Falling Asleep In The Rice Terraces Of Sidemen, Bali

Good evening,

And thank you for trusting me once again with this inner journey,

And while your body falls asleep,

Your soul will begin a silent exploration,

Seeking an ancient peace deep.

You are here,

Still,

Grounded,

Like a leaf resting on the calm surface of a pond.

Now imagine a warm,

Fragrant mist appearing above you,

Still,

As if watching over you with kindness,

Brushing your forehead,

Your face.

The mist carries the scent of damp earth,

Jasmine flowers and freshly gathered rice.

Each molecule seems alive with conscious gentleness,

It strokes your forehead,

Releases the tension around your eyes,

And softens the features of your face.

Patient and loving,

It glides down your neck,

Towards your shoulders,

Wrapping them in diffuse warmth.

Your shoulders finally let go,

It knows it's doing you good,

It coils around your wrists,

With the graceful slowness of a serpent caressing the hands of its charmer.

Each finger benefits from the opportunity,

Down towards your chest,

Resting softly upon your heart,

And you feel its warmth spreading inward.

Your chest rises and falls,

The mist stretches further,

Flowing into your abdomen,

Bringing a sense of fullness and harmony,

Releasing your hips,

Your thighs,

Then your knees,

An offering of serenity,

As if a window were being unlatched onto another world.

Your skin resonates with the surrounding air,

A living sanctuary where terraced rice fields stretch as far as the eye can see,

In a journey where imagination becomes passage,

Where light shimmers across the layered rice terraces.

Young rice plants sway gently in the breeze,

Like a green sea with silvery reflections,

You hear the gentle trickle of water,

His movements are precise,

Peaceful.

He greets you without a single unnecessary word,

He has welcomed you,

Inviting you to discover the beauty of his world.

Sap,

Water and ripe rice reach you,

Nourishing you,

As if still breathing the prayers of those who came before you.

You sit for a while facing this silent sanctuary,

The scents of incense,

Flowers and damp earth,

The rice fields,

The mist,