Feathers and Feelings – More Bali Adventures

It’s getting late on this, our quiet day of Nicole Lawrence’s extension to Flora Bowley’s Bloom True workshop. Not surprisingly, even if we’ve slowed down a bit in the last 2 days, there’s still so much to write about.  I’m sitting on our terrace after several heavy rain showers alternated with the jungle concert of creatures and drummers/chanters somewhere nearby.  Enchanting!  The girls have gone out for dinner, but I was in my creative flow and decided to stay put.  It’s good to know what we need and to do just that.

I haven’t painted at all this week. Two of the gals found time yesterday and today to do a bit.  Instead, I was more interested in creating images from my shots from last night at the Petulu Village Heron Sanctuary.

But let me backtrack before I share more of these photos.

Life Drawing in Ubud:

On Wednesday morning, Nicole took those who wanted to Pranoto’s gallery for a life drawing session.  I almost didn’t go. After 6 months of studying drawing at The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art, I still can’t say I enjoy drawing.  But I will eventually enjoy what I can do with my drawing skills on canvas, so I went anyway.  There were about 20 other people there, sitting on the floor or on mini-stools in a circle around the model, a local woman wearing a sarong around her waist.  The light was almost straight above her, hanging from a rod.  The one thing that amazed me was that I could clearly see the highlights and shadows on her because of the colour of her Balinese skin.  What a difference!  The highlights truly shined.  As per usual, my first 5 minute sketches were a good reminder that constant practice is needed.  By the end, with the 10-20 minute poses, I did better.

I still can’t say I enjoy drawing, but I see some improvements for sure.  During our last pose, I spent half the time admiring the work of the man who was running the session.  He just went at it with charcoal on large sheets of paper and created such beautiful stylistic pieces in such a short time.  I preferred those to anything on the walls. Wow!  If you’re planning on going though, make sure to go to the washroom before – I ended up holding it in until I got home because I was strongly discouraged to even go in there if I wanted to keep my pants dry (from the bottom up, vs. the other way).

We were supposed to go to a temple in the afternoon before heading out to see the herons and egrets, but we all voted to postpone that visit as we were feeling too rushed.  Instead, I had a nice swim after lunch (I know… not recommended, but that’s my version of living on the edge.).  There’s nothing quite like floating on your back with the open sky above you and the world going quiet. Even my mind quietens down when my ears are under water.  I need that.  It gets sooooo noisy in there.

Petulu Heron Sanctuary:

After a quick ice-cream break, we headed to Petulu village, home to the heron sanctuary.  The village charges a $2 entrance fee to have access to their one street when the birds come home to perch in the trees for the night.

Nicole’s husband Paul learned traditional Balinese dance from the head of this village.  It was part of his music studies here sometime in the past. We went to his house after spending a bit of time on a path in the rice field where a sign advertising the “best viewing of bird” led to a little food stand / store.  I didn’t actually make it to the warung. I just stood there on the path looking up and taking zillions of photos – knowing full well that I’d be a horrible sports photographer.  I had lots of fun though – thanking the inventors of digital photography.  Whether I took 50 or 500 shots (guess which), it was all the same price.

I also had fun speaking Czech to a couple that came along – friends of Paul.  They’re from a small town near Brno, but are now living in Australia. I became much more extrovert around them – funny how that happens with Czechs.

The village chief then took us to the flat roof of a nearby building to get a better view of the birds. We were as captivated by the cock fighting training going on below as we were by the egrets above.  It takes a lot of skill, we were told, to train roosters.  They are pampered (special leg massages) and trained so that they can kill or be killed.  Luckily, we didn’t see that.  We only saw some teasing and short training bursts.  Poor roosters…

I much prefer the village’s relationship with the egrets and herons.  They are truly appreciated, and I don’t believe it’s only for the tourism value.  Not sure though… We heard a few stories about ceremonies that brought them back after their disappearance for a few months, the abundance of feathers that fell from the trees when they needed them to make special costumes, etc.  I only caught part of these stories, however, as I walked around the roof with my nose up in the air, yet fully aware of its 2-storey drop.

Obviously, I spent quite a bit of time today in Photoshop layering some of my photos as the clouds and the egrets never seemed to be lined up in real time.  Here are other photos of Petulu from street level.

Traditional Healer:

Today, on our day off, Nicole took a few of us along for her 8am visit to a traditional healer she has seen before ($25 a visit).  What an experience!  When I asked about putting his name and photo on my blog, he didn’t want any promotion (but the photo was OK).  I therefore don’t even know his name.  I can certainly understand.  After “Eat Pray Love” came out, life for almost everyone in Bali changed and I hear the services from the healer in Elizabeth Gilbert’s story have been quite compromised by it.

photo by Jenifer Swaringen Reynolds

We all sat on a bamboo mat in his office – an outdoor covered platform like those we’ve seen everywhere here.  As the healer worked on each of us in turn, the others sat and watched (we were all OK with this – we could have gone indoors somewhere if we had wanted privacy).  The only time I wasn’t comfortable with our group session, was when 2 other foreigners joined us and one lit up a cigarette.  That was the first time I breathed in cigarette smoke since I arrived – I’ve been swimming in incense, but I’ve so appreciated the break from the other kind of smoke.

Nicole was the first to be treated.  It was remarkable.  He pressed on a lymph node on her leg and the indent remained long after.  It didn’t on the other leg.  After he did his thing, he pressed again and there was no more indent.  It’s impressive when the results are so visible. I soon followed after her as I wanted to get it over with.  In addition to obvious intuitive skills and a quick yet effective visual scan of the body, he spends time feeling the head and face, using pressure points to assess our condition. Painful spots is what he’s looking for.  He then moves to the feet and pushes several points on several toes with a special stick-like instrument. Each point is associated with various organs, etc.  Everyone writhed in pain at different points and didn’t budge at others. I even found myself using the double tap wrestlers use to break a hold (I watch a lot of movies). The amazing thing is that after he finds the spot(s), he does quick energy work using his magic wand over the specific meridians (I may not be using the language he would) and then tries the acupressure spot again.  Miraculously, there was no more pain at all anymore.  This happened time and time again with everyone.

For some, he looked at the person and before they had time to report all their ills, he would say – sit down and confirm with his hands what he had assessed at first sight.  Sometimes, he would say – here’s your problem. I can fix that.  For me, however, I was told I would have to do the work myself (or the play, really) – the story of my life. He explained that my creative center (root and sacral chakras; sex organs) are closing down as I near menopause and I’m holding too much of the fire inside.  Basically, I have smokin’ ovaries, and if I don’t let some of that fire out through passion and creativity, mental issues (memory, confusion, fear, etc.) as well as my skin and nerve issues in my arms (carpal tunnel, etc.) will just keep causing me problems. I always thought my problems with my arms were a call to creativity – I was right – both skin and nerve deep.  Although he didn’t talk to anyone else in terms of Ayurvedic elements, he confirmed that my issue was too much fire that I’m keeping in and not releasing. He told me to be more creative and passionate (but not to complain when I get strong emotions) ]. He also gave me a breathing / visualization exercise to do several times a day.  I’m to visualize all the fire in my first two chakras and move it up to my heart and then to my throat.  I need to pause it there until I feel the saliva in my mouth – savour the sweetness of that creativity and passion, smile, and breathe it out. Sounds simple, but I did it a few times and it’s quite nice indeed.  It’s all about controlling my inner fires and lightening up and out.

Now you’d think that my life was all about creativity. But if you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that this year of learning hasn’t been a year of playing. I haven’t really let loose like I can sometimes do in the studio.  I’ve never really been good at playing, actually.  That’s why I took a 4-year degree at university to become an expert at organizing events for other to have fun at. I’ve always been too serious. One healer told me in Hawaii that my spirit was from the star Sirius and it was no use wishing I was from the planet Palladium.  I just am the way I am.  I still am. When out of balance, however (as the Ayurvedic doctor reported earlier this week), I am not only introspective and focused, but overly controlling and just not fun. Flora noticed it. Other participants in the workshop have noticed it.  My classmates in Vienna and teachers there have noticed it.  Basically, I’m not the most easy-going person and can be quite harsh on myself at times.  I’m much more relaxed than I was decades ago, but still have a ways to go to be happy in my skin – litterally.  So although I’ve devoted this year to the arts, I need to figure out the best way for me to have fun and creative with it.  I need to let go and let loose so my volcano doesn’t implode.  Hopefully, between my Ayurvedic medicine and new breathing exercise, I’m on my way there.

Creativity is one prescription.  So is passion.  Although the doctor didn’t say it specifically, I’d say that’s a confirmation that it’s time I find my life partner.  Thing is, I’m not one to settle.  It’s always been 0 or 200%. I want a man who is committed to learning to love unconditionally (and is already quite good at it). That’s also where I want to be when I enter into my next relationship.

If he’s read this blog, he’ll know he’ll need a good capacity for love and willingness to grow into that.  There are lots of delightful aspects to who I am -really!   I just don’t believe in only putting my best foot forward here. This blog is not all about marketing. It’s more important that I be authentic.  You get to know all sides of me here as I travel through life exploring and expressing my love of beauty and the beauty of love.

I’m sure there’s a compatible mate out there for me – I just haven’t met him at all these events I enjoy that only attract women.  Being an early up and early to bed person hasn’t helped my social life either.  Oh well. I’ll keep on working on myself, following my guidance, and living to the best of my happiness all the while having faith that when the time is right, I’ll meet someone with whom I can add another element of love and passion to the mix. After all, it’s doctor-recommended.  I’d rather do it while my pitta / fire is balanced, however, not to attract someone else who is out of balance. Until then, I’ll enjoy being single and learning to be more truly loving to myself and others.  That’s always a good thing.

OK – off to bed. Big day tomorrow and it’s almost 11pm.  Time to enter the magical wonders of dreamtime.