Definition

WHAT IS BALIAN? WHO IS BALIAN?

Balian or healer  is someone who is  expert in doing medication especially for non-medical illness and has ability to solve any problems that relate to spiritual aspect.

How does someone become a Balian?

Generally people become Balians through different process. Sometimes someone can be a balian by receiving a gift from the God. It can be by doing a long period of meditation in special temple such as; Besakih Temple (the biggest temple in Bali), Prajapati Temple (a temple in the cemetery are in Bali) Uluwatu Temple, and other temples in Bali. Someone can also be a balian because he or she learns some books about medication that are called Usada (a holy book about traditional medication) or learns from  lontars (holy papyrus or scripts). He or she can also get their ability about medication from their ancestors or he leans from other balian.

As the function of a Balian is to help others to heal their illness and to solve problems, so once a Balian can successfully do his or her duty, the Balian will be very famous where he or she will be called sidhi  (a powerful Balian ). Through words of mounth, it becomes a strong promotion to the Balians themselves. Eventually , there will be more and more people come to him whether  from various places in Bali or other  parts of Indonesia or even from overseas.

Balian is classified into several types.

• Based on their knowledge:

Every Balian has different ways in doing treatment to their patients. It is based on the ability and the knowledge that a Balian has. Here are some types of Balians based on their knowledge or on how they get their power or ability to heal people.

1. Balian Ketakson

Ketakson itself means “Taksu” or the gift from the God. Therefore, Balian Ketakson is a person who becomes a Balian because he or she receives  a gift from the God. Sometimes a Priest who gets a gift at a temple will become a healer too just like Balian or anyone who practices the spritual way of life can be chosen by the God for the gift and become a healer.

2. Balian kapican 

Someone who  gets a kind of sacred objects, can be some kinds or metal,  kris (curly dagger), gemstones, even a piece of wood that will make the person become a healer through the guidance of the object’s power.

3. Balian Usada.

Usada means the books which describe about healing. Usually a Balian Usada uses natural things like the flowers, leaves, bark of the wood or other types of plantation that sometimes mixed together. The medicine itself can be a drink or medicinal herbs (loloh), medicinal cream (bored) or oil. 

4. Balian Campuran

A Balian Campuran is a balian who is expert in healing by using combined medication between Ketakson and Kapican or Katakson and Usada or the combination of the three.

• Based on their purpose 

In life, we should have a goal to make our lives more meaningful. The goal and purposes will also make us appreciate the given life more and better. As a traditional healer or  often known as Balian, he or she has a goal to cure and help people from diseases and problems with their ability. Based on their purpose to use their ability, Balian are known as:

1) Balian Panangen  (good force)

A Balian Panangan or usually called Jero Dasaran is a balian whose duty is to heal people. This Balian is also often called Balian Ngardi Ayu (good healer). This Balian usually has all the good characters such as; friendly, open-minded and helpful. He or she would help everyone without differentiating their social background. Their main aim is to help and make people feel secured.

2) Balian Pangiwa (bad force)

A Balian Pangiwa is a Balian whose aim is to make people get sick and even worse. this balian often does bad thing to people. They even sometimes disturb Balian Panangen during their medication process and make them failed in healing people. Balian pengiwa also loves to fight with other balian to test their power.


Source: 

http://www.padmabhuana.com/usada-bali.html