Day 11: Self Centered

Today is the beginning of Week Two Sacred Circularities 2015. It was a pleasure and necessity for me to take some seriously playful time to myself today, to get centered for the upcoming workshops I will be sharing this week. I am teaching Sustained Spinning over the course of the next six days, and feel so grateful to be teaching in the company of Tiana Zoumer, Gail O’Brian, Tammy FireFly, Malaika Darville, Francie Fishman and Jaguar Mary X. Wow! What a powerhouse team. Today was a day for me to go inward, take some ME time, and prepare for the powerful week ahead.

I woke up this morning bright and early, got all dolled up and went out into the rising sun for a Selfie Photo Op, tutorial filming and simple admiration of a beautiful Bali Sunrise. I captured some great images of blossoming lotuses, the rice patties, and me with my hoop, all in the light of the rising sun. After a yummy breakfast with the new teachers and participants, I went to the pool for more Selfie time and some sun. A little too much sun, actually. After taking hundreds of photos (only of which a few a usable) and laying around like a little kitten I am looking like the Coppertone Baby! White Bum Red Cheeks ;) Tee hee! It was a very fun morning of creating self-portraits by the infinity pool. Afterwards I felt inspired to head to the wantilan for an in depth hoop practice. I danced and stretched and sang and hooped my heart out for what felt like hours! I am ready to begin practicing for hours and hours again everyday. I used to do that, and now with my travel schedule I have become a bit slack about it. I felt refreshed today to begin my practice anew again! It is a perfect week to recommit to my creativity. 

The Balinese people and all of us blessed to be on Bali at this time are preparing for Nypei. The locals are ceremonially cleansing their temples and creating huge demon puppets, preparing for the big Ogah-Ogah parade that scares off all of the evil spirits. Then, Nyepi is a Day of Complete Silence. No cooking, eating, talking, fires, lights, entertainment, travel or leaving the house. The airport is closed and the streets and beaches are deserted. Today as I awoke at sunrise and sat by the lotus pond for a while, I found myself looking forward to communing with these flowers and water on the Day of Silence. Today was such a lovely day self centering, and I am greatly looking forward to another day of reflection and experiencing.

The rice patties are barren now at much of Ananda. They harvested the rice, and now what was a lush green field is now a beautifully muddy terrace of lakes. A new type of beauty is there, now. Instead of green fields there are now wonderfully white birds, starkly contrasting the brown water. As the weeks come and go, and the view of the rice is ever changing, I hold on to the sweet smells in the air and the vivid colors in front of my eyes as long as I can in the moment before having to let it go. I am so grateful to be here, amongst these people, at this time, in this body, on this planet! Truly, every day I give thanks that the life I have co-created is so blessed. I must have done something right in a previous existence, as this bliss is beyond my wildest imagination.

The Opening Ceremony was tonight, and seeing the new faces was a delight! We had a very special visitor, a very kind and compassionate tabby cat graced us with it’s company and continued to hang out all night. I loved it up in the circle and carried it all around the jam later on. Putu, the Balinese Priest, was back again to perform the very sacred water and rice blessing for us for Week Two participants. It was profound to receive this amazing blessing a second time! I am honored to be able to sit in a circle and receive sacred ceremonial blessings from a traditional lineage. These types of rituals build so much power over time, and I could feel it. I feel that this place is changing me....mutating me....in a very good and gracious way!

After the ceremony with all of the flower tossing and cheering, hugging and ritual, we jammed and held space in the portal we are creating here together. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone better throughout the week, and so thankful to be in the midst of such awesome community! It is super amazing that hoop enthusiasts from ALL around the world (especially Alberta, Cananda) are inspired enough to gather together on tiny Bali. Smart folks! :)

The stars were shining as I walked back to my room. The stars were bright and the frogs and crickets were serenading my every step. In my heart a fire is kindled, warm and full of love for each woman and man here, not just at this gathering, but on this earth at this time. We are a part of something really special, and I can feel the shift culminating. This week is POWERFUL with Saturday being Nyepi, The New Moon, A Total Solar Eclipse plus Spring Equinox. Wow. That was my one word for the Opening Circle; WOW! Other participants shared their ‘one word’ for the week; words like Transmutation, Creation, Healing, Manifestation, Magic, etc. My word was simply ‘wow’, because that is exactly how I feel around all of this beauty and continual blessing. Week Two is already proving to be a climactic moment of dreams manifested, and I look forward to the string of moments that will stay in the center of my heart forever.

One in Self Love,

Shellie White Light