Independent Research in Bali. The Trilogy (2009—2014). Atma Ananda

Then we moved to another temple where the normal ritual was continued as a temple dance, and healer Made invoked spirit into one woman who fell into a trance too…

      Later I was fortunate enough to meet with the healer Made at his home (where he has both a temple and a clinic) and we discussed the phenomenon. Moreover, I could see how he heals people performing the ritual for purification which causes vibration too. You know, in Indian culture there is contradiction between Vedanta and Tantra, where one represents rest while the other – vibration. The highest Tantric philosophy (Kashmirian Shivaism) is namely “Spanda Karika’, or “The Doctrine of Vibration’. I see in the Balinese version that they are curiously mixed altogether.

      Art – Resting Vibration’ or Balance.

      Obviously, for the Balinese, their art works are sacrificial offerings to the Gods – not just handicrafts for sale. This is the middle area which connects people with the Gods; and which is the conflict resolution between absolute rest and high-frequency vibration as well. Enjoying a day in Komaneka Bisma Spa I got a chance to talk with its owner and architect Mr. Koman, who explained to me about the artistic and social life in Bali. His biography is exhibitive for an understanding of the Balinese way of finding balance between rest and vibration – or between stability and activity in daily life.

      I would like to emphasize here one philosophical realization. After spending a long time abroad and having become quite westernized, Mr. Koman returned to Bali to visit his father, Mr. Neka. He noticed that the act of standing before paintings in his father’s Neka Gallery induced in him a state of real peace. As a result, that feeling brought him back to live in Bali, where he opened his own art exhibition. In his opinion, spiritual development is illustrated through art: realism – impressionism – abstractionism – vision of essence. I would like to point out that this is the way of progressive balance within, or “resting vibration’.

      Trance as Ritual Quintessence

      Atma Ananda. Trance as Ritual Quintessence. // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №46 | June 2010.

      Trance is common phenomenon for native cults in many original ancient cultures. It was done by shamans like peai (South-America), angekok (Russian Siberia), pythoness (Ancient Greek) etc. Being replaced by more refined spiritual practices in most cultures, surprisingly it still survives in Balinese temples being done even collectively by priests and ordinary people. I am not going to describe here “lower’ trances used for healing when people become “horses’ or “goats’ jumping as if madding since it is far from my own spiritual interests. The essence of “high’ trance is descending of particular God (or some lower energy being) into personal body, thus he looses his individual memory channeling incoming information and vibration to surrounding people. All trances happen very differently; anyway, the process is opposite to meditation which is ascending of personal perception to one God (or substantial consciousness) as expansion of ones awareness up to global omniscience.

      One of important ceremonies was done at Tambligan Lake to worship ancestors once in three years. After big ceremony in temple on the bank Balinese sacrificed two cows and many ducks shipping them by boats and sinking in the center of lake. Next, part of family moved to another small temple in mountains continuing their worshipping. While the temple was in one hour journey by car, according to people, small spring channeled water from Tambligan Lake. In this solitary shrine under rain in full darkness Made was possessed by Spirit of the place. Being in trance he expressed anger of his ancestors that family was going to forget this important place. He took clod of earth and pushed it into his uncle’s forehead so strong that old man fall down on the hands of his wife. This action symbolized remembrance of holy homeland in the generation. After finishing his trance Made lost all his power and literally fall down by all over like cut tree.

      Visiting other temples together with Made and whole group of his Balinese friends I was evident many trance sessions happening during ceremonies. Thus, in Pura Dalem Lempuyang one woman was in exalting state, and two men armed her from shrine to shrine around the temple. Notice that she worked as manager in 5-star hotel in Sanur while her customers hardly could imagine how she spent her week-ends. Another experience I got in Pura Rumbut Siwi when trance happened with Made’s friend, paranormal healer too. It cannot be denied, but in his social life he was security guard in Kuta – the noisiest tourist beach in Bali. Very mystic night we spent in Besakih temple where you can see shrines of all Balinese generations. So, trance is part and parcel of Balinese daily life and, indeed, during special grandiose ceremonies.

      Ceremony, ceremony, ceremony…

      Atma Ananda. Among Balinese priests, or “Ceremony, ceremony, ceremony’ // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №41 | Jan 2010.

      Spending time in Bali, I was lucky to meet many different priests, thanks to Agung Prana, and my daily work with Made Mangku is slowly converting my life into a permanent ceremony. Balinese perform rituals every day and for any special reason. They can do nothing without ceremony; and they stop everything for the most important ceremonies themselves. It seems fanatic but they use even all their free time for ceremonies only. That is why there are thousands temples and thousands priests in Bali. Of course, I could call this short chapter just a survey.

      The High Priest Ida Pedanda Gunung

      “Everybody reveres the highest priest Ida Pedanda Gunung although nobody knows where he lives’, said Agung Prana, before bringing me to his Pashraman Yogadhirapamaguhya near Ubud. The ashram looked like a real hermitage or a forest monastery, but unfortunately we didn’t meet the owner since he was out at that time. I would see him in person later at the “Meditators’ Festival’ in Ubud, where some foreigners told me briefly about their meditation course taken with Ida Pedanda. It seems to be very traditional in the context of Shiva worshiping in Bali and there is a well-known connection of the high priest with the Ramana Maharshi ashram in India, which is located at the base of Mount Arunachala (honored as embodiment of Shiva).

      Ratu Bagus – Another Extraordinary Figure.

      I met him twice together with Agung Prana in his ashram near sacred Mt. Agung. Being the high priest as well, he has created a quite original system of “bio-energy shaking’, or a sort of new dynamic meditation. It works well enough, at least in three cases: healing of diseases caused by energy blocks; for beginners who need strong emancipation from blocking patterns of ordinary life; as destruction of negative results in the case of wrong practice. The last case happens when people start sitting meditation without purifying their bodies by kriyas, asanas and pranayamas, and these conditions do not give them a chance to escape new blocks created during stable seating. Shaking is a basic aspect of any preparation but limited to a bio-energy level only.

      Kebayan Lingsir, the priest in Batukaru temple.

      I was very impressed by our meeting visiting him together with Made Mangku as a healer. The priest suffered from bad eyesight although his spiritual vision was clear, since his whole energy structure was oriented for channeling of divine grace into people. It is a good illustration to my book “Yoga Recovery of Sight, or Path for Blind Man’, in which I recommend that working for the development of direct spiritual vision is better than trying to restore physical eyesight. Vedic Rishis became completely blind because of opening their spiritual vision, and God himself shown everything that was really necessary to see to his devotees. I wonder how many mysteries happen in the priests’ lives.

      Malukat – Ritual Purification

      Atma Ananda. “Malukat’ – Balinese Ritual Purification // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №42 | Feb 2010.

      Ritual Purification is an important aspect of Hindu culture. It is necessary, in particular, before entering any temple and can be done as a special ceremony for healing and spiritual development. Most temples