Ignite your sense of adventure!

I experienced an incredible holiday and celebration here in Bali. The Balinese New Year is called “Nyepi” and it’s the day of silence. Nyepi fell on March 31- April 1 this year and represented 1936. Yes, that’s right, in Bali it’s only 1936 and wifi and iphones are everywhere! Bali’s very advanced for 1936!

The week before holds on-going ceremonies leading up to Nyepi. They are loud and colorful ceremonies that fill the streets with tradition and culture and hundreds of Balinese.

As I turned from Batu Beliq onto Petitenget Road, I was bombarded by hundreds upon thousands of Balinese dressed in white and traditional Balinese outfits that flooded the streets. I spent the next three and a half hours on my scooter walking it down the street with the locals. It was hot and sticky, but so amazing!

Nyepi lasts for one day and two nights. The night before everyone must be in the location they plan to stay for the duration of Nyepi.

The day of silence is to ensure the spirits pass over and miss Bali completely. The night before is a huge celebration with fire dances, fireworks, and an Ogoh Ogoh parade. Then everyone goes back to their villas, no one can leave and must be silent with no lights for the next 24 hours.

It was an incredible experience and I feel so blessed that I got to participate. Silence can be beautiful. The island was still and the air was clear. It was rather windy, but truth be told, was it the wind or was it the spirits passing over? The behavior of the wind seemed rather odd. I think it was the spirits. We spent the day in the garden and around the pool with little to no talking at all. I wrote in my journal the entire time and meditated.

As the sun set I laid in the grass and looked up at the sky listening to the meditation on my iphone. I watched the sky transform from day to night and as the stars emerged onto the night sky, I almost understand creation.

The sky was so bright it looked like a planetarium, but it was the real thing. The stars were so vivid you could connect the constellations; they popped out at you. I watched Jupiter and Mars emerge and saw three shooting stars. The Milky Way was present and I don’t mean the candy! I’ve never seen anything so amazing before and felt enlightened!

As everyone else went to bed I decided to take a night swim under the stars, so I jumped in naked! It was empowering.

I awoke the next day revitalized, refreshed, and ready to take on the New Year! Welcome to 1936!