“Merasa means simply to feel. To make yourself available for alignment with nature,” muses Erykah Badu, the soulful musician and doula who has been tapped for Potato Head’s rendition of Merasa: 7 Days of Regeneration this year. Acting as co-curator, Badu’s part to play in the wellness retreat is magnitudinal, and will see all facets of her life come together for a holistic expression of wellness that is at once educational, instructive and most importantly, kind to the self. The last mantra is something Badu reiterates continually when reflecting on the upcoming Potato Head retreat: “Everybody is on the same wave of practising kindness, you know? I don’t see a lot of judgement nor competitiveness; that would be antithetical to what we’re doing.”
Considering Badu’s immense experience as a doula—where she’s been holding space for and opening up her time to women going through childbirth—certain programmes have been curated with her words of wisdom in mind. To discuss the nuances of life and death, for example, the penultimate evening of the seven-day programme will see a dialogue led by Badu exploring the rich tapestry of cultural rites and rituals of birth and death in both the East and West. Meanwhile, her musician roots are infused into programmes centred on rhythm and beats—from sound meditation to explorative dance sessions of botanical rhythms.
Ahead of the Merasa: 7 Days of Regeneration programme at Potato Head in Bali, Vogue Singapore speaks to the visionary on the wellness practices she advises every individual to adopt, how music allows for a higher form of connection and her role in curating this year’s retreat.
What actually went into the curation of Merasa this year? Could you speak more on your role in the formation of this year’s programme?
Potato Head was very generous in giving me a role in reviewing all the practitioners and bringing in some practitioners as well. I went through the list—there were so many dynamic people. It might have been one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make. Together, we put together a line-up that made sense for this year.
Kim, the main curator, does this alone every year and does not need my help. But she is the generous person who allowed me to be a part of her decision-making. There were many practitioners I didn’t know much about, but that was part of the fun and wonder: getting to research them and understand their modalities. And I think we did a really good job bringing all those bodies together.
What programmes are you most excited about?
I’m excited about the sunrise ceremonies every morning. The 5:30 or 6:30AM type of events. When I think about those, a dopamine rush just flows through my body. I just like to be up really early with the elements and have other people around sharing that with me. It’s so powerful and I’ll get so much release from those hours. It’s when we’re most open to receive.
Merasa is Indonesian for ‘to feel’. What does merasa mean to you?
Just simply that, to feel. To make yourself available for alignment with nature. That’s what it means to me. It means to show up.
For someone who holds space for mothers and brings new life into this world, how would you advise mothers-to-be to gain a better understanding of their bodies? What are some activities on the Merasa programme that would be good for them to pay attention to?
I’m doing a couple of talks on that. On being a doula, my experiences with childbirth, and how it relates to who we are. I guess I would say to mothers that as soon as you are made aware of your pregnancy, be aware that the baby is here.
It’s a very, very sacred ritual for you and for the baby. It may be the most important ceremony that we have besides going the other way. You become a mother and you receive a being from somewhere, you know? Be aware of it, because you’ll want to be as healthy as you can. That might mean something different to each person but be as healthy as you can.
A number of Merasa activities involve rhythmic movement and music-led meditation. Considering your background as an artist, how would you say music allows one to connect to their breath and their bodies?
Music is frequency and vibration. Everything is moving all the time. And that’s what frequency is; it’s a small, steady movement of something. And music is where our memories are stored. Through music, our emotions are unearthed. Through music, we become in tune with the planet’s metronome. Through music, we become bonded with one another. It is the ultimate weapon and instrument. Music to me is that vibration that connects everything together. The absorption of it is how we can be healed, and restored.
The wellness journey is usually considered to be one that’s rather personal. But in your experience, how important is it to have community and togetherness in the context of wellness?
Togetherness is very important. The generating of different energies and feelings that all have the same agenda. It’s very powerful and refreshing, you know? I think it’s good to be around people with the same postures, passions, and attitudes; it furthers your practice. Whatever that practice may be.
The community of it also holds you accountable for your own personal journey. Even if it’s not discussed, it’s understood that we are all here to lift up one another and simply to hold space for one another. There’s something really refreshing about that. It’s healing in itself, the gathering.
What’s the most reliable wellness habit you would encourage women to keep throughout their lives?
I was just talking to my daughter about that. I encourage all people, including women, to hold court with the ‘five doctors’ every single day. Number one is Dr. Sun, who gives us the vitamin D and nutrients that we need. Those minute doses of sun really change your constitution.
Number two would be Dr. Nutrition: you eat to live, but that doesn’t look the same for everyone. I encourage people to research their blood types and their blood lines. But fresh fruits and leafy vegetables work really well to help the body stay balanced. Number three would be Dr. Exercise. Just 15 minutes a day of stretching your body out, moving about. It’s what really helps you to feel good during the day, emotionally, energetically. The better you feel, the less you have to lean on other people. And the less you have to interrogate them or borrow their energy.
Number four would then be Dr. Sleep. Getting the proper amount of sleep, which is the most difficult for us all. I told my daughter that if she goes to sleep a couple of hours after sundown, she has a great opportunity to benefit from the release of melatonin from her pineal gland. That release of those hormones into the skin helps you to look the same from day to day.
And the last one: Dr. Meditation. We practise that in very different ways. Some people are just very still, whilst some people have very slow breathing exercises that they use in their practices. But whatever your belief or practice is, what matters is that you deliberately focus on it for 15 minutes a day. It’s so beneficial to have no other distractions. These are the things that I think people should start doing at a very young age. To get used to it. Because they’ll need it when they need it.
A number of wellness practitioners are joining the line-up for the different panels and experiential sessions. How do you think the various personalities blend and meld together, considering they are all from different cultural backgrounds—spanning traditional Chinese medicine to Balinese astrology?
I don’t have any expectations for it. Everybody’s on the same wave of practising kindness, you know? I don’t see a lot of judgement nor competitiveness—that would be antithetical to what we’re doing. This is somewhere you’re supposed to be able to relax as a healer, or someone who is seeking it. A whole roster of things start from 5:30AM onwards, and you choose the things you want to do. Some might be things you would otherwise be reluctant to do but the seven day retreat is ultimately personally curated by you, so it should be somewhere you can practise in peace.
Find out more about Merasa: 7 Days of Regeneration at Potato Head Bali here.
