I had an unexpected encounter last week with the Luxe Hotel Sunset, the new hotel in tony Bel-Air, in Los Angeles. And to pay homage to the awesome Signature 360º Package, here’s a 360 word blog post!  A little fantasy to take you away from work and into a daydream:

Whether you call Los Angeles or Louisville home, it can get stressful. Sure, you had New Year’s resolutions, now long forgotten in the daily shuffle of office, appointments, and, well… life.  While it will be nice to whisk yourself off on our Eat Pray Love Bali tour in April, you’d like to do something sooner… closer.

The Luxe Sunset Hotel is a retreat from your hectic, everyday life, a surprisingly spiritual oasis in the heart of LA.  They picked you up in a Town Car from LAX, so the relaxation started before you walked into the understated, elegant lobby.  Now you feel a further downshift into comfort and tranquility.  The desk clerk is knowledgeable, smiling as she upgrades your room. The personable bartender makes you a drink he invented… Strawberry Fields, a tall glass with vodka, strawberry-ginger syrup, and fresh berries. As you sip, you relax to the sounds of the live jazz guitarists.

At the restaurant, dinner is delightful — fresh and delicious.  You sit at a table under the night sky, pampered by the waiters and the heater that takes the edge off the last of LA’s winter.  Afterwards, the 360º package means there’s a bottle of Shiraz waiting for you in your room.

Oversized and plush makes for a cozy combination, and this space is designed as a retreat from your regular life.  The marble bathroom has clean, zen-like lines, with a soaking tub and a separate shower, and cushy towels and a spa robe wait to envelop you.  The bed has the greatest mattress, the thread-count on the sheets makes you want to sleep in, and there’s a proper European duvet, along with plenty of pillows for reading or watching TV. The room is spacious enough for your yoga routine.  (The iPad2 proffered during your stay tempts you to sit at the desk and book a reservation for the Getty Museum, right down the road).

The next morning, enjoy a complimentary American breakfast, then relax by the pool, soaking in the California sunshine.  The best part? With a two-night minimum, you get to stay another day! Okay, now you can wait until April for Bali…

The Bliss of Bali Part II

by Kiya Cote

Through the book and movie, the entire world knows the story of Elizabeth Gilbert, who went on a year long search for herself across Italy, India, and Indonesia. Her spiritual journey ultimately brought her to Bali, where she found true love for the first time in her life! She tells her inspirational story in the autobiographical best seller, EAT PRAY LOVE. Thus far, more than 8,000,000 people worldwide have read her story!

Elizabeth Gilbert’s personal transformation touched me deeply, as a woman…and as a Holistic Practitioner who empowers people to live the lives they truly want to live. Across the pages of EAT PRAY LOVE, I saw her doing what so many yearn to do…namely getting in touch with her “true self.”

When given the opportunity to travel to Bali on an EAT PRAY LOVE tour with Spirit Quest Tours, I had to say YES! I followed in her footsteps, having private sessions with Ketut Liyer, and Wayan, the Balinese healers who contributed so greatly to Elizabeth’s spiritual
awakening.

KETUT, the medicine man, read my palm, and offered his wisdom…“You smart woman, you draw on energy from the Universe. Live very long life.” He looked at me intently and  said, “I will dream of you.” I returned his gaze and said, “And I will dream of you!”

And yes, we visited WAYAN, the healer who befriended Elizabeth…who in turn raised funds for Wayan to buy her very own house. At Wayan’s tiny café, we had energy readings, ate one of her famous Vitamin Lunches, and partook of her herbal remedies!

For eleven days, I lived within the pages of EAT, PRAY, LOVE! The fun and excitement was enhanced by meeting Yude, the musician who drove Elizabeth around Bali. And then…Kitty Yancey, travel writer for USA TODAY, interviewed the leaders of Spirit Quest Tours, and other members of our group!

The EAT PRAY LOVE phenomenon, and power of personal transformation, has spread around the world. To enthusiastically join in, you can read EAT PRAY LOVE (again, or for the first time!) See the movie, once or over and over again. And of course….travel to Bali with Spirit Quest Tours!

My life has been forever changed by Bali. And it is out of sheer delight that I share my stories with you! Live the life you long to have…!

Om Swastiastu (Balinese for “God’s blessings be upon you.”)

KIYA

Kiya Cote is a transformational healer and teacher—and a magical, mystical explorer of life. Highly accomplished the field of healing arts, she guides her clients and students to fully living and embodying their Soul Path in life. Her adventurous spirit has taken her on sacred journeys in both the inner and outer realms.

Her ability to tap into the higher plane of awareness has blessed her life, and the lives of others as well! The sheer joy of that spiritual connection, translates into creative endeavors—such as writing, teaching, healing and mentoring. Her enthusiasm for life opens a gateway for her to share her wisdom and wonder with the world!

Kiya feels truly “blessed and blissed” by her travels to Bali with Spirit Quest Tours, and is thrilled to share her stories with you! You can learn more about her at her Bali Blessings web site!

Copyright 2011 by Kiya Cote

The first dog I met in Egypt didn’t want to have anything to do with me. That was a surprise. I am by nature an animal person, so drawn to them that I am distracted from anything else until I make friends with whatever critters are in my sightline (I will skip the embarrassing story about trying to chat up a wild mule outside a temple). We have three dogs right now, all strays, all found within a block of our home: a German Shepherd/Pit Bull mix who was badly abused by the asshole who owned him before we did, a Black Lab who worships me, and a butter-yellow Chihuahua mix who actually came running in the front door. You know how hobos make a mark on the entrance to a house that will give them refuge? Greg thinks our house has a hobo dog mark: the redhead’s a pushover.

I’ve noticed each temple has its own dog pack, except Philae, which is a haven for dozens of cats; I have never seen a dog in the years I’ve been coming. Since Philae is out on an island, someone must have brought the animals in originally (cats are not known for swimming). But now there are many, all flea-ridden and crusty; sweet, friendly creatures who will sit with you and be petted, and then are off to greet another visitor. On a visit to Philae, two cats accompanied us right into the sanctuary, and just as we started our ceremony, began yowling at each other in the most strangulated tones. It was hilarious, listening to a kitty cacophony as we were trying to do our ceremony to awaken the energy of the temple. You could almost imagine what they were saying:
“I got here first, dammit!”
“Temper, temper — you’re on sacred ground, remember?”
“But this group of legs belongs to me — you can take the next one!”

The dogs are different. I noticed my first temple dogs at Sakkhara. Despite almost starving, they kept their distance, wary. Greg and Lyra and I all had brought Power Bars with us — those so-called energy bars that are a cross between a Fig Newton and a Sugar Daddy. So we started feeding the dogs bits of Power Bars, which was the only way we could get them to come near us; Greg nicknamed it “Food of the Dogs.” Egyptian dogs are vaguely domestic, but half-wild and it appears that all have been mistreated in some way or another. Over the years I have seen guards kick dogs, throw rocks or sticks at them, yell and drive them off, but I have also seen others pet them or share their lunchtime sandwiches, even though that is all they (or the dogs) will eat during the day.

The energy of each of the temples may have something to do with the dogs’ behavior, (although possibly the guards’ as well). At the Temple of Horus I have only heard dogs, never seen them. They keep far away from the visitors, but they bark and howl at us. On my first trip, I found only one dog who would talk to me, and, like a little child with a black dog called Blackie, I named him Egypt. He was what I came to consider the typical Egyptian male of the species: medium-sized, the color of the desert, and popular with the ladies. I met Egypt the Dog at Karnak, which we visited at dawn…

This week’s blog is from a guest blogger, the wonderful Joshua Liberman, world travel photographer and lover of all things Bhutanese.  The photos in this story are his. Josh is leading our upcoming tour to the Land of the Thunder Dragon. You can see more of his photographs at Tao of Photography.com

Step on to the path climbing 3000 vertical feet to Taktsang Palphug (known commonly as “Tiger’s Nest”) and you will begin a trek that the people of Bhutan have been making for over 300 years.  The way isn’t easy, but it’s also not hard, and, thankfully, the path is clearly marked.  But to get to one of the world’s highest and most beautiful Buddhist monasteries, you must commit yourself to the path, and steadfast, keep climbing.

Since the building of the temple in 1692, Mahayana Buddhist monks and practitioners have been climbing to Bhutan happiness: the spot where, legend holds, Guru Rinpoche brought Buddhism to the country in the 8^th Century BC on the back of a winged tiger.  There he vanquished the Evil Demoness to the Bhutan mountain.   He then confined himself to a cave on the spot and sat in meditation for three months.  When he emerged (in 8 incarnations), the cave became holy and the land became a Buddhist nation.  Nine hundred years later, monks climbed to this spot and built the temple known today as Tiger’s Nest, one of the most sacred sites in the entire country.

As I begin my winded walk to Bhutan happiness, up the Himalayan path up the mountain, I can’t help but begin to contemplate how the ascension to Tiger’s Nest is much like the ascent toward happiness itself; Bhutan is making that clearer for me.  In a way, the desire to find something beautiful and precious must start with a subtle mixture of risk and dedication, and then persist with complete dedication to the goal.  The payoff, however, is well worth the effort, and usually comes with a few good stories along the way.

And what more perfect place to set out on a search for Bhutan happiness?  For over a hundred years, the country has been considered a modern-day Shangri-la; the birthplace of a contentment so profound, it has evolved into a codified political system known as the Gross National Happiness of Bhutan.

The climb to Tiger’s Nest is roughly two hours (don’t even ask me how long the climb to happiness takes).  Once you’ve reached the overlook, your goal is in full view, the four main buildings of Tiger’s Nest impossibly clinging to the side of a cliff, perched atop a nearly 2000ft sheer drop to the valley floor below.  And just when you think your Bhutan happiness journey is nearly complete, there are still 700 hand hewn stone steps to traverse to finally reach “the top.”

If you are willing to make the climb, and stand at the door of the great Bhutan temple of Tiger’s Nest, and you will know in the core of your being that it was well worth the effort.

At the entrance to Tiger’s Nest, sits a giant gold prayer wheel, over 15 feet tall and 6 feet across.  That prayer wheel is said to contain over a billion hand-written blessings.  With each turn of the wheel, a (Bhutan happiness?) bell is rung and the devout believe that with that chime, the billion blessings ring out into the world, carrying with them peace and harmony to all.

Once you are within the walls of Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest, there are literally dozens of small temples, alters and catacombs to explore.  Brightly colored frescos depict the stories of the Sutra, Buddhist legends of guru, demons, madmen, and heroes.  Monks wrapped in their traditional purple robes chant the Sutra in constant harmonious contemplation.  The smoke from a thousand sticks of incense fills the air with the pungent aromas of amber, beeswax, and flowers: a fragrant reminder that Bhutan happiness is tangible and visceral, and available to your with all your senses.

Like an afternoon climbing a mountain to reach a remote and sacred place that few ever travel to, in Bhutan or anywhere else, I am reminded that there are places we can travel within, that with a little effort and an amount of perseverance, are definitely worth the journey.

We’ve been doing our Eat Pray Love Bali tour for almost 3 years now, and over time, we’ve changed it up a bit, based on feedback and our own experiences. Here’s what we’re doing on our September (and probably future) tours!

Our Welcome Dinner in “Italy” has moved to Ubud! Though we had some incredible experiences and wonderful meals at the Amanusa’s Italian Restaurant, Bali traffic can be truly unbelievable.  We’ve moved the welcome dinner to the more accessible  Terazo Restaurant in Ubud, where we’re working with the executive chef to prepare a custom meal with Italian wines – of course, on the Eat Pray Love Bali tour we will end with Tirami su for dessert, unless your taste runs more to local sorbets. Passion fruit, anyone?

Next, we’re trying something new with our hotel.  Honestly, we really looked hard at the Ubud Inn, where book author Elizabeth Gilbert stayed when she was writing about Bali.  Despite stunning grounds, we were just underwhelmed with the rooms, and didn’t love the location.  It’s in very busy Monkey Forest Road, set too close to the street.  We wanted something more tranquil, even in the heart of Ubud’s bustle.  The Pertiwi Resort & Spa seemed like a great spot for our Eat Pray Love Bali tour, and it’s located a little further along Monkey Forest Road,.  However, we may also return on future trips to our beloved Alila Hotel – the staff and the food and the environment are really incomparable!

Another big shift is in the temples we’ve chosen.  We teach our guests how to pray like the Balinese, and show them what to wear and how to wear it so that we can enter the inner sanctuary of each temple, and be blessed by the local Pedanda, or priest (who is sometimes a woman, which I just love!) On every other Eat Pray Love Bali tour, we’ve gone to Besakih Temple — called the Mother Temple, it’s nestled at the base of Mount Agung, about a 3 hour ride from Ubud. So this trip, we decided instead to visit our very favorite temple, Tirta Empul. It’s a delightful day trip (about a 2-hour drive) to the pool where all the sacred waters in Bali are gathered for the local temples.

Tirta Empul is an incredible experience, and we are often the only non-Balinese woshippers!   We’ve even witnessed a Balinese exorcism here. We can go into the streams and be cleansed during our Eat Pray Love Bali tour, under each of the 13 rushing fountains – an amazing experience of bliss.

Of course, we’ve still got the visit to Ketut Liyer, to Wayan the healer, to a pizza restaurant that will make you think you’re eating your Margarita ‘za in Napoli, yoga and meditation to make you feel like you’re in India (for an hour at least!) and even spa treatments at the very spot where the film crew for Eat Pray Love got all their massages.  It will be another incredible tour – I hope you can join us!

This is part 4 of a 4 part series about a recent trip we took to Bali

the view at the Alila as you walk down to their gorgeous pool overlooking the rain forest.

On our spiritual tour of Bali, we have just received beautiful massage treatments and pampering in a couples suite.  It’s helping me to feel like I’ve found some balance for the first time in a while…

As our Balinese massage therapist leaves, she puts her hands into Namaste (prayer position in front of her chest), and I respond in the same manner. This means, “May the God in me greet the God in thee.” Talk about balance! Balinese pray many times a day and their prayers are deeply joyous and beautifully integrated into their lives. The taxicab driver wants to talk to you about Spirit; so does the hotel manager and the woodcarver. They all have stories about their lives that involve their spirituality. They all want to know what you believe and share what they believe — not to argue with you, but because their belief system embraces God as everything, in everything, in all facets of their lives, beyond death, beyond rebirth. This is reflected in their architecture, in their love of color, in their ubiquitous offerings of flowers and fruit, even in their spa design.

By now it’s mid-morning and I stand under the warm water, enjoying the sun on my face and body, the sounds of the river, the rich scents of the forest. Greg joins me, hinting that the backyard at home might need remodeling into a Balinese garden, complete with outdoor showers. I wash my hair with jasmine shampoo, then we both step into the bergamot-scented lime bath that has been drawn for us, the tub filling over the past hour and now topped with dozens of local flowers – hibiscus and frangipani (what the Balinese call Plumeria). As we relax for twenty minutes I reflect on the trip, on balance. At least these few hours, taking some “personal-me time” has given me peace. For our spiritual travel group, they are happy with the trip, delighted with the hotel and spa. For me… well, we get to return at least twice more this year, bringing other groups. It’s all a balancing act; the trick is to take the time where you can, and to enjoy every minute. Bali has reminded me of this and I will take the feeling home with me until I return.

Please read Halle’s recent interview in Time Magazine for the Eat Pray & Love Bali tour this past May.  Upcoming tours take place in September, 2010 and June, 2011!

The view as you drift down the Ayung River

This is part 3 of a 4 part series about a recent trip we took to Bali

Every morning, I do manage to find some time to myself.  One day, I make my way over to the 7:30am yoga class, taught gently by a smiling Balinese man named Gina.  Despite being both fit and flexible, Gina is patient with those who have never done this before, or who cannot touch their toes.  He encourages balance, forward bends counteracted by backwards ones, the left side worked on exactly as much as the right.  It is just what I need to hear on a spiritual vacation as I practice the art of balance.

Another morning I follow the signs that say “nature walk”, down the steep mossy steps to a stone Balinese bathing fountain, past a splashing waterfall, along the river which marks the edge of the Maya property.  I walk past plants whose leaves unfurl so large over my head that I could take shelter in a rainstorm.  I see geckos and lizards, blue birds with orange throats, red-winged dragonflies.  I feel so far away from my life back home, so blissfully surrounded on my Bali spiritual tour by ways of life I usually don’t take time to see.

On the last day of our trip, we have given the group the whole day off.  We will gather in the evening for our spectacular farewell dinner (150 dancers and a four course Balinese meal) but today, Greg and I are going to the spa.  Having toured the place my first morning, visiting both the individual and couples suites, I have booked the newest couples suite, which faces the river, two stories down.  In addition to the two massage tables, it has a resting pavilion, a round aluminum bathtub big enough for both of us, private lockers, and outdoor side-by-side showers, all under the high thatched roof that I have come to think of as the Maya’s signature design.   This is where we will spend the next two hours – talk about spiritual travel!

While Greg gets foot reflexology, I begin with a Balinese massage.  It is similar to what I am used to in any massage, but the strokes are longer and the tiny girl never exerts too much or too little pressure, using only her hands.  Draping is observed, and I never feel like I am showing too much skin at any one time.  The sound of the river stands in for the usual spa music, and I am transported to a place of tranquil rest, the soft breeze occasionally wafting the smell of the jasmine oil the masseuse uses.  As Greg moves into a Balinese massage, I receive a ginger and tangerine body scrub (my other options included something that smelled decidedly like curry).  This is unlike any other scrub I have had – a powder is rubbed into each body part and then brushed off, taking the dead skin, but causing no discomfort.  Afterwards, the therapist slathers my whole body in fresh yogurt and directs me to the outdoor shower.

Spiritual Vacation Spa Materials

My spiritual tour of the spa is nearly complete, and Greg and I meet back in the suite looking refreshed and a little dazed, like something blissful has taken a permanent spot in our hearts.

This is part 2 of a 4 part series about a recent trip we took to Bali

The infinity pool at the Alila Hotel

Of course a spiritual vacation is not all the earnest work of devotion. We are staying at the Maya Ubud, and a more integrated balance between luxurious four star service and raw nature I cannot imagine. The whole property is a lush tropical garden, set among the rice paddies of Ubud, itself the artistic heart of Bali, as well as where Liz Gilbert stayed when she wrote the Bali part of Eat Pray Love. The lawns are well-manicured, but even the team of gardeners working seven days a week can barely hold back the jungle of local plants, huge trees, and bright colorful splashes of flowers. The Maya has a deeply organic feel from the moment you approach the front entrance, a huge thatched roof covering the open space and pavilion, which is inspired by the design of traditional Balinese “bale” and family compounds. You feel like you are on a spiritual vacation for sure here, a spiritual tour of the mind, body and soul. A wooden walkway slices through flowing water to the lobby, where the soaring thatch ceiling is grounded by a circular glass floor at the center, lit from below and filled with objets d’antique from Bali’s ancient past.

All of Bali is a work of art

The staff welcomes you, with more than passable English; their enthusiasm for your comfort makes their meaning even clearer. When my group arrives, our cooling welcome drink and room keys are accompanied by the spa brochures I requested. The energy in the room is palpable as everyone chatters excitedly about the treatments, the design. By the next morning, the spa is booked for three days solid by our happy assembly, knowing that we digress from Eat Pray Love, but happy to do so..

Greg and I are staying in a pool villa, one of 34 that stretch out in neat rows ringed by the ever-abundant plant life. Walking to our room for the first time, I see five different types of butterfly. As we slide open the teak doors to our room, we are transported into another level of beauty. I treat myself to a spiritual tour of the room. The roof is thatched in the traditional Balinese fashion, the neat rows of dried grass clearly visible high overhead. We have a 4-poster bed with filmy cotton mosquito netting draped charmingly on the bedposts. Our bath is an oversized hammered aluminum affair with a view of the private garden. Nicer than the accommodations in Eat, Pray Love… by far.

The outdoor shower of our room in Bali

Outside, facing the bathroom, is a small plunge pool, filled to overflowing with cool clear water. The sticky humidity has already taken its toll; as soon as the bags are delivered to our room, I strip off my clothes and take a bracing plunge into the pool. There isn’t much room to swim, but it is enough. During our stay, I use the pool three or four times a day, looking up into the blue sky, enjoying the view of the Ti plants and the verdant jungle that envelops me. Once, I see a huge snail, bigger than my index finger, gliding up a three-foot leaf, his antennae waving cautiously as he explores what comes next. I want to be that snail while I am here, concerned only with what is just in front of me, but spiritual tour leaders don’t get much spiritual vacation time. Ensuring that all the guests are happy, well taken care of, and that their myriad questions are answered, leaves me little time for personal pursuits, though I do re-read portions of Eat Pray Love in the pool each afternoon, just as a reminder to stay on track.

This is part 1 of a 4 part series about a recent trip we took to Bali

A Bale For Resting and Relaxing in Bali

I am sitting in the stunning, airy bar of my gorgeous Balinese hotel and I am sweating… a lot. I’m on a spiritual tour that I’m leading and I’ve just had a ten-minute walk, the slow, meandering kind, but it has still taken its toll in the sticky, humid weather. Even with spiritual vacations, there is a delicate balance here between freshly showered and breaking out in a full, glorious dancer’s sweat and I am hoping to find it. Like the heroine of Eat Pray Love, I have come to Bali searching for balance.

It’s a challenge, because I am not exactly here on an actual spiritual vacation. My partner Greg and I lead Eat, Pray Love, where the author/heroine visited Bali for four whole months and found the love of her life.

A view from Taneh Lot temple of Sunset

We are traveling in Bali for two weeks, visiting temples almost every day. The emphasis of a spiritual tour is on pilgrimage, yes, but also on poolgrimage, its sister, spagrimage, and their close cousin, shopgrimage. At least the group is balanced. Our little band of Americans is made up of some real sports. They have bought their temple clothes – the sarong, sash, white shirt, and (for the men) headdress – indicating the devout intentions of a Balinese worshipper. Yes, most of the women have readEat Pray Love, though none of the men have. They go to the temples and learn how to pray like the Balinese Hindus. They clasp their hands in Namaste (not unlike our good old-fashioned American “prayer hands”) and hold them up – first to their foreheads, for the gods, then to their hearts, for our human selves. They wash their faces in incense smoke, toss flower petals in the air and tuck them behind their ears. They eat uncooked grains of rice (to suppress base desires) and are doused with holy water by “Pamungku,” the Balinese priests who accept our offerings and lead us in prayer. For two weeks, they give their lives over to the search for something greater, the core of any spiritual vacation.

Next week… part 2 of a Spiritual Vacation in Bali

Everyone visiting Egypt wants their picture taken on a camel.  There is therefore no shortage of enterprising young men who hover as close as the Pyramid police will allow and offer to put you up on their camel.  It used to be that you could get up on the camel and have a picture taken, for free.  Of course, it costs a dollar or two if you want to get down!  These days, they also all carry packages of makeshift “Lawrence of Arabia” head wraps, and as you are trying to maneuver your way up onto said camel, will thrust one on your head (whether you are male or female) and ask you to pay for that, too ($5 will cover it, less if you try to give it back first).

I do not care a bit for sitting on or riding camels, though I have done my fair share.  The first time I rode one, he complained.  About having to kneel down so I could mount him, about getting back up again with me on his back, about being led around, and about the way I sat — which could have been no more comfortable for him than it was for me, which is to say not atall!  Camels are the boniest creatures — but how would you like someone sitting on your spine?  So how does a camel complain?  It sounds just like Chewbacca, the giant brown Wookie from Star Wars.  As deep, as resonant, and come to think of it, exactly the same pitch. In fact, this realization caused me to look up Chewbacca’s voice on the internet.  Thank God for Wikipedia, which confirms that indeed, camels were among the voices used to create Chewie’s freakish sound (and bears, and a walrus… in case you were wondering.)

These guys obviously make a living getting you up on the camel and selling you A) junk — pyramids and postcards, along with the Arab hat — and B) the right to get off your camel.  I think of them as camel jockeys, because they are always jockeying for position.  One guy is so aggressive with us he literally grabs one of our group around the waist, and tries to hoist him up.  Carter, who is from East Texas, protests the whole time in his distinctive twang, “No, Ah do not want a ride, thank you very much, cowboy!”  But he ends up on that camel.  Just doing some math, based on the 5 minutes and an average $2 someone spends on a camel, these guys are clearing a hundred bucks a day, easy.  Which is pretty incredible in a country where the average salary is $400… a month!

If you’re a tourista in Egypt, enjoy your camel ride, but remember, it’s far safer on the ground, in several regards…