GRATITUDE FOR:
More GRATITUDE for:
Gratitude: In Bali, gratitude is so much more than a simple “Thank You”. It is a lifestyle, and a fundamental piece of Hindu daily life. The Hindus express gratitude through countless offerings and they include everyone and every earthly thing in their daily practice. They believe that “gratitude is to be cultivated as a habit or attitude of mind not dependent on a condition.” We are so grateful to be on this journey of learning together and in a place that teaches and practices gratitude everyday. For us, saying thank you and stating our gratitude for things was easy and accessible. The challenge is learning to have the grace and the knowledge to SHOW our gratitude in actions that speak louder than our words.
We have been anticipating our return to Bali for a long time. We both were in Ubud some fifteen years ago and not together. We both had experienced very special encounters in Bali and we came here with some very high expectations and hopes for similar experiences. Sanur Beach was a new destination for both of us and we loved the Indonesian coastline with spectacular views of sunrise and sunset. The yoga shala was fantastic as were our teachers and classes. After a few days we moved to the East coast and the region of Amed. This was a return visit for Will and a new place for me. After being a bit underwhelmed the first day, Amed quickly grew on me. The scooter rides, food, yoga, views from our hotel and birthday massage were all spectacular. The day trip to the quiet and sedate country village of Bengli was simply unforgettable. Rolling green rice terraces and richly fertile valleys of vegetation admisdt a simple life unfolding everywhere around us was intoxicating. It might go down as one of our favorite places to watch the world go by, drink in the fresh air and immerse ourselves in the sounds and smells of this bucolic farming village. Colorful people, happy children, and artisans all make up this hidden gem of a place. In the end, it was difficult to leave Amed. However, we were headed to Ubud and the much acclaimed Yoga Barn and our excitement got the best of us. What we didn’t expect (we had been warned), was the complete throng of tourists, locals, motor scooters and the quadrupled growth that made one of our favorite cities somehow VERY different and VERY difficult to negotiate. It was overwhelming, noisy, hot, sticky and energy draining. What has, remarkably, stayed intact despite the Western-style version of growth, change and up- to-date technology, was the rich Hindu/Balinese culture. The local people continue to keep their traditional dances, attire, festivals, celebrations, offerings, music, art, and religious beliefs very much alive in the throes of immense growth and capitol gain. For this, we found gratitude and it made life easier as we tackled the “new” Ubud. We have been to enough places in the world where culture has eroded due to change,technology and the almighty dollar. We love the Balinese people for resisting the temptation to throw away culture for money. Don’t get me wrong….they all have a cell phone, TV and motor scooter. However, they are still the sweetest people on earth and live a third world life of humility with grace and dignity. It is gratifying that we can travel to places like this and have unique, step-back-in-time experiences each day that we are here. We are humbled and we don’t eat much humble pie. Week 3: Finding Humility.
PS: Will the Thrill has been a total champ about yoga. He has taken every class with me and is, actually, getting better and liking it. I love it that we can practice together. He has as much fun choosing the style of class as I do. Gotta run….off to ACRO YOGA. I hope we don’t hurt each other………
