“There is no sense of us and them, just a sense of unity”
Holidays in Bali have traditionally been associated with things beginning with the letter ‘S’, such as, Sun, Surf, Sand, Sex, Shopping. But increasing numbers of visitors are being lured to the island for another ‘S’ word and that is Spirit, or as the catchphrase has become Bali Spirit. They have discovered that the island’s subtle energy and deep-rooted spirituality is highly conducive to healing, meditation and yoga, and people are heading to the hills of Ubud, long considered the spiritual and cultural heart of Bali.
Further entrenching Ubud’s reputation for all things holistic is the Bali Spirit festival. The second annual festival, billed as a celebration of yoga, music and dance brought together 20 yogis and teachers, 75 performers and over 1000 festival goers. The festival kicked off with an opening ceremony on the evening of the 28th April, in the gardens of the Purnati Centre for the Arts. It looked like a fairy land, with sparkling lights, white marquees and lush tropical foliage and there was a palpable air of anticipation and excitement as we stretched out on the sloping grass for the evening’s entertainment. There was a traditional Balinese blessing; African reggae music; American folk music and a fire dance fire show, just a small taste of things to come over the next 5 days. Continue reading “Bali Spirit festival 2009”
Travel Media Specialist 