Getting in touch with the divinity

With a flashlight in hand and yoga mat on my shoulder, I walked by myself on a small path leading to Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java. It was 5.10 a.m., and the area was still dark and eeriely quiet, which made me wonder whether it was a good idea after all to visit the temple this early in the morning.

Two security guards who checked my pass were indifferent when I asked them about the spot where people usually do yoga. "In the back," one of them said, deadpan.

I then climbed the stairs to the very top of the temple, only to find several tourists were already there, waiting to document the sunrise. It was indeed a long weekend holiday last May.

Grumbled and sweaty already, I detoured and looking for a quieter spot. After a quick check around, I found the spot one level down from the top. It was a sort of balcony on the side of the temple, facing the East and on the right of me was a small forest. Lovely. A few rounds of sun salutation later, all the doubts and worry disappeared and I was dissolved into the blissful surrounding of the temple.

An article at an inflight magazine about doing yoga at Borobudur Temple brought me there. Having been a yoga practitioner for over a year, the article somehow excited me immensely. I could already imagine how cool and exotic it was to do the ancient tradition in an equally ancient and magnificent place.

My yoga teacher, Devi Asmarani, said that doing yoga outdoor -- provided that the air is clean, the scenery is nice and there is not much distraction -- will give a different kind of feel and energy.

"You'll feel a lot more refreshed because the air has not been recirculated. You'll also feel a lot freer, because there is no walls surround you. But remember to check the weather and the situation first," she said.

Yoga is basically a discipline of going into ourselves, she added, of getting in touch with the divinity – whether it is inner divinity or outer, whether it is a metaphorical thing, or a personification entity that you believe.

"So, when you do it in a place known to be sacred or revered to have some kind of spiritual presence or history, it is inevitable that you'll pick some sort of spiritual energy or at least experience from that moment," Devi said.

Places like Borobudur are considered sacred for a reason, she added, not just because they were built massively and gloriously, but also because it is a site where people ahd gone for meditative purposes or for worshipping.

"It is a site where people basically come in a state of submission, so that alone should keep the presence of spiritual energy," Devi said.

The 9th-century Buddhist monument is still used as a place for people to seek spiritual experience, including pilgrimage. Once a year, Buddhists in the country celebrate Vesak at the magnificent complex. Overlooking the top of Mount Merapi volcano, the temple is also Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.

The official opening hour is 6 a.m., but you can get the Borobudur Sunrise pass from the Manohara Hotel (I know :)) located inside the temple complex. A hotel staff would show you the path to the temple, only several hundreds meter away from the hotel, and give you a a small flashlight.

Make sure to bring a thick enough and non-slippery mat, as the contour of the temple floor is uneven and the dawn dew created a layer of moisture on the mat. I did a round of Ashtanga. Standing poses were fine and smooth, but it was difficult to do ones like shoulder stand and fish pose, so I skipped them.

Doing yoga outdoor with such a natural and lush surrounding really made a difference, as Devi pointed. The air was clear and refreshing, making me fresh and energized from the start to the end. I could literally see my body heat and sweat evaporated, creating a natural sensation somehow.

In between poses, I witnessed the change of the sky from dark blue into lighter ones with splashes of yellow hue. On the right of me was lush, green forest enveloped in light fog, while on the left and behind me were splendid work of arts that have stood the test of time.

The only downside was the tourists. Perhaps it was better to come not during public holiday or weekend, or come earlier, when there are less or no tourist at all. Midway through the end of my yoga practice there, as the official opening hour arrived, a few tourists passed by and looked flummoxed by my sight. During one pose, there was a scream of a little girl who then stopped right next to me and yelled, "I wanna go home!".

It was the cue to end the practice. I folded my mat and take a meditative stroll around the temple, soaking up more energy of it and admiring the magnificent temple (of course, after finding a quiet spot to quickly change my wet tshirt).

The level of content, peace and energy that I felt afterward was incredible – hundreds of times better than the usual yoga practice back at home. Endorphin was rushing through, creating a feeling of happiness and excitement all day and throughout the weekend.

Posted by hera at Monday, June 15, 2009 1:54 PM | Permalinks