When (Swiss;) Women Come Together in Bali

5 days Reiki with 5 women who flew in from Switzerland. In Bali. There are many aspects that have touched me... I want to share with you a potpourri of thoughts that are working in me. Let's see where it leads:

Mother tongue (aka Swiss German)

Language is so connected to our subconscious. I understand that whenever I talk Swiss German, I do feel more free. I am more me, the original me. (that's why it's often recommended to have therapy in one's mother tongue – we access the subconscious, the younger versions of ourselves, more easily). And things said in Swiss German – it just lands differently. My yoga/spiritual/self-growth journey has been taking place in English mostly. Translating to English can present a challenge by itself. I'm so grateful to my friend Carina from tendermind.ch who led this retreat in Swiss German – with sprinkles of English.

Using words in a different language sometimes makes sense for other reasons: Each word has its own flavor that sometimes exists only in one language and not the other. Also, we may associate things/experiences/memories with words in our mother tongue that make us cringe and contract – yet the original meaning is actually so beautiful... for that period where one is about to re-connect with spirit, the holy, or god, it might be easier to use an other-than-mother-tongue-word, I find.

Swiss-Balinese connection

It is possible, to bring the two worlds together! And I'm so grateful I'm not the only one who has developed strong bonds between the two. For a long time, I've rejected my roots. I had to emancipate from parts of my culture, my environment – run fast and far – in order to come closer to myself.

In many ways, Switzerland and Bali are opposites: Punctuality versus "Bali time", planning vs living in the moment, saving for retirement vs spending everything for ceremonies, focus on work vs focus on god, 4 seasons vs eternal spring, individualism vs communitarianism...

Yet there are also many similarites: a general kind- and soft-spokenness, trying to not disturb others, to some degree an in-directness, lush green nature and lots of water, a certain island-feeling (within the ocean or within Europe respectively), gorgeous mountain-peaks...).

(My friend Purnama, who did a cacao ceremony and singing circle during the retreat has bloodlines in both lands, and has been doing great work in bridging these. I recommend to check her music and other offerings out – in Bali and Switzerland :)

Women's power

With all the things happening in the world... women are waking up, are using their voice and are recognising their qualities and worth more strongly. That's my sense at least. I feel so empowered by all the women who accompany me, encourage me... to go my way. To prioritize myself, especially my body. To say No, to say Yes. I'm getting better at that and love that I have so many women in my life celebrating this and who I can celebrate in doing that. Yumm!

Being, being creative, letting go of our critical voices, allowing the body to guide our decisions instead of the mind... following the impulses which we know are right, light us up and therefore spark by spark also light up the world around us...

I feel grateful for this reminder, the empowering field created during this week.

Reiki, rituals, spirituality

I've started to learn Reiki with my friend and Reiki master Carina.

Even lighting a candle in a yoga-class was once (about 10 years ago;) too esoteric for me. Now I'm growing into a person who acknowledges, appreciates and sees the importance of navigating and caring for energy deeply. At one point, its presence simply cannot be ignored anymore.

Nervous system work and trauma renegotiation aka what I've learnt in Somatic Experiencing has grately been paving the way for this to be of interest to me now. Loving presence – also a huge part of Reiki –, co-regulation, is the key to transformation. So is imagery, visualising something (a bright white light flowing into your womb, imagining your future husband or seeing deities as resources with one's inner eye etc.), as well as practicing to gently return to the body.

If someone tells me "Mm probably the main thing is that you believe it which makes it effective", I'm like: Of course! Body and mind are so intertwined! You have to believe it, you have to imagine it. Your physicality changes from this. Your immune system, your hormones, your emotional state. This is not woo-woo. Once more sensitive, attuned to your bodies and what's happening in the connection between body-mind-spirit – this become obvious to you. Slowly Western research catches up on this.

Your truth, your path you find – by finding you

The non-dogmatic nature of Reiki (and how my friend teaches it) is so aligned with what I learn in Somatic Experiencing: We show up with an attitude of welcoming ourselves and each other entirely, all our parts – a precept of no-fixing-mentality, choosing presence, presence in the body instead. In somatic therapy we say: that's how you get to know yourself most intimately.

In Somatic Experiencing we learn, as in Reiki: emotions stem from the past or in anticipation of the future, thoughts are often a result of our past experiences... (although thoughts can come up as insights, from a deeper place, after the nervous system has experienced a certain release and readjustment). What is true is what is present in the body. It is happening in the here and now, nobody can deny it.

What's ready to show itself, will show, where energy is ready to flow, it will flow – not with our efforts, but with our presence...

5 principles of Reiki

Apparently, Reiki has connection to Buddhism. I'm not an expert in this, but it reminds me of spiritual teachings, like the 5 pancasilas in Buddhism, the yamas and niyamas in Yoga, or even the 10 commandments of Christianity... I loved repeating the 5 principles of Reiki several times a day and - if it helped me focus, align myself – also during my practice. The principles are laid out differently by different people yet can go like this: "Especially today,

• I am not angry

• I don't worry

• I feel grateful

• I follow my heart's path

• I have compassion for myself and others."

Yumm.

With all of this...

...all this loving presence with my body with listening rather than a fixing-mindset; women around me where I feel safe; prioritisation on sauna and pool, nourishing food, rituals, expressing gratitude, singing, and creativity..., I wonder: is it a coincidence my moon came back on day 2, after having skipped a month? I don't think so. I know in my body it's not. Here's to the witch in me and in all of you 😎❤️❤️ may she help heal the world. With love, Rahel PS: As always, I would love to hear from you what has come up for you reading this. Reflections, insights, questions... PPS: Have you heard this song ("Click Clack Symphony" by RAYE and Hans Zimmer) already??!? 🤯❤️‍🔥