Five
My lucky day. I was aware that I awoke with smile! This is rare. I sat in bed abruptly and looked out the window. It’s still semi dark outside. I was also aware that I felt light. It wasn’t 6:00 o’clock then.
It works. What? The other day I came across a nice book in the web, Five Good Minutes series, about using just five minutes of mindfulness, relaxation, or imagery techniques during our morning routine, to set our intention and greet the day feeling calm, centered, and energized. I didn’t buy the book, I only read the summary in the site. Yea, what an idea to pause before the day starts and ends.
Actually, I took 50 (!) minutes before sleep last night. It was over midnight. The stillness was perfect. I sat cross-legged on my white bed (the spare bed in the living room that I dress all white). I didn’t know what to do but I felt like emptying mind and opening it up to a new way to see life. I’ve been using my head a lot since I was born (I’m afraid). It’s so thick that one could easily notice of me. In both love and business, I use my head more that many have suggested me to learn to also see things with heart in dealing with both spheres. Fine.
As I didn’t know what I was up to, I ended up planning to punish myself for staying home too long. I had to go out, meet people, explore ideas, and do survey space for shop in Monkey Forest. I closed eyes and listened to the rhythmic cricket sound. My chant. I visualized myself walking in Jalan Hanuman. Ah time to sleep. It’s close to 2:00 o’clock then.
I took five good minutes before starting the day this morning. With smile. Again, I unintentionally visualized Jalan Hanuman. I started the day tidying my messy two-door closets then doing hard yoga with weight lifting. I felt really good listening to Sting preaching all morning. And before too long I found myself listening to Ayu's lecture on reincarnation in Hindu while doing my nails. Hindu believes that we become a better person if we were good in the past life but that doesn’t guarantee us to reborn as a good person again. In any life we are in, we have to make effort to stay good. Niceness is not given for free. If we don’t pass the life test then gone our chance to be a better person in the next life. And so on.
Like always, my presence in the salon is like magnet. Two Japanese clients walked in and demanded Ayu’s time. Ayu knows that I wouldn’t mind getting a quick service so she could move onto next clients. But this time she had an idea, she got Komang to massage my other leg quickly. We giggled looking at my two legs spread to different directions. It was fun. I’m happy that I still continue bringing good luck to Yumi’s salon.
Later I actually stood under trees in Jalan Hanuman observing potential vacant spaces. I called one but in five minutes the owner raised the rent by $105. My smile didn’t work. I understand. I was walking to check out a part of Jalan Hanuman that I never went and had been eager to go when Maria spotted me. My heavy pregnant supplier-cum-good friend. I hugged her New Year and we chatted in her new shop. I didn’t know she has a shop in that location.
To cut a long story short, after awhile, I become the first in priority to lease the space starting this April. She’s going to move back to her previous shop by the soccer field and still has 1.5 years contract for this new location. I quickly assess the location and the building. I couldn’t be luckier, it’s in a good location and I could revamp the place into something chic but cheap. I’m so happy to finally get a space! I thought I’d been hopeless as new shops have been mushrooming in Ubud the past two years, hardly any vacant space left. For my achievement (or luck?), I rewarded myself with two antique silver bangles from Timor I bought from Maria. Very nice. My lucky bangles.
I continued my punishing journey. I stopped by my laundry to make a mild complaint (they ruined my whites!) and a new spiritual shop owned by Australian. I love the shop. I bought a book on feng shui for new house! It seems that I still kept my morning smile when walking. People were so nice to share me instant smile while I continued taking my sesangi (promise to self) for I have gotten what I want since long. My sesangi is "something" for the Balinese because the distance between my house - Jalan Hanuman – Monkey Forest – my house is considered long. If they think the stretch is 3 kilometers no wonder I could handle it easily.
I made four stops though for lunch, juice, buying nice Japanese batik bag (still part of rewarding self), and sharing the good news with Ayu and Metri in the shop where they work. Metri has shared me the price market for lease in the areas I’m interested since I began looking so she deserves to be among the firsts to know about the good news.
Ubud was hot. I was wet under the umbrella and of walking quite briskly. I tried to practice slow movement but could not, I also needed the exercise. I kept Sting preaching in my ears. It’s so nice to have his soft hoarse voice close. Aah. I ended my five-hour journey before dark. I look forward to take evening five good minutes soon. With different visualization.
Photo of a sign in the Monkey Forest in Nyuh Kuning.