Imagine this: You’re in Bali. There is zero noise pollution. You’re not allowed to leave your home or hotel. You’re forced to slow down and spend 24 hours on self reflection and are then rewarded with a dazzling, starry night. All without the fancy retreat price tag. Sounds pretty magical right?
While some prefer to take the first boat ride or plane out of here to a nearby island for the long weekend, the Balinese New Year is one that we personally wait all year for. The celebration takes place over five days, the third day being ‘Nyepi’ – AKA the ‘Day of Silence’.
This year Nyepi falls on Sunday, 14th of March 2021. So from 6am until 6am on Monday 15th, the Pecalang (local watchmen) will be making sure no one ventures outside (emergency services aside) and all lights, music and T.V’s are off. Why?
It’s all about prohibitions! The Balinese fully immerse themselves in what’s known as Catur Brata Penyepian, or the 4 prohibitions of Amati Karya (no work), Amati Geni (no fire, no light, and no electricity), Amati Lelungan (no travelling), Amati Lelanguan (no entertainment).
Yes, this means the whole island takes a deep breath and comes to a complete stop for those 24 hours. Shops, beaches and restaurants will be closed (including us!) and all transport comes to a halt – even the airspace!
Everyone, including non-Hindu residents and visitors are also expected to follow these “rules”. So what do you do when you can’t leave your home or hotel?
Do as the Balinese will do; rest, relax and rejuvenate. The main purpose of ‘Nyepi Day’ is to pray for the purification of humanity, the Earth, and the universe, cleansing any negative energies to start the year with a clean slate (think Sage stick cleansing personified) . If that’s not your thing, we suggest taking advantage of the enforced downtime to get stuck into that book you’ve been meaning to read, do a juice cleanse, prepare simple nourishing foods (try our famous organic beetroot cashew dip or organic hummus alongside our new staple Singkong gluten free chips), treat yourself to an at home facial (our current pick is the Bentonite clay face mask from Embun Natural) or a good old fashioned game of cards. 
Preparation is key, don’t leave your grocery shop to the last minute – you won’t be the only one stocking up on essentials (and non-essentials (we are drooling after the Alfajores Belgium White treats right now) for the weekend.
Have a magical Nyepi everyone and don’t forget to go outside and look up at the stars if it’s a clear night.
With love and gratitude from the Alive Team!
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