The Power of Pause: How Bali is Helping Me Heal on Every Level
After co-leading an intense, beautiful, and deeply transformative 9-day retreat, my body was sending me signals loud and clear: It’s time to stop. Not slow down — stop. Fully. Completely. And it wasn’t just physical exhaustion. I lost my voice. My nervous system was buzzing, and my mind was running in retreat-mode — alert, responsive, holding space for others. I knew I needed rest, but I didn’t yet realize how deep that need went until I landed in Nusa Lembongan, small island off Bali.
Bali has a way of wrapping you in her arms. She doesn’t rush you. She doesn’t demand. She invites you to slow down, to listen, to soften. And in that softness, I begin to heal.
Resting on Multiple Levels
Rest is not just sleep. It’s not just laying down or “doing nothing.” Rest, real rest, reaches into every layer of your being — mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. In Bali, I get to experience that kind of rest.
Physical Rest:
My days shifted from structured schedules to laying on the beach, by the pool, long naps, and nourishing food. I could feel my muscles letting go, my joints softening, my breath deepening.
Mental Rest:
Without the constant noise of daily demands, meetings and emails, my mind began to quiet. The beach became my meditation — listening to the waves, watching the horizon stretch endlessly. I didn’t need to “think” — just be.
Nervous System Regulation:
Something magical happens when your environment supports your healing. The slow pace of the island, the natural sounds, the warm air — all of it signaled safety to my body. My parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode) kicked in. For the first time in months, I didn’t feel on edge. I didn’t feel like I had to hold it all together.
Blood Pressure & Body Rhythms:
My blood pressure, which had been elevated from the extra work the last months began to normalize. I could feel my heart beating more slowly, more rhythmically. I wasn’t rushing from one thing to the next. My body was syncing back to nature’s pace — and in doing so, back to my own pace.
The Beach: Nature’s Medicine
There is something deeply ancient and comforting about the ocean. Each wave reminded me to exhale. Each tide shift mirrored the way my energy was recalibrating. I spent hours just sitting by the shore, doing absolutely nothing. No to-do list. No agenda. Just being. And it was deeply therapeutic.
The Wisdom of Slowing Down
In our culture of hustle, we’re often praised for pushing through. But what I’ve learned is that slowing down is not laziness — it’s intelligence. It’s love. It’s healing. My nervous system didn’t need more caffeine, more productivity hacks, or another to-do list. It needed Bali. It needed space. It needed the medicine of nature, stillness, and slowness.
And now, I’m returning with a deeper sense of calm, with more to give — not from depletion, but from overflow.
If you’re feeling the tug of burnout or the ache of constant doing, I invite you to listen to that whisper in your body that says: pause.
Whether it’s Bali, a beach or forest close to you or your own backyard, make space for rest.
Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you!
In love and light ✨🦋💕
Nat