Bali, The Virtues Of Coconut
For the past few days, my dreams have plunged me back into a past life, that of Bali.
The lights of the sunrise over the rice fields, the smiles of the people in the alleys, the spiritual rituals by the ocean, the delicious colorful food and the coconut oil massages.
I want to take you on a part of this journey that awakens the senses.
Bali haunts me for years.
I have this sacred little island in my heart even before I meet it.
I am leaving in the hope of recharging my batteries but above all of finding meaning in my yoga practice. I am more inspired by Bali than India, despite the fact that it is the birthplace of yoga.
The island is known for its many spiritual retreats, as well as the teaching of yoga and meditation.
Welcomed by Ganesha, guardian of wisdom. I am taking a retreat in the heart of a local community to learn watukaru yoga. A hatha yoga that contains more meditation on the activation of the chakras directly taught by teachers at Ashram Perguran Seruling Dewata.
In order to immerse myself in Balinese life, every day I have access to different local activities.
During this day, I have access to a workshop on coconut.
Accompanied by a small group, we immerse ourselves in the making of coconut oil. A local and artisanal process that requires a little time and a lot of maneuvering.
There are different coconuts. In tropical countries, green coconut is drunk. Its juice is fresh and thirst-quenching, perfect for surviving in hot weather.
The more the coconut ripens, the less juice there is inside. The juice becomes white flesh.
To make the coconut oil, we use a brown-shelled coconut, the ripe one.
The first step is to separate the shell from the flesh. A rather difficult maneuver. Victoria is proving to be quite talented. As a child, during these trips to China, she practiced this technique of extracting flesh with her family.
Then, the flesh is finely grated using the homemade chopper, then water is added to the flesh and squeezed to release the milk.
The coconut meat is set aside. The water and milk are brought to a boil over a wood fire. The mixture will boil for about an hour. Gradually, the water evaporates to allow the oil to rise to the surface.
The oil is extracted and then boiled again to purify it. We used a dozen coconuts to extract only 50 cl. Considering the work involved, you can imagine how precious it is. The coconut palm and its coconut are precious. They are totally used. The bark and branches are used for the roofs of huts, baskets, carpets; fibers from the husk of the fruit to make twine; the shells to make the bowls and its interior to be eaten or transformed into oil.
Coconut oil is used for cooking, health and beauty in Bali and throughout Asia.
Coconut is good for the heart. According to a recent study of people in the tropics who eat this fruit, there is less cardiovascular disease. It lowers cholesterol levels, strengthens the immune system and promotes healthy thyroid function.
Coconut oil applied to the head prevents dandruff and improves hair quality. As for its use during massages, apart from its delicious smell, eliminates dryness of the skin, reduces wrinkles, improves certain skin diseases such as eczema. It is antifungal, antiparasitic and it is an excellent healing agent.
Using this wonderful oil in cooking whets the appetite with its smell and taste. As a little tip, when accompanied by exercise, it helps to lose fat around the belly.
As for coconut water, it protects the digestive system. It can be effective against the famous "turista" which can ruin many days when starting a trip. For women who are prone to cystitis, try drinking this refreshing nectar.
I'll meet you soon for a new article that will make you travel !
See you soon !
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