41
celebratedliving.com
fall 2010
India
While Italy representedall things “LaDolceVita,” Indiaproved tobemoreof a contemplative
and restorativeplaceasGilbert spentmost of her time inanashrampracticing yogaand
meditation. Although shehasnot beenback to India sinceher bookwaspublished, theenlight-
enedConnecticut nativeandher husbandplana returnvisit. “Iwould love todo sixmonths or
more, as that is howmuch time youwouldneed to seeeverything,”Gilbert explains. “India is
likeAustralia, theUnitedStates, or Brazil; you can’t do it justice in just oneweek. A train trip
there is likeagreat road trip
acrossAmerica!”
Muchof her timewas
spent in an ashramoutside of
Mumbai, but Gilbert did spend
aweek inChennai on the
southeast coast of India along
with stints in the cities of
Mumbai andCalcutta. Her
journeys rewardedherwith a
newfound appreciation for In-
dian cooking. “The ashram
had the best food I have ever
had inmy lifetime,” she
exclaims. “I am a vegetarian,
andwe had seven to eight
choices of amazing food
every day. Itwas the healthi-
est I have ever been and,
culinarily, the happiest!”
Indonesia
For actor Javier Bardem, the experiencemarkedhis first visit toBali. “Itwasmyfirst time in
Bali but hopefully not the last. I was verymovedby how the people there interactwith
nature. They reallygivenature its own space. And theypray for nature to take its ownplace
— its rightful place. Thisallows thevisitor toputhimself inadifferentperspective,”hedetails.
The Indonesian island is known for its diverse and sophisticated beauty, culture, art,
and nature. Bardem found this to be true and explains the island’s healing powers like
this: “InBali, you really feel conscious that you belong to earthmore than any other
place I have been before. Once you are there and conscious of that, it is a very healing
place. It heals you in a very deepway, based on the lack of gravity you feel of your phys-
ical, intellectual, and emotional weight. This ismore about relax and release. The land-
scape is there to remind you of your place, rather than us trying to remind naturewe are
stronger than it, which is not true.”
© FRANÇOISDUHAMEL (4)
COVER STORY
Javier Bardem
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