See the world through my eyes! Experience it through these blog posts.

Enough! Switching Channels…

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(Keep scrolling down if you’re only into photos – over 75 in this post…)

By noon today, cabin fever had set in.  Apart from walking to school, where I spent a couple of hours on Monday and Tuesday, I had been glued to my computer since last Thursday. I didn’t mind when it was cold and rainy.  It’s what I wanted.  I spent a few hours doing drawing lessons on YouTube, kept looking for a place to live in St. John’s, wrote blogs, and did some of my barter tasks for the Academy.  Way too many of those hours, however, were spent watching movies.  Grant it, I learned a lot from them – always do.  Most of them were based on true stories and most of those were about the lives of artists.  Although dramatic and depressing – as were the lives of most artists who are featured in movies – these films also inspired me in some ways.  I especially liked the French film on Séraphine, a painter I had never heard from a town I lived in during a high school exchange. I really resonated with both her art and her simple love of nature and God. Like many others, however, she spent the last years of her life in an asylum.

In my search for more inspiring movies, though, I ended up on a website that reminded me of David Hawkin’s findings (on his map of Consciousness/Energy Grid): “Most movies will weaken people who watch them by bringing their energy levels down below the 200 level of consciousness.” (on a scale of 1000).  I knew that.  I can feel it.  Still, when I get on a roll, it’s hard to stop. I may not do drugs or drink anything but water, really, but I certainly use movies for escapism.  (I’ve been good on leaving the chips out of that equation lately though…)

Anyway, this morning, as I stood there for an hour covered in a thick dark stinky oil (part of my daily Ayurvedic skin treatment for eczema for 2-3 weeks) I decided to switch channels and watch inspirational videos by my favourite channeler, Esther Hicks channeling Abraham.  Their material has inspired me for years. I was still on the computer, but it was a whole lot better for me. It’s not like I can sit down, do yoga, type, or much of anything with this coat of oil on….  and standing meditation for an hour would drive me mad.  Instead, I watch, listen, and do a few basic stretches.  At least I’ve switched channels and its main message was loud and clear: “Life is supposed to be fun” and everything you want is downstream, so stop paddling upstream.  I can hear some of you now… but in context it all makes sense!  By getting into a state of joy, abundance, gratitude – it will put me in the vibrational realm to attract more of the same. I’ve proven it to myself and others before, yet I constantly have to remind myself.

So instead or worrying about getting my life back in Canada figured out immediately or working on projects that didn’t inspire me today, I let the bright warm sunshine draw me out.  It took a lot. One voice inside me kept saying “but it’s a workday!”(something that’s only true on my schedule if I decide it to be so.  Plus, as an artist/photographer/writer – my work is anywhere and everywhere).  I’m not a slacker by nature. I used to be a workaholic.  I knew, however, that I had to do something to put me back in good state of body, mind, and spirit.  So I looked up a great self-guided tour of Vienna website and started making a wishlist of place in and out of town.  It was too late for one of my nature hikes, but I finally dragged myself out the door.  Once out, I had an amazing afternoon.  I walked around for 3.5 hours before life drawing class.  I used my Google Maps on my iPhone for general directions, but wasn’t shy about wandering off course when something called me.

It was great.  Here are some highlights:

  • weather was perfect – sleeveless with sunscreen, but not too hot
  • love cobblestone and the sound of horse wagons clopping by
  • there are so many churches in Vienna!
  • there are so many chocolate and pastry shops in Vienna!
  • I found 2 “beaches” along the Danube, right downtown, minutes from school.  One is really just a terrace with sand (where 2 of my classmates were taking their lunch break!), but the other gives the impression of a real beach (minus the swimming).
  • there are artist studios along the Danube. Cool!
  • great window displays on the ground floor and looking up is always amazing – such great architecture!

I’m so glad I got myself out there.  Tomorrow is the last sunny day in the forecast before I leave for Italy, so I’m either going on Vienna City Hike #7 or going to visit Top Day Trip #4 (having been to 1-3) – Kreuzenstein Castle, just half an hour out of town.

It really hit me when I talked to my parents on Skype yesterday and said “see you in 1 month and 6 days”…  My time in Europe is running out! I’m in Vienna now!  How can I not take more advantage of that?! Trying too hard to manufacture my return to “the real world” or losing myself in movies isn’t helping.  I’m glad I switched channels.

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Come Walk Downtown With Me – Brno & Vienna

Dominique Hurley_ CZ_Brno_DLH_4026bAfter a great weekend in the Czech Republic with friends, it was time to return to Vienna.  I had a live drawing class at 4pm on Monday, and so I had bought an online ticket for the 11:30am bus back.  After breakfast and saying goodbye to my hosts, I headed for Brno to walk around for a couple of hours. There were occasional showers, but it was much sunnier and warmer than the day before. I was grateful for that.  I was also grateful for the  invention of carry-ons with wheels!

I wandered the downtown streets past familiar sites – from my last few visits and twenty some years before.

Thousands were lined up in Liberty Square for what I understood to be free skin-cancer diagnostics and sunscreen samples by Daylong. They took groups of 20 at a time in a big tent – not sure what they did, and although I was curious, I didn’t have time to wait.

The farmer’s market was relocated in a park just outside the downtown core due to construction in the Market Square.

For the first time this year, I ended up walking past the two big theaters. I remember going to operas and ballets there in the 90s for about 50 cents. Bus loads from Vienna used to come up for that. I wonder how much they are these days.

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Although I felt very comfortable walking around Brno, I much preferred my time outside the city in the smaller towns – always have.

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After another bus ride, movie, and glances at the moving scenery, I arrived in Vienna at 1:20pm, basically 2 hours before the start of class.  I knew that if I went home to drop off my suitcase, there would be a risk that I wouldn’t make it out again.  So instead, I walked around downtown Vienna for another 2 hours. It was fun playing tourist with the throngs of other people doing the same.  Here are more pictures – enjoy your walk along. I’m glad you’re here.

I feel so very blessed to have this time and this space in which to live my life.

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Moravian Karst – Czech Caves on a Rainy Day

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After a perfect day cycling on Saturday, we woke up to very cold and very wet weather on Sunday.  The forecast was right.  I’m so glad we changed our plans around, even if a few couldn’t make the new cycling schedule.  No one would have made it on Sunday.

Instead, after a leisurely morning in the Karasek living room, we dressed up for the cold and rain and headed out to a nearby protected nature area called the Moravian Karst.

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The area includes 5 caves open to the public (in addition to other caves that aren’t publicized, such as the one I visited with Milan and Adam described in a previous post). This time, Antonin, Soña, Honza and I went to the Punkva cave. With umbrellas in hand, we opted out of taking the little train ride up to the caves  from the parking lot in order to enjoy the fresh air instead.  After buying tickets for ourselves and 2 of our cameras (I brought my good one this time, but even at 6400 ISO, I was shooting below recommended handheld speeds. This year, I’m really learning what a difference a fast lens would make), we walked the 2km uphill alongside rivers, forests, and little cave holes.

Our guided tour included a walk through the dry part of the caves, where we learned about stalagmites (from the bottom up), stalactites (top to bottom) and stalagnates (when the two meet as one).  We saw plenty of lilve/active ones and many dead ones too (where water no longer drips).  Many formations had names.  For example, here are the Two Owls, Angel, Curtain, and Romeo & Juliette – the ill-fated lovers that will never connect.

And so many more – named and unnamed.

After walking though the Dry Sector, we visited the Macocha Abys (named after the legend of the evil stepmother who threw her stepson down into the abyss. He was saved by an overhanging tree and reported the crime to the villagers, who then threw the stepmother down instead.) This is “one of the most important single geological features in the Czech Republic, …a gorge 138 m deep, which was formed when the ceiling of an underground cave chamber collapsed”.  There are flowers that grow here that are usually only seen in high altitudes.

Some of the natural corridors have also collapsed over the years and so parts the tour were conducted through dynamited pathways.  These were pointed out to us.  Tours are also now conducted in part, on metal sidewalks whereas we used to walk on the cave floors a few decades ago.

The last part of the tour is the water cruise on an underground section of the Punkva River – a 440m long cruise that stops partway so we can visit Masaryk’s Dome.  It’s supposed to be the most richly decorated rooms of the Moravian Karst.  Unfortunately, by the time I photographed some of the elements near the entrance and joined the group, the lights got turned off for us to return to the boat.  This happened a few times, but I still hadn’t learned my lesson. They turn the lights off immediately after leaving to preserve the fragile ecosystem of the caves (and to speed up visitors, I’m sure of it!).

By the end of the tour, I thought that I had perhaps visited this cave in the 90s, but wasn’t sure.  I always say that my life has been so blessed with travel, people, and experiences, that I simply can’t hold it all in my limited memory-storage area. I’ve been saying that since I was 10 years old!  I know I’ve been to several of these caves before, but couldn’t tell you for sure which ones.  It’s like watching movies – if it’s been more than 1-2 years, they surprise me every time.  Considering the number of movies I’ve seen in my life, this is not surprising…

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After another 2km walk back to our car, we drove to Milan’s in Rájec.  I had forgotten my Brita-filter water bottle there the night before and so we got to have another visit: always nice and tasty too.  We then stopped at a supermarket to pick up the fixings for dinner (roasted veggies – including celery root – delicious! – cheeses, tuna, etc.) and to refill the milk bottles.  This is cool!  A local farmer reloads the machine daily with non-pasteurized milk.  Antonin says he only discovered the real taste of milk once he started buying here.  For 15 crowns, or 82 cents Canadian, you can fill up 1 liter of fresh milk.  Soña makes yoghurt out of it sometimes.  (As an aside, she tried using a bit of Activia to start the culture, but it didn’t work at all. Their friend who studies such things at the university here found that Activia was one of the worst – false marketing). Anyhow, you can also buy glass or plastic refill bottles on site when that part of the machine isn’t broken.  Even if I don’t digest dairy much anymore, I thought this was all very cool!  It’s a modern version of the milk truck that still existed 40 years ago in Canada.  We used to leave bottles on the porch and new ones would magically appear when we woke up the next morning.

It may have been a rainy day, but it was a great day indeed.  We even watched a movie – one that Antonin and Iva had repeatedly quoted and laughed about during the weekend.  It’s a French movie with Gerard Depardieu called RRRrrr!! set in caveman days.  We couldn’t find the original French version (with or without Czech subtitles) , so watched it in Czech.  Humour is hard in a foreign language… and comedies rarely lead me to laugh – a lifelong plight. Alas, this one was no different, and since Iva had to study, there wasn’t enough laughter in the room for it to be contagious.  No matter – good food, good friends, comfortable couch – it was all good!

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Hiking and Cycling in the Czech Republic

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Thursday 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.

IMG_7277By 8:45pm, after Laurence Caruana’s fascinating talk on the Gnostic Worldview (more on that another day), there were 12,000 people on the grounds of the Hofburg – Vienna’s Imperial Palace. At least that’s what I understood them reporting on stage in German, according to police calculations.  I stayed for a song and to witness the speech of a Jewish concentration camp survivor, but then headed home as I had to be out the door by 5am the next morning for a weekend trip to the Czech Republic.

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:

DSCN4502Because Thursday was a holiday, many Czechs also took Friday off, but Soňa, a school teacher in Adamov, had an official day off.  After going through some of my Bali pictures with her and wearing out both my Czech vocabulary and my voice (I’ll have to start talking more not to lose my voice when I start teaching again this summer), we decided to go for a nature walk through neighbouring fields, forests, and villages.

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:

IMG_9792Since Saturday’s weather forecast called for sunny and warm and Sunday’s cold and rainy, we changed our bike trip plans to Saturday. This unfortunately meant that Antonin and Honza wouldn’t be joining us.  Tonda was supervising a group of students’ first parachute jump further north and Honza was joining friends to photograph rare orchids in the forest near Brno. Iva had a big university exam on Monday, so her whole weekend was spent studying.  Soňa and I, however, packed our gear and met Milan, his wife Julia and son Adam as well as his friend’s family for fantastic day of cycling in Lednice, a village near the Austrian border. I had been looking forward to this since they talked about it last time I was in the Czech Republic. The area around Lednice has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of its palace and 200km² park filled with architectural gems.

IMG_9862It was amazing!  Thanks to the Karasek family, I was completely geared up: cycling pants & t-shirt, helmet, light wind-breaker (but my Kaliyana anti-suit jacket was enough) and mountain bike.  The gear system on this bike was so easy and effective compared to the one on the men’s 10-speed bike that I sold in 2013 after 30 years of riding it … I think my next bike will be a mountain bike.  I may even get cycling pants.  Although quite self-conscious at first walking around in Soňa’s pants that felt like diapers (or what I imagine diapers might feel like – it had been decades since I last wore any after all), I soon became very grateful for the extra padding. I figure cycling is like walking barefoot for the first time after a long winter of wearing shoes/boots. It takes a while for both our soles and our butts to toughen up. Even after adjusting the angle of the men’s sports saddle I was riding on, it was quite painful.  After making a few jokes about it, Adam happily switched saddles with me – he had wanted a sports saddle for a while and I was much relieved for a wider, more comfortable resting area for my sensitive tush.  I was still very aware of it for the rest of the day, but it certainly didn’t take away from our heavenly experience.

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.

IMG_9856Once back in Lednice, Soňa and I said goodbye to the group so we could walk through the palace grounds. Looking at a map, I discovered there was a whole area with water behind the palace that we hadn’t explored. That’s when I decided it would be a good idea to come back.

IMG_9907Accidentally, yet happily, our GPS directed us away from the highway and back to Blansko on a very scenic route – caramel coloured fields and lush valleys in shades of green and canola yellow.  Of course, lots of red tiled roof clusters I love so much.  What a gorgeous drive.  After a quick shower, Antonin, Soňa, and I headed to the village of Rájec for a delicious BBQ with our cycling friends. Jirka, who usually cycles 100km every weekend, had found our pace a tad frustrating, and so on his way home, got dropped off in Brno with Milan’s son Adam and cycled another 30km home from there.  They still made it to the BBQ before us.  Hey, did you know that a foil-wrapped cheese like a Camembert on the BBQ is a great thing?!  It is.  BBQ’d Hermalín, a type of Czech cheese similar to Camembert, was a nice surprise during this feast. Having yet another meal outdoors with friends was indeed a great way to end the day. By the end of the evening, however, the rain came in strong and my Czech comprehension dropped to about 5%.  It was time for another good night’s sleep.

 

 

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Back to Basics – Routines & Structures

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Being 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.

  • Daily early morning yoga
  • Daily walk
  • Healthy meals
  • Minimum 5 hours / Maximum 10 hours a day on my Art Empowers Me e-course to redesign my website and tackle the world of online sales (back to the basics)
  • On days when I’m not at school, at least 1 hour doing drawing lessons with YouTube
  • At least 1 day off a weekend
  • Part time studies at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art:  The trimester started a month ago and both their programming and my budget won’t allow for me to be full-time anymore.  I’ll still attend occasional sessions open to the public or modules that the teachers think I can ease into.  This week, for example, I’m planning to attend
    – Monday & Wednesday life drawing classes (4-6pm)
    – special Sacred Codes lecture on the Gnostic Worldview (Thursday 6:30 – 8pm).1609742_460855427377808_6741084681065134435_n

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!

 

 

 

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Austrian Homecoming – Friends, Culture & Nature

DLH_3679It’s hard to believe I’ve only been back in Austria for 3 days. I’ve already experienced so much that I want to share with you.  I loved my trip to Bali and It’s good to be back.  Everything felt instantly familiar when I landed, even if the Czech speakers behind me in the customs line-up made it harder for me to come out with anything in German when it was my turn.

  • my 30 hours in transit went smoothly – time for a few movies, a nap, blog writing
  • note: unlike with other airlines, with Qatar Airlines, pre-ordering a special meal (Asian vegetarian) does not mean you’ll be served before everyone else.  You get served a the same time or even after everyone else.
  • the toughest part of the journey: I took the S-bahn + subway + tramway with my wonky old suitcase & carry-on from the Vienna airport to downtown, where I stayed for a night at my school’s directors’ home.  I saved about $60 on a taxi, but quickly became nostalgic for Bali’s affordable driver and porter services.
  • had a wonderful dinner with Florence Ménard, Laurence Caruana, their son Clovis, and  Kuba Ambrose – a friend and former teacher.  So nice to catch up and be amongst loved ones. I felt very much at home.
  • was in bed a little after 9pm, grateful to be lying down to sleep- airplane naps are always hard on the neck.  It’s also nice to brush my teeth with tap water again…
  • up at my usual 5am (I love the fact my brain doesn’t understand jet lag) and edited my Sanur photos until the family woke up. Their cat Zen kept me company.
  • went to the housing office to pick up my key at the prescribed 2pm, went to the bank, and stopped for lunch at the nearby pay-what-you-want Divan Pakistani buffet.  I paid more than the $2-4 meals back in Bali, but less than I would have for a meal that would have satisfied my hunger in a Viennese restaurant.  (Later that night, I listened to a podcast on pay-what-you-want in the art world… I’ve done lots of stuff like this before and the idea of offering a regular karma painting appeals to who and what I am. Loved hearing more about it.)
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  • on my way back with my new key, I saw that the Votive Church had its doors open. I had long wanted to visit it, so I walked in and found myself in the midst of a contemporary art exhibit intermingled with the more traditional offerings of an active church built centuries ago.  The juxtaposition had quite an effect on me and once the theme was explained, I decided to walk through another time.  I found out that the Minister of Culture and the Cardinal had sponsored this show of international artists on the theology of the body and sexuality. Actually, the German word “Leiblichkeit”, I’m told, has no accurate English translation and I won’t attempt remembering what I was told – it’s simply worth a visit if you’re around, plus it’s free.   Because of this project, the back of the church has been opened for the first time in 60 years.  From video screens in confessionals, to bronze skulls chained to coffins, to lighted globes with used up fly tape, to a bronze sculpture of a skinned man holding the scissors that had been used in the Emperor’s failed assassination attempt, to window panes with multiple digital screens, to mirrored halls… some of it was definitely poignant and, as I said before, so much better when you understand the story behind each piece. Sometimes, however, I had to ask myself if what I was looking at was art … like the aesthetically stacked benches and chairs. I asked the security guard and found out it was only storage.  He said folks were taking pictures of him sitting in front of his security screen, thinking it was another digital art display.  Ah, contemporary art… The exhibition runs until June 15th.
  • I don’t believe in coincidences – there’s a reason for everything. I’m still trying to figure this one out.  As I got my 8 pieces of stuff out in front of Florence & Laurence’s apartment to wait for a taxi (2 suitcases, 1 carry-on bag, 2 bags of art and misc., 1 tripod, 1 camera bag, 1 purse), a man crossed the street and said “I thought I recognized you and then you turned around and still had your yellow carry-on tag on your backpack, so I knew it was you”.  In a big city like Vienna, on a small side street, I met the man who sat beside me on my long plane ride back from Asia.  Of German or Austrian background, he now lives in Indonesia and exports teak furniture – one of his stores was right across the street.  Of course, the way my mind works, I wondered why we were meeting again.  There must be a reason. You know, soul mate movie stuff – but I knew this man was married and he had annoyed me a bit on the plane (my issue, not his). I had trouble hearing the Keanu Reeves samurai movie I was watching because of his exuberant conversation with the woman across the aisle.  Also, he was quite overweight and had no choice but to repeatedly enter my mini-on-plane space bubble by leaning his leg into mine. So I decided this “coincidence” was simply an occasion to send good vibes and well wishes his way instead.  I’m glad I had this chance to correct my karma within such a short time frame.  His extroverted friendliness was actually quite welcomed this time around.
  • I moved into my new residence room – exactly like the previous apartment (same Ikea furniture, same bedding, same dishes, etc.), but at the end of the walkway and a few floors up. The only mind-bending aspect is that one of the walls follows the contours of the building at a slight diagonal instead of the previous straight wall.  I’ve caught myself a few times needing to reassure myself that I wasn’t seeing crooked – I’m just in a new apartment. The different view out the windows quickly snaps me back into real time. 🙂
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  • May 1 was a holiday here – something like Labour Day. What a perfect day of culture & nature and a welcomed opportunity to see my classmates again.

    I 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…
    DLH_3631We 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.

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  • After taking the train back to Vienna (about an hour), I had dinner and rejoined the group and some of my other teachers/ friends for another cultural excursion.  De Es was having a party in his studio – a huge warehouse off Mariahilffestrasse (that huge shopping street a few minutes away from my place).  Wow!
    DLH_3756I was familiar with his big man sculptures – there are a few in the Palais Palffy, where the school is.  Again, he’s a big name in the visionary art world, but I knew nothing about him.  His early work was more what I’d expect from a visionary artist.  His newer work, however, spoke to me so much more – worlds conveyed in a more abstract style on a huge scale in a huge space.  Do you remember when I talked about using 3D glasses to see my paintings pop?  Well, you don’t need 3D glasses for these – it’s as if you were wearing them just looking at his work.  Of course some pieces resonated with me more than others –  passages into fantastic worlds of colour. What a great day!  I felt more social than I had in a while.  Nice.
  • On Friday, I registered my new address at the magistrate’s office, stocked my fridge with food from Denn’s organic market, and cooked a batch of soup and a batch of salmon/veggie stir fry on white rice (sigh, I miss brown rice, but it’s not good for Pitta imbalances) – my first time cooking in a month!  I successfully fought off my recurring urge to go out and buy chips (only time in Bali was at the airport) … I must break that addiction if I want to heal my skin – no good being a health food nut with a chip habit. Within a day of my return, my eczema started up beneath my eyes and my hands got worse too -my hair also tangles up after showers –  it’s so much drier here than Bali and the water seems harsh (albeit drinkable).  No worries – it’s just a reminder that certain locations are more conducive to certain people – it’ll be humid again when I return to Newfoundland in July – without the unbearable heat of Bali (which so many love).
  • my email inbox is empty for the first time in a month – trust me… such a relief 🙂
  • It seems that my super immune boosters and healing treatments in Bali spared me from anything serious while there, but I did catch a cold that started with a bit of a sore throat on the plane. After a day of nothing, it has moved into my sinuses, so I’m staying home today (at least I’m hoping it’s just a cold and that I won’t hemorrhage to death in my sleep tonight from dengue fever… oh, ooops… drama.  Rewind – cancel.  Hee hee.  It’s true, some symptoms are similar and manifest days after a mosquito bite, but I’m not worried – just the sniffles. No high fever, soreness, or headache.  Just the sniffles.  All is well. 🙂  I just might get a couple of movies in instead of a full work-day on my art business e-course.  My new apartment came with an Internet cable that reaches all the way to my bed – bonus!  It’s raining out anyway – perfect for a home day.  It’ll be good to have a day of rest after so much running around for over a month.  Ah, so many blessings!
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Power of Now Oasis in Sanur – Last Bali Post

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_IMG_7151Apart from my time photographing Sanur’s beach and relaxing at Kolonial House (see previous post), I spent a lot of time at The Power of Now Oasis. In fact, in 3 days, I partook in 5 of their offerings.

YOGA:

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:

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3461On Sunday, a father and daughter team and I attended a special self-defense class. The teacher, Robert Hagen – a psychologist and karate instructor, spent many years researching the topic of violence in Scandinavia. He wrote a book and collaborated on a movie on the topic. In Norway, hundreds attend his classes, but here, where he lives part of the year with his Indonesian wife, he has a hard time drawing a crowd. Although selfish on my part, I much preferred the smaller group.  The workshop covered how to manage and prevent all sorts of conflict as well as emergency techniques to stop possible violence if needed.

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.

  • Crime in Bali:

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.

  • The Power of Fear:

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.

  • Sunrise Photos:

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):

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_IMG_7156On Monday, after yoga, I had an appointment with Sinshe Tony Liem 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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_IMG_7157 It turns out I have an internal imbalance involving too much fire (no surprise there). Indeed, I’ve got too much yang (fire) in my liver and not enough yin (cooling effect) in my kidneys. The result is (or is from – I can’t remember) weak lungs (a chronic condition). They’re all linked. This, he says is the cause of my skin issues – my lungs. I’d read long ago that those with asthma often had eczema or psoriasis or the other way around. I had felt grateful I didn’t have asthma, but had pondered about the link with my weak lung capacity. In other words, it’s the lung’s job to protect the kidneys and the kidneys’ job to protect the liver. Since my lungs were weak, the other two suffered and got worse with time resulting in skin issues and oversensitivity (or vice versa). This all made sense and definitely complimented what my other Bali healers had said.

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.

 

 

 

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Final Stop in Bali: Sanur Beach

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!

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3041More 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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_2848Lots 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:

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_2994Here’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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_2997Anyhow, 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…

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_2998The 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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3586There’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:

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3039I’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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3572 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!

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3262Early 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).

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3281Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3069If 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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Sanur_DLH_3082

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“Eye of the Spirit” Painting Week in Bali

My 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.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_DLH_2586There’s a lot to say after a week of not blogging. I also didn’t take many photos of the workshop and participants –  luckily, Ashley Christudason, one of my classmates, was really into taking pictures and graciously allowed me to use some of his for my blog. I’ve identified those sections.

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:

  • nice big swimming pool for daily dips– I liked the occasional floating limes and frangipani flowers from the abundant trees around it.
  • spacious rooms with floor space for yoga, good fans, and laundry racks on the veranda. I didn’t mind the old stained and shredded bed linen, but wasn’t fond of the musty towels, even when freshly replaced. Interestingly, unlike other places in Bali that ask you not to flush your toilet paper, this place only has one garbage outside the cabin, so there’s really no option but to flush. It felt strange after 3 weeks of not doing so (unless I forgot, that is … especially in the middle of the night).
  • nice big breakfasts – since I don’t like eggs unless well hidden, I had their banana pancakes in honey syrup and fruit salad every morning. Delicious! – not ayurvedically recommended, but delicious!   I didn’t get my usual earaches from these bananas and actually found them quite delicious after years of not enjoying bananas. Actually, my tummy was quite happy until this morning when things weren’t quite…. normal. That could very well have to do with the fact that I accidentally drank the water for our paint brushes (stored in normal water bottles that I distractedly left on my table, where my own drinking water with electrolytes usually is).  After a few sips, it dawned on me that it didn’t have the usual lemon flavour, and so I went to my room to take a double dose of grapefruit seed extract.  Perhaps 2 doses of that and 2 doses of acidophiles could have had that effect too.  Anyhow, they tell me their water is well water and should be OK.  It may be even better than the big tank of drinking water at reception that comes out of a very dirty mossy tap…  Whatever the case, I’m fine now – I hope.
  • the staff knows your name and although they don’t all speak English, they’re friendly and helpful.  The owner/manager? wasn’t too friendly though – more on that later.
  • the breakfast room (open pavilion) that we took over as a studio was very conducive to painting, even during storms (loved those).  I confirmed that I enjoy working on the floor or tables much more than on an easel.  That pavilion is also the only location for wi-fi, when it’s working. My computer wouldn’t hook up to it though after the first day for some strange reason, so that helped me relax on the blogging and picture-taking and be more present to paint;
  •  Arjana 2’s location next to the rice fields was ideal – my occasional morning walks nourished my eyes and soul. All that green!
  1. Early in the morning, I would get to see some of the locals working in their fields and picking coconuts (you have to be hyper-vigilant though because if you don’t see the men climbing the trees or hear them rustling up there, you may get a nasty surprise when branches and coconuts start falling from the sky. That could kill you! I also now understand how one of the men who was cremated last week (see a previous blog)could have fallen out of a tree. Seeing them climb barefoot, with or without a makeshift rope around their ankles, is quite amazing).
  2. I finally got to see a duck! Sounds strange, but I had been wanting to all week. From our studio, we could hear a whole bunch of them in the rice field across the way, but I never saw them. One morning I stood on a path, listening to them quack away and splash in the water of the rice fields, looking at the green stalks swoosh back and forth, until finally, one poked out to go to the next row and disappeared again. Yay! Mission accomplished!
  3. On the last morning of class, I recruited Shia, one of my classmates, to help me with a photo shoot project. I wanted to participate in Kaliyana Artwear’s Facebook travelogue, and so I put on her anti-suit and went strolling through the rice fields. I’ve worn Kaliyana clothing for over 20 years and have 8 pieces with me on this trip, so it would have been a shame not to do so. Hundreds of photos later (all before 7:30am) and a few near-falls into the wet paddies, I have a few that I’ll submit. Thanks Shia! Oh – can you find the blooper?
  • Although at the end of Kajeng Jalan road, away from main city roads, it’s not as quiet as it first appeared last Sunday when I wrote my last blog. The noise level went on boost as of 8am on Monday. Luckily, I’d been up for hours, but if you like to sleep in and are considering Arjana Bungalows 2, be aware. First, there was the megaphone announcements somewhere nearby. Next there’s an open-air school pavilion right next door and the children were being worked through drills and songs with great enthusiasm. Then, there was the constant stream of motorcycles revving up the little hill right below our classroom. After the true quietness of my other 3 retreats, this was very noticeable. Not a huge deal though. If you’re a good sleeper or higher up in the resort, that won’t be a problem. I could still hear the natural concert of creatures morning and night – something I’m sure to miss when I leave Bali.
  • There are lots of little restaurants nearby on the small road to town. Cheap too – finally the $2-3 meals I had read about. The quality plummeted, however, when we ordered take-out for lunch from some of them and had it delivered to the classroom. Suddenly, Roda’s rice noodles were dry and without any vegetables …so sad. Packaging was always intriguing.  Some ordered juice, which came in a plastic bag, same as curries that you would pour over the rice on the banana leaf on a paper stapled at the top.  The whole dine-in experience was simply better.  Still, I admired, their efforts to not use too much plastic.  When we got one in Styrofoam, that didn’t feel so great either.  Ah, there’s no pleasing foreigners.  🙂
  • Close to downtown: After a few days, however, I got bored of eating nearby and going to bed at 7 or 8pm. I decided to venture out since we finished at 4 instead of 6pm. It’s only about a 5-10 minute walk to the end of the street where the noise, traffic, and people of downtown Ubud are plainly evident. Our bungalows are well situated that way. Wow! So many taxi drivers and vendors wanting your business! I had avoided the busy-ness of the city for most of the month, so it was interesting to explore, once I was in the mood. The market was nearby and so many shops. I only went into one to buy a token Bali souvenir clothing item – a black and green dress bargained down to $10 – in a pattern I’d seen before and found very attractive. Love it! That was enough shopping for me. On Wednesday, I wanted to walk back before dark because even though there are sidewalks in places here, they’re quite treacherous. The sewer grates every 10 steps are big enough for your foot to go through, if the grate is there at all. Then there are the gaping holes between lifting tiles, etc. I saw a few tourists on crutches and wondered if they’d injured themselves simply walking around. Crossing the street is even trickier – especially if you forget that they drive on the opposite side than in North America and can be 5 deep on what you think is a 2-lane street. The next night, I decided I was awake enough to join the group for a later dinner, but no one in town seemed to know the restaurant by name. So I let go of any attachment of finding them and just wandered the streets, following my intuition, and ended up being the first one there. We had a nice dinner together and I walked home with one of the girls while most of the others went out dancing and drinking, as they did most nights. I prefer getting up early to do some yoga, swim, or walk in the rice fields. There’s lots of options no matter if you’re an early bird or a night owl here in Ubud.

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.

Ashley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_4156I’m also actually amazed with what I created. I wouldn’t have been able to do so had I not had 6 months learning the Mischtechnik at the Vienna Academy of Visionary Art. That’s for sure!  Because of the short time and the heat and humidity, we used several coats of underpainting in acrylics and then only the final glazing in oils and final highlights in tempera. I had planned to do the whole thing in acrylics to see how it compares since that’s what I’d like to keep working with once I get home. By the end, however, Phil and Ashley gave me some of their oils so I could try those out. I was repeatedly told that we just can’t achieve the same results with acrylics. I may convert to oils after all. I reserve the right to make that decision later. The idea of doing just one layer of oils instead of all of them with long waiting periods in between is already more attractive. We’ll see.

Here’s what I did on Day 1.

1 –used a sketch I had designed in Vienna as my starting point.
Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_1_IMG_69652 – used pencil to draw it on my gesso board and then waterproof blue ink on top.
Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_69493 – 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.
Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_69514 – used white acrylic paint to put in the highlights.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_69525 – got Philip Rubinov to help me correct the raccoon eye…. (notice that I got rid of the second one behind some hair? I couldn’t get it to work freehand).

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_69556- used a primary yellow acrylic wash to glaze the whole thing.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_6958 7- went back in with the whites.
Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_69618 – used burnt umber to do the shadows.
Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_6963 9. Used whites and darks with my fingers to apply texture to the background.

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_6967

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.

 

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_Arjana_IMG_7073After clean-up, we all went to a really fancy dinner with open pavilions overlooking small rice paddies – the Dirty Duck Diner. The food wasn’t very good and quite inconsistent (between folks who ordered the same thing). Their prices were expensive, but the atmosphere was superb. I went home right after, at 10pm, while the others went dancing and drinking at what they called the mushroom bar.

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.

  •   Environmental Discomfort: almost everyone in the group chain-smoked – a real shock to my system after 3 weeks with almost zero exposure. This week, however, I became a smoker – there was just no getting away from it. I also witnessed ashes falling on other people and on/near artwork. I’d say I did pretty well under those circumstances – didn’t let it affect me too much after the first day. In fact, I chose not to say anything about it – my choice.  I figured the comfort of the majority was more important and, having joined half way, it was up to me to adapt.  There was also alcohol in the studio – but I’m in no position to say if that helped or harmed. It was just different.
  • Dramatic events in our creative space:  I’m so used to my studio being a positive sacred place for personal and spiritual growth – something that was continued in Vienna and also in Flora’s workshop. All the drama and negativity here were hard to handle (although also useful for my growth, I’m sure).
  1. It started on Monday when one poor gal collapsed after spending the previous day doing water sports and suffering what she thought was hypothermia – she was helped back to her cabin for the day. Thankfully, she returned the next day healthy and strong. This is where being so empathic doesn’t serve me… the drama was in me – I recognize that.
  2. Then, there was some talk about a participant who suddenly left half way through  (before I arrived). I purposefully kept my curiosity out of it – none of my business, but it made me aware of tension and gossip.  Other personality conflicts became apparent towards the end of our week together – again, hard for me to witness as I feel too much for all involved.  Fortunately, the overall feeling between participants was loving and harmonious. Wonderful bunch!
  3. Also on Monday, while we were attempting to get into the flow of painting, there was a lot of business dealings being conducted in the studio, including conflicts between the organizers and the hotel manager about money, rooms, etc. This was followed by lots of complaining between the various organizers.  At one point, it looked like we were about to be evicted from the studio. It was done relatively quietly, but next to me. Being a context dependent learner, I couldn’t tune it out as it went on for hours. I should have brought my earphones. From my overly sensitive point of view, it was ugly – right in the midst of our creative space. I wished they had done so out of the studio. I had been so spoiled (ie sheltered) in previous weeks that the negativity and questionable business practices in my new home were surprising. At one point, I just left my station and had to sweep myself energetically, only to find another girl doing exactly the same thing. This led to a beautiful conversation and a change in the energy.
  4. The week ended the way it started with more conflicts to do with organizational issues that I won’t get into here. I just hope all works well for everyone in the end because it sure was uncomfortable while I was there and I hear the story isn’t over.  Indeed, I pray it all gets resolved quickly and smoothly.

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:

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Bali Chapter 4 at Arjana Bungalows

Dominique Hurley_ Bali_DLH_2446

It’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.

 

 

 

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