Bali & Its Healer, The Balian

Bali & Its Healer, The Balian

Bali is very famous in the world both for tourism and cultures. It is still keeping its cultures as the main  attraction for tourists to come and visit. Bali, where the majority are Hindus, is a small island that is famous all over the world for its natural beauty and cultural uniqueness. It  always keeps a wide variety, mystery and sometimes idiosyncrasies that are difficult to digest by common sense.

There is one thing that is never separated from the life of the Balinese, the story of Balian. Every Balinese believes in the power of their ancestor. Therefore many Balinese resolve all the problems by asking Balian, who is believed to have special abilities to channel the seekers of enlightenment with their ancestors and finding solutions to solve problems. They are healers, shamans, sometimes also spiritual teachers and have always been a solution for the life of Balinese whenever the problem does not seem to meet a way out. A Balian is a traditional doctor in Bali and generally help treat and even cure any complaints of people who come to he or /him.

For Balinese, especially Hindu believers, the existence of Balian is something common in Bali. It is because the cultures and the religions of Balinese relate to each other. One phenomena proves it when Priests who usually conduct religious ceremonies also do the same duty to heal people just like Balians. Almost every family in Bali has been to Balian. They usually go there for different purpose, like to ask for help about matters, and something that relates to religious things or other purposes. So it clearly proves that the life of Balinese still relates to any activities that a Balian does.

Although the advanced technology in medicine or modern medication is very popular and believed to be very effective where most of Balinese choose if they got sick. The traditional medication has been known way before the advanced technology in medicine invented. It is generally used to differentiate between medical and non-medical diseases. The modern medication prioritizes the scientific or biological aspect, meanwhile traditional medication concerns more into spiritual aspect.

In this era that is mostly affected by different walks of life, many people nowadays, likely choose to use traditional medication. This is caused by different factors and one of them is the economy factor. The expensive cost in the modern medication is the main reason people move and tend to choose the traditional one. If the modern medication costs a lot of many, people rather choose the alternative way which is the traditional medication itself.

Traditional treatment has been known all over the world since a very long time. Even in Indonesia, it also has been developed since hundreds of years ago. In Bali, the term “traditional medication” is usually synonymous with Balian, a person who can reliably perform treatment or medication. Balian in Balinese Hinduism is influenced by the development which is proved with the existence of various kinds of ceremony used in performing the treatment. Balian in Hindu Theology of Hindu mantras, as therein mentioned about the God and Yajna (worship) mantras. Besides, Balians also use the script in which no other treatment is self-contained character of man, then united with the universe characters, so that happiness can be achieved.

Human being is not only known as a biological creature, but also social psychological, and a spiritual creature, therefore health for human being is not only about biological health but health in all aspects including the spiritual one. So that the traditional medication can not be ignored as in Balinese life despite that it is the cultural heritage of our ancestor from very long time ago.

Source :
http://download.portalgaruda.org/article

Interview of elderly of Balinese (anonymous)

How Becomes a Balian?

How Becomes a Balian?

Even though Balinese society is in the modern era now, the existence of Balian is still very important for their life. Being a Balian is not someone’s dream, however it is because of “spiritual calling” or he or she is the “chosen one”. How someone becomes Balian? There are some process that can make someone becomes Balian. If we compare between one Balian with another, there will be different histories that lead them to be Balians. My friend’s mother who has a really good relation with a Balian finally share its story on how someone can be a Balian. 

All things begin when last year, My friend’s mother suffered from an illness. She had already taken her to many doctors and got some medical treatments but had no result, until something happened. Her deceased grandmother came into her mother’s dream, she assisted her to a house where a Balian lived, then her deceased grandmother left her mother in that house and smiled. Her mother realized that the dream was a clue from Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (the main God of Hindu believers in Bali) of what her mother should do next. Her mother told her uncle about the dream and what a coincidence that her uncle knew and had ever visited the Balian in her dream for several times before. With faith, they came to that Balian and her mother was finally given a regular treatment that healed her illness successfully. That was how they met with Jero Made, their trusted Balian.

As time passed by, Jero Made who is actually a closed-off person let my friend’s mother know how his journey towards became a Balian. 

Just like everyone who always has their own struggles in life, the same as what Jero Made has been going through. Many of hurdles he had to face before becoming a Balian. Dozens years ago, he was struggling financially. He became a carver but couldn’t earn enough money to cover all his family necessity. He tried so hard to send his two sons to school until senior high school level. A lot of people underestimated him, no one ever gave a hand. Just because he is not like a normal person, can’t communicate well and speak normally, nobody gave any respect to him. But those couldn’t break his spirit, he knew nobody will help but he believes God will. With all of his heart and his purity of the soul, he always does meditation alone every night in Pucak Putri Temple, Gianyar Regency, Bali Province. He prayed for a better life and wished to God for a strength heart to face all of his problems. As time passed-by, magical thing happened, it was precisely at 12:00 o’clock at night. After he finished his meditation, he felt an incredible vibration of the God’s power and saw a supernatural light came closer while he closed his eyes. A spectacular power got into his body and immediately he felt an extraordinary spirit that can’t be explained by words. Then, after those things happened he got “pawisik” or gift from the God through his dream, in his dream he met a person which was in white and was shine very brightly, he asked Jero Made to be willing to heal others. Since then, Jero Made has the ability to read people’s minds, know what just happened in the people’s past and know the future. With his sincere heart, he helps to heal other’s illness. He has a sacred

room in his house that is specially used as a place to worship the God and Bhatara Pucak Putri.

Many people trust him to be able to heal their illness and Jero Made becomes well-known as Balian by words of mouth. He heals the patients by massaging his patients’ bodies with a sacred oil.

Usually after getting several times of treatment, his patients’ condition will show an improvement on their bodies and feelings. Now, Jero Made’s life is getting much better, he lives peacefully with his family. Whatever happens, he never worries, always calm on facing every problems in life. He is far from all the worldly things like the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and pride in possessions. The struggles in his life before, has shaped him into a better person for himself and others. 

Many of journeys that lead someone becomes a Balian or Balinese Healer and this is only the one among varied of journeys out there that is not exposed yet. God always give a unique way to each special person that has given the gift of ability to heal others. Every person has their own journey on becoming Balian, usually through bad things that happen in their life just like what happened in Jero Made’s life. Those will finally put them directly on the path to the best thing, which is becoming a Balinese Healer. 

Balinese and Balian

Balinese and Balian: How Balinese Needs Balian’s Help in Their Lives? 

Although the development of advanced technology has been increasing significantly, especially in the health aspect, most of Balinese still tend to go to a traditional healer or Balian if they come to have problem and health issues. Balinese believes that a Balian can help them to find the solution of the problem that they face in their lives. Here is a story how Balinese’s life need Balian’s help.

In a village in Klungkung regency, Bali province, there was a family of three people. The son, named Made, was studying in a university in Yogyakarta. However, before completing his study, he got married with the local girl there, whose religion was different. The marriage wasn't approved by Made’s parents. But he still continued following his ego and chasing his love and living with his wife which broke the relation between parents and children. After the marriage, Made didn't continue his study. He was not financed by his parents anymore, so it forced him to live by himself to pay his bills and his small family. He lived by selling rice. Because he was a hard worker, he easily met success in developing his business, selling rice. He then had quite prosperous life and had 3 boys.

One day, Made got sick and passed away. His wife then followed him two years later. Fortunately, their children, had finished their study and were already working. Since his death, Made always visited his mother in Bali in her dreams. His Mother now 70 years old. She often saw her son, Made, to come home. Sometimes sitting on the steps of the house and in the kitchen. She also heard his voice clearly. Made often came to her and cried. 

 “What’s happened to you Made?” she asked. “ I'm sorry Ma! Please pull me! Pull me from this lower to the higher place, from this darkness to the lightness! I’m suffering here, Ma! Please save me!” He cried. “But now your religion is already different, Made.” She sadly said. “Ma, I'm in a wrong way. I'm in a dark corridor. I have not met anyone. I heard my wife is dead. But I did not see her. I am lonely here, Ma. Please pull me!” He cried and disappeared.

Although her heart was melted, the old lady didn’t dare to conduct Ngaben (cremation ceremony) for his son, Made because he already embrace other religion and was already proceeded with different ceremonies of his religion. Two months later, the old lady had 2 guests coming to her house. Two young men claimed to come from Yogyakarta. They were Made’s sons and biologically were her grandchildren. After each introduced his name, one of the boys said: "Before our mother died three years ago, she told us that before our father died five years ago, he advised her to proceed our father’s dead body in Balinese ceremonies. But our mother never delivered the message to anyone until before she died three years ago.” He sadly explained.  For two years, Made’s message was buried by his wife and was buried for three years by his children. Fortunately they finally convey the message to their grandmother in Klungkung. 

After hearing Made's request delayed for five years, his family decided to ask for advice and solutions about this matter to a Balian. They told all the stories to the Balian and finally they were advised to do Ngaben in order to purify Made's soul. All family then went to Yogyakarta directly to unload the Made’s grave and took his bones to be cremated. But by officers cemetery, demolition request was rejected. It was because Made was buried in non-Hindu religious ceremonies. The family then returned to Bali. However, Ngaben (cremation) ceremony for Made remained held. The Balian advised to make  pengadeg-adeg (a kind of symbol of Made) made of sandalwood. The purpose of Made’s family was to save Made's soul from the darkness with hope that after the cremation, Made could be happy and achieved the lightness in the universe up there.

In this story, it is described how Balinese and Balian are related to each other. If Balinese have a problem, a Balian will kindly help them. They will give hope to Balinese to be recovered or free from their problem.

Black Sorcery

Balian and Balinese : Black Sorcery Done by Balian Pengiwa

According to Balinese, Balian is not only known to help and overcome a problem of Balinese. However, sometimes there is also a Balian who likes disturbing and hurting people of Bali. This is usually done by Balian Pengiwa. Generally he does Black Sorcery against those whom they do not like. Here is an example of the story about black sorcery.

Luh Putu, a woman from Badung, had experienced strange illness three times. The first time was when she was 25 years old. She often got headache which was unbearable pain. She thought it was only a normal headache, so that she took headache pills only. However, the pain was really disturbing her, especially when she was at work. Even after consulting to some doctors, it seemed still not healed at all. One day, she followed her friend’s suggestion to check it up to a Balian (healer). The Balian told her that she got pepasangan (magic things that cause people sick). When the Balian took the pepasangan out of her body, something weird in the form of golden flower obviously appeared from her shoulders which was making her shocked. Since then, she was healed and  it was a miracle.

The second time happened when she was 27. She got an extreme fever. After going to the doctor and checking up in the lab, she was diagnosed typhoid and should be hospitalized. After about 4 days being hospitalized, the doctor allowed her to go home and outpatient care. However, she had the fever back once she reached home. Then she decided to see a doctor again and re-checked up in  the lab, but again the result turned out that there was no problem with her health. Although the doctor had given her fever-lowering medicine, it still didn't help her much and not effective. She then realized when her boyfriend, Mangku Lanang (her husband now) entered the hospital room, her fever subsided, but when he went out to take something, she felt the fever back again. It was continuously like that and made her suspicious and finally asked for help to a friend who was also a psychic. When he told her the result, she got shocked because again somebody put pepasangan in her body. Then Mangku Lnaang could neutralize it because he is ngiring (chosen by holy spirit to help people) Ida Ratu Mas Sakti. At that time She still didn't understand the main reason of the matter and tended to blame the person who put the pepasangan.

The third incident happened after she got married. It was night time and she got fever and diarrhea up to ten times. It was worse than the second incident when she was 27. However, her husband, Mangku Lanang was always there to heal her and neutralized the bad spirit that disturbed her. The three incidents that she experienced made her realize to be more aware about the surroundings and changed the way she thinks about the life.

This is how the concept of Rwa Binedha exists. Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (The main God of Hindu believers in Bali) made two things, good and bad. God was the cause of good and bad.

The pain that we receive, both the sekala (humans’ world) or niskala (unseen world) diseases come from God. The diseases occur not because of others’ fault but our own. It is because we often neglect to maintain our health and forget of doing good things in our lives. Don't we often hear when people meluasang (asking Balian or healer about something or solutions) regarding the causes of the diseases? The answer that often comes out from them is that it is caused by the mistakes of ourselves, whether it relates to something religious aspect like the lack of offering on a certain ceremony or our lack of awareness to do good things in our lives.