Seattle's Day of Silence

It's July 31. Today in baseball land is know annually as the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. It's when playoff contenders find the missing ingrediant for their championships. It's when losing teams shed their hefty veteran contracts, and trade for younger, cheaper lottery tickets that may save their futures. Teams run well will use this day to do something to better themselves. We in Seattle traditionally celebrate this day as those in Bali celebrate their New Year, by doing nothing.

New Year's Day in Bali is called "Nyepi Day", the Balinese day of Silence, which falls on the day following the dark moon of the spring equinox (obviously), and opens a new year of the Saka Hindu era. On Nyepi, people do nothing. Not even speak. It is a symbolic day showing one's control over themselves and the forces in the world. Nyepi is meant to be a day of self introspection to decide on values, humanity, love, patience, kindness, that should kept forever.

I was in Bali about eight years ago on Nyepi. We were left boxed meals at our hotel in the morning, and told not to leave the premises. We sat by the pool and saw NO ONE all day. People are urged to not even play their radios loudly. It wasn't an eerie silence, like in a horror flick right before the tourists get hacked to pieced with a chain saw, but a peaceful silence. Bali oozes a wonderful Hindu peacefulness on most days, but on Nyepi, it is truly magical.

Bali is the only place on the planet where Nyepi is celebrated, and it truly makes them special. So today in Seattle I urge you, do not get angry on this day of nothingness, when others may be celebrating. Take this chance to reflect on how special this day in Seattle has become, and how it makes us unique. A day to simply do nothing. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.