Saturday, October 10, 2009
A Roxy moment
On the last full day in Bali, I managed to get in a surf session with a couple of the local boys, Blackie Montana, and old man Lorenti. It was alot of fun. Cheering each other on and laughing at all the waves missed because some of us were really out of shape. I went after everything I could get my little fingers into and it felt so good to glide down the face. This time around I attempted to surf without my booties and my neoprene vest. It was all bikini baby. If the bottoms fall off, then so be it. This was my Roxy moment. I hardly get the chance to surf in just my kini. I wear the vest to protect my ribs, and for sun protection. I wear the booties for protection against the sharp reef....but it just isn't the same. The booties still get in the way and feel so awkward. If I was going to go home with cuts on my feet....I didn't care. It was my Roxy moment. When I say Roxy moment, I am referring to all the surf ad's that show some cute surfer girl in her kini on a tropical wave. All tan, smiling, and looking cute. Surfing doesn't always allow you to look nor feel cute. Sunblock all over your face, hidden under a thick full suit, hairs a mess, and maybe you forgot you weren't wearing waterproof mascara. Good ol racoon eyes. So this last session was my Roxy moment, with all my boys and fun surf. The hot sun on my skin, the cool tropical water, the blue waves, the back drop of palm trees and rice fields. Yes, yes...it was a very memorable day.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Besakih
The oldest palace in all of Bali. The mother temple. An hour away from Amlapura by scooter. My friend Made Nanag offered to take me there. Funny story, but I first met Nanag three years ago on the beach here at the local fishing village. He is a driver for one of the local businesses. Three years ago, one afternoon I was meditating on the black sand beach. I had my eyes closed at the time, just taking in everything and trying to just be in the moment. I could feel someone around me...it's funny how you notice that energy. You just know that someone is there. I opened my eyes and there were two little children in front of me. Like two deer in the headlights. They were only 3-5 years old. But they were so curious. As soon as we made eye contact, they ran away to there father...Nanag. So we started talking about meditation and where I was from. Three years later he catches me on the same beach meditating. He just came out of nowhere. He immediately remembered me, and we talked again about meditation. I told him I wanted to go to Besakih, and with an hour we were on the road.
Getting to Besakih by scooter is alittle rough..but it's cheaper than hiring a driver. I love the feeling of being on the back of a scooter. It's so freeing. I am definetly going to purchase a scooter when I get home. On the way to the temple you get to see less touristy villages, tons of rice fields saturated in green, and the weather drastically changes. It's cooler, wetter, and the sun is not out all the time. It likes to play peek-abo. When we arrive to the temple we purchase some offerings for prayer and I immediately put on my sarong. There is a proper way to put on a sarong, but I always let a local show me how. It's really sweet. It's like being 5 again and your mom has to help you put on your sneakers.
This temple is big. It's the oldest. Every descendent on the island belongs to a clan, which has a smaller temple within the mother temple. Whenever there is cremation, the family of the clan comes to the mother temple to get holy water for the ceremony. No matter where you live on the island, you still come to the mother temple to get holy water for this ceremony. As we walk up the temple steps, each layer of the temple is designated to a god...shiva, then the highest...Brahman. Inside the temple we pray, then sprinkled with holy water, and annointed with rice at the temple and throat. I pray for everyone I can think of. All of you. My friends and my family. After that we headed to the very top of the temple. Brahman. Where I got a chance to meditate with Nanag, and pray again. This time, it felt much more from the core. We were blanketed by a nice layer of mist, being watched by a holy man, and had the audience of dogs and chickens. It's funny how the chickens and dogs are allowed in such a holy place....but then again, it is the order of nature. Animals, land and man must all somewhat co-exist.
After being haggled by some sad faced girl for a post card...(Besakih is after all a big tourist destination and the locals know this)we headed home. I was exhausted. The extreme change in temperatures and all the wind, made me exhausted. I was ready for a nap. Said goodbye to my friend, and then passed out in my nice warm bed under my mosquito net. It was a good day. I love Bali.
Tirta Ganga
The old water palace of Karagasem of Bali. Blackie Montana and I went on an adventure. I've known Blackie for three years now. Time flies. I like to tease him and call him Casanova, because he let his hair grow out since the last time I saw him, which was in February.
Before we hit up the water palace, I was on a misson to try to find a really cool ring for my grandmother at Budhakeling. The old jewelry district of Bali. Apparently the tour guide book is wrong. There is no abundance of jewels. Apparently I need to go to Gianyar, which is too far. Oh, well. Next time. So, then we hit the road to Tirta Ganga. The last Rajan of Karangasem built the elaborate water palace as his weekend retreat. Complete with views of Mount Agung, and the ocean. Tucked away amongst all the rice fields. It is beautiful. The pools of cool fresh water are rejuvenating against the intense tropical heat. Did I mention that there are little fish swimming with you. Apparently they clean the water and filter all the moss that grows in there. The water tastes really fresh. Blackie and I played cards, went for a swim, and just bull shitted around. It was fun. As good as his english is, we still have a good laugh at the language barrier. He's a good friend, great surfer, and always has a smile on his face. He's always encouraging me to push myself out in the line up and is happy to watch me catch waves. Secretly though...sometimes, I think he just likes to watch me eat shit on a big wave and come up with big gogglie eyes.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Ceremony
Ceremony. Ahhhhhhh……what to expect. Not sure when Taman invited me to the ceremony at the local temple, here in the village. I have known Taman for three years….we met at the Homestay here, the very first time I arrived in Bali. Taman and I are like two little kids. Every time I see Taman I give her the biggest hug I can muster up. She is my Balinese sister. Her smile is very big and very warm. She is a like a mother to many people here. She is 37, never married, and no kids. She takes such good care of her family, and is very much needed. Her english is very good, although we have a good chuckle every now about our language barriers. I think you can tell the life she leads, by looking at her face. The stress, long working hours and family responsibility has aged her faster than the natural cycle of time. You can tell a person’s life sometimes by simply looking at there face. A person’s face says a lot. The complexion, the color, and the eyes. The eyes say a lot.
Life is hard here. There is a pecking order. It is known and accepted. The Balinese accept there social status with grace. Last night Made asked me if I ever get sad. They see me as a very happy person. I told them that I am very happy….what good does it do me to be sad. Life is very short. But on the other side of that, he was looking for a way for us to relate….for me to seem more real, perhaps and as equals. I told him that I do get sad, and I do get lonely. That sometimes the stress can make me sad, very tired and depressed. I meditate when I have my dark times and I pray when I do not know the answer to a situation. I wanted him to understand that money does not ensure you never get sad, that you never feel the stress of life. Right now Made is going through a tough time. His wife fainted the other day, and no one seems to know why. It has never happened before, although she does struggle with health issues. I will have to say a prayer for her when I go to Besakih; the mother temple of Bali, one of the oldest and original temples on the island. If there is anyone you want me to say a prayer for, please let me know and I will when I get to the temple.
Back to ceremony with Taman. So, Taman (which means garden) arrived at 5:30pm, and we needed to be at the temple at 6pm. You have to bathe before going to ceremony. She brought with her a lace top, a sarong, a sash and a corset..or girdle. Yes, a girdle. We had a good laugh trying to squeeze me into her girdle. It was the first time in my life I have ever felt FAT! That word does not exist in my vocab. Bloated does, but never fat. The hidden secret of the Balinese women, to have that perfect coca cola bottle figure is a girdle or corset. Yes, people, they wear sophisticated lingerie under all that traditional garb. First you put on the sarong, then the girdle, then the lace top and then the sash to hide the girdle. I did mention that the top was lace right. I didn’t mention that my bra was black. You could see right through my top! I was so embarrassed. There was no time to color coordinate my bra. I was mortified that I had to go to ceremony in front of the entire village in my lacey green see through top with my black bra. I hid behind Taman every chance I got. Had I had just five more minutes of time, I could have thrown on a more subtle selection. Of course she assured me that she goes in her bra all the time, and that it was okay to see my bra….yeah, but she also mentioned that she wears a more natural option. So of course she wouldn’t feel like some scandelous tourist. There was no way in hell I was going to go to the front of the audience to take a picture of all the women dancing. No way!
The women were amazing. All ages, making two rows into the temple, dancing there way towards the front to make an offering or say a prayer. Even the little ones ages 11 had a corset on…the becoming of age. Even the 8 year old participated in this dance. The precision and movement of there hands suggested that this knowledge was implanted at birth. After then women are finished, then men dance. A different dance, men of all ages, young and old. Everyone is sitting on the dirt floor cramped together. Children, and seniors…watching and waiting. Even during ceremony at the temple, you can tell who has more money. The traditional attire is the same, long sleeve top with sarong and sash for the women….button down collared shirt with sarong and sash for the men. They also wear a hat. If you look closer at the sarong, it says a lot. You have batik, ikat and songkit (I think this is what it is called, could be mistaken). Silk, cotton, and polyester. The sarong with gold thread woven into the pattern is very expensive (songkit), so you know that this person may come from money. Silk alone is also very expensive. Just to give you an idea of the income levels here, many people only make $80/ month, and that is with a really good job. My friend Komang is a dive master and makes about $80/month. I would say that everyone else makes a lot less. Maybe only $2/ day. I think a songkit sarong costs about 350,000 Rupia, which is $35/ USD.
After the dancing there is prayer. We pray 5 or six times. I pray for everyone and everything. The feeling you have being surrounded by so much love is amazing. It’s very special. It’s a soft gentle love. Not strong and over powering. It’s very nurturing to be here in Bali. Bali has an even tighter grasp of my heart. After a while the language starts to feel very comforting, familiar and not so foreign. I think the reason why I love Bali so much, is the connection to family and to spirit. The two most important things in my life. The things that make me whole, without them, I do not know my place in the world and that is the same for the Balinese.
I wanted to hang onto this moment forever. I wanted to savor everything around me; the dirt floor, the old brick temple with the contrast of gold and saturated color of the people. The quiet night sky. Inside the temple the sound of scooters disappears. Everyone is here. There is nowhere else to be. At the end of the ceremony we are blessed with holy water and rice. You are sprinkled with water and then you must put rice on your throat and your forehead. Rice is sacred. In a single grain of rice you hold life and all this is holy. This was my first ceremony, and I recon…not my last.
Life is hard here. There is a pecking order. It is known and accepted. The Balinese accept there social status with grace. Last night Made asked me if I ever get sad. They see me as a very happy person. I told them that I am very happy….what good does it do me to be sad. Life is very short. But on the other side of that, he was looking for a way for us to relate….for me to seem more real, perhaps and as equals. I told him that I do get sad, and I do get lonely. That sometimes the stress can make me sad, very tired and depressed. I meditate when I have my dark times and I pray when I do not know the answer to a situation. I wanted him to understand that money does not ensure you never get sad, that you never feel the stress of life. Right now Made is going through a tough time. His wife fainted the other day, and no one seems to know why. It has never happened before, although she does struggle with health issues. I will have to say a prayer for her when I go to Besakih; the mother temple of Bali, one of the oldest and original temples on the island. If there is anyone you want me to say a prayer for, please let me know and I will when I get to the temple.
Back to ceremony with Taman. So, Taman (which means garden) arrived at 5:30pm, and we needed to be at the temple at 6pm. You have to bathe before going to ceremony. She brought with her a lace top, a sarong, a sash and a corset..or girdle. Yes, a girdle. We had a good laugh trying to squeeze me into her girdle. It was the first time in my life I have ever felt FAT! That word does not exist in my vocab. Bloated does, but never fat. The hidden secret of the Balinese women, to have that perfect coca cola bottle figure is a girdle or corset. Yes, people, they wear sophisticated lingerie under all that traditional garb. First you put on the sarong, then the girdle, then the lace top and then the sash to hide the girdle. I did mention that the top was lace right. I didn’t mention that my bra was black. You could see right through my top! I was so embarrassed. There was no time to color coordinate my bra. I was mortified that I had to go to ceremony in front of the entire village in my lacey green see through top with my black bra. I hid behind Taman every chance I got. Had I had just five more minutes of time, I could have thrown on a more subtle selection. Of course she assured me that she goes in her bra all the time, and that it was okay to see my bra….yeah, but she also mentioned that she wears a more natural option. So of course she wouldn’t feel like some scandelous tourist. There was no way in hell I was going to go to the front of the audience to take a picture of all the women dancing. No way!
The women were amazing. All ages, making two rows into the temple, dancing there way towards the front to make an offering or say a prayer. Even the little ones ages 11 had a corset on…the becoming of age. Even the 8 year old participated in this dance. The precision and movement of there hands suggested that this knowledge was implanted at birth. After then women are finished, then men dance. A different dance, men of all ages, young and old. Everyone is sitting on the dirt floor cramped together. Children, and seniors…watching and waiting. Even during ceremony at the temple, you can tell who has more money. The traditional attire is the same, long sleeve top with sarong and sash for the women….button down collared shirt with sarong and sash for the men. They also wear a hat. If you look closer at the sarong, it says a lot. You have batik, ikat and songkit (I think this is what it is called, could be mistaken). Silk, cotton, and polyester. The sarong with gold thread woven into the pattern is very expensive (songkit), so you know that this person may come from money. Silk alone is also very expensive. Just to give you an idea of the income levels here, many people only make $80/ month, and that is with a really good job. My friend Komang is a dive master and makes about $80/month. I would say that everyone else makes a lot less. Maybe only $2/ day. I think a songkit sarong costs about 350,000 Rupia, which is $35/ USD.
After the dancing there is prayer. We pray 5 or six times. I pray for everyone and everything. The feeling you have being surrounded by so much love is amazing. It’s very special. It’s a soft gentle love. Not strong and over powering. It’s very nurturing to be here in Bali. Bali has an even tighter grasp of my heart. After a while the language starts to feel very comforting, familiar and not so foreign. I think the reason why I love Bali so much, is the connection to family and to spirit. The two most important things in my life. The things that make me whole, without them, I do not know my place in the world and that is the same for the Balinese.
I wanted to hang onto this moment forever. I wanted to savor everything around me; the dirt floor, the old brick temple with the contrast of gold and saturated color of the people. The quiet night sky. Inside the temple the sound of scooters disappears. Everyone is here. There is nowhere else to be. At the end of the ceremony we are blessed with holy water and rice. You are sprinkled with water and then you must put rice on your throat and your forehead. Rice is sacred. In a single grain of rice you hold life and all this is holy. This was my first ceremony, and I recon…not my last.
Seminyak
Seminyak. So Seminyak is right up the street from Kuta, and Legian. Without sugar coating it…it’s basically more upscale,and is the melting pot of many expats from the 80’s early 90’s. If you start to read the local magazines, a lot of the articles revolve around successful business owners in Seminyak. Chef’s, Spa owners, jewelry designers, and models. Seminyak has nicer restaurants, more lounges, more modern art with island twist, and is a great place for shopping. I bought two big ass silver rings the other day before leaving Sanur. I knew I wasn’t going to be back and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to remember the name of this shop. I can’t help it. I take after my grandmother without a doubt. I can see her possibly wanting to steal my aquamarine ring. Just to give you an idea….the stone is the size of maybe a silver dollar???? Gotta love it. It’s a lot of bling, and I don’t want to give the locals the wrong impression….like I am some rich tourist. Tourist yes….rich….depends on how you define rich….
In Seminyak you aren’t as hassled here. But you can still walk the main road and hit up a top resort/spa villa like Prana for yoga or a treatment…..and then you can walk a couple more feet and hit up the local beauty salon. I kinda like a mixture of both. I’ve paid big bucks for a treatment at one of the more popular spa’s and then the next week, gone to a local salon for a manicure. I like them both equally, but I think you are just paying more for the atmosphere. I could be wrong, but the people are equally as nice and hospitable. I’ve also visited a local vegetarian joint. The food was really good, and had a mediteranian twist. My favorite! Hummus, taboule, pita and falafel. The small local joints can still co-exhisit here. I don’t think that will be here in the next 5-10 years. I think they might get pushed out by new development. A lot of development is happening in Bali. In 15 years this place will be very different. Lots of money is coming in here. It will be interesting to see how the locals react to modernization. What everyone about this island could get squashed out….it’s funny how we can love something so much and still kill it
In Seminyak you aren’t as hassled here. But you can still walk the main road and hit up a top resort/spa villa like Prana for yoga or a treatment…..and then you can walk a couple more feet and hit up the local beauty salon. I kinda like a mixture of both. I’ve paid big bucks for a treatment at one of the more popular spa’s and then the next week, gone to a local salon for a manicure. I like them both equally, but I think you are just paying more for the atmosphere. I could be wrong, but the people are equally as nice and hospitable. I’ve also visited a local vegetarian joint. The food was really good, and had a mediteranian twist. My favorite! Hummus, taboule, pita and falafel. The small local joints can still co-exhisit here. I don’t think that will be here in the next 5-10 years. I think they might get pushed out by new development. A lot of development is happening in Bali. In 15 years this place will be very different. Lots of money is coming in here. It will be interesting to see how the locals react to modernization. What everyone about this island could get squashed out….it’s funny how we can love something so much and still kill it
Kuta Kuta
Shitty pictures. It’s really not a good idea to purchase a new camera right before a big trip. The sun here is something to battle. Not only to make sure you don’t burn the hell out of your skin, but also not to over expose your pictures. I have been playing around with my camera a lot lately, and nothing seems to come out satisfactory. Everything looks like a 5 year old could have done better. Blurry, over exposed, and intense sun…Today I went out to the point to work with my housing unit and play with the camera settings. Some of the local kids were out in the water surfing and I always like to try to get pictures of the kids from under the wave; behind the take off, under the water. It’s really pretty to see the wave shape from this point of view and also the fins of the boards as they go down the line. Once the camera is in the housing unit, it’s really a pain in the ass to make any adjustments. It’s like going back to a single point and shoot. No adjusting once you’re in the water. So, I think it’s time to put money into something I will actually be satisfied with. Capturing everything on this trip will have to live inside my brain and hopefully like a movie, I can call on the experience with vivid expression.
Last week I went to Kuta. I don’t really care for Kuta. It’s great for people watching, and it is a great tourist trap or destination…but I think Kuta is kinda trashy. Going to Kuta reminds me of going to the mall. Stores with all the popular name brands (Ripcurl, Billabong, Paul Smith, Sanuk), cheap discounts, all the mainstream tourist crap, loud music, and entertaining shiny things at every corner. People from all walks of life spewing from every street, looking for something to keep them satisfied. Girls with braided hair and bikinis. Tons of the surf crowd in the usual uniform…board shorts, sunglasses, and a Bintang tank top. You can have everything you want. Kuta beach reminds me of Baywatch. Massive amounts of people sun bathing on the beach. When I arrived, I actually had no idea what I was getting myself into. The lifeguards in speedos, and sunglasses. It’s actually interesting to watch…..how a speedo changes a man….how a man puffs up his chest, sticks out his ass and finds a very specific stance in order to make the best impression on the sun bathing tourists. Don’t forget about all the tattoos and cigarettes. Being asked to buy something, or get a massage. There’s no escaping it, unless you retreat Kuta all together. But that’s a lot of Bali. Nusa Lembogan is different.
I walked around Kuta for a bit. Trying to find a couple dive shops, but gave up after an hour. The buildings are much taller, making it harder to navigate through the tight streets. I had no idea where I was going. Plus, Kuta caters to the surf crowd, not the likes of the dive crowd. So being there to represent the Bali Reef Project for volunteer support…seemed like a waste of my time. To enjoy Kuta, I think you need to have a beer in hand, possibly a cigarette in the other, and a posse of your closest friends. A couple of the locals were surprised to hear that I didn’t have fun or enjoy Kuta. Why? I can do the same thing at home. Get wasted, go dancing, flirt with men. Why? So I can say that I experienced Kuta, like it’s some Bali right of passage. It all depends on what you are into. The real Bali cannot be found in Kuta. Kuta is Disneyland for the tourists. It’s like when people come to the US from Europe and they head straight to Hollywood, or go to Vegas, or take there kids to Disneyland. It’s just the thing to do. Someone else can live my Kuta experience for me. I think Seminyak is more my style for drinks and entertainment if that’s what you’re craving.
Last week I went to Kuta. I don’t really care for Kuta. It’s great for people watching, and it is a great tourist trap or destination…but I think Kuta is kinda trashy. Going to Kuta reminds me of going to the mall. Stores with all the popular name brands (Ripcurl, Billabong, Paul Smith, Sanuk), cheap discounts, all the mainstream tourist crap, loud music, and entertaining shiny things at every corner. People from all walks of life spewing from every street, looking for something to keep them satisfied. Girls with braided hair and bikinis. Tons of the surf crowd in the usual uniform…board shorts, sunglasses, and a Bintang tank top. You can have everything you want. Kuta beach reminds me of Baywatch. Massive amounts of people sun bathing on the beach. When I arrived, I actually had no idea what I was getting myself into. The lifeguards in speedos, and sunglasses. It’s actually interesting to watch…..how a speedo changes a man….how a man puffs up his chest, sticks out his ass and finds a very specific stance in order to make the best impression on the sun bathing tourists. Don’t forget about all the tattoos and cigarettes. Being asked to buy something, or get a massage. There’s no escaping it, unless you retreat Kuta all together. But that’s a lot of Bali. Nusa Lembogan is different.
I walked around Kuta for a bit. Trying to find a couple dive shops, but gave up after an hour. The buildings are much taller, making it harder to navigate through the tight streets. I had no idea where I was going. Plus, Kuta caters to the surf crowd, not the likes of the dive crowd. So being there to represent the Bali Reef Project for volunteer support…seemed like a waste of my time. To enjoy Kuta, I think you need to have a beer in hand, possibly a cigarette in the other, and a posse of your closest friends. A couple of the locals were surprised to hear that I didn’t have fun or enjoy Kuta. Why? I can do the same thing at home. Get wasted, go dancing, flirt with men. Why? So I can say that I experienced Kuta, like it’s some Bali right of passage. It all depends on what you are into. The real Bali cannot be found in Kuta. Kuta is Disneyland for the tourists. It’s like when people come to the US from Europe and they head straight to Hollywood, or go to Vegas, or take there kids to Disneyland. It’s just the thing to do. Someone else can live my Kuta experience for me. I think Seminyak is more my style for drinks and entertainment if that’s what you’re craving.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Lion's breath
So, I have been feeling much better. My body has almost returned to a healthier state, but my soul feels tired. I decided to take a yoga class. I couldn't deny that part of me that searches for a spiritual connection, and its hard to quiet the mind amongst so many distractions in the city. I haven't done any yoga for the past 6 months. I used to take class at work every Tuesday and Thursday for a full year. I also used to meditate regularly as well, but I just haven't been making the time for it. Being a person of such a sensitive nature, meditation helps me feel much more grounded and on track. To go to a place that lives deeper within the body, and to come home.
I spontaneously took a taxi to Prana Villa for a vinyasa yoga class. Prana is a beautiful Hindu inspired luxury resort. The yoga studio was huge, dimmly lit with incense, star windows, a giant ganesh, and star shapped lanterns. Almost like you have been transported to India. My instructor, Amanda who was this blonde, fit, tan quirky Aussie with a sultry commanding voiced, seemed to read me instantly. It's like she could read my face that I was pale. I wasn't glowing. My soul like a flame, was very dim. It was funny....she called me her angel warrior. How can someone be an angel and a warrior at the same time? Not sure, but it does sum up my mission here in Bali. Right away she had me lay on the mat, on my back and put a bolster under my rib cage...to open my heart chakra. Perfect. Just what I needed. I was starting to close myself off. Did I mention that Amanda makes these insane breathing noises. If you close your eyes it almost sounds like she's orgasiming...or in labor...or weighting lifting. Inside I was tickled with laughter and I felt embarrassed to actually allow myself to breath the same...but then she introduced me to lion's breath. I could tell I was holding back from the experience, and like I said...Amanda seemed to know it as well. She could read me like a book. I knew she was going to bring it out of me. The life breath, that we hold inside until it is stuck building up in our throats until we can't hold it in anymore.
Going from downward dog and into Lion's breath. Holding your head down towards your navel, and taking a deep breath....then letting it out like a soft roar. Allowing all the muscles in your mouth to let go, open up wide and let this breath come from the pit of your belly. It felt really good. I could picture myself as a lionness. Roaring after a kill on the sahara. Letting out all that you are holding in, that is dimming my flame.
After 45 more mintues of some serious vinyasa flow yoga, and sweating profusely, I was a new person. Stronger, self assured, re-energized, and glowing. I had come home.
So the reason I share this story is because I feel that meditation and yoga may have a place for everyone in all walks of life. Really good yoga instructors are like nurses. They nuture the soul and the body that you have chosen as your vessile in this life. Yoga is the body and soul connection. The life breath that flows through the soul ,becoming life force and energy you share with the world.
No matter how far we may travel from home in the physical sense, there is a way to find our way home within ourselves. This is what this experience reminds me. The body that houses the soul. Welcome home.
I spontaneously took a taxi to Prana Villa for a vinyasa yoga class. Prana is a beautiful Hindu inspired luxury resort. The yoga studio was huge, dimmly lit with incense, star windows, a giant ganesh, and star shapped lanterns. Almost like you have been transported to India. My instructor, Amanda who was this blonde, fit, tan quirky Aussie with a sultry commanding voiced, seemed to read me instantly. It's like she could read my face that I was pale. I wasn't glowing. My soul like a flame, was very dim. It was funny....she called me her angel warrior. How can someone be an angel and a warrior at the same time? Not sure, but it does sum up my mission here in Bali. Right away she had me lay on the mat, on my back and put a bolster under my rib cage...to open my heart chakra. Perfect. Just what I needed. I was starting to close myself off. Did I mention that Amanda makes these insane breathing noises. If you close your eyes it almost sounds like she's orgasiming...or in labor...or weighting lifting. Inside I was tickled with laughter and I felt embarrassed to actually allow myself to breath the same...but then she introduced me to lion's breath. I could tell I was holding back from the experience, and like I said...Amanda seemed to know it as well. She could read me like a book. I knew she was going to bring it out of me. The life breath, that we hold inside until it is stuck building up in our throats until we can't hold it in anymore.
Going from downward dog and into Lion's breath. Holding your head down towards your navel, and taking a deep breath....then letting it out like a soft roar. Allowing all the muscles in your mouth to let go, open up wide and let this breath come from the pit of your belly. It felt really good. I could picture myself as a lionness. Roaring after a kill on the sahara. Letting out all that you are holding in, that is dimming my flame.
After 45 more mintues of some serious vinyasa flow yoga, and sweating profusely, I was a new person. Stronger, self assured, re-energized, and glowing. I had come home.
So the reason I share this story is because I feel that meditation and yoga may have a place for everyone in all walks of life. Really good yoga instructors are like nurses. They nuture the soul and the body that you have chosen as your vessile in this life. Yoga is the body and soul connection. The life breath that flows through the soul ,becoming life force and energy you share with the world.
No matter how far we may travel from home in the physical sense, there is a way to find our way home within ourselves. This is what this experience reminds me. The body that houses the soul. Welcome home.
quick update
Just a couple of things....
My last day with BRP is Saturday. I leave Sanur Sunday to have some time to explore more of Bali on my own. I plan to go to the mother temple, a village that makes jewelry, and also the water palace.
I fly home October 9th.
I just found out that my sister Elizabeth is going to have another baby boy!!! Gonna be an auntie again. I already knew I was going to be an auntie, but am very happy to find out today that I will have another nephew. Can't hold back the tears. Really happy to hear this. Can't wait to go home to see how big she has gotten. Or not....sorry pinky.
I was not affected by the earthquake in Sumatra, I am safe and sound. No need to worry. All on Bali are saying prayers for the families of those that were lost. I didn't feel a thing. No need to contact the consulat...
My last day with BRP is Saturday. I leave Sanur Sunday to have some time to explore more of Bali on my own. I plan to go to the mother temple, a village that makes jewelry, and also the water palace.
I fly home October 9th.
I just found out that my sister Elizabeth is going to have another baby boy!!! Gonna be an auntie again. I already knew I was going to be an auntie, but am very happy to find out today that I will have another nephew. Can't hold back the tears. Really happy to hear this. Can't wait to go home to see how big she has gotten. Or not....sorry pinky.
I was not affected by the earthquake in Sumatra, I am safe and sound. No need to worry. All on Bali are saying prayers for the families of those that were lost. I didn't feel a thing. No need to contact the consulat...
A New Reef in Sanur
On Wednesday morning 40 volunteers dropped a new reef in Sanur Bay. 8 people to drop the 8ft x 10ft dome structure. 8 people to clean up algage on the existing coral reef in the area. 6 people to collect coral polyps from exisiting healthy reefs. Then everyone including myself took turns attaching the polyps onto the cage. I was under the water for 80 mintues and in 20 feet of water. I was soooooooo nervous. This was actually my first real open water dive outside of my certification process. It didn't help that all of my gauges were in meteric system. All I knew was that I had to surface when I started to hit the red line for my air supply. I wasn't worried anyways. I knew if I ran out of air I could swim to the surface with ease. It was only 20ft. It's like being in the deep end of the swimming pool. I was only scared about looking like a complete rookie in front of all the others. Everyone else was a dive master. Plus I really didn't want to stir up sediment, which limits visability and we had a couple of under water photgraphers with us that day.
As I did a back roll off the boat into the water, I felt myself get tuned in. Sasha our marine biologist kept a good eye on me. I think he was really surprised that I was very new to diving, and here I was trying to rally people together to save the reefs and build a new one. It's like someone talking you into taking skydiving and then you are on the plane ready to jump and you learn that it's there first time too! So funny. I like surprising people like that. It's just fun. Sometimes in life you will never be fully prepared for things, but you just gotta dive right in and learn the ropes. Naturally I am like a fish to water, so that helps alot and I did really well. I just watched from a distance, followed our marine biologist around trying to see what he was up to while the others collected coral. I was on the coral polyp team. Took lots of pictures. Saw lots of puffer fish, starfish, angel fish, black and white sea snakes, eels, coral, algae and other fish. Stayed very far away from the sea snakes, although they kind of appear out of nowhere. I saw one right at Sasha's feet, but he didn't pay any attention. I think they're poisonous?
Anyhoo, thank god I had my gloves on. Kevin got me these motor cross gloves by THOR because I had run out of time trying to find some gloves. I didn't want to buy a pair of diving gloves for tropical water, and I needed some gloves to handle the sharp coral. The coral actually feels sticky like velcro and wants to stick to your gloves. I must say that these gloves look pretty tough on me. Like I am going to go beat someone up. I love it. The gloves are handy because they also keep me from bouncing all over the reef and breaking off more coral than I was trying to save. This way I could use my finger tips to gently navigate myself through the water and I can easliy handle the coral polyp's for the cage. I must say that I did really good and hardly needed to touch anything. It's a good thing cause I was trying to take a picture of the existing artifical reefs and a little fish came up and bit me. What's up with that. It's like a two year old. Always having to put something in there mouth to see what it is. Gimme a break. These fish bite, they aren't afraid of some goofy woman in a scuba suit 500 times there size. I could almost feel the little mouth through my gloves.
At one point there were 10 people surrounding the cage to attach the coral. You have to move fast because you are running out of air with each breath. After a couple of people took off I decided to give it a try...despite my fear of starting a sand storm and stirring up sediment. I didn't come all this way to sit on the sidelines and watch. After a couple of pieces into it, I was a pro. Easy. Got in a good 20 mintues of coral on the cage before having to surface. Once I had surfaced I looked over and saw Ena. Ena is one of the founders of Bali Reef Project. It was so good to see him smile so big. Being the boss of Ena dive, you hardly see pure joy on the man's face. But it was just he and I, swimming back to the boat. It was the first time I actually felt that he let his guard down, and let me in. Giggling and laughing our way back to the boat. A rare moment that I will cherish. It was a good day.
ps, I get some pictures up later. : )
As I did a back roll off the boat into the water, I felt myself get tuned in. Sasha our marine biologist kept a good eye on me. I think he was really surprised that I was very new to diving, and here I was trying to rally people together to save the reefs and build a new one. It's like someone talking you into taking skydiving and then you are on the plane ready to jump and you learn that it's there first time too! So funny. I like surprising people like that. It's just fun. Sometimes in life you will never be fully prepared for things, but you just gotta dive right in and learn the ropes. Naturally I am like a fish to water, so that helps alot and I did really well. I just watched from a distance, followed our marine biologist around trying to see what he was up to while the others collected coral. I was on the coral polyp team. Took lots of pictures. Saw lots of puffer fish, starfish, angel fish, black and white sea snakes, eels, coral, algae and other fish. Stayed very far away from the sea snakes, although they kind of appear out of nowhere. I saw one right at Sasha's feet, but he didn't pay any attention. I think they're poisonous?
Anyhoo, thank god I had my gloves on. Kevin got me these motor cross gloves by THOR because I had run out of time trying to find some gloves. I didn't want to buy a pair of diving gloves for tropical water, and I needed some gloves to handle the sharp coral. The coral actually feels sticky like velcro and wants to stick to your gloves. I must say that these gloves look pretty tough on me. Like I am going to go beat someone up. I love it. The gloves are handy because they also keep me from bouncing all over the reef and breaking off more coral than I was trying to save. This way I could use my finger tips to gently navigate myself through the water and I can easliy handle the coral polyp's for the cage. I must say that I did really good and hardly needed to touch anything. It's a good thing cause I was trying to take a picture of the existing artifical reefs and a little fish came up and bit me. What's up with that. It's like a two year old. Always having to put something in there mouth to see what it is. Gimme a break. These fish bite, they aren't afraid of some goofy woman in a scuba suit 500 times there size. I could almost feel the little mouth through my gloves.
At one point there were 10 people surrounding the cage to attach the coral. You have to move fast because you are running out of air with each breath. After a couple of people took off I decided to give it a try...despite my fear of starting a sand storm and stirring up sediment. I didn't come all this way to sit on the sidelines and watch. After a couple of pieces into it, I was a pro. Easy. Got in a good 20 mintues of coral on the cage before having to surface. Once I had surfaced I looked over and saw Ena. Ena is one of the founders of Bali Reef Project. It was so good to see him smile so big. Being the boss of Ena dive, you hardly see pure joy on the man's face. But it was just he and I, swimming back to the boat. It was the first time I actually felt that he let his guard down, and let me in. Giggling and laughing our way back to the boat. A rare moment that I will cherish. It was a good day.
ps, I get some pictures up later. : )
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