Nyepi Day in Bali
Take heart — There is a government in the current world that holds cultural and spiritual values higher than economic values! Tomorrow March 11, 2024 marks the Balinese New Year, called Nyepi Day,a day of complete silence without any noise, traffic and light. It is a day spent in total silence, meditation, fasting and introspection, reflecting on the past year’s events.
THIS MEANS THAT ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY IN BALI, THERE WILL BE NO TRAFFIC, NO ELECTRICITY OR WIFI, AND EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL BE CLOSED. There are limited exceptions for hospitals and hotels. All hotel guests such as myself are requested to stay on the hotel premises, to reduce light and noise: for example, to switch off all balcony and patio lights for the whole night of March 11 and to keep the window curtains or shutters all completely closed if you turn on a light inside. I will be star-gazing for sure.
To allow Balinese Hindu to achieve this, the following practices are imposed throughout the entire island. Amati Geni, (forbidden to light a fire or any source of light, symbolic of mental and physical obstacles) Amati Karya (forbidden to work or do any physical activities, a precondition to meditation), Amati Lelungan (forbidden to go out of the house compound, staying in to concentrate the mind), and Amati Lelanguan (forbidden to hold any entertainment, to purify the mind and soul).
To preserve the essence of this Holy Day and to give the Hindu staff the chance to perform the above practices, the hotel I stay in will have NO SERVICES (restaurant and reception closed, no room cleaning) AND NO LIGHT AT NIGHT. To assist guests in passing this special day, meals can be ordered the day before and kept in our room refrigerators. Self-service (microwave and cutleries) available in an outdoor shared kitchen.
At the end of the information sheet delivered yesterday to each hotel room, (from which the above is taken), the hotel management wishes us the following:
WE HOPE THIS WILL BRING YOU A PEACEFUL NYEPI DAY AND AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE ON THE MAGICAL ISLAND OF THE GODS.
Take Heart. There are peoples in the world today who are holding firm to their deepest cultural and spiritual values. I am thrilled and honored to participate in the Nyepi Day of Silence. Wherever you are in this tiny word, why not join in and spend the day in quiet introspection and peace.
This sounds like heaven to me! I was on St. Helena’s Island last week, and the silence was like a warm bath. What a way to start a new year. Of course, you are “coming to us from tomorrow,” so tomorrow will be March 11th here in the Americas. Many thanks for sharing your incredible trip.