trance. The sounds, the hums. I enter zen mode. The series of bowl sounds now become lighter, higher pitched. Memories start to emerge from the manila folders of my brain, but I'm not sure if I am awake or in a dream state. I know I am somewhere else, and I like it.

Soon, one-man band Sukadana exchanges hums for rings with a gentle bell toll bringing me back into the real world. He tells me to open my eyes. My head feels light, vacant, empty of thought. I started as someone who couldn't just be, and here I am now, present. At peace in this Balinese paradise with nothing on my mind.

I'm keen to ride this soothing wavelength as long as possible, consulting the mega-resort's other restorative offerings: multiple swimming pools ornate with towering goddess-like statues and swim-up pool bars selling 'gram-worthy watermelon cocktails. So roll on the tumbleweeds...

Don't say a word: Co-exist with others without saying a word at Bali Silent Retreat (pictured). Located among rice paddies in Ubud, this off-grid yoga and meditation retreat offers a quiet space for contemplative individuals. Create your own daily schedule, participating in wellness activities and feasting when you like at the all-day vegan buffet. balisilentretreat.com

Succumb to the pressure: Head to the five-star beach hotel COMO Uma Canggu for a muscle-relaxing therapy session. Wellness retreat centre COMO Shambhala offers curated massage treatments using various Asian techniques. The signature massage, COMO Shambhala, is suited to those who appreciate light to medium pressure using blended massage oils. comohotels.com

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Seek inner transformation: The Yoga Barn has been a mainstay on the Ubud wellness scene since 2007. The world-renowned wellness centre has seven studios offering more than 100 classes a week in yoga, dance, meditation, healing, satsangs and seminars. There's no shortage of sessions to seek inner transformation with water therapy, juice cleansing, breath-work, Thai massage, and other spa treatments on offer. theyogabarn.com

Dance like no-one's watching: Dance like no one cares at Udara Resort. Every Sunday, the beachfront resort in Seseh Village hosts an ecstatic dance event. The event invites people to dance freely and consciously without the need to impress: just listen to the music and dance how you feel. No talking or drinking is permitted, with reaching natural highs purely based on releasing energy and flow states. udara-bali.com

Do yoga outdoors: Desa Seni invites yogis to spend their days bending bodies at the tropical village eco resort. Flex muscles in the open-air studios with various yoga classes to choose from, then call it a night in a refurbished antique wooden home. desaseni.com

Save more than 50 per cent on a three-, five- or eight-night stay at Aryaduta Bali, a five-star hotel close to the action of Kuta Beach and a short 10-minute walk to the quieter and less-visited Jerman Beach.

The hotel has a rooftop pool with a swim-up bar, an onsite gym, complimentary shuttle service, and the popular Henry's Grill & Bar, serving up Indo-Asian and international dishes alongside hand-crafted cocktails. Each of the hotel's Deluxe Rooms features a generous living space, an oversized bathroom with a rainfall shower and designer bathroom amenities. The deal includes a dinner at Henry's and daily breakfast and cocktails at the rooftop bar.

To book, see book.exploretravel.com.au/bali

Julia D'Orazio was a guest of the Mulia Bali. A one-hour sound healing session is about $121 a person, or i$182 for two people. See themulia.com