Balinese Gratitude: Canang Sari
August 26, 2017: Canggu, Bali, Indonesia
Listening to: Miguel — waves (Tame Impala Remix)
If Brooklyn and Santa Cruz went on their honeymoon to Bali and had a baby, it would be named Canggu (pronounced “chang-goo”). Sitting at an outdoor table at Crate Cafe this morning, I could have sworn I was at a hip brunch joint in Williamsburg. Except here, my açaí bowl was $3 instead of $12. Mustached surfers in ripped jorts and tattooed women wearing Babybjörns are common sights on Batu Bolong, a strip of trendy cafes and boutiques leading down to the beach.
As I sat there eating my comically purple smoothie-in-a-bowl, a Balinese woman carrying Canang Sari — daily Hindu offerings — laid one of them down on the sidewalk directly in front of the cafe’s entrance. She knelt down and lit the incense before continuing down the road. If you’ve ever been to Bali, you’ve probably seen these small palm-leaf baskets filled with colorful flowers. Balinese women begin every day by laying out these offerings in the street, at temples, even on the beach, as an act of thanking the gods for peace.

I’m not a religious person, but I’ve always been fascinated by the world’s religions and the meaning behind their different rituals. Learning about these practices and adapting the ones that resonate to my own life, I feel like I’m building on my own personal spirituality. The simple yet deliberate ritual of Canang Sari is one of my favorites. It’s a beautiful display of gratitude, something we can all practice more of amidst our hectic daily lives. Plus, it smells really good.
So while I won’t be weaving palm leaves into baskets or buying boxes of incense (yet), I am going to try to channel my own version of Canang Sari by meditating on the things I’m grateful for every morning. Today, there were too many to count.
Dhanya Vad: I feel gratitude.
Kritajna Hum: I am gratitude.
Samprati Hum: The present moment is my true self.
(Sanskrit Mantras)

