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.