Miracles of Sky & Sand

Last weekend the Balinese marked yet another Purnama (full moon) with offerings, visits to temples, the whole gamut. But the auspicious quotient was bumped up a notch by virtue of it coinciding with the last total lunar eclipse of the year. A night not to be missed…

So we headed down to the beach at Sukawati, expecting a clear and unhindered view of the moon. We caught sight of the earth’s shadow inching its way across the lower half of the orb, creating a partial-crescent effect. Oh, the potential for a magnificent viewing was within reach! But let’s not forget that this is RAINY season in Bali, a.k.a CLOUDY season, MONSOON season. As we arrived at the beach, dug into a plate of mie goreng at the warung near the beach, our gazes reached skyward and within minutes, the whole swath of sky was nothing but a patchwork of thick clouds.

Now what? The winds were picking up, the waves crashing, tides were indecisive. The lights along the shore burned bright. The clouds grew thicker. We settled onto the black beach sand to meditate. If you’ve not yet tried it, get thee to a beach, quiet and away from crowds, ideally at night, and meditate. If you’re going to miss a gift from nature, best to look for a gift inside yourself.

The sand was hard so I dug out a small indentation, lay down on my back, positioning myself in a way that my still-protruding sacral bump fit snuggly into the carved-out hole. As soon as I closed my eyes and began to breathe deeply, I noticed a sensation that took my breath away: An unmistakable pulse arising from my backside, beating like it had a heart of its own. Right inside my once-broken sacrum. The rhythmic thump reminding me, confirming that the bones and nerves were alive – or at least in the process of reviving themselves. I dared not move for a long time.

I breathed with joy, relief and surprise. A few tears ran down my cheek.

Indeed, I missed a rare sight, seeing the moon get eclipsed that night. But I was witness to a little miracle right inside my body.

The universe has a way of bringing us the gifts that we need when we need them most. Amen.