Bali, the island of well

bali harmony

As soon as we arrive in Bali, as long as we move away from the ultra-touristy areas, we can only let ourselves be won over by the harmony and spirituality that permeate the island, with the scent of incense, the heady sound of gamelans, the shimmering colors of the women’s ceremonial costumes and the offerings placed in the temples. The same impression at the entrance to the shops and in the rice fields, whose green curves are also soothing to the eye, especially in the warm late afternoon light.

It is therefore not surprising to learn that harmony and well-being are at the very heart of Balinese culture, based on the philosophical concept of Tri Hita Karana, which can be translated as “Three causes of well-being” or the “Three ways to achieve well-being”. This philosophy is based on the search for harmony between the realms of the spirit, the human world and nature.

A concept that can be found everywhere in Bali: for example, in the sacred sanctuary of the monkey forest (monkey forest), in Ubud, but also in the system of subak, allowing the irrigation of rice fields and favoring “democratic and egalitarian agricultural practices”, as Unesco points out.

Eat, Pray, Love… in Ubud

Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel, Eat Pray Love (Eat Pray Love2008), screened in 2010 (with Julia Roberts), contributed to giving Bali the idea of ​​a destination where one comes to recharge spiritually.

It’s at Ubud that the writer meets Ketut Liyer, a Balian, traditional healer who announces to her that she will return to Bali and find love there. The prediction having turned out to be correct, after the release of the novel and the film, Ketut saw thousands of women at his house dreaming of being Julia Robert or Elizabeth Gilbert, and made a fortune by announcing happiness, luck and success to them, before passing away in 2016.

Today, Ubud attracts yoga or meditation enthusiasts, without forgetting the neo-hippies in search of enlightenment. So, logically, in the city center, it is easy to find places to enjoy vegetarian dishes or drinks “healthy” and detox, the “bowl” being very fashionable, just like chia seeds and tofu!

But Ubud did not wait Eat Pray Love to be the spiritual center of Bali. The tradition dates back over a millennium, when a holy man, Rsi Markandya, discovered a river with the power to heal and named it Oos, short for the Sanskrit word osada (health), later transformed into ubad (remedy, medicine). Thus was born Ubud, which is therefore since its origin a mystical city and a center for traditional medicine.

Massages, yoga, meditation, cures and retreats

In Bali, you can try your hand at zenitude. First step: the balinese massage, Pijat Bali, which is based on the principles of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine and aims to restore harmony between body and mind by acting on acupuncture points and circulating energies. Both relaxing and invigorating, it is practiced with essential oils (ylang-ylang, sandalwood, jasmine, etc.), using acupressure, smoothing, kneading and reflexology techniques.

Almost all hotels, even the most modest ones, offer massages. Otherwise, you can also go to the many massage parlors and spas in town. The rates vary according to the standing of the establishments, but they are generally very inexpensive.

Second step : yoga and meditation, which we have the opportunity to practice everywhere. Again, many hotels offer courses. There are also yoga schools, especially in Ubud, where you can follow a course of a few days or a longer retreat. All styles of yoga are practiced: Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini…

If you are tempted by an Ayurvedic cure or a detox or well-being retreat, there is no shortage of offers in Bali. There is something for all tastes and all prices. It’s up to you to choose according to your budget and the different activities offered: yoga, mindfulness meditation, massages, reiki, sound healing or shamanic breathing workshops or even ecstatic dance…

Meet the Balians

If you ever have a health problem, you can call on the balians, Balinese traditional healers whose mission is to heal people by restoring harmony between body and mind. A power, they explain, which comes to them directly from the gods. They don’t all use the same techniques. They can heal with foods (fruits, vegetables, etc.) and medicinal plants (the use of which is listed in a book, the Taru Pramana), pressure points and massages.

If, in the past, the Balians did not require a precise remuneration (the donations being at the discretion of the patients), they now very often set their price, higher for tourists than for the Balinese (which is logical), some celebrities local authorities charge prices of around 300,000 rupees (€17) for a quarter-hour consultation.

Some hotels offer the services of a Balian. In luxury establishments, prices can skyrocket. At the Visesa hotel in Ubud, for a complete treatment (consultation with the balian, foot and body massage), it will cost you 1700000 IDR (95 €).

How can you be sure you are dealing with an authentic Balian? Hard to know, in fact… The Balinese will tell you that the good healers are those who do not advertise and do not charge a fixed price, but it is not easy to find them!

The anti-stress power of water

Finally, why not try the melukatthe water purification ceremony ? The Balinese Hindus practice this ritual in order to cleanse themselves of bad energies, physically as well as spiritually. An ancestral practice now accessible to tourists. Many hotels and tour operators offer their customers this experience which would allow them to get rid of a very contemporary evil: stress.

The most sacred source is found in the Pura Tirta Empul Temple (the “temple of holy water springing from the earth”), which attracts thousands of faithful and as many foreign visitors, who come to bathe dressed (with a sarong) in the purification pools. It is said that these waters have the power to heal. But you can also practice melukat elsewhere, in springs, lakes, at the confluence of rivers, or even at the sea.

And even without melukatthe relaxing virtues of a good sea bath are well established!