Final Pictures of Om Shanti

We left Bali yesterday, saying farewell to our dear friends and to our beautiful new building. Having put our heart and soul into this place, and sharing the experience with so many Balinese friends, we feel a deep connection with it. 


We have named the building Om Shanti. Om embodies the essence of all that is and represents our connection to this essence and to one another. Shanti means peace. I know I feel total peace when I am sitting under the alang-alang roof. And I feel connected to all other beings when I sit in meditation and connect to the source of life.
 My dream was to create a place that would help myself and others to connect with the deeper part of themselves. My desire is that Om Shanti will promote peace within each heart and bring healing and wholeness to our souls.

Before leaving, I took some final pictures. Of course there are still many small jobs to be done, which we have left in the capable hands of Nengah and Iluh. Both have been quite amazing in their dedication and commitment to the project.

The Scandinavian designed stairs leading up to the mezzanine floor. The main bedroom on the left and the second toilet on the right.

Open space looking over the Bali Sea. We put some bamboo screens on the Eastern side to block out the hot morning sun. 

 The entrance to the open deck area with bamboo screens down. In the background is the separate kitchen. Above this is the solar hot water system (barely visible) and the water tank.

 Georgeous Iluh. I am so grateful to her and Nengah for all that they have done, making it possible for me to create my dream in Bali.

















Nengah reading recipes (with Iluh helping with English) from a Women's Weekly magazine we brought from Australia!

                                   

                                 Front view of Om Shanti.

                                          

And from further down the land with the new temple standing guard..... 

The large outdoor shower with views to the sea.

Looking from the shower toward the door leading inside (to a toilet/hand basin and another door into the bedroom). At night, the clear starry sky is exposed. What a place to cleanse and release before going to bed!






And now I leave you with my favourite photo, taken by my sister from the mezzanine floor at sunrise as we were about to do yoga and meditate. Ah, the simple pleasures of nature! Always on display, revealing her beauty and wonder if we are just awake enough to notice!

                                May peace reign in Bali.
                             May peace reign in the world.
                             My peace reign in each of our hearts.

 My sister Carol (on the right) and I just before leaving for the airport. Her flight was one hour before mine and we each left for opposite ends of the world; me to Australia; her to Canada. Sharing the process of creating my dream in Bali with my sister was wonderful. She has been my cheering partner, helping me overcome obstacles and fears on this part of my journey. Thanks Carol!

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Dreams do come true! If you want to know how to create your dreams, I will be facilitating a workshop at Om Shanti on this very topic in April 2012! Please check my website for more details!      barbaasen.com

Ceremony Day and the end of a Story! Or is it just the beginning?!

I believe Iluh's father (with the help of his special calendar) was right about the 21st of November being an auspicious day. The positive energy could be felt from the moment I walked up the hill to the building. A procession of guests arrived dressed in their traditional Balinese outfits with their offering baskets on their heads. The men had been up since 2am preparing the food, including roasting a pig over an open fire. All of the beautiful offerings were laid out on the veranda and the priest splashed them with holy water (collected from the sacred springs) and scattered flowers over them, while the incense burned and he recited Hindu prayers and sang mantras. All was perfect. I sat there in awe of the moment......it all felt surreal. One year ago I started on this journey of dreaming a dream quite big, never fully knowing how it would all turn out, but being prepared for the unfolding of something beautiful. And now, I sit and embrace the creation of this dream and feel full of gratitude and amazement.

 The priest preparing for prayers....

Gorgeous Iluh......

Enjoying themselves.....

 Tony and I receiving a blessing and cleansing.....

 Receiving a smoke cleanse......

Ketut making fish satay in the traditional way.....

It was a blessing to have my sister Carol (in the background) staying during the ceremony.....

And so my story comes to an end.  At least this part of the story. I will head home to Australia in 10 days and continue with my private practice. Then in March 2012 I will return here and hold my first workshop: Journey to Your Soul.  Details will be available soon on my website. 

Please check back in a few days for some final pictures of the completed meditation centre.

Preparing for the Opening Ceremony

So, in Bali, ceremonies are held for just about everything, and for the Balinese, they would never move into a new home or start a new business without a ceremony. And not just any ceremony....for every different purpose, there is a specific ceremony, with intricate offerings dedicated to the Gods who watch over that particular area. And the ceremony cannot just be held on a day that suits you. No, it must fit in with the Balinese calendar and an auspicious day must be found that will allow for the highest blessings and greatest success. Iluh's father is an amazing man and happens to be an expert in such things. He is in possession of an old book that is falling apart from overuse, which has dates for a 300 year range and gives all the good days for specific purposes. So, we consulted him, to find a suitable day to hold our opening ceremony and he said Nov 21st is a good day to move into a new house and also to start a new business (both of which I plan to do).
As this date approaches, the workers are putting extra effort into finishing the building, so that we can sleep there on the night of the 21st. Nengah told me he has been awake many hours each night, worrying about the project and whether it will get finished. I said not to worry; we can just sleep there, even if it's not finished. But for Nengah, it's important to have it looking complete and ready for the big day. I guess it would be equivalent to having a house warming party, inviting all the guests, planning the menu, drinks, and decorations, and not having the windows and doors in place.
The effort that goes into Balinese ceremonies has always amazed me. The offerings are intricate and are created by tender hands and loving hearts. As I am staying at Blue Star, I have been privileged to be involved with the process of preparing for the "house-warming" ceremony.

Iluh and her mother-in-law making offerings from coconut fronds.

 Similar to origami.....very complex folding and cutting....then, voila: a beautiful creation!

 Eka preparing young coconuts to place in the offering baskets.

Small offerings with many items of significance placed in each one, eventually to be put in a larger offering basket.

I get a surprise when I see Iluh has used purple to colour the decorative rice cakes!

 Everyone helps! It is such a beautiful communal effort. The women sit around and create while they chat about life.

Just another day at "The Project"

Things are happening quickly now!

 The floors are being sanded.....

The bamboo railing is complete. And Nengah is busily carving the handrails for the stairs.

          Wayan is tiling the shower, with beautiful Sri, his helper.

Almost finished!

 And a most essential part of the project, the septic tank and reed bed, is well on its way.

A Day off!

It's been hot,dry and humid here in Amed. The wet season has not arrived yet, although it's threatened to break through a few times. The hills around here are parched and only a few trees are surviving the arid conditions. The ocean is great for cooling off, but I've been craving some lush forest and some fresh water for a dip. I had heard of Les Waterfall on a previous trip so we decided to take a day off from painting and gardening at the project and hire our favourite driver (Komang) and head North from Amed. Within an hour we were in a different world....so much vegetation....many fruit trees (rambatun, jackfruit, banana, papaya) and an easy, shady path to the falls.

The walk itself would be worth going on, but the waterfall is a beautiful jewel that surprises you at the end of the one kilometer path.

A tropical paradise in a remote and  yet to be discovered part of Bali

The Wood Floor is almost Finished

Coconut wood is strong and easily accessible here in Bali and it has a beautiful grain, so we chose this for the meditation floor. It's starting to feel like a space for meditation.

 As you can see from this picture, the windows have arrived and will be put in over the next few days. Wow, it's all happening now! 

Tony and I have also been painting the outside of the building, leaving the higher parts for the workers to complete.

The Floor Joists are in

Yesterday the coconut floor boards arrived just as Nengah finished nailing the last of the joists. By tomorrow, we should have a floor!

On a clear Day you can see Lombok and Mount Rinjani

 

After a night of pouring rain, the air was clear and the views from the land so beautiful! Our alang-alang roof got it's christening and all was dry underneath (of course!)

Snorkeling with my new underwater camera

With clear warm water and a new camera, I venture into the fishes world. 

 

That's not a snake......it's an eel....

 A large Trigger Fish

and

Hundreds of Bat Fish

So many beautiful Fish and Coral

,

 Sometimes it feels like I'm being watched!

 

One of my favourite.....a Puffer Fish

 All taken from the waters of Jemeluk Bay! With Mount Agung standing guard!