Kalipay Beach Island Trip

Already on my second day of my stay at Bahay Kalipay camp, we scheduled our 5 day trip to Kalipay Beach.

After all that I had heard of the beautiful, mysterious lonely beach, I was more than excited to get going.

To reach our destiny, we had to take a 5 hour van ride from Puerto Princesa bus terminal heading north on Palawan island up to the village of San Vicente. From there  we made another 45 min boat ride to reach our destination.

There were four of us on that trip - Pi, Daniw, both residents at Bahay Kalipay, and Shanti, a Canadian who had been travelling extensively through Asia, mostly on his bike, for the last couple of years.

Since we bought a whole lot of wonderful fruits and vegetables at Puerto market, we dropped our original plan to only eat Buco (young coconut) throughout the trip. Arriving on the island it turned out to be a good plan since there were only little fresh Buco to be found on the ground and none of us eager to climb the coco trees.

On the island itself there is no electricity or running water and  the bay where Kalipay beach is located, is still very remote and has not been touched by tourism development. Although it is obvious that the town of San Vicente is booming and preparing for more local and international tourists.

Kalipay beach is simplify beautiful, the somehow utopian wooden house that was built by the initial owner of the bay (apparently American members of the Cirque du Soleil) makes the place both the perfect cast away island but also a mysterious, spiritual and somehow very energetic place.

The days at Kalipay beach were short but intense. My body soon adjusted more and more to the daily rhythm of nature  - waking up with or just before sunrise (around 6) and going to sleep soon after sunset (around 7).

Leaving the island and coming back to Bahay Kalipay on the bigger island of Palawan, was somhow like beeing back on solid ground, a solid ground to further integrate and work on the energies, emotions, and impressions that I brought back from the island.

Sunrise at Kalipay Beach

the tree house

 morning mediation on the beach

inside the wooden beach house

campfire at night

The Bahay Kalipay spirit lives on

It's 3 weeks now since my return from the Philippines and my stay at Bahay Kalipay retreat center. Time for me to take a more distant look back and to think about how everything integrated in my life back in Austria.

It’s been a hard landing here starting with the cold winter breeze that hit my face on the day of my arrival. I was desperate when I got back because I seemed to lose my Bahay Kalipay inner peace so fast; meditation, yoga practice, balanced food, emotional calmness -  and to simply enjoy the day and the nature around.

I was feeling totally lost when I entered a supermarket for the first time after Bahay Kalipay - why should I buy all this strange, packed food when there is nothing better than living on some fresh fruits and greens…

Still, now a few weeks later, I feel that Kalipay has changed so much and done so much for me.

After all Bahay Kalipay was somewhat like being born again for me. One night, when I had an Inner Dance session with Pi and Daniw, I had this really clear vision, this motion picture of being born again in the hands of my loving parents and a clear sky with falling stars on Kalipay beach. It was just beautiful and I could sense a glimpse of the complete, infinite love of the universe and that whatever I do there is going to be this love and the right things will be provided for me. This knowledge and trust that the universe will always care for me and therefor there is nothing to be scared of at all has gained a lot through this experience.  I already see that I am starting to build more and more decisions and actions in my life based on that trust.

Bahay Kalipay also fitted very much in to my Shiatsu School program. Even though I wasn’t able to practice Shiatsu a lot in Kalipay, I see myself moving up on a whole new level regarding the exercise we do in our school, the pieces somehow all fit together, it's wonderfull.

I also already made a few significant desicions for my future since I have returned here. I've just siged up for a Vipassana 10 day meditation course in August and I've already signed up for the one month Sivananda yoga teacher training in India in October.

There is also a whole bunch of new ideas that envolved in my head for example: how to continue with my professional life, both on how to start my own business as well as setting sails on just living by teaching yoga and pratice Shiasu. It's all envolving, moving in a positive manner. I might drop one or another idea or take a totally different path in the end but it feels good to give all those idea a chance and see if they lead anywhere.

So after all the Bahay Kalipay spirit seems to live on here more than it seems on the first sight . A great thanks at this point once again to everyone at Bahay Kalipay for the wonderfull experience and for the great hospitality of everyone at this place!