Going on a solo Bali trip was at the top of my bucket list, and I was thrilled when the wheels were in motion. I booked my trip to Bali with the intentions of basking in the tropical sun, partaking in daily yoga, and unwinding from work completely stress and worry free. However, the universe had different plans for me. A week prior to my trip I was suddenly homeless, jobless, and in complete shambles. How did I go from being a carefree expat living in Korea to being back at square one? From being a person who always had a plan and being in control of every situation, was now lost. The only plan in the future was the trip, which I was now severely doubting. My responsible self was saying don’t go, save the money to start over. Yet, my intuitional sense kicked in, practically screaming how crucial this excursion is for my soul. With a broken heart and all my possessions in tow, I left my sad little Korea town and escaped to Bali. This was turning out to be a real Eat, Pray, Love saga.
Upon arriving to the “Island of Gods,” I instantly knew I made the right choice. I could feel the healing energy all around, embracing me with a hug. Prior to arriving, I had heard about the magical effects of the island and how influential spiritual healers are in the area. So, in the spirit of Bali, my first order of business was to seek out a spiritual healer in hopes of finding guidance and enlightenment. I had absolutely nothing to lose at this point. I was at rock bottom and desperately needed a glimmer of hope.
While in Ubud, the universe helped connect me with a woman at my resort who gave me the information for a local spiritual healer who was favored among the town. She raved about how life changing her experience was and how he repaired her broken heart. Sign me up! With name in hand, I hailed a cab and was off to find Mr. Cokorta Rae. I was going into this with an open mind and an open heart.
I arrived to a beautiful compound surrounded by lush trees and Balinese temples.
After getting lost within his compound, I reached an open temple where I was asked to sit. Then this little old man, 84 to be exact, shuffled out to greet the group I came with with the biggest smile. His happy demeanor made me instantly relaxed. I watched in amazement as the others in the group went before me. He would wave his hands around their bodies, chanting healing phrases. Healing after healing, he brought his patients to tears of joy curing them of their quandaries and ailments. Then it was my turn. In my mind, I was terrified at what he would discover; a lost soul, a troubled girl.
He asked me to sit in front of him with my legs straight out, and then the healer rubbed my head, put his fingers in my ear, and felt around my neck for health issues. After poking around my face, he goes, “What can I do for you? Nothing wrong.” I was shocked. There MUST be something wrong considering my current emotional distress from my sudden upheaval. Cokorta continued, “You’re mind is connected to your body, very good.”
I then was asked to lie down on the mat. He proceeded to poke each toe with a small stick. I was able to see from the previous ladies before me that if something was wrong, you will feel a shooting pain, much life a knife, in your toe. For me, I had no significant pain but a slight pinch. Cokorta exclaimed, “OH, you got period pain.” That’s it? Cokorta carried on, explaining that I had trouble sleeping because I am a dreamer; therefore, I stay up late because I am always thinking. Cokorta changed to a more personal subject, my career and destined path. To be successful, he mentioned how I needed to be active and creative.
Lastly, he said that I will have a new job in the next one to two months and good things will come. He also suggested that I needed to read a book on NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). He then smiled and gave a bow. I sat there perplexed. I thought without a doubt that I was broken, a failure, and an utter unbalanced mess. In reality, I was completely well and headed in the right direction. Thanking him with a generous tip, I left his home with a sense of relief, feeling a whole lot lighter.
Cokorta Rae reassured me that my journey was unfolding exactly as it should be. There was a bigger plan for me, therefore, I needed to be present and follow my heart. I needed to trust my instincts, be driven by my passions, and success will follow. Cokorta gave me sound advice but most of all, he gave me hope. His words helped me realize that my life was interrupted for a reason. I was given the reset button, and put back on the right path. His words brought me back to life.
Prior to Bali, I was paralyzed by fear of the unknown. However, this was the journey I was meant to take. My take away from my spiritual healing experience was profound. It made me realize that everyone gets lost from time to time, but when you begin to embrace the journey is when the finding happens.
More inspirational stories: How to Not Let Fear Get In Your Way
Milarepa’s Cave – A Story that Changed My Life
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Photo: Jess Davis
