Sleeping world of yoga

The Balinese live with the sun. As soon as it rises, the streets are full of people, and not long after it sets, the locals turn to their homes. And since Bali is close to the equator, the sun does not shine before six in the morning or after six in the evening.

As a result, the other volunteers complain about the early morning noise in our homestay on a regular basis. It is indeed not quiet. The wildlife wakes up not long after sunrise - you hear birds in the garden, water running down the rocks, and roosters from far. And then there's Putu, the most adorable Balinese toddler, who makes a lot of buzz as soon as he opens his eyes.

But when I wake up at 5:45 in the morning, everything is still. I can only hear the gentle flow of water and our ceiling fan. The sky is totally dark. As I put on my yoga wear and walk outside, I realize that even the locals haven't opened their doors yet. 

I walk into Penestanan, a small village adjacent to Ubud, where my yoga studio is located. I am immediately in a different environment. I leave the chaotic and loud roads of Ubud behind and walk into a little peaceful paradise. Long stone stairs take me to the studio.

Entrance from the main road of Ubud to this little paradise

I find my spot in the still half-empty room and close my eyes in a moment of pre-class meditation. The floor-to-ceiling windows all the way around the room let the morning sun tickle my eyelids as I sit with my eyes closed. I thank for the opportunity to be there and soon start my practice.

Our dynamic vinyasa flow culminated in the most intense savasana I have ever experienced. The breathing exercises we did during the practice helped me deepen and longer my breath, resulting in a tingling sensation in my whole body every time I inhaled. I felt my whole body awake and rejuvenated, I felt my mind calm and happy. The teacher puts an eye pillow on my eyes, making my savasana even deeper. It blocks the morning sunshine, and I feel like I am being brought to a different reality.

Intuitive Flow, my yoga studio

Every second I feel a different sensation around me - the birds chirping outside, the breeze giving me light shivers, a little ant traveling up my arm, the smell of the scented sticks burning in the corner of the room, the beautiful, calm music playing in the background, and the teacher spraying eucalyptus freshener in the air. I become aware of everything and everyone around me, and I feel like I am back to being one - one with the nature. Suddenly someone coughs and I feel so calm and disconnected from this reality that I almost jump, just as you would jump when waking from a nightmare. 

Mountains in the background

As we open our eyes and thank the teacher for today's practice in a namaste, she points outside. The view unraveled silhouettes of both Mount Batur and Mount Agung in the background. Apparently it is a rare view from Ubud. "It is today's little miracle," she says. 

I walk out of the yoga studio and take the long staircase towards the busy roads of Ubud. I give some money to a lady sitting on the stairs with two children. I am even greeted by three locals who just want to say good morning and not to offer me a taxi ride. Realizing how powerful my morning practice was, I cry a little as I walk home.