My Wonderful Co-Guides

Rucina Ballinger (Bali from Within) guides us in the arts community in Ubud. Rucina is an American-born dancer who has lived in Bali for forty years.  After the devastating bomb blast in 2002, she was instrumental in creating a Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet drama) that combined innovative techniques with traditional performance to assist people in recovering from the trauma. She has directed three charities and is also the founder of Grup Gedebong Goyang, a group of four Caucasian women who sing and do comedic skits in Balinese. She has also co-authored a book, Balinese Dance, Music and Drama.

Polly Howells (The Ground Beneath Our Hearts—Bioneers Conference), a former board chair of Bioneers, is a facilitator for the Pachamama Alliance’s “Awakening the Dreamer Symposium” and is a core member of Woodstock NY Transition. She trained for ten years with Jungian Analyst Marion Woodman and she co-leads a five-day yearly retreat for women called “Reclaiming Our Lives, Reclaiming Our Earth.” She is currently on the board of Radical Joy for Hard Times.

Eugene Hughes (Lead Like a River) is a psychotherapist and group facilitator with over 20 years experience in the field of personal and professional development. He is also chief executive at ArtGym, a multi-award winning organization dedicated to helping people put their creativity to good work. His work spans multiple sectors, from guiding some of the world’s most successful leaders of organizations to facilitating collaborations between corporations, charities and local communities. Eugene is based in London, UK.

Wayan Suriada (Bali from Within) is our guide in the beautiful region of Sidemen. Wayan grew up in Sidemen and is the head of the local tourism board, which is dedicated to promoting ecologically sound tourism. He has a deep knowledge of Balinese culture and history and a great sense of humor, and he speaks fluent English. Wayan and his wife Barbara, a native of the Netherlands, created their guest hotel, Darmada Bali, in ways that truly exemplify care for the planet and the community.

Nyoman “Mangkok” Sutarya (Bali from Within) guides us in Munduk, where his family has lived for more than four hundred years. Mangkok is an artist, farmer, community leader, and student of religion, and he is cataloguing the indigenous plants of north Bali with the help of village elders. He is married and has two children.