I’ve been down for the count the last four or five days with a Balinese cold strain that has me semi bedridden. I’m on my way to an Esalon trained healer. As I walk up her street, there are chickens walking around and crowing. Talk about free range. The energy in Ubud is very high frequency. The Balinese pray a lot. There are palm and flower offerings at almost every entrance way. They say if you come to Ubud at a low frequency, a shift will occur. For me, everything has slowed to a screeching hault. My plans for daily yoga classes and nightly open mics were just that. Plans, not a happening. I did get to sing in public last week. It was the oddest of open mics, as there wasn’t a microphone to be seen. Just a few locals and a few visitors on various instruments in a coffee shop drum circle, ready to chug along to my uncharted songs. Every beat had the same island ‘skip’, whether it suited or not. A practice in surrender was how I faced the mild butchering. The open mic leader was an absolute gem. Heart hugs and smiles, he was friendly and welcoming to me and my music.
Have you ever heard the cluck of a gecko? Another ally in the land of crawling and flying meat eaters. You must become desensitized to all the bugs, or you won’t last out here. I can see how an efficient exterminator could a make a killing, literally and figuratively. Our near perfect villa has an army line of ants from floor to ceiling. Even my cough syrup spoon had a parade of tiny somethings scurrying about on it. No matter. Another surrender. We have been quietly living in Ubud for eleven days now. The expat scene is thriving. Everyone who lives here seems to be on the recovery train. I decided to kick my on again off again love affair with benzos. I’ve been in a mild state of detox. Living 24-7 with your partner without the normal day to day and distractions would put strain on the best of unions. Sue Ann and I have had a handful of flair-up’s on this trip. As we turned the bend out of the ‘honeymoon’ phase and into the ‘differences” quadrant of our relationship wheel. Imagine an arrow pointing down to six ‘o ‘clock. Here’s where most couples give up and exit. Luckily, we have muscled through and are now peacefully in the ‘resolution’ segment. Probably not a coincidence as I clean up my act and gain perspective and emotional maturity in this place of healing. I’m sitting in a chair at the local salon getting my hair did. A slice of normalcy in an unfamiliar place brings me great comfort. The new friends we’ve made have been a wonderful surprise. I’m hoping for a lesson in gear shifting later today, from our Aussie scooter expert.
I just ate the sweetest mango of my life – hand cut and purchased from a local vendor. Life is extremely slow, quiet and simple in Ubud. I welcome the serenity, with a long, grateful exhale.
In two days I’ll take my first steps on Australian soil, as another chapter of my career unfolds. I feel calm, surrendered and excited to share the songs in tow; new, seasoned and borrowed. Hello Melbourne, I am so happy to meet you!
You can follow Cynthia’s stories, and become a “fan” at The Huffington Post.
She is also writing for Amnplify – the Australian Musician Network.
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