YOGA AT SUNRISE

 

Is what the local people at Sanur Beach, Bali, Indonesia practice every morning. This is how a day should really start - 

exercising in the “nippy air” with a golden sunrise and to the sound of lapping ocean waves. At sunrise, I am already stuck in traffic jams driving Savvy Girl to school and rushing to clock in at work before 8am. Doing yoga at dawn would be a preposterous thought.  

Thus, it was a surprise catching this scene on a past pre-covid trip to Bali. Some locals came walking and others on bicycles. None in cars! Some rolled out their straw mats, but most just did their yoga in a “true-blue” manner on the sand. 

To our delight, the instructors allowed us to join the class. We tourists of course disgustingly rolled out our hotel towels as the sand felt kinda icky.  Class was conducted in Bahasa Indonesian. We sort of followed by example.

As the sun rose higher, the class continued on intensely.

The Balinese people were awesome, stretching and effortlessly propping themselves in various positions. The instructors had to prop me up as I was quite out of balance, falling to the left and right. 

Salutations to the sun as dawn slowing turned into morning. I found the moves difficult. Imagine keeping my legs right up pointing to the sky and supporting my entire body on the shoulders. Come on people, make me feel better and tell me this is simply not natural. 

I couldn't get my legs up, not even half-way. It is not my fault cos' gravity kept pulling my thunder thighs (that's what Savvy K calls my legs) right down. Isaac Newton's law of gravity states that everything that goes UP must come DOWN … sooner or later. It was definitely sooner for me. 

The Balinese group was so focused and disciplined. It felt like it was a ritual for them to daily train their bodies for flexibility, balance and to strengthen their minds before they faced the rigors of the day. I will always remember this morning where they shared with me their way of attaining inner peace, and their beautiful sunrise on Sanur Beach. How I wish I can start my every day like the people at Sanur Beach.