Eat Pray Love

Eat Pray Love is a bestselling autobiographical book written by Elizabeth Gilbert that has recently been made into a movie starring Julia Roberts by Sony pictures, due to be released in August 2010. The book chronicles the author’s experiences travelling through Italy, India and Bali, Indonesia after a messy divorce as she tries to find peace within herself.

The book is divided into three main sections, relating to the ‘Eat’, ‘Pray’ and ‘Love’ referred to in the title. In each section of the book, Elizabeth travels to a different country and attempts a different way to come to terms with her divorce and to find out what she really wants from life.

The story begins as Elizabeth finds herself feeling depressed, alone and unhappy with her marriage, despite having a successful career, wonderful home and loving husband with whom she is trying for a baby. In the midst of her divorce she starts an intense affair with another man only to find this makes her even more miserable and confused. In order to get her life back on track, she decides to leave her life and job in the USA for a year and travel to Italy, Indonesia and Bali in an attempt to find balance.

The first stop is Italy where Elizabeth throws herself into the task of learning Italian just for the pleasure of speaking a beautiful language. She also enjoys indulging in Italian food and gains several pounds, hence the ‘Eat’ part of Eat Pray Love. After four months of eating and learning Italian she finally starts to enjoy life again and sets off on the next part of her journey.

In India, it is the turn of her spiritual side to be nurtured and Elizabeth joins an Ashram for an intensive routine of meditation, yoga and prayer. After meeting some interesting characters who force her to finally come to terms with her divorce and quiet her mind, she leaves India for her final destination.

After travelling to Indonesia, it is in Bali that Elizabeth finally ties up all the loose ends in her live and finds real love. She starts as an English teacher and companion to a Balinese holy man and ends up the year by falling in love with a Brazilian expat, a man who she will later marry. As the story draws to a close, Elizabeth has found true balance in her heart and soul.

The filming of the Eat Pray Love movie took place on location in New York, Italy, India and Bali during 2009 and the film is scheduled for release in August 2010, starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth, Javier Bardem as Felipe, Liz’s Brazilian love interest, and several real life characters from the book including Ketut Liyer – the Balinese holy man.

The book has inspired thousands of women to follow in Elizabeth’s footsteps by embarking on their own spiritual quest and the film is set to inspire many more. Most people do not have the opportunity to take a year off work to travel around the world but there are lots of ways to experience a little part of the Eat Pray Love philosophy by visiting ashrams and yoga retreats, learning a new language or simply doing something that you have always wanted to do.

One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to experience your own spiritual journey is to join an Eat Pray Love tour in Bali. Bali offers the full experience of spiritual enlightenment through a strong Hindu religion and rich culture, yoga and meditation retreats to rival the ashrams in India and of course fantastic food. You can even meet the real people from the book and have your palm read by Ketut Liyer or enjoy a vitamin lunch at Wayan’s restaurant. By taking a one day Eat Pray Love tour during a holiday in Bali, or a longer experience based on Elizabeth’s travels around the island you are sure to calm and fulfill your mind, body and spirit.