I’m currently sitting in what could quite possibly be the most peaceful place I’ve ever been, Ubud Bali to be more specific. I’m here for a yoga retreat as well as to reset for this new year. Last January was the hardest month of my life possibly, so I figured I’d start this January out right and in getting here yesterday I am reassured that I am doing just that.
I arrived yesterday late afternoon after a very long, but uneventful journey. My journey started in an Uber to SFO. In that Uber I was shown 2 signs that I’d previously have ignored but since learning so much this last year about receiving and trusting so many signs and symbols I was reassured that I am heading in the right direction. There was a Buddha on the dash and the ETA on GPS was 9:27 which is the most significant number in my life as well as one I see often. I’ve come to trust this number. It is a reassurance, a gut check so to say, that yep you’re on the right path. The date 9/27 is when a friend of mine in my junior year of high school died in a car accident. It is also the birthdate of my niece. It’s numbers I see on the clock, in movies and tv, as well as many other unexpected places. I can’t explain how or why I know this, but I just do because it repeatedly comes at times I need it to.
So I’m sitting here in Bali, I just had an amazing breakfast sitting alongside a small pool, a fish pond as well as some kind of marsh. It rained yesterday and I’m learning that when it rains here everything kind of overflows with the excess water. The river that is outside my room was loud and raging last night after the rain, whereas today it is simply a soft babbling brook like river. There are many noises besides the water. The insects, birds and other animals, the light breezes ruffling the palm trees. At breakfast there were 3 birds chasing each other in the palm trees as well as in the marsh and pond. I am not sure what type of bird but it looked like a miniature heron with long awkward looking legs and a long beak. They were chirping at each other as well as chasing each other in circles, it was very entertaining. Huge black and yellow butterflies keep fluttering by me as well, they are so beautiful and majestic. The insects are big, ants where you can see the different segments of their bodies as well as bees. I saw some sort of bee that looked 3 times the size of a normal one, I only had a mini heart attack as bees terrify me. The smell of fresh Jasmine keeps wafting by which is so refreshing. Someone that works at the villa came by my room as I was sitting outside and handed me a fresh flower for my hair. She also replaced a little flowerbed at the corner of the balcony. It looks like palm that has been shaped into a flowerbed with fresh grass and small flowers placed on it. She was burning incense and wafted it around the corner. I asked her what the flowerbed thing was as well as what she just did, but she wasn’t able to explain it to me. I will have to ask someone that can. It smelled so wonderful and I can only guess it to be a blessing or smudging type ritual. I often burn palo santo or sage at home to smudge out bad energy.
I am trying to take it all in, this peace. I wish I could bottle it up and take it home with me. It truly is magical and I haven’t even really explored yet. There will be plenty of time to do so though. For now I am just enjoying the peace!
Mindfully Authentic 