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Miscellaneous
Bali: A Great Place to Do
Business
Perhaps more than any other
place on the planet, Bali is alive with the magic of the
soul. Here it is not alarm clocks and appointment calendars
that organize life, but the holy rhythms of ritual that mark
time. Here art is not a thing apart from life or a luxury to
be enjoyed by a lucky few, but is woven into the fabric of
ordinary experience, in the daily crafting of offerings to
the gods and ancestors, in the preparation of food and the
building of shelter, in the lavish ceremonies held to
welcome the divine to the earth, and in the creation of
paintings, sculptures, masks and statues to celebrate the
beauty and power of the Balinese world. Here nature is not a
force to be controlled and exploited, but a partner to be
cherished, nurtured and respected. Here ancient temples and
sacred sites are home to the gods and spirits of the unseen
world who bring blessings to those humans who can establish
respectful relationships with them. For the sensitive
traveller willing to open themselves to this mystery and
magic, Bali offers a transformative experience for body,
mind and spirit.
For those interested in
bodywork, alternative healing and traditional physical arts,
Bali is a fantastic place to explore an amazing variety of
approaches. Only in the last few decades has Western
medicine gained hold in Bali, and it is still a tenuous hold
at that. Most Balinese still prefer to consult traditional
healers called balian in times of illness, who work
with ancient esoteric texts, knowledge passed down from one
generation to the next, and a variety of herbs and other
natural materials. Healing techniques stress the natural and
the holistic, for in Bali, body and mind, flesh and spirit
are not seen as rigidly separated. Illnesses are often
understood to have social or spiritual causes, and cures are
directed at bringing the client’s relationships with
family, community and the gods back into alignment. The
healing touch of the hands is respected as an integral part
of wellness, with massage, reflexology and traditional
acupressure long established elements of Bali’s culture of
curing. Bali is famous as a center for the traditional
herbal medicines called jamu, which mix a variety of
natural substances into concoctions designed to cure
illness, increase vitality and well-being, and enhance
beauty. The Balinese also are avid practitioners of a “martial
art” called pencak silat, which combines spiritual
and bodily awareness to increase one’s physical and
psychic energy.
Spiritual disciplines are
also an essential part of Balinese life. Before they can
even walk young babies are taught to hold flower blossoms up
to the gods in prayer and, when they are grown, how to
meditate to calm the spirit and strengthen one’s inner
wisdom. Even today, many Balinese undertake ascetic
disciplines, meditating in temples in the dead of the night
or spending long hours with the sacred palm leaf lontar
books of traditional knowledge to increase their awareness
and power. Psychic abilities are taken for granted in Bali,
with trance and spirit mediumship an accepted part of
traditional culture. As Hindus, the Balinese believe in
reincarnation, and one of a parent’s first duties is to
find a psychic who can tell them whose soul has come back to
walk the earth in the body of the child.
Perhaps the best base from
which to begin your exploration of Bali is from one of the
island’s unique alternative resorts. In these oases of
tranquility you can communicate with like minded souls,
crossing boundaries of culture and color to exchange
knowledge and perspectives. Far from the tourist hordes of
Kuta and Legian, you can enter a world where authentic
ancient culture is still vibrantly alive and where you will
be welcomed with the legendary grace of the Balinese
themselves to witness, to experience, and to learn. Here you
can feast on gourmet vegetarian food prepared fresh from
Bali’s organic bounty, take a class in yoga, meditation or
art, or take a special trip to visit healers, performers or
artists. In an atmosphere of ancient beauty and traditions,
you can open your soul to the magic of Balinese culture.
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