National Geographic Traveler
Indonesia

“True Relaxation in Bali”

True Relaxation in Bali

Achieve harmony in body, mind and soul through yoga, spa and meditation in the midst of nature.

A Dance in the Water as Beautiful as Poetry

Immerse yourself in Watsu, which as beautiful as poetry and delivers true relaxation.

I still heard Michael's heartbeat and sigh before breathing into a dream as the watsu therapist raised my face with one hand on the warm water surface of the watsu pool, then put my head on his shoulder.

The other hand slowly swung my body which was immersed - from head to toe.
Together, we immersed ourselves in soft rhythmic music and the rainbow spectrum light emanating from the walls of the pool. I no longer heard voices, I felt very relaxed and was dissolved in dreams.

The dance in the water is called watsu or water-shiatsu, a therapy offered by Fivelements, Puri Ahimsa, a sanctuary as well as a healing centre located in Banjar Baturning, Mambal, Bali, a beautiful area flanked by rice fields, bamboo forests and the Ayung River. I was interested in taking 90 minutes of therapy after seeing Michael offer it to Stefanie the day before.  As I watched it was like poetry, so beautiful. Movement after movement Michael danced this lovely Italian beautician through the water.

In contrast to the activity of aqua aerobics for example, Stefanie receives passively as Michael leads. 

When Michael starts moving Stefanie's body, this brown-haired woman immediately closed her eyes like a baby sleeping in the crib. Stephanie's legs, buoyed by float belts, moved gracefully following the upper body movement initiated by Michael. They dance in silence. But as I watch it’s as if I can feel the contact and energy exchange that exists between the two.

“The movement of the water across the skin brings deep relaxation,” explained Michael in a soft whispered voice, not wanting to disturb Stefanie who looked nearly asleep.

Every move Michael made seemed to increasingly relax Stephanie, it was as if she was immediately connected with her subconscious nature. Without the need to swim or stretch muscles, as a whole she surrendered her body in a dance, with waves and ripples that caress the skin.  After gliding her in a circle through the pool, Michael then circled in the opposite direction. Dynamic and at once soft and dreamy as the music Michael had chosen- Traditional Indian music with calming prayers.

Even though Stephanie closed her eyes during the watsu, her body could capture the colours of the seven chakras which alternately changed from the walls of the watsu pool. Each colour benefits the body from the head to toe.  The effect is best starting during daylight and continuing through sunset.  At that time, the seven colours of the chakras glow beautifully, delivering energy that is believed to bring good health to the body, especially hormones.
A relaxed body will better accept the seven colours of the chakras.

Watsu is a therapy that combines aspects of Zen Shiatsu and stretching muscles in a pool of warm water, and was popularised by Harold Dull of the Harbin School of Shiatsu and Massage in California, USA, more than three decades ago. There are so many benefits from the therapy that it has been brought to more than 40 countries.  Benefits include increasing flexibility, improving blood circulation, improving nerve condition, also alleviating stress and stress related illness.

The watsu pool here is tailor made, different from the swimming pool: 4 meters in diameter, equipped with a jacuzzi with warm water temperatures 34-36 ° Celsius.

The height of warm water is limited to the waist of an adult, to make it easier for the therapist to get low in the water and glide the receiver through the space. After the therapy, Stefanie and I shared stories about our dream-like visions during the session. I dreamt of being in the middle of nature with beautiful panoramic views - it looked like Lake Ranau, South Sumatra. Stephanie shared that when she first received the watsu, she also dreamt of being on a hilltop that overlooked a beautiful valley.

This second time, she dreamt of meeting her ancestors. "It might be more than just a dream, because everything seems so clear and real: the faces of my grandparents, and the warm chat between us. It is very nice to meet them even if only in a dream," said Stefanie, who first worked as a model.

“We meet ourselves in this therapy,” says the curly-haired Michael, who also offers Chi Nei Tsang and Healing Dance therapy. “If it’s a pleasant encounter the receiver will be smiling - like Stefanie.  However, sometimes receivers may meet a buried sadness from a painful life experience and even end up sobbing. To soothe them, I will sometimes whisper mantras or even sing gently.”

For me it is unimaginable that there is someone who is able to cry at a place as beautiful as Fivelements, called, "a centre for healing and a place for learning to love and respect life." This place gives a feeling of joy, since the first step. . .