“To find the balance you want, this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it’s like you have four legs, instead of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead. That way you will know God.” (pg.27) This direct and simple instruction came from the one and only Ketut Liyer. He was the spiritual leader, source of inspiration and origin of guidance for the well-known author Elizabeth Gilbert. His particular lesson on balance provided the basis for her novel, Eat Pray Love. She made it her ambition to prove that harmony, tranquility, and peace are the most important elements in one’s life. She portrays this representation and purpose of balance through her individualistic style of writing, her own specific experiences and all that she has learned from her travels.

To many people, three is merely a plain and boring number. According to Elizabeth Gilbert, Hindus and Buddhists, however, three is much more; it represents supreme balance and perfection. This ancient concept is practiced when it comes to the beloved beads of the Japa Mala. The necklace is one that is worn throughout prayers in order to help aid each mantra of meditation. A traditional Japa Mala consists of 108 separate beads. This promising number is a three-digit multiple of three and its elements add up to nine, which is three threes. Elizabeth Gilbert stresses this notion of purity and the importance of unity within oneself by structuring her narrative like a Japa mala. She classifies her experiences and adventures into three sections; each section containing 36 stories. Each story taking place as she searches for herself, God, love and the overall idea of balance across Italy, India and Indonesia.

Each word used in the title expresses the main element of every country visited. She begins with her trip to Italy and uses the word “Eat” to depict that food was the highlight. Her awe-inspiring and breathtaking excursions in Italy were described as the “pursuit of pleasure.” Elizabeth was finally able to overcome her unfortunate depression by mastering in the alluring Italian language and by developing a new and exciting appetite for exotic Italian food. “Pray,” was used as the second part of the novel’s title, in order to express her “pursuit of devotion.” India was the source of her newly found devotion to God, the development of praying techniques and the creation of helpful friendships. Elizabeth ends the everlasting journey with the word, “Love” to symbolize her adventures in Indonesia. Her experiences represent the “pursuit of balance” as she is finally able to establish a balanced way of life between herself, God and her significant other. Each distinctive cultural aspect of the countries and each stylistic feature of her writing prove that balance is critical to one’s life.

Elizabeth discovered her unquenchable desire to see the world and find herself when her eight year marriage fell apart. At this moment in her life, she found herself in a world of confusion. Depression had settled in, and for a while she couldn’t get out of it. Divorce and losing a love she once had was in a sense, traumatic. This particular loss, led her to the idea of not only visiting, but living in Italy. She wanted to love life again and wanted to truly have an appetite for something, once more.

After her marriage slowly crumbled, she met a man; a young man, in fact. David was an actor in her one of her short plays. She claimed that she had not only fallen in love with him, but that she “dove out of her marriage and into David’s arms.” The more she spent with him, the more she took on some of his own unique qualities. He introduced her to his Guru. It’s a Sanskrit term for “teacher” or “master.” The two Sanskrit syllables that this word contains mean, “darkness” and “light.” This perfectly symbolizes the balance within a Guru. This introduction to the Hindu and Buddhist culture was instrumental in her fascination with India.

Before Elizabeth’s life slowly exploded before her, she was told to visit Bali on a work assignment. She was supposed to speak with Ketut Liyer and interview him. Little did she know, Ketut would provide insight on her life and her future. This immediate bond between them and the rapid pace of her soon to be broken life sparked an interest to return to in Indonesia.
These experiences and individuals were actively involved in her decision to find balance. She believed that balance was the only thing that could provide at least a small sliver of happiness. It wasn’t until the traveling actually began when she encountered friends that would make her stronger and lessons that would increase the worth of her life.

Italy, specifically Rome, was the first stop. Although Italy’s wonders eventually brought pleasure to her life, sadness and loneliness came first.  She informs, “Depression and Loneliness track me down after about ten days in Italy. I am walking through the Villa Borghese one evening after a happy day spent in school, and the sun is setting gold over St. Peter’s Basilica. I am feeling contented in this romantic scene, even if I am all by myself, while everyone else is either fondling a lover or playing with a laughing child. But I stop to lean against a balustrade and watch the sunset, and I get to thinking too much, and then my thinking turns into brooding, and that’s when they catch up with me.” (pg. 46) The acknowledgment of depression is what fuels the passion to find stability, pure bliss and contentment in one’s life. In order to overcome this stage of depression and despair, Elizabeth looks for her word. After declaring Rome’s word as SEX, The Vatican’s as POWER and New York City’s as ACHIEVE, Elizabeth and her Italian friends turn to focus on her. This was nowhere near being answered, considering she was in the midst of finding out who she was and what she wanted in life. In order to establish a word, she needed only one thing: balance.

India was a whole different lifestyle. Where Italy had a slower pace and a laid-back way of life, her arrival in India was much more hectic and chaotic. The ashram, in which she stayed at, required her to do more work, both spiritually and physically. Each new ideal and concept that she learned from staying in India, provided instructions on how to life a healthy balanced life. She explains the first Mantra that she took part in, “Om. Na. Mah. Shi. Va. Ya. Om Namah Shivaya. I honor the divinity that resides within me.” (pg.120) By attending these simple meditation ceremonies, her life became simpler. When it comes to yoga, however, the technique is distinctive. She points out that yoga is often translated, in Sanskrit, into “union.” She states that through yoga, you must find union between the mind and body, the individual and God, and between our thoughts and the origin of those thoughts. Elizabeth Gilbert, often mentions a very influential friend, Richard from Texas. He was not only important in helping her develop a balanced lifestyle but was able to give her a healthy relationship.  He was the one true source of inspiration, while in India. He once told her, “Instead of trying to forcefully take thoughts out of your mind, give your mind something better to play with. Something healthier. Like love, groceries. [a nickname he had given her] Like pure divine love.” (pg.141) When discussing the subject of God and how to pray successfully, Elizabeth’s Guru once suggested, “Look for God. Look for God like a man with his head on fire looks for water.” (pg.156) These methods, as well as the several others that she was taught, changed how she viewed yoga, meditation and prayer. Elizabeth finally realized that prayer is just a relationship. With this fact, she was able to build on her struggling faith, which in turn improved her overall balance.

With the completion of finding pleasure and finding God in her life, it was time to focus on searching for herself and searching for love in Indonesia. Ketut, a medicine man and spiritual healer, was the most prominent supporter when it came to Elizabeth’s happiness. In order to preserve enjoyment and contentment, Ketut demanded, “Why they always so serious in yoga? You make serious face like this, you scare away good energy. To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in liver.” (pg. 231) Elizabeth could now see that purging negative thoughts could even come from her power. Because of this, she invented her own concept known as Diligent Joy. It’s a private bank, where she can store happiness as “insurance against future trials in life.” (pg.260) S she was finally able to get closer to the balance she had once sought, but, unfortunately, love and meeting Felipe interrupted her plans. Through Ketut and her newly discovered faith, she was somehow okay with the imbalances of being in love.
Italy, India and Indonesia: They each begin with the letter I, they are all located far from New York City and each of them provided Elizabeth Gilbert hints and clues on how to live life balanced. Through the Italian Language, the fascinating cuisine and the encouraging group of friends she was better able to understand where she found pleasure in her life. Her affection for prayer, meditation and yoga, and her attachment to Richard and her Guru, led to a definite appreciation for God and all that India has to offer. Her final destination of Indonesia, however, summed up everything. She had finally found her word, which was attraversiamo. It was her favorite Italian word meaning, Let’s cross over. Her devotion to God, her spirituality and her piece of mind when it came to love increased as she sent more time with Ketut. Through her lessons, these experiences and the structure of her novel, the purpose of seeking balance in one’s life is clearly defined. It’s to be able to acquire a strong, healthy and beneficial relationship with oneself, with any spiritual leader and with others.