Wake up call
What drew me to Bali when I was looking at my options for teacher trainings was its preservation of one of the oldest, continuous forms of Hinduism in the world. One small island of 17,500 in a predominately Muslim country, Bali has been recognized on an international stage for its beautiful religious practices that have continued to flourish, despite the rise of mass tourism that has occurred in recent decades.
When I arrived in Bali, one of the first things I noticed was the wafering aroma of incense and the colorful flowers placed in front of doors each morning by the Balinese people. These offerings, canang sari, are offerings of gratitude and devotion to the gods, and are an integral part of Balinese Hinduism.
My observation of this practice got me thinking—What do I worship when I wake up in the morning?
No matter where I am in the world, my first move always is checking my phone. I go through my messages, my emails, and my social media channels searching for that first dopamine hit of the day.
Everything after that varies. Here, my alarm goes off at 6 am, just enough time for me to snooze it three times before beginning my day. My morning routine is simple: I wash my face, brush my teeth, and eat a protein bar (but don’t tell my vinyasa teacher that).
At home, my mornings are slow. That first dopamine hit sometimes turns into hours of scrolling. Other times I hop in my car and go to Starbucks, getting my usual strawberry açaí and breakfast sandwich. If I have a busy day ahead, I’ll dedicate the first hour of my day to sitting in front of the mirror, doing my makeup and frying my hair into submission. The more likely option, is that I’ll sleep through my alarm entirely, eating late-cancellation fees on ClassPass and feeling guilty for it the rest of the day.
Old habits die hard, and while my time in Bali has been totally “life-changing,” it’s difficult to predict just how much my life at home will *actually* change. I’d like to think I’ll continue to wake up with the sun, meditate, and practice asanas. Truthfully, I don’t know what my life will look like once I do return home.
What I do know is this: While I’m not religious, I’m tired of worshipping things that aren’t good for me.
When I get home, I’m buying a real alarm clock. My phone? It’s sleeping in another room. Baby steps people.
With love,
EHB x
