I had another day on the back of a scooter visiting grave sites in Tana Toraja.

My guide today was Paulus, a rather dull guy, but he was fine.

We visited many cliff sites where bodies are buried in caves, or just perched among the cliffs.

Then we went to visit a coffee exporter. The connection was through my friend Scott McMartin- my coffee roaster, past Starbucks coffee department colleague.

What fun!! We cupped coffee and then visited the processing plant. I totally geeked out and had such a good time! I do love coffee.

Riding in the back of a scooter for two days was a lot, and totally worth it!!

I saw amazing scenery and fully immersed in the Toraja culture. I’m grateful for the experience.

This morning, early, before the clouds and rains started, I headed straight to the hills to visit the Dharma Girl.

I chose to drive a loop in order to take in as much as possible. It’s slow going on a 100cc scooter on rough, windy roads, even when there is no traffic.

When I arrived at the gate to Dharma Girl, it was locked, so I ventured down a trail through some coffee fields.

The guys showed up at 8:30 am to unlock the gate (opening was supposed to be 8:00) and I was alone inside. The grounds were beautiful. I don’t know the story of Dharma Girl, other than the population of Buddhists in the country is quite low – .7%, so a buddhist statue is unusual. There are only two in Bali.

On the way down, I almost crashed a couple of times looking around. The rice fields, the coffee farms and the mountains were breathtaking.

A perfect morning. Cool, calm and so scenic. Tomorrow, I head back to the craziness…..to catch my flight to Sulawesi on April 1.

And first, sunset on the beach

I drove an hour west, along with coast, mostly on back roads, through rice paddy fields, over rickety bridges and finally, popped out on a highway. Yikes. Luckily that was only for a few miles until I turned hard left onto a quiet street that led me to my new abode for the week.

This is a surf town. There are a few restaurants, a couple of massage places, and a beach. That’s really it. It’s quiet, beautiful and pefect for a few days.

The black sand is just glistening and I love the marks the crabs leave in the sand.

Not much news to report, which is just perfect.

My friend Roger moved to Bali about twelve years ago. Here, he started a beautiful business called Bali Beach Glamping. It’s so fun to stay here. This place is beautiful. Their main business is weddings, so I will only be here two nights before they kick me out for a private event.

We got together for dinner last night after I was able to unwind next to the pool, and swim in the ocean. It’s a surf spot, so lots of waves, which I listen to all night long. Hooray!

My scooter is here, so I have wheels. Today started at Tanah Lot, a temple on the ocean. It was a point of beauty among a ridiculous tourist trap. I stayed about 15 minutes and then scooted on to Canngu.

Canngu was gross. Enough said.

During the day, I had a surprise visitor under my fridge. A whole team came to my rescue. It was an innocent, non-venomous snake. I’m not sure it survived, but it was alive when it left my room.

In the evening, I went to Roger’s villa. So beautiful! We strolled up the road to play Pétanque with his neighbors. Our team won! It was a blast!

Next, I’m off to Bailan Beach. It’s a quiet yoga and surf spot. Perfect!!

The morning began with a delightful run through the countryside. I found trails and paths to follow, which wound me around the area of Tegallalang, known for it’s beautiful rice terraces.

After my run and breakfast, Alex (from Grab) picked me up for a larger tour of the area. We went to a coffee farm, and then onward to the mountain Bratan. We visited the lake, a water temple and took some photos. It was so fun! I wish I had more time to explore and climb the volcano!

Next stop: the ocean and my friend Roger.

After leaving the group, I headed outside of Ubud to a tiny village nestled among the rice paddies. Of course it’s beautiful here, it’s Bali.

My room has it’s own swimming pool, with lounge chairs on their own patio.

I had read about a full day bike ride in the rural area in Lonely Planet before I left home. I thought it would be a really nice way to see a piece of real life in Bali.

I was warmly greeted by my guide (Bagi) and his son. We launched immediately upon my arrival.

We pedaled trails and tracks through jungle and neighborhoods. It was deligtful

We finished at a tiny restaurant, owned by Bagi. The food was delicious!

It’s so hard to leave this group of amazing women. Many of them come through Seattle, so I know I will see them again.

Our closing was very special, intimate and moving.

We gathered at the fire puja. One by one, we expressed, out loud, what we are releasing.

We then followed by giving “vows” to ourselves, announcing what we will commit to going forward.

A special night with a very special group of women who have all come through an indescribable journey together.

Translated to “Holy Spring Temple” in English,  it’s one of Bali’s most sacred Hindu temples. Visiting there today was the perfect sequence after our ceremony yesterday. It is stunningly beautiful, with many rituals, offerings and sacred spaces. We had a guide who led us around and explained things to us, what they meant, and how to honor them.

It is famous for its natural spring water and Melukat translated to Water Purification in English, a spiritual cleansing practice for mind, body, and spirit.

Both locals and tourists seek healing, emotional release, or time for reflection, the purification process is soothing and warm.  

Our group stopped at every station and near the end, there is a stop under a waterfall where you scream out anything you wish to let go of.  That was truly an amazing relief.

Ahhhhh,

I have been on a journey. A real one, inward, to places I didn’t know existed. At my retreat, I have had two ceremonies. I am going to try to describe what I experienced, knowing that some of it may be beyond words.

The first session launched me.

I left myself — beyond my body, beyond my ego. I saw infinity. I saw what I can only describe as the eyes of the god(dess), the origin of consciousness itself.

There was nothing personal in it. Just beyond. Beyond earth, beyond heaven, beyond the universe— infinity. I found spirituality in a form I can actually understand. Not someone else’s version. Mine.

It was beautiful. Bursting with love and joy, tumbling with love — and it made me smile, feel full, feel content, and want more.

It has been here all along. I just couldn’t see it before.

The second session was the most intense experience of my entire life.

I went deep, and it was dark. I went to infinity again — but this time the other way. Down, down, down. Beyond anything I have a name for.

I went to the origin of rage. The origin of anger.

Not my anger. The anger of all of time. Ancient, ancestral, primal — back further than memory, further than history, further than anything human. I kept going deeper and deeper until I reached something that existed before language, before thought, before fire, before breath.

The source. A wound in the fabric of nothing, beyond time, fracturing outward in all directions with no intention, no mercy, no end. The deepest crimson at its heart is not heat — it’s the cellular memory that existence itself is passion.

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And then I came back.

I remembered nothing of what happened in the room. But my facilitators told me they had been holding me, cradling me. Another person was holding down my legs while I writhed across the mats on the floor. I kicked. I yelled. My body expressed what my consciousness could not contain.

None of that is in my memory. I was not in the room.

And now — I process. Trying to understand what I am to learn from this.

It was amazing. It was intense. It was life changing.

I am still searching for understanding and meaning, realizing that something has shifted that will not shift back.