Note: I’m posting this from Vienna. I’m at my school’s directors’ house until I can move into my new residence room this afternoon. OMG! What a difference high speed Internet makes. I’ve just uploaded in 10 minutes what took me over 24 hours and several retries in Bali!
More Drive-Bys:
After a month inland in Ubud, spending a couple of days near the ocean in Sanur was a great idea. Of course I spent half the drive there with my lens out the window having fun capturing images with a super high ISO that allowed high speed shooting without blur.
Lots of throw-aways, but plenty good ones to provide another glimpse at drive-by Bali.
It’s really amazing how many art galleries and statuary shops there are here– often dozens in a row for miles on end. It almost makes me wonder why I need to paint when there’s such great stuff out here for so cheap. Then I remember that I paint first and foremost for myself. My excellent driver Ketut ([email protected] ,mobile : +6285205506104 ) says that the artists in Ubud are suffering because of a chain of humongous 24-hour art supermarkets called Hare Krishna, that have opened up around the island. He says they’re really busy at all hours. Unfortunately, Ubud, the traditional cultural center of the country, is no longer attracting as many art buyers because of it.
Kolonial House:
Here’s a good example of how expectations and assumptions can lead to disappointment – at first, anyway. In the end, it all turned out great. When I got to Sanur, I was surprised that Kolonial House wasn’t closer to the beach, on the same property as the Power of Now Yoga Oasis. They’re owned by the same people and they advertised them as being 5 minutes apart. I imagined a walk through gardens or on a sandy property between the guest house and yoga space. The first time I walked it, however, it took more like 20+ minutes along a few streets, through a parking lot, and a short alley of vendors with their “Please madame, come look at my shop” pleas. My idea of walking in peace and beauty from my room to the beach in my bathing suit quickly disappeared. I soon figured out, however, that there was a shortcut through the luxury Mercure Resort – not quite 5 minutes, but close.
When I emailed the yoga centre looking for peaceful yet affordable accommodation recommendations, they also gave me the names of several nearby places to check out. I took them up on that after I saw Kolonial House’s Standard Room at $50/night (quite expensive for Bali). It was right against the street and because it was built to buffer sound, it lacked natural light. My heart sank when I walked in and my throat ceased up as it had just been fogged against mosquitoes. The smell was really strong, so I decided to go exploring other places. It was hot at high noon and nothing felt quite right (price, location, my mood, etc.) What can I say, I’m a budget traveler with a need of peace, quiet, and comfort. Not sure why I was feeling so fussy, but I was. It happens. Transitions aren’t always the easiest for me, even if I’ve lived on several continents and across Canada.
After spending time looking around and gathering information at the Power of Now Yoga Oasis on the beach, I was overheating. When I returned to Kolonial House, Putu, the manager, took one look at me and brought me to the very back of the resort to a small pointed thatched roof private bungalow in a secluded area and offered it to me at the same price as their Standard Room. What a relief and such a blessing. It was actually smaller than the room by the street, but the feng shui of it felt great – even the outdoor washroom in the back appealed to me for some strange reason. As you can see in the photos, the pool was right in front of it and also a large private living room and a small kitchen (not in photo). Thanks Putu! Funny thing is that I’m actually writing this blog from the first room (as they let me stay hours past check-out as I flew out at 10pm, but my second room had already been booked) and today it feels great – spacious, clean, etc. It just goes to show how we can (OK, I can) stress myself for no good reason at times.
Anyhow, I did enjoy my private room at the back. I also enjoyed the pool shared by the few occupants within that secluded area. I even enjoyed the outdoor washroom. I was glad, however, that after my first swim, I initially kept my bathing suit on. I ended up making eye contact with the young men who clean the place – they were taking their break on the 2nd floor of the building opposite. It’s a strange feeling making eye contact with strangers during your shower… I have no idea what went through their minds though as I’ve talked about the difference in privacy bubbles here in Bali. They may not have been peeping Toms. All I know is that I only finished my shower once they had moved on. I’m also not sure how I felt after I found them rummaging through my garbage after I had moved out of my room. I could understand them checking to see why I threw out an umbrella (which had stabbed me a few times too many with its several broken spokes). I couldn’t understand why they had retrieved and what they may be saying about my discarded sketches from the life drawing session back in Ubud. Again – perverts or appreciators of the level of drawings I judged worthy of the trash. Hmmm…. I choose to take it as a compliment as I’ll never know. Again, the mind is in control of perceptions and can make a huge difference in our experience. So that decides it. These two young men were simply appreciators of true beauty 🙂 .
Creatures:
The washroom was actually very nice with its bamboo trees, stone sculptures, and new fixtures. Thank goodness, the fogging at Kolonial House seemed to work – I didn’t see any mosquitoes. It is odd though to take one’s clothes off outside at all hours after spending a month covering up to protect against both the sun and disease-baring mosquitoes. As I sat down for my morning business at 5am on Sunday (with the dim but warm illumination of a tungsten light bulb), I got pleasantly distracted by the beauty of my surroundings and its natural sounds (excluding mine). I had gotten quite used to the movement of adorable little geckos everywhere– love them and the fact they eat bugs. This time, however, I enjoyed watching toads of various sizes jump around. Did you know they climb walls? I sure didn’t. Straight up, just like geckos. Impressive! I wondered why they hadn’t made a comic superhero called Toadman…
The second morning though, still in the dark, I wasn’t so excited. You see, the night before, on my way to the kitchen in the other part of the complex to refill my water bottle, I’d made eye contact with one of four big rats that scurried up from somewhere below. As our eyes locked, I recalled an article I’d read in the English Sanur newspaper the day before about the epidemic of rabies and the consequent euthanasia of dozens of purebred dogs that people had tried to smuggle into Bali. Poor dogs. Anyhow, the thought of rabid rats certainly took my mind off mosquitoes as I myself scurried in the dark to do my business. Every little toad became a huge hairy rat with blazing red eyes…. it was early! Hee hee.
There’s one more creature worth mentioning here. On my last afternoon, I went to the Flames restaurant across the street from the Mercure resort. I had already packed and just wanted a quick lunch before doing some writing. As I walked upstairs, my eye caught a movement in a nearby tree and I gasped. It was a bat the size of a cat, almost within arm’s reach to one of the tables. I could see its crew-cut hairstyle and perky little ears. This fruit bat, it turns out, hangs out there (yes, pun intended) every day and is named Rasta (not sure if there’s a link to Reggae music or not). I took lots of pictures of it as it did its yoga – constantly in slow movement, hanging from both feet, or a combination of a foot and a wing, each equipped with a long hook. I felt scared, yet excited. It seemed to be fanning itself or doing some sort of devotional heart pounding with one of its wing. I was surprised it wasn’t sleeping since it was daytime – can’t say I’m an expert on bats though. I also thought they were blind, so when I decided to use my flash, I was shocked that it cranked its head backward and made full eye contact with me through the lens. A bit of a déjà vu from the night before. A bit freaky. After that, I left it in peace, but kept observing it from a few tables back, alone on the terrace. I wanted to shout to tourists walking by below on their way back to the Mercure luxury resort – “Hey! You’ve got to come see this bat!” Instead, I’m sharing it here with you.
Sanur Beach:
I’ll be writing more about some of my experiences at The Power of Now Yoga Oasis in the next post. For now, I just want you to see how beautiful the beach and ocean are. I spent a few hours here on all 3 days. There are several resorts along the beach and each has its own area for lounge chairs in between the restaurants, spas, and water sport vendor booths.
These stretches of beach seem reserved for the tourists, each with its security guards. The first stretch of the beach, however, near the parking and food vendors, got quite crowded at times with Balinese families.
I enjoyed spending time here too, especially at the small pavilion at the end of the partition that divided the areas.
There, I could be in the shade and breeze while listening to the water, simply being or chatting with the locals, and watching the young tattoo-covered locals fishing. The tonal contrast of tattoos on darker skin isn’t as high as on white folks, but perhaps that I why I liked them better. The designs contributed to that feel too – same as on the old temples – gods and monsters mixed with modern imagery. Interesting. I’ve never been into tattoos, but I grew to appreciate them more here.
I’m sure some of the tourists never leave the resort areas– there’s a whole different world just steps away. I took the longer route home on my last day to find a crowd gathering for an organized cock fight. I didn’t stay to watch, but prayed that some Balinese woman wouldn’t lose her home because of it. I found out women can’t own property here. So if the husband gambles it away or passes away, they’re at high risk of being homeless. I hear it’s not so uncommon.
On Sunday morning, I was on the beach at 5:45am, in time to see the subtle pre-sunrise colours and observe workers cleaning the incredible amount of garbage that the tide had brought in (a mix of plastic bottles, food containers, and flip flops mixed in with the more natural prayer offerings and seaweed).
I liked walking there in semi-darkness, barely able to see the dozens of lumps on the beach – the sleeping dogs that would soon rise to play together before it got too hot. Later in the day, you’d find them motionless in holes they’d dug on the beach, under tables in restaurants, under boats or any other shady spot. One time, I admired a white one under a table at a restaurant in deep sleep despite my camera clicks nearby. When I looked a few minutes later, a couple was sitting at that table, but the dog hadn’t moved a muscle. I can only assume they had seen it. since it was inches from their feet. It didn’t seem to matter to anyone. Cool!
Early mornings also saw a change in mosquito brigades – from small bats that zoomed overhead to swallows or a similar small bird with a v-shaped tail. I do like my early mornings. (I’ll share more of my sunrise photos in my next post.)
By 7am, however, the light was already too bright and the sun too hot for me, so I made my way to the yoga center for my complimentary huge bowl of fruit, muesli, and yoghurt (not ayurvedically friendly for my out of balance Pita, but delicious nonetheless). I would then relax in a hammock or on a couch flipping through spiritual books opened at random for messages about love and fear – some very appropriate – before partaking in their programing (more on that in my next post).
If given a choice between living near a mountain or near the water, I’d definitely choose the water. As a Scorpio, I’m a water sign. No matter the reason or size of the body of water – it just soothes my soul …. despite the tsunami evacuation signs (they only scared me for a minute).
I am so grateful I chose to go to Sanur. It wasn’t part of my original very structured plan – but that may have made it even more special. Plus it was closer to the airport and didn’t add too much to the expenses of my trip. Yay! Ketut, the driver that had brought me here, who had been highly recommended by a friend, sent a relative for the taxi ride back to the airport – he got me to the airport nice and early.
Hiking and Cycling in the Czech Republic
/in My TravelsThursday May 8 was a holiday in the Czech Republic – Day of Liberation/ Victory – commemorating Hitler’s surrender and the end of WWII. It wasn’t a holiday in Austria, but when walking to school that day, I saw that they were preparing to celebrate it with a free outdoor Vienna Symphony Orchestra concert that evening.
Love Public Transportation Here:
I had to take an easy 3-subway ride to the bus station behind Stadion shopping centre, but I still preferred being early. Of course, I was the first one there. Soon, however, a big crowd had gathered for the 6:40am Student Agency bus to Brno (only $13 for a 2-hour drive). On board, I multitasked, watching a movie and keeping an eye on the gorgeous scenery outdoors: bright yellow canola fields, castles, and beautiful villages with those red tiled roofs that pull at my heart strings. Once in Brno, I took a train to Blansko (half an hour for $1.86). I used to do the Brno-Adamov route (one stop before Blansko) often when I lived there in the 90s and have always enjoyed it.
Veselice Tower:
After 8.5 km, we reached the 32 m iron observation tower in Veselice for a beautiful view of the surroundings.
Our friend Milan met us there and drove us back to Blansko, where he later joined the Karasek family and I for a delicious pizza dinner that unfortunately took more than an hour to make it to our table. We were starved! I did discover, however, that cumin chicken and sauerkraut make a great combination on pizza.
After partaking in a few famous Czech beers, however, Tonda asked his daughter Iva to pack his parachute for his jump the next day – a wise decision. I was asleep on the couch before they all left Iva’s living room.
Cycling in Lednice & Valtice:
Known for its flatness, this area is hugely popular for its cycling trails. The parking lots were already overflowing when we got there, but the crowds only added to the atmosphere. With over 100 km of trails, I even found myself alone with the birds at times (speaking of which, I saw a heron, storks, geese, swan, ducks, and I could swear it was a bald eagle, but they aren’t native to the Czech Republic, even if there’s an eagle on their coat of arms. … Wait, I just found photos on the Internet that someone took in Lednice at a birds of prey establishment, including that of a bald eagle in flight. I do believe I was right! I don’t always need to be right – I often prefer to be happy – but right and happy together make a wonderful combination) .
We cycled along country lanes, through forests, fields and villages, and next to fish ponds and vineyards. One of the delights of this UNESCO heritage site is the integration of ruins in nature. OK, so they were replicas – but when replicas were made in the early 1800s, that’s very old for a Canadian! The effect of this combination was quite magical!
After 21 kms, we arrived in the village of Valtice, another World Heritage site. We had lunch at an outdoor terrace and followed that up with ice cream next door. I could have spent a whole day just walking around this village with my camera. I actually didn’t bring my good camera. What you see here is a mix of photos from other people’s phones and small digital cameras – I borrowed Soňa’s 5MP school digital camera – fine for the Internet. The group would have had to wait even longer for me had I brought my good gear, but I plan to do so next time. I loved our day so much, we’re planning on going back in late June before I return to Canada. Trips like this, however, are making me think it might be a good idea to have a lightweight high quality point and shoot – my iPhone just isn’t cutting it these days. I’ll add a pro-worthy Nikon point-and-shoot to my manifestation list – that and I’m still looking for a perfect place to live when I return to St. John’s in July. For now, thank you to Soňa and Milan for adding your photos to this post.
By the end of the day, we had done 35 kilometers and had had another stop at a palace for raspberry crepes. Ah, life is good!
I learned this weekend that in this country long famous for its beer, even non-alcoholic versions are super popular – especially with drivers, athletes and children.
Back to Basics – Routines & Structures
/in Vienna - Life and Tourism, Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsBeing an entrepreneur takes discipline. So does being a student. I’ve learned with the years that I work extremely well within a structured routine, even if I’m guided to do so all around the world.
Now that I’m back in Austria and no longer a full time student at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Arts, it’s time I figure out what that routine will be. I have goals and have less than 2 months to meet them, and so I’m motivated. A good start.
After nursing a cold in bed on Saturday, I had to call on every ounce of motivation and energy to kick myself out of my new cozy apartment on Sunday. Discipline isn’t only required for work, but also for leisure. I can get into hermit mode much too easily and I didn’t think another sedentary day would be that good for my health.
It’s not like my time on the Internet this weekend was unproductive, however. I followed up on the recommendations given to me in the Eye of the Spirit workshop. My blue veiled lady reminded some of the participants of Modigliani’s work, so I looked him up.
I can see why – look at those noses. Seeing a great artist’s rendition of the human figure was comforting as I continue my own exploration of stylistic approaches to figures. I’m so not interested in painting photo realistic people. While researching, I found a really good movie about his life on YouTube (2004 -with Andy Garcia). That led to my finding one on Klimt (2006- with Malkovich). Artists’ lives can be so dramatic and depressing… they make for good movies though… As an aside, I also found a 3-hour movie based on a book from one of my favourite authors back in the 80s – Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon. The timing of that one was perfect for Beltane – the Gaelic May Day festival.
But as this great little video below (which was recommended on Facebook) reminded me, it was time to disconnect and reconnect.
So by 1pm on Sunday afternoon, I succeeded in forcing myself out of the house. To my great delight, I found out that one of my favourite spots in Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace’s extensive gardens, were only 1 hour’s walk away along just 3 streets – no subway tickets, transfers, or crowds. Great discovery! I walked there, spent an hour walking around and sitting in the gusty 15 degree sunshine, and walked back. I’m glad I had brought my iPhone for a few pics. It was too late for most flowering trees and too early for their impressive flower gardens, but gorgeous nonetheless.
Now it’s the workweek. Here’s my plan.
– Monday & Wednesday life drawing classes (4-6pm)
– special Sacred Codes lecture on the Gnostic Worldview (Thursday 6:30 – 8pm).
That’s my plan for the next 3 weeks before my week in Italy. Enough said – it’s time to get to it. Have a great week!
Austrian Homecoming – Friends, Culture & Nature
/in Vienna - Life and Tourism, Vienna Academy of Visionary ArtsI joined the group for a field trip to the Austrian countryside to visit Peter Gric, a famous visionary artist and nice guy. I recognized one of his pieces from the Phantastenmuseum, but knew nothing about his work (not surprising – I’m not one to know other artists much). I’d heard his name though – in class and even in Bali…
We had a great visit. Peter explained his process and demonstrated how he spends weeks creating worlds on the computer that he then collapses and studies as they’re collapsing. He can see the inside of the buildings he’s created from all sorts of angles and then decides on perspectives for paintings. I don’t do his process justice. It’s truly fascinating! Again, understanding the process and hearing him talk about it helped me appreciate his work even more. You can see some of the videos we watched on his YouTube channel.
After a few hours in his studio, we went for a hike up the nearby mountain. Beautiful views. It took a while for me to stop imagining I was looking at rice fields.
Power of Now Oasis in Sanur – Last Bali Post
/in My TravelsYOGA:
I definitely benefited from the 2 very different 8am yoga classes I chose. Since I was a guest at Kolonial House, the first one was free and the second at a reduced 80,000 Rupiah ($8 Cdn). Luckily, the open upper floor of their building was naturally breezy, and the fans added to the coolness there. On the first morning, Dana taught a movement, breathing, and meditation class to live music. I’ve long enjoyed hang drums – in this context, their music was just perfect.
On Monday, I participated in a pranayama hatha yoga class with Ibu Dayu, my massage therapist from the day before. This was a beautiful class and I plan to keep using two mudras (hand positions) I learned to help balance the 5 elements in the body. I can do this waiting around or whenever I have time – as long as I remember them – thank goodness I took pictures.
I wasn’t able to do all the yoga postures in class – nothing new there – partly due to the weather and partly to my own physical limitations (strength or nerve damage in my arms), but that didn’t matter. As the sign says at the entrance of the room, yoga is not a gymnastics competition. It’s about doing what’s right for ourselves. There are so many kinds of yoga and I believe that it can be extremely beneficial, especially when we find the a kind that resonates with us. After over 30 years of practicing on and off and trying dozens of styles, I definitely have my preferences.
SELF-DEFENSE WITH A SMILE:
In Scandanavia and most likely in other parts of the world as well, most aggressors (not robbers) know their victims and are violent out of fear. We don’t think of big strong men as scared of tiny women, but in the case of violence, they almost always are. They perceive that the actual victim is too powerful and want to assert control over that perceived power (whether it be a spouse or someone they see walk by every day). Helping potential aggressors feel comfortable around us is the first way to prevent violence. Basically, love is the answer – talking and listening to people – being accepting of them so that they never feel powerless. Just think of school shootings – if those kids had never felt rejected, they probably would have never acted out in such a violent way.
If things start to escalate, however, it’s often possible to stop a violent act by getting the person to sit down and talk – with a big smile. It’s also important to be ready for an emergency. After talking about various scenarios where violence exists in all age groups and situations, we then drilled some basic moves from a standing and sitting position that both surprises and disarms the person. Basically, lean in, go for the weak joints, twist them, and swing with the hips to bring them down. It took a while for me to get some of the moves which would require more practice, but when I did, I was able to bring down a very strong (and very attractive) guy.
As I had been reading the Sanur English newspaper downstairs before class, I asked about how safe it was to live or travel here in Bali. Hearing about the whole Kuta cowboy thing that went wrong (see a previous post) had also opened my eyes to a different side of Bali. In the paper, there was an article about a gang that basically moved into and took over a hotel. It had been going on for a while and the police and village chiefs were involved in trying to solve the problem, but the gang was still there. The management had to leave and staff/visitors lived in fear. Supposedly, this also happens in people’s homes. Can you imagine someone showing up on your door and saying – get out, this place is now mine? Yikes.
According to Robert though, there’s hardly any crime here. Violence is just not tolerated. He told me that in the 90s, thousands of Indonesians disappeared without a trace – and that this is still fresh in the psyche here. Authorities have a lot of power and aren’t afraid to use it. What surprised him, however, is how authentically loving and happy most people are despite this shared traumatic past. His experience with his in-laws has taught him that.
When I told him about the girl from the ashram who got pulled off her bike when two guys tried to steal her purse, Robert said that if they were caught, they’d likely be executed… perhaps even on the spot. I was surprised as I also heard those drive-by thefts were quite common. Here in Sanur, a gang of men including a police officer (mostly from neighbouring islands) had been involved in a series of crimes. Once they were identified, all 6 were executed on the beach nearby (I’ll bet not on the tourist section). Although he certainly didn’t agree with the crime prevention methods, Robert said Bali was probably the safest country to live in – motorcycle accidents notwithstanding. When I left class, I noticed that most bikes outside had locks on them, but weren’t even locked.
I’ve definitely feared being attacked when out walking on my own in many places in the world (not surprising considering North American movies, TV shows, the news, society, etc. Some cities I’ve lived in definitely have a safer vibe than others, so it hasn’t been a constant thing. But the fear is often there – in the back of my mind even if I’m aware that focusing on something draws it in (what we resist persists). That’s why I chose to explore how to reduce fear’s effects on me in this class. As the Osho book I leafed through before class described, you can’t fight darkness with darkness. You can’t fight fear with fear. That only escalates it. You simply need to let in the light – to let in the love. So I’m glad I took this self-defense with a smile class. It definitely helped me understand how fear escalates a conflict – either in my mind or for real – in petty situations or major threats.
AYURVEDIC MASSAGE ($45):
On Saturday at 3pm, I had a wonderful ayurvedic treatment. It was expensive for Bali, but I decided it would be an excellent follow up to my consultation in Ubud. Ibu Dayu took my pulse and confirmed that my Pita was still out of balance. She adjusted her treatment and oils accordingly. For 1.5 hours, I basically slept while she rubbed oil into me – these treatments are much softer than usual massages. They work on the level of blood circulation, not musculature. I’m amazed I slept. Ask Cheryl Fenk, my friend and masseuse at Embrace Wellness in St. John’s… getting me to actually be quiet (in body or mind) during a massage is quite the task, especially when it’s being given by a friend I enjoy socializing with. This time, however, I woke up almost 20 minutes after she was done, just as she was about to go upstairs to teach yoga. She even massaged my face while I slept. The thick coat of oil all over was the evidence. I basically let it soak in, got dressed, and headed to my room for a couple of movies in bed before falling asleep yet again.
As a related aside, I do feel much more mellow than even a week days ago. At the airport, instead of rushing to the check-in counter to be first in line and through security 3 hours ahead of time, I wasn’t phased by being about 50th in line instead. Same at the gate. Trust me, that’s progress! I’ve since had a few more telling experiences that prove that my internal systems are more in balance- yay!
ACCUPUNCTURE ($20):
for an acupuncture treatment. I’d had some in the 90s in South Korea and felt that it would help with my nerve issues in my arms and neck (carpal tunnel syndrome). It turns out it was for much more than that. It’s strange to say, but I really enjoyed our hour together even if I was getting needles stuck in me. Believe me, I’m really not into pain. Only one out of about 20-30 hurt though – the one right in the liver point. It burned and I got a bit over-dramatic until he put a calming hand on my lower back and explained what and why it was happening.I learned so much. He’s about to open a school and I can tell he’ll be an excellent teacher – he had a very loving, clear way of communicating, tailor made to both my learning style and personality type. At one point, with a big smile, he said that because of how I learn, it would be better if he drew a diagram for me after our session was done. He did and I got it. He gladly talked to me the whole session, explaining things for me to understand what’s going on in my body, but also to distract me, I’m sure.
According to his Chinese medicine system, it’s not all about bringing the fire down. It’s about bringing the yin up too and looking at the cause for these imbalances. He spent the hour helping me balance these with disposable needles quickly inserted in key points on my body (we have over 400 points that can be targeted). Those he placed in my back were directly for the organs. He heated a few of these up with moxa (burning mugwart) to stimulate the flow of energy in certain regions. Those on the front were in special points on the meridians for general health. He then recommended I follow up in a few weeks with another acupuncturist to raise my energy once things have balanced out. I wish I could see him again though – he’s not only an acupuncturist, but also uses energy work and more to help people. Plus at $20/hour, you can’t beat it. Someone just told me she was quoted $150 here in Vienna…
Tony also explained that my specific combination of imbalances is a result of chronic emotional issues that probably started in childhood. He talked about how I was likely often disappointed, but kept all that in instead of expressing it– pent up emotions. He also talked about how I was likely way too oversensitive to all the stimulus coming my way and that I was likely easily overwhelmed in situations (you already knew that if you’ve been reading my blog). He compared me to a tomato tree that swings back and forth emotionally and needs something to grip onto to stabilize my body, mind, and spirit (meditation, chi gong, etc.) If I didn’t have that, imbalances would cause me to panic easily. It’s all linked – the elements, the organs, the emotions – basically, the body, mind and spirit. I certainly agreed with him and shared in this belief – thus why I’ve spent so many years exploring routes to both inner and outer balance. I’m doing quite well, but now I have even more self-understanding and tools to live a happier and more balanced life. All good!
MORE PHOTOS OF SANUR BEACH:
The Power of Now Oasis is located right on the beach, next to the Mercure Resort. Even during class, I could gaze at the oceanic horizon. Beautiful! Here are my last photos from Sanur. My next post will be about life back in Austria – there’s already so much to share after just a couple of days… Hee hee.
Final Stop in Bali: Sanur Beach
/in My TravelsNote: I’m posting this from Vienna. I’m at my school’s directors’ house until I can move into my new residence room this afternoon. OMG! What a difference high speed Internet makes. I’ve just uploaded in 10 minutes what took me over 24 hours and several retries in Bali!
After a month inland in Ubud, spending a couple of days near the ocean in Sanur was a great idea. Of course I spent half the drive there with my lens out the window having fun capturing images with a super high ISO that allowed high speed shooting without blur.
It’s really amazing how many art galleries and statuary shops there are here– often dozens in a row for miles on end. It almost makes me wonder why I need to paint when there’s such great stuff out here for so cheap. Then I remember that I paint first and foremost for myself. My excellent driver Ketut ([email protected] ,mobile : +6285205506104 ) says that the artists in Ubud are suffering because of a chain of humongous 24-hour art supermarkets called Hare Krishna, that have opened up around the island. He says they’re really busy at all hours. Unfortunately, Ubud, the traditional cultural center of the country, is no longer attracting as many art buyers because of it.
Kolonial House:
When I emailed the yoga centre looking for peaceful yet affordable accommodation recommendations, they also gave me the names of several nearby places to check out. I took them up on that after I saw Kolonial House’s Standard Room at $50/night (quite expensive for Bali). It was right against the street and because it was built to buffer sound, it lacked natural light. My heart sank when I walked in and my throat ceased up as it had just been fogged against mosquitoes. The smell was really strong, so I decided to go exploring other places. It was hot at high noon and nothing felt quite right (price, location, my mood, etc.) What can I say, I’m a budget traveler with a need of peace, quiet, and comfort. Not sure why I was feeling so fussy, but I was. It happens. Transitions aren’t always the easiest for me, even if I’ve lived on several continents and across Canada.
After spending time looking around and gathering information at the Power of Now Yoga Oasis on the beach, I was overheating. When I returned to Kolonial House, Putu, the manager, took one look at me and brought me to the very back of the resort to a small pointed thatched roof private bungalow in a secluded area and offered it to me at the same price as their Standard Room. What a relief and such a blessing. It was actually smaller than the room by the street, but the feng shui of it felt great – even the outdoor washroom in the back appealed to me for some strange reason. As you can see in the photos, the pool was right in front of it and also a large private living room and a small kitchen (not in photo). Thanks Putu! Funny thing is that I’m actually writing this blog from the first room (as they let me stay hours past check-out as I flew out at 10pm, but my second room had already been booked) and today it feels great – spacious, clean, etc. It just goes to show how we can (OK, I can) stress myself for no good reason at times.
Creatures:
The washroom was actually very nice with its bamboo trees, stone sculptures, and new fixtures. Thank goodness, the fogging at Kolonial House seemed to work – I didn’t see any mosquitoes. It is odd though to take one’s clothes off outside at all hours after spending a month covering up to protect against both the sun and disease-baring mosquitoes. As I sat down for my morning business at 5am on Sunday (with the dim but warm illumination of a tungsten light bulb), I got pleasantly distracted by the beauty of my surroundings and its natural sounds (excluding mine). I had gotten quite used to the movement of adorable little geckos everywhere– love them and the fact they eat bugs. This time, however, I enjoyed watching toads of various sizes jump around. Did you know they climb walls? I sure didn’t. Straight up, just like geckos. Impressive! I wondered why they hadn’t made a comic superhero called Toadman…
Sanur Beach:
These stretches of beach seem reserved for the tourists, each with its security guards. The first stretch of the beach, however, near the parking and food vendors, got quite crowded at times with Balinese families.
I enjoyed spending time here too, especially at the small pavilion at the end of the partition that divided the areas.
There, I could be in the shade and breeze while listening to the water, simply being or chatting with the locals, and watching the young tattoo-covered locals fishing. The tonal contrast of tattoos on darker skin isn’t as high as on white folks, but perhaps that I why I liked them better. The designs contributed to that feel too – same as on the old temples – gods and monsters mixed with modern imagery. Interesting. I’ve never been into tattoos, but I grew to appreciate them more here.
I’m sure some of the tourists never leave the resort areas– there’s a whole different world just steps away. I took the longer route home on my last day to find a crowd gathering for an organized cock fight. I didn’t stay to watch, but prayed that some Balinese woman wouldn’t lose her home because of it. I found out women can’t own property here. So if the husband gambles it away or passes away, they’re at high risk of being homeless. I hear it’s not so uncommon.
I liked walking there in semi-darkness, barely able to see the dozens of lumps on the beach – the sleeping dogs that would soon rise to play together before it got too hot. Later in the day, you’d find them motionless in holes they’d dug on the beach, under tables in restaurants, under boats or any other shady spot. One time, I admired a white one under a table at a restaurant in deep sleep despite my camera clicks nearby. When I looked a few minutes later, a couple was sitting at that table, but the dog hadn’t moved a muscle. I can only assume they had seen it. since it was inches from their feet. It didn’t seem to matter to anyone. Cool!
By 7am, however, the light was already too bright and the sun too hot for me, so I made my way to the yoga center for my complimentary huge bowl of fruit, muesli, and yoghurt (not ayurvedically friendly for my out of balance Pita, but delicious nonetheless). I would then relax in a hammock or on a couch flipping through spiritual books opened at random for messages about love and fear – some very appropriate – before partaking in their programing (more on that in my next post).
I am so grateful I chose to go to Sanur. It wasn’t part of my original very structured plan – but that may have made it even more special. Plus it was closer to the airport and didn’t add too much to the expenses of my trip. Yay! Ketut, the driver that had brought me here, who had been highly recommended by a friend, sent a relative for the taxi ride back to the airport – he got me to the airport nice and early.
“Eye of the Spirit” Painting Week in Bali
/in My Travels, PaintingsMy week in the Eye of the Spirit Visionary Art painting group with Philip Rubinov Jacobson, Mantra Cora, and Wolfgang Widmoser is over. It’s been quite the week with lots of highlights and lowlights. I’ve decided to share both as they’re all part of MY story. I’m sure it was different for everyone. I don’t regret choosing to attend half this workshop, but I was ready to leave this morning.
Arjana Bungalows 2 & Neighbourhood:
For $18-20/ night, this place is a good deal. Sure, the rooms lack the charm of my other locations (any charm, really), but it’s got its pluses:
EYE OF THE SPIRIT:
Let’s start with the great.
I’m so glad that I was able to ease into this group after they had already been together for a week. Arriving on Sunday and socializing with a few was a good thing as people were focused on their work on Monday and it would have been quite different had I met everyone then. There were some very lovely beings in this group creating some very beautiful and powerful work. I am grateful I could be a witness to all that.
Here’s what I did on Day 1.
1 –used a sketch I had designed in Vienna as my starting point.
2 – used pencil to draw it on my gesso board and then waterproof blue ink on top.
3 – used carmine red and a bit of burnt umber acrylic paint with medium and water to do a wash on top – 3 coats in different directions.
4 – used white acrylic paint to put in the highlights.
Here’s what I did during the next 4 days:
I did as much as I could on my main painting in the first 3 days for it to dry on time to take away. There’s still more I could do with the hand and face to bring back the highlights I lost with my oil glaze. I’m not sure I remember all the steps as I didn’t take notes after Day 1 (I really let go of blogging), but I applied washes of acrylic colour on everything. Then I did a glaze in oils to feel the difference… not convinced yet. Philip then sat down with me to show me how to use oils on the veil in a way that I’ll admit, wouldn’t be possible with acrylics. Philip really knows his stuff and I definitely learned from him during our short chats. I also got a glimpse of how good his how-to lessons could be, especially if delivered a little slower. He gave a quick lesson on how to draw a face for the whole group, after I requested it. It added to what I had learned from all the others I had made the same request to. I was just glad that everyone else also encouraged him to slow down.
I also finished my 2 other abstract paintings after a couple of days of working on them before and during group time. One changed a lot – I liked it better a few layers back, but am glad I dove in and tried some of the techniques Mantra had demonstrated, even if they didn’t quite work on my already very textured grounds.
Bali Showers:
As Yet Unamed – any suggestions?
In addition to her demonstrations, Mantra shared her knowledge on Max Ernst through a Power Point presentation – similar yet different to the one I had heard in Austria. Although what she demonstrated wasn’t new for me, it was a great reminder. Mostly, it was wonderful to witness some of the other students light up at the freedom of expression possible in this less traditional way of using fluid acrylic paint. Mantra was definitely the go-to person for abstract grounds. She also had an amazing smile that came out through her eyes. These photos are all by Ashley.
As for Wolfgang, he was great to consult on colour. Although I didn’t resonate with his way of delivering information – philosophical and technical monologues without any visual examples – he was helpful when presented with specific questions about a painting in progress and was key to some of the decisions I made for my more abstract pieces. He’s obviously a wealth of knowledge, artistic skills, and spiritual journeying – he’s a very valued mentor to Katia, so I know there’s so much more than what I experienced during our few short hours together. He provided an abundance of links to videos and other resources on our Facebook group – I look forward to exploring some of those in the upcoming months. By the way, he studied with Ernst Fuchs and Salvador Dali, so definitely connected to my world in Vienna. I’m sorry I missed the visit to his studio the week before.
Last Day:
On our last day, we had a friendly constructive feedback session. The artist would walk away for a while and we discussed the strong points of their work and things that could be stronger. One person would record the comments and then report them anonymously upon the artist’s return. This was done very well and turned out to be very helpful. I got a lot of feedback on my voice/delivery, a reminder that I would enjoy voice acting … something to look into again when I get back to St. John’s.
Most people weren’t finished their pieces and so these comments will no doubt help in their process. Some of my painting buddies had been there for 5 weeks. Most had only been there for 2. Some only showed up occasionally. Some worked late nights and early mornings in addition our days together. So everyone had work at different stages and we shared it all during our feedback session. My iPhone didn’t do a great job with these photos, but it will give you an idea of the variety of styles and expertise. Some had been drawing/painting their whole lives while one participant painted for the first time in this workshop. I was definitely impressed by these artists! Although I was only there for a week, I could easily see that our program was well suited for artists of all levels. You could get as much or as little as you wanted from it – depending how dedicated you were to your work and how proactive you were in seeking help and advice. Overall, people seemed quite happy with their time here.
Alas, some lowlights:
The reasons I experienced challenges this week with external factors is that I’ll admit, I’m too sensitive. I take a lot in and need to learn to remain in a state of equanimity despite my environment. That is my lesson. For once, however, my difficulties had nothing to do with my internal art learning process. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m more mellow after 3 weeks in Bali or if it’s because I wasn’t attached to the results – but I worked quickly, loosely, and without the usual psychological baggage around drawing. Yay! There’s progress.
Still, I experienced definite challenges. As an events organizer by background, the contrast between my week here and my week with Flora Bowley was significant and started before I arrived, highlighting my own preferences. For example, I found it inconvenient to have to hunt for and bring a long list of supplies (many of which simply couldn’t be found in Vienna, adding to my pre-travel stress). Flora charged us more, but I didn’t have to deal with any of those logistics during my very busy weeks before arriving to Bali – which overall felt much easier). I understand the reasoning behind both approaches, but the differences in my experiences is helping me identify what works for me.
There were much bigger issues than that though, some of which were in the control of the organizers and some not.
As part of this story, I learned about the seedier side of Bali. I learned about Kuta-cowboys. I couldn’t help but be a little curious this time. It turns out that one of the participants from the previous group had been dating a local Balinese who had tried to blackmail our organizers. From what I was told, Kuta cowboys are men who displace their wives to other villages while they basically service foreign women, taking them into their villages and families. Everywhere they go (shops, restaurants, etc.), they get a cut of the profits as commission. This one turned out to be really abusive and crazy. I didn’t want all the details, and tried not to imagine them. He tried to blackmail our organizers though and threatened them. This could have led to some of the trouble still affecting them. This is certainly a side of Bali I hadn’t seen or heard about before. Kuta is the big party beach town that I’d been warned repeatedly to avoid – also where there was a terrorist attack a few years back. Not my kind of scene, as you may have guessed.
Fortunately, I’m now at another beach town near the airport that doesn’t appear to have Kuta’s bad rap or crowds and am not in the market for a Bali cowboy. I’ll write about my new home later. I’m sure this is enough for one post.
If nothing else, writing about both my highlights and lowlights has helped me process my week. Again, I don’t regret my decision. I was meant to experience all of this. This blog is just as much my journal as anything else – authentic in all my human-ness. Obviously, I’ve got so much further to go to live harmoniously and with equanimity in this world. If I had reached a state of pure unconditional love, nothing would phase me. I would not re-act or experience fear in the presence of conflict. I’m not there yet. It is still my intention though. Indeed, this is all part of my process of exploring and expressing my love of beauty and the beauty of love…
More photos by Ashley:
Bali Chapter 4 at Arjana Bungalows
/in My TravelsIt’s amazing what happens when there’s no Internet in the room. I woke up at my usual 4:30am and did my restorative yoga practice, showered, took a walk in the rice fields, and had breakfast. It’s still before 9am and class starts at 9:30am, so here I am.
Sunday:
My driver drove very slowly along a very narrow road to the very end, where one sign indicated no cars beyond that point and the other said “Arjana Bungalows”. Yes! This is another retreat center in a small village on the outskirts of Ubud, surrounded by nature. Perfect.
My private little bungalow (we each get one at $20/night) wasn’t ready yet as I arrived at 9:30am, so I headed up to the studio pavillion by the pool and met a few of the workshop participants. One German gal was on her way to the neighbouring rice field for her daily coconut water, so I joined her. CocoWayan’s little stand surrounded by rice fields and his organic medicinal herbs garden was just lovely. This is only about 3 minutes heading left into the motorbike-only zone. It was the best young coconut water I had had so far – $1 if you don’t keep the bamboo straw. Even better, however, was Wayan’s welcoming smile and stories. Coconut water is on my Ayurvedic prescription and has lots of electrolytes, so that was a bonus.
Later, I went out for lunch with my previous guide and her sister, who is also participating in the workshop. We turned right outside our complex and headed down the lane, past a few shops and into Rumah Roda’s Restaurant & Guest House for an absolutely delicious meal – and this time for the $1.50 I had heard about before coming to Bali. The restaurant is on the second story and accessible once you enter the family compound. Nice place and very welcoming – a book was written about the family and their home. As it was Sunday, we returned there for their Balinese dinner buffet – a feast for $4. The food was definitely freshly cooked as the table was usually empty by the time I got there (all 3 times), so I waited and piled stuff on top of my banana leaf plate when it arrived. It wasn’t as tasty as the other buffets I had been to, but still good.
In between lunch and dinner, I relaxed, sketched a little, swam in the spacious pool while the thunder started rolling in, and went for a long walk along the tiny path through the rice fields once those clouds had passed. Not sure if you’re tired of rice field photos yet, but I’m not tired of taking them. So beautiful… and quiet! Yay!
The only disadvantage I see so far is that there are tons of mosquitoes here compared to the other places. They fog, but I guess it’s been long enough for a new crop. I’ll be using up my DEET for sure. Better DEET than hemorrhaging to death because I’ve had dengue fever once already. OK, that’s a bit dramatic. The doctors can stop that if it’s caught fast enough. I don’t plan on testing that theory though… DEET it is.
Happy Easter!
/in My TravelsIt’s Easter Sunday morning here in Bali. I’ve always liked the symbolism of Easter – rebirth, new beginnings, ascension to a Higher Self, union with God, hope, and all sorts of other good things. I wish you all a very Happy Easter, no matter your religion – may this wish be whatever you need it to be at this time in your life.
I needed a reminder on my iPhone that today was Easter as I haven’t seen any obvious signs of it in this predominantly Hindu culture. Grant it, I don’t know if I would have seen the signs as I avoided going into town yesterday during the last day of our workshop. The others went shopping all day. Instead, I stayed at our retreat center and enjoyed the nature sounds, picked up my laundry (after hand-washing it in shampoo for 3 weeks, I decided to get it properly washed), went for a short walk in the neighbourhood for lunch in the very hot sun, went for a swim in the pool in the pouring rain (no lightening so it was lovely to watch the drops bounce on the surface and not worry about sunburns), put another layer on one of my paintings (and realized I just wasn’t flowing with it), and worked on my photos/blog. In the evening, our group went to a beautiful restaurant for our goodbye dinner – the best fish curry ever (served in a huge coconut)! It was a beautiful ending to a beautiful workshop.
The roosters are now calling the world to waking and it’s time for me to pack up and move to my last retreat center for the second half of the Eye of the Spirit Visionary Art retreat with Philip Rubinov Jacobson, Mantra Cora, and Wolfgang Widmoser. The group will have already been together for a week – I can only hope that I can ease my way into this new group and workshop with joy and grace.
One of my goals this week is to blog less and paint more. I so love sharing and working on my photos, but I’ll admit that this week, it took my attention away from painting. I don’t like unfinished projects, so with every trip, I wanted to edit my photos and write the stories before I forgot them and before I had so much to deal with that the task would have been overwhelming. It’s just the way I am. Who knows, I still may end up writing posts every day, but I’m putting the intention out there my main focus will be elsewhere. Let’s see how that goes. 🙂
Have a great week!
Photos from my walk around Pugig House:
Day Trip to West Bali: Cremation, Temple & UNESCO rice fields
/in My TravelsWe spent another day on the road Friday for some planned and unplanned stops.
We all hesitated as our van came to a stop. It felt like we were crashing a funeral. Our driver told us not to worry about it and that we were welcome. This is another example of the differences when it comes to privacy. He said we didn’t even need the usual sarong, sash, and covered shoulders as it wasn’t at a temple. So we walked up the little hill and observed as the bodies were being torched, along with offerings that kept being added to the pile. One of the Balinese came over to us and explained what was happening.
According to the Balinese calendar, this weekend is very auspicious for cremations – they’re happening all over. Sometimes, bodies are unearthed years later when the family can afford to cremate the remains. Actually, I’m not 100% sure it’s only for financial reasons. Don’t take my word for it. You can read more about it here.
Bathroom Break:
Even bathroom breaks can be worthy of a few photos –
Jatiluwah Rice Terraces
As mentioned in another post, most of Bali now grows genetically modified rice that was introduced in the 70s. This “miracle rice” yields 3 crops a year, but has led to serious health consequences, including death in childbirth due to the fact that blood won’t clot as much anymore. Scary stuff! One thing I noticed here versus the rice fields around the ashram was the number of dragon flies – bright reds, oranges, and yellow. A good sign indeed.
We walked around taking pictures with Paul as our guide. Nicole had really sore knees and opted to wait for us back at the restaurant. We saw plenty of rice, beautiful cows (Hindus love their field working cows and keep them well washed – strung through the nose, but well washed), cacao, coffee beans, lemon grass, etc. One poor woman reacted strongly when I raised my camera and I brought it straight back down and placed my hand on my heart in apology. It must be hard for her to work there with all the tourists coming through. Another man, however, came soliciting photos and at the end asked for money to buy ice (10,000 Rupiahs = $1). Paul, who speaks Indonesian, acted as our interpreter.
By the end of the walk, I knew I had to take care of myself. I was dangerously close to heat stroke. I was beet red and burning up. I knew what to do, however. As soon as I dropped off my stuff at our table at Billy’s Terrace Café, I went to the washroom and did what I was taught to do at temples – just less ceremoniously. I poured water over my head at least 3 times and all over my face and back. I came out a bit soaked – strange at a fancy restaurant, but hey – it’s Bali and it felt great. I came out and immediately joined the buffet line for a great feast. I especially liked the coconut chicken on a stick with satay sauce. I’m assuming that all the choices were organic, but I didn’t ask.
Pura Luhur Batukaru
This is one of the directional temples in Bali. Every Hindu in Bali must visit these temples once every 7 months (Balinese calendar). You’d think with the majority of the island traveling here once a year that they would fix the roads, but that’s besides the point.
When a Hindu sage came here from India at the time of Christ, he established the first temple site here. Now, however, the oldest structure, the pointy one on the right in this photo, dates back to the 1300s.
More Drive-by Shooting (the good kind):
At one point, the sky came falling down again and so I kept the windows closed and had a bit of fun with more abstract photography. I love some of these!
We got home at about 6pm and once again, I was too tired and still full, so while the others went out for dinner, I got ready for bed. Lots of sun and food today. When I go to a buffet, I tend to overdo it…
Thanks Nicole and Paul for another great day!
Feathers and Feelings – More Bali Adventures
/in My TravelsLife Drawing in Ubud:
I still can’t say I enjoy drawing, but I see some improvements for sure. During our last pose, I spent half the time admiring the work of the man who was running the session. He just went at it with charcoal on large sheets of paper and created such beautiful stylistic pieces in such a short time. I preferred those to anything on the walls. Wow! If you’re planning on going though, make sure to go to the washroom before – I ended up holding it in until I got home because I was strongly discouraged to even go in there if I wanted to keep my pants dry (from the bottom up, vs. the other way).
We were supposed to go to a temple in the afternoon before heading out to see the herons and egrets, but we all voted to postpone that visit as we were feeling too rushed. Instead, I had a nice swim after lunch (I know… not recommended, but that’s my version of living on the edge.). There’s nothing quite like floating on your back with the open sky above you and the world going quiet. Even my mind quietens down when my ears are under water. I need that. It gets sooooo noisy in there.
Petulu Heron Sanctuary:
Nicole’s husband Paul learned traditional Balinese dance from the head of this village. It was part of his music studies here sometime in the past. We went to his house after spending a bit of time on a path in the rice field where a sign advertising the “best viewing of bird” led to a little food stand / store. I didn’t actually make it to the warung. I just stood there on the path looking up and taking zillions of photos – knowing full well that I’d be a horrible sports photographer. I had lots of fun though – thanking the inventors of digital photography. Whether I took 50 or 500 shots (guess which), it was all the same price.
The village chief then took us to the flat roof of a nearby building to get a better view of the birds. We were as captivated by the cock fighting training going on below as we were by the egrets above. It takes a lot of skill, we were told, to train roosters. They are pampered (special leg massages) and trained so that they can kill or be killed. Luckily, we didn’t see that. We only saw some teasing and short training bursts. Poor roosters…
I much prefer the village’s relationship with the egrets and herons. They are truly appreciated, and I don’t believe it’s only for the tourism value. Not sure though… We heard a few stories about ceremonies that brought them back after their disappearance for a few months, the abundance of feathers that fell from the trees when they needed them to make special costumes, etc. I only caught part of these stories, however, as I walked around the roof with my nose up in the air, yet fully aware of its 2-storey drop.
Obviously, I spent quite a bit of time today in Photoshop layering some of my photos as the clouds and the egrets never seemed to be lined up in real time. Here are other photos of Petulu from street level.
Traditional Healer:
Today, on our day off, Nicole took a few of us along for her 8am visit to a traditional healer she has seen before ($25 a visit). What an experience! When I asked about putting his name and photo on my blog, he didn’t want any promotion (but the photo was OK). I therefore don’t even know his name. I can certainly understand. After “Eat Pray Love” came out, life for almost everyone in Bali changed and I hear the services from the healer in Elizabeth Gilbert’s story have been quite compromised by it.
photo by Jenifer Swaringen Reynolds
We all sat on a bamboo mat in his office – an outdoor covered platform like those we’ve seen everywhere here. As the healer worked on each of us in turn, the others sat and watched (we were all OK with this – we could have gone indoors somewhere if we had wanted privacy). The only time I wasn’t comfortable with our group session, was when 2 other foreigners joined us and one lit up a cigarette. That was the first time I breathed in cigarette smoke since I arrived – I’ve been swimming in incense, but I’ve so appreciated the break from the other kind of smoke.
Nicole was the first to be treated. It was remarkable. He pressed on a lymph node on her leg and the indent remained long after. It didn’t on the other leg. After he did his thing, he pressed again and there was no more indent. It’s impressive when the results are so visible. I soon followed after her as I wanted to get it over with. In addition to obvious intuitive skills and a quick yet effective visual scan of the body, he spends time feeling the head and face, using pressure points to assess our condition. Painful spots is what he’s looking for. He then moves to the feet and pushes several points on several toes with a special stick-like instrument. Each point is associated with various organs, etc. Everyone writhed in pain at different points and didn’t budge at others. I even found myself using the double tap wrestlers use to break a hold (I watch a lot of movies). The amazing thing is that after he finds the spot(s), he does quick energy work using his magic wand over the specific meridians (I may not be using the language he would) and then tries the acupressure spot again. Miraculously, there was no more pain at all anymore. This happened time and time again with everyone.
Creativity is one prescription. So is passion. Although the doctor didn’t say it specifically, I’d say that’s a confirmation that it’s time I find my life partner. Thing is, I’m not one to settle. It’s always been 0 or 200%. I want a man who is committed to learning to love unconditionally (and is already quite good at it). That’s also where I want to be when I enter into my next relationship.
If he’s read this blog, he’ll know he’ll need a good capacity for love and willingness to grow into that. There are lots of delightful aspects to who I am -really! I just don’t believe in only putting my best foot forward here. This blog is not all about marketing. It’s more important that I be authentic. You get to know all sides of me here as I travel through life exploring and expressing my love of beauty and the beauty of love.
I’m sure there’s a compatible mate out there for me – I just haven’t met him at all these events I enjoy that only attract women. Being an early up and early to bed person hasn’t helped my social life either. Oh well. I’ll keep on working on myself, following my guidance, and living to the best of my happiness all the while having faith that when the time is right, I’ll meet someone with whom I can add another element of love and passion to the mix. After all, it’s doctor-recommended. I’d rather do it while my pitta / fire is balanced, however, not to attract someone else who is out of balance. Until then, I’ll enjoy being single and learning to be more truly loving to myself and others. That’s always a good thing.
OK – off to bed. Big day tomorrow and it’s almost 11pm. Time to enter the magical wonders of dreamtime.