Dear family, dear friends, dear interested parties,
Over the last few weeks, I have been able to experience a very special event here in Bali that will stay with me for a long time: Nyepi, the Balinese New Year.
Nyepi is very different from what you might imagine a New Year celebration to be. It is not a loud celebration, no fireworks and no parties. Quite the opposite. Nyepi is a day of complete silence. The whole of Bali goes quiet for 24 hours. There is no work, no travel, no lights on and even the airport remains closed. The streets are empty, everything is quiet and you get the feeling that the whole island is taking a deep breath.
This year, Nyepi fell on March 19. The days leading up to it were particularly exciting. Large figures, known as Ogoh-Ogoh, were built all over the island. These represent evil spirits and are carried through the streets in large parades on the evening before Nyepi. At the end, the figures are often burnt to symbolically drive away evil.
And then comes the complete opposite. The next day, everything is simply silent.
This day was a completely new experience for me. At first, it was unusual not to be able to do anything and to know that nothing was happening outside. No traffic, no music. But that was also something very nice.
Nyepi has a deeper meaning for the Balinese. It is about starting the new year consciously and purified. The silence is also meant to make the spirits think that the island is deserted and move on. At the same time, it is a time for self-reflection and an inner new beginning.
I really like this idea. Especially in a world where everything happens so quickly and you’re always busy, a day of silence is incredibly good. It has shown me how valuable peace and quiet can be and how important it is to consciously take time for yourself.
I am very grateful that I was able to experience this celebration here.
See you very soon!
Jona
This text was automatically translated using an AI-powered translation system.
