“Anything you can’t change is teaching you how to let go. That is why it is so important to let certain things go. To release them. To cut loose. People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Don’t expect to get anything back, don’t expect recognition for your efforts, don’t expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits in your life. Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust. Stop being who you were and become who you are.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Zahir  
Change is good for the soul. Keeping one step ahead of winter we departed our dear friend Roma, taking a bit of Italy in our hearts until we return.   What a whirlwind of culture shock with a layover in Russia, a stopover in Bangkok, and a ‘stay a while’ in Bali.  Ah Bali!  Always feels so right to immerse ourselves in this exotic, unique, colorful culture.  Spending a few days at the beach in Sanur we then decided to explore the East coast of Bali.

Finding a base in Candidasa was as simple as asking our taxi driver if he knew a good local hotel on the beach?  Of course his cousin worked at such a place and within a day we had moved into our new 2^nd story apartment overlooking the magnificent coast.  An old style guesthouse we immediately set about transforming the back porch into a kitchen and the front lanai into a lovely spot to sit and watch the setting sun over the ocean.

Bordering the 5-star Puri Bagus Resort on one side and zero-star fisherman’s huts on the other side we had found a place to roost for a few months.

Located a mile off the busy truck-laden road running through the town, we quickly fell into the rhythm of the ocean.  A great place to recharge our batteries!  Our little guesthouse was a patchwork quilt of international long stay guests from Holland, Germany, Australia, South Africa and now Hawaii.  Sprinkled in occasionally were a few local Indonesians for added color!

Down the road, through the jungle, the path along the ocean arrived at an important village temple next the edge of a small peninsula.  From there we would climb up and over the razor back edge to a stunning view of the coast towards Amed.  Perched above, at any given time it was possible to spot in the colorful reefs below a minimum of  20 turtles, 5 large schools of fish,  2 or 3 sharks and endless other sea life.  Continuing up the steep cliff brought us to the Pura Bukit Gumang- Monkey Temple.  The view is spectacular but be ready for close encounters with these cheeky little guys.

Further down the road from Candidasa there are beautiful views of rice fields in valleys near Bugbug.  Gotta love that name. Desa Bugbug is one of oldest Balinese villages in Bali.  Just past it is Pasir Putih Beach, called Virgin Beach. There you can swim in the sometimes rowdy waters or just walk along the sandy shore.  Small warungs or cafes dot the beach.  Run by fishermen it is possible to order a fresh Mahi Mahi for instance, go for a swim for an hour while they find the still squirming fish, cook it, then sit down to a tasty meal. But is it fresh? 

Further along is Tirta Gangga, a village and Royal palace in eastern Bali. It is noted for its water palace, owned by Karangasem royalty. Tirta Gangga literally means water from the Ganges and it is a site of some reverence for the Hindu Balinese.

Another hour along the winding coast is Amed.  All the while stately Mt. Agung pops out from behind clouds to say hello!   A great get away place, you can stay on the beach and snorkel right out your front door.  Completely remote and quiet there isn’t much else to do so bring a good book.  A number of good restaurants dot the coast. 

Back towards the port of Padangbai, was our favorite little fruit stand.  Meena would greet us with a smile and we were sure to go away with extra fruit to add to the sumptuous fruit salad that Joseph whips up every morning.  Just past that is the night market where when staying at Villa Sea Spray, we would walk the rocks to get a fresh coconut nightly and hang out with the villagers.

Sometimes things are meant to be. We need to surrender to life more and just get in the flow. A door opens for no apparent reason.  How many times do we just walk on by? A friend told us of her experience with Geroma Mangku, a Balien or Balinese Holy Man/Healer. “Om Swasti Astu.”

Walking up the tree lined uneven stairs and entering the courtyard through the stone arch was stepping back into village life in Bali 50 years ago.  About 8am Mangku, 81, comes back from the jungle, dirty from working in the fields.  He showers and sits on the porch, preparing a mouthful of betel nut.  Villagers start arriving.  Humbly they walk through the gate, heads bowed.  One older woman who recently suffered a stroke, is carried up the stairs by her son and gently placed on the terrace.  As we sit in the courtyard the sunlight streams through the thick green jungle surrounding the compound. Fighting cocks crow, birds sing, dog’s scratch, kids play and Mangku’s lovely ancient wife goes about her daily chores.  Silence reigns and positive energy transmutes any activity or noise.

Small bags full of offerings, incense, and small donations are left on a table at the entrance.  First come first serve; we learned to arrive early.  ‘Our ‘problems’ are basically old injuries flaring their ugly, painful heads.  Too many accidents, pushing our bodies to the limit when younger.  Backpacking to Everest Basecamp in Tibet, trekking for mountain gorillas in Uganda, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu, Peru, Joseph running in the San Francisco marathons, to name a few.  Now we pay, but damn it was fun while it lasted!!

Our driver translated our first session.  “Former marathon runner, bad knees. (Joseph)”  “Active life resulting in spinal injuries, but had fun doing it! (Nancy

Mangku laughs.  All the locals laugh then get back to serious staring.  Get used to it – you are the current center of attraction.  In fact while traveling once you decide that if you can make locals laugh, at you or with you, it is a good day; things get easier.  Everyone was smiling ear to ear.  Not like the suspicious scowls awaiting a stranger in the west.  And westerners come to Bali to teach the Balinese, what exactly?

Our healer immediately knows which muscles are out of place and begins the painful process of pulling them, ‘rolfing’ them, straightening and aligning limbs.  If it hurts in a spot he presses harder.  This is not an experience for light weights.  No soft music, lights and fancy oils.  He uses a bit of coconut oil and ‘wood water’ – a chunk of fermenting wood floating in a low bowl.

Our driver found this healer when he broke his leg on a motorcycle.  Having broken my leg in Bali myself one year earlier, they had my ear!! Many locals have traditional healers realign a crooked broken bone or pull the muscles of a severely twisted ankle or straighten dislocated body parts.  What power he has in those 81 year old hands! Energy surges through from his strong connection with the Nature surrounding him; of which he is an inseparable part.  Stocky and strong he had a quiet demure; the gift of healing radiating from his being.  Mangku is a true healer.  The real deal. 

Everything heals fast once the body is once again in alignment, physically, mentally and spiritually.  His smile through the betel nut teeth reassures the patient that soon the pain will subside.

It wasn’t all pain.  Mangku would get Joseph to do a yoga move performance, feet touching the floor above his head, for the local audience.  Amazing at 70, he would say and they all mumbled, “Yoga, yoga.” Mangku proudly showed us a glossy magazine from France highlighting his story.  A young girl was in an accident at 3, never walking again, despite attempts, surgeries and Western medicine.  Now age 16 her parents got wind of Mangku.  Moving to Bali for 6 months they brought the girl to Mangku twice weekly.  An image of the girl in a wheelchair and an x-ray of her twisted spine showed how she arrived.  She walked away!!

After 5 weeks of weekly work by Mangku we developed a friendly rapport, kind of like a Stockholm fondness for your torturer when the pain stops. Finally I worked up the courage to tell him I had broken my left leg in Bali one year earlier.  He smiled, stood on my foot and pulled up with all his might – ‘Crack’, ‘Ouch’ ‘Relief’ and I regained the one last range of motion I had lost after the break. 

 Language was no longer a barrier; we communicated on a different level, humor a key as always.  When we walked up the stairs and through the stone gate his face would light up with a broad glowing smile.  “Welcome”.  ‘Disambut baik’.  At our last session he was sad to see us go, and we miss him.  We were blessed with a real, genuine Balinese healing experience!

Villagers do not want a circus show of tourists arriving in hopes of healing.  No repeats of Ubud’s iconic Ketut from “Eat, Pray, Love.”  In Bali many ‘fake’ healers, not true Baliens, have sprouted up around Ubud in hope of a piece of the tourist’s wallet, and so the locals here are wary. First met with coldness and teasing, it took a while to be accepted by the remote locals. Eventually while buying eggplants, incense, corn and pumpkin from the granddaughter in the family shop weekly, everyone warmed up. She even offered us her phone number to call to see if Mangku was healing on the day we chose.  Appointments are unheard of in villages.  Hit or miss at best.  Time is gauged from the rhythms of nature and the stars rather than watches and clocks.  And so we offer you our experiences and Mangku’s address:  Somewhere between the ocean and Mt. Agung, in the mountains of Eastern Bali.

Mystics, healers and artists are just as essential to a typical Balinese community as farmers and merchants.  True healers accept donations only, maybe a chicken or bag of rice for a job well done. Those who have money share it with those that don’t, and land is owned by the gods who are benevolent enough to lend it to human beings for temporary use. The Balinese spend about half their day taking care of chores for food and shelter, and the other half is devoted to festivals, processions, art making, dance and drama.  In our western society where “Busy-ness” is the norm, we have more than sore muscles to be healed in Bali!

And so it goes…………………………………..Next hiking the slopes of Mt. Batur, in search of the Elixir of Life!   Until then Keep Laughing, Keep Living Life to the Fullest, and vow to make a change or two in your life every month. In any given moment you have 2 options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety. One tiny decision can ignite a chain reaction of possibilities. Imagine waking up excited about the day, fueled by healthy habits and brimming with opportunity.  You hold the power to create that reality!  Take control of your choices. It’s time to build a life you love. A life overflowing with purpose and passion. Ditch the autopilot.  What bold change will you make today? Yes, I’m talking to YOU!  Take care and thanks for keeping in touch!! Drop a line about taking control of your life and the success it brings!

Love, Light & Laughter, 

xo  Nancy & Joseph