Balinese Ceremony Creates Balance amid Disaster

Nangluk Merana – Balance The World, Prevent The Bad Things
by admin from blog.baliwww.com
Lately, Indonesia seems so tragic. This country is suffering from the challenge of natural disasters: flood in Wasior, tsunami in Mentawai, and the latest is Merapi eruption. All people in other islands of Indonesia feel worried, Balinese also. Even more, considering this month is Sasih Kanem based on Balinese calendar which means a month full of disasters and something bad, Balinese held Bumi Sudha.



Bumi Sudha is a ceremony to make the world balance. This ceremony aiming to prevent any other disaster was held in every area of Bali since 3 up to 5 December. And the same ceremony will be held annually on Sasih Kanem, this is based on the result of the meeting of Hindu priests.


For Gianyar and Bangli community, Bumi Sudha in this year coincided with Nangluk Merana ceremony. Even Nangluk Merana has been held for hundreds of years to prevent their area from disasters and create peace at heart. In Gianyar, Nangluk Merana which was held on yesterday (5/12) took place in Lebih village. This ceremony was followed by Geblogan and Topeng Sidakarya dance.

In Bangli, Nangluk Merana ceremony was held in Catus Pata and Bukit Jati Temple. Basically, this ceremony has the same purpose that is to prevent something bad come to life. But Nangluk Merana held in Bukit Jati Temple is a special one since this ceremony aims to prevent all of agricultural plants from any kind of diseases.

Apart from that as human being we can not only blame on the nature of that great disasters. We need to evaluate what we have done to the nature and try to behave better in this world, don’t we?

Ubud Hosts The International Bali Meditators Festival

We'd Like to Teach the World to Quietly Reflect: Bali Meditators' Festival November 12-14, 2010.

(11/8/2010) The Anand Ashram Foundation will host the 2nd International Bali Meditators' Festival in Ubud, Bali November 12-14, 2010.

The 3-day event will adopt the theme "One Earth, One Sky, One Humankind" as the realization of the Asian vision of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," the African Dream of "Ubuntu," and the Western concept of creating a "Global Village" through meditation.

Anand Ashram Foundation public relations officer, Hadi Susanto, said the festival's organizing committee has prepared seminars and workshops on spirituality, local wisdom , and youth empowerment. "We expect the festival this year to be attended by more speakers and delegates from other countries, in accordance with our aim to become one big family, living together harmoniously on the same earth and under the same sky as one humanity."

The first festival held in 2009 was initiated by Anand Krishna, a prominent Indonesian spiritualist who promotes meditation as a way of life, unconnected with any specific religious denomination.

Festival Aims

The aims of the 2010 festival are:

• Shared knowledge, understanding, and experiences regarding meditation and its techniques from any spiritual groups in any country in the world society.

• Introduce meditation/yoga techniques based on local Balinese and Indonesian culture to the larger world.

• Develop people awareness and acceptance that while we are all different, we are actually one big family.

• Develop public awareness of the importance and advantages of practicing meditation. Examine research demonstrating meditation is essential for holistic health.

• Empower participants to lead a healthy life, both physically or mentally.

• Spread a meditative way of life to the wider society.

• Celebrate life and share happiness, in order to realize an enlightened society.

•Create a better place where people live in peace, love and harmony.

Activities

The 3-day event will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, workshops, evening devotions, celebrations, musical events and community bazaars.

Featured Speakers

• Ida Pedanda Sebali Tianyar: "The Best Happiness is Togetherness" Born in Karangasem in 1944, Ida Pedanda Sebali Tianyar is a leading spiritual and religious leader in the Balinese community.

• Margot Anand: "The Bliss of Everyday Meditation" A native of France, Margot Anand received her degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. She has extensive training in Hindu and Buddhist Tantra, as well as many forms of meditation and Yoga. She has studied with great mystics in India and the USA. She is the author of 5 books and has taught meditation with Dr Deepak Chopra and Tony Robbins.

• Ketut Arsana: "The Spirituality of Bali and Its Contributions to the World" Ketut Arsana is a Mahatma Therapist, Master Usada Practitioner, Spiritual Teacher, Yoga Instructor and Founder of Ubud Bodyworks Centre, Ubud Aura Retreat Centre, Ashram Munivara and Santam Bhuana Foundation. Born in the village of Padang Tegal, Ubud, Arsana grew up in a family of traditional Balinese shaman healers (Balian). In a panel session, Ketut Arsana will talk about "The Spirituality of Bali and Its Contributions to the World."

• Tara Khandro: "One Earth One Heart Circle" Tara Khandro learned how to pray in a Lakota Sioux sweat lodge and to sing her prayers with the Sufis and East Indian Raga singers. The spiritual path of yoga and practice of Hatha yoga are Tara's most intimate of companions for 36 years. She has taken refuge with the Dalia Lama, received initiations into Peruvian, Sufi and Zen wisdom traditions, and is an ordained interfaith minister. She will facilitate a workshop entitled "One Earth One Heart Circle."

• Maya Safira Muchtar: "Mind Culturing"- Maya Safira Muchtar will facilitate a workshop entitled "Mind Culturing." She will share a meditation technique that will help you culture your mind, slow down your thoughts and bring you a deep silence to expand your awareness.

• K.H. Nuril Arifin Husein: "Go Through the Sky for the Sufi"- A cleric know as Gus Nuril, Husein is a leader of the Pesantren An Nuriyah Sokotunggal in Semarang. Gus Nuril is a Sufi figure who defends human rights and religious freedom. He believes "Pluralism" or rahmatan lil alamin is a blessing for the universe.

•Ma Anand Bhagawati: "Osho and Sannyas"is a disciple of Osho for more than 30 years, living for many of those years at the ashram in Pune, India, Rajneeshpuram in the USA, and at the European Osho communes. She lives in Bali and is a columnist and author of the book "Past the Point of No Return." In a panel session, she will share about Osho and Sannyas.

• BR. Indra Udayana: "Karma Yoga in the Modern Era " - Ashram Gandhi Puri was established in 2001 in Denpasar by BR Indra Udayana, inaugurated and given its name by the late Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka. Her dream is "to empower people to become truly independent and free through living and practicing the Gandhian lifestyle and simplicity and also refusing to harm anyone or any creature in our daily life."

• L.K. Suryani: "Meditation for Daily Life and Self-Healing" - Prof. Dr. dr. Luh Ketut Suryani is a psychiatrist. She has studied meditation since she was 14 years old. Her point of view about meditation and socio-cultural bio-psycho-spirit has been popularized around the world.

• Prabu Darmayasa: "Meditation on Numbers" - Prabhu Darmayasa, a spiritual seeker since a young age, was born in Ubud, Bali. He is a Kundalini Master, the only disciple of Siddhayogi Acharya-Shri Kamal Kishore Gosvami, a prominent Priest at a most famous and holy temple in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India. Prabhu Darmayasa is the President of International Divine Love Society, Indonesian Coordinator for the World Ramayana Conference, also actively takes part in Sanskrit Bhasha Prachar Samiti, an institution that spreads out the Sanskrit knowledge.

• Revd. Mindawati Perangin Angin PhD: "The concept of Living in Peace and harmony that stated in The Creation story in Genesis" Revd. Mindawati was born in Medan in 1963 and has spent her life studying theology. She earned a Ph D in 1997 from Drew University, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.. She is currently the Executive Director of the Research Center for Religion and Education and also a member of Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.

•Swami Atmananda: "Raja Yoga and Kundalini Shakti" Born in Blahkiuh, Bali in 1938. Swami Atmananda has practiced yoga for 50 years and became Kundalini master in 1968. He has 4 spiritual Gurus: Ketut Receg, I. B. Meregeg, Yogamurti from Sumatra, and Yogi Swaramurti. He runs an ashram called "Raja Yoga Ashram" in Bali. Swami Atmananda will facilitate a workshop entitled "Raja Yoga and Kundalini Shakti."

• Iyan Yaspriana: "Contemplative Meditation" - In his workshop Iyan shares his experience in practicing meditation. The class is for beginners, people living in the real, modern world. Iyan's partnership in Zen Jiwa Raga has brought him to go deeper in holistic subject, it is then in 2003 that Iyan became a certified yoga teacher and since 2004 leads Escape the World Retreats.

• Nyoman Sri Aryana: "Back to Self - Aryana now is a therapist and facilitator at L'Ayurveda Bali, center for inner-beauty and holistic care. As facilitator, he has led many people from many countries for self-transformations. Born in 1965, he has created various workshop for a better self-understanding and holistic growth.

From our friends at © Bali Discovery Tours.