why I came to Bali (and what I learned while freediving)
Setpember 5, 2023
At the beginning of 2013, I visited Southeast Asia for the first time, and it was love at first sight. More specifically, of the countries we visited (Singapore, Malaysia, the city of Batam in Indonesia and Thailand), Thailand was the one that stole my heart. The simplicity of living and the open-heartedness of the Hindu-based lifestyle made me feel embraced in a foreign country as never before. I promised myself that I would eventually return to Southeast Asia in pursuit of more of that feeling.
It took me 11 years, but I finally made it back. Bali, in particular, for some reason, had been in the back of my mind for the past 2-3 years. Something had been itching inside, telling me to come here. Upon arrival, I found out that Bali is where the Indonesian Hindu population is concentrated (maybe my subconscious knew it already). There is something about their lifestyle that makes you feel at ease.
In May this year, while guiding in Portugal and questioning the next steps in my journey (I remember the exact scene when it all happened), a sponsored ad popped up about a yoga training course in Bali. I immediately felt appealed to it (initially, when imagining my Bali visit, I thought yoga would be my attraction point). I researched a bit about the school and the program and sent them inquiries about it. But somehow, it didn't feel quite right yet. It wasn't flowing, and I was unsure why until a little light popped up. Freediving.
For years now, I have been accompanying freediving videos and images, and I have always found it fascinating. The idea of being underwater without any additional props, using your breath-hold as your only skill, sparked my curiosity. That flowed better. I researched and came across the Freedive Nusa school on the island of Nusa Penida (an island that still belongs to the municipality of Bali but is located around 30 minutes by boat from the main island of Bali). It all made sense. It took me less than four days to reserve my spot in the school and buy my one-way ticket to the next step of my journey (which I also see as an investment for future professional projects - I guess in an artist's life, the personal and professional always walk hand-in-hand).
The program I chose is called Zero to Hero. I had never freedived before, but I wanted to do a proper immersion in the sport, so it appealed to me immediately - six weeks of learning about this new world. Also, it would be not only an opportunity to learn the sport but also to settle for a more extended period in one place, giving time to explore the island, having a routine, and creating an affinity to the local life.
I started writing this text upon my arrival, and now a month has already passed since that day. Time has flown.
I succeeded in levels one and two of the Molchanovs training system and am still working on level three. But to be honest, aside from the certifications and sportive goals that it entails, such as depth and breath-holding time, it has been a beautiful journey of learning on so many levels - about the local culture, others, and above all, about myself. What a journey.
I didn't know what I was putting myself into when I signed into this. But it has been, for sure, more excellent than I could have ever imagined.
Freediving is a mental sport.
Sure, you must learn about your biology and understand the techniques and how to put them into practice, but an essential factor of the sport is understanding your mind. The more you let go, relax and be in the present moment, the better your dives will be. It is about understanding what holds you back and your fears and how to change perspectives to strive for new levels of depth. It is about not judging yourself or your thoughts, leaving all worries on the surface and diving into a place of complete silence, stillness and freedom.
It hasn't been easy. But slowly, you start seeing a development; step by step, you understand you can go a bit deeper and hold your breath a little longer.
One of the things you also learn right in the beginning is that each body and mind reacts differently, and you shouldn't compare your journey to anyone else's. Comparison will be detrimental. Instead, one has to listen to one's signs, observe the body and the mind, and understand one's limitations, but also how to improve and work on these factors to enhance development.
I haven't been the only one spending more time immersing in this world. We've created a community, a group of individuals of various backgrounds that share the same interests, which has acted as a further reminder that we all have our personal processes and development to go through.
For three weeks, I experienced steady improvement. Slowly but surely, I went beyond what I thought were personal limits while opening the doors to new experiences, sensations and perspectives. I was excited about it; seeing progress and understanding why this sport attracted me so much. I had built a routine around it - exercises, diving, reading about it, a complete immersion.
But then, a little wake-up call...I got a minor injury on my inner throat (due to my strong contractions and tension around it), which required a few days off the water. I was bummed in the first two days. Finally, I was seeing good progress, then a halt. The days off resulted in over a week off, and I still don't know if I'll be able to go back to the immersion as before since my body seems to need more time to heal than I expected.
But even that... I have learned to embrace and see the bright side of it. This time off the water allowed me to find inspiration again in my professional projects, take my camera to explore the island, and focus on things I had put aside when occupied by the sport. It also allowed me to go for a few days to explore Ubud on the main island of Bali, create new movements professionally, and spend time experimenting with different situations.
The mental training prevails, though, even outside of the water.
From this date forward, I still have nearly three weeks in Bali and I am thrilled about everything yet to come. Be it in the water, be it outside. I have learned so much until now and am eager to continue absorbing it all.
Indonesia has so much to teach. I've only seen a tiny bit of it so far, but already now, I am making myself the promise to come back here in the future to continue this journey of exploration - about nature, culture, food, and other travellers that pop up on the way and myself. To continue exploring the inner bits of the self.
Below, I share with you some of the phrases found in the Molchanovs training manuals that have inspired me, and that can be used in any aspect of your life, inside or outside of the water:
In freediving, you simply let go.
Do not judge yourself or your thoughts, and do not follow them. Let them pass naturally and redirect your attention back to your relaxation technique.
Never compare yourself to other freedivers as everyone has their own way. Just feel your body and listen to it. This will help you not only to freedive safely but also to understand and accept yourself and enjoy your new underwater experience.
Be curious, but do not think you are a conqueror.
Be curious, be humble, keep it together, embrace rather than stretch it out.
What freediving teaches you in the very beginning is how to coordinate what you already have inside; it makes you mentally stronger and body-smarter. This mind challenge of solving the puzzle of your body is, in fact, what makes freediving so addictive.
They (free divers) find ways to solve problems without a struggle, and this teaches them how to compromise with both their body and mind.
You cannot rush time, so why would you rush progress? Everything is a process, and so is the progress.
I hope some of these insights also give you some drops of inspiration on how to approach and overcome challenges and how to make life a lighter environment to experience - progressing slowly, embracing each moment fully, not rushing into time, accepting that we are where we have to be and learning whatever it is we have to learn.