When the universe whispers, you listen. I am grateful I ldid. My time in Bali shifted my relationship with myself; my mother; and the Universe.
The 2017 trip ultimately created space for me to start unravelling emotional and spiritual build-up that had accumulated in my (sub)conscious. Initially, I took the trip as an opportunity to travel with my mother— to reconnect with the woman whom I felt I had undesirably grown apart from. I wanted her to see me as an adult, and offer her a new way to love me (as I undoubtedly knew she did/does). In the same breath, I wanted to deepen my understanding of self outside of the expectations of other people— to learn more about my authentic self because I had always felt like I lived in the shadows of what others expected of me.
Bali was life-changing. With the help of guided meditation at Yoga Barn, the non-judgemental conversations with the group, and quiet self-reflections by the resort pool, I deeply recognized my entanglement and connection with the Universe. All the “noise” of life back in Canada affected me more than I originally thought.
Many experiences from the trip reminded me of how healing the universe/self is when you surrender your awareness. When you are present. I sat with myself, in love. Cried. Smiled. And then cried again. I sat in my truth with open arms, and I began making friends with my vulnerability. And my mother witnessed this— I know that seeing me unapologetically operate in autonomy gave her confidence in my decision making. No pretending.
My experiences in Bali helped reinforce my belief that the Universe is always working in our favour, and that belief has helped me live life with less fear. I am still a work in progress, but Bali served as such an eye opening reminder of how important it is to take time. Take. Time. Life’s journey has been that much more fulfilling.