Kitabı oku: «Independent Research in Bali. The Trilogy (2009—2014)»

© Atma Ananda, 2025

ISBN 978-5-0065-2228-2

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Preface to the 2nd English edition

The trilogy was written directly in English a long time ago in 2009—2013 when I lived and worked in the island of Bali permanently. My original articles were published monthly in “Ubud Community” and “Sanur Community” magazines during almost five years.

Finally, three books “Kali – Bali” (2010), “Double Bali” (2012), and “Bubble Bali” (2014) were collected for publication on the American print-to-order service. Then the books appeared on the Amazon world trade network. The 1-st editions was illustrated by many pictures which are not used here.

The very idea of the trilogy is connected with my research interests as a philosopher and orientalist, which extend to both theoretical and practical aspects of Oriental culture. I was deeply merged into Balinese traditions grateful to my local colleagues.

Over the years, my English skills improved, especially since I professionally worked on translations from English into Russian, which was my earnings in those years, and subsequently became the basis for admission to the Russian Translators’ Union.

Preparing the second English edition through the Russian Ridero system, of course, it would be worthwhile to make a new translation of this book. However, due to the lack of time and the large number of new projects, I leave everything as it was, correcting only few obvious mistakes.

I hope that the sophisticated reader will forgive the imperfection of my early translations, paying more attention to the content that concerns eternal questions, and perhaps enjoy the specifics of the Russian mentality when transferring knowledge from East to West.

Maria Nikolaeva

St. Petersburg, 2024

Kali – Bali
Time-Shift in Eternal Spirit

India – Indochina – Indonesia

Atma Ananda. India – Indochina – Indonesia: A Personal Way of Integration // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №37 | Sep 2009.

I was born in Saint-Petersburg – the cultural capital of Russia, a beautiful city, famous world-wide for its elegant architecture and classic literature (especially Dostoevsky), and also well-known in academic community for serious oriental studies. After completing my education and getting three diplomas in related fields (western, social, and eastern philosophy) I worked as an editor in the state university, and learned to write both scholastic articles and popular books. Since many spiritual practices became popular at that time, I explored them intensively and as result traveled to their sources.

For five years my life in India was a mix of inspiring and challenging experiences. I was based on Rishikesh – an ancient Yogic town at the foot of the Himalayas where I visited many sacred Hindu temples following the paths of pilgrims. My philosophical background was broad enough so as to be able to include different styles of Yoga into my personal practice and to work with thirty-forty Indian teachers. I wrote twenty books on spirituality, and they were printed and reprinted in a total publication of hundred thousand copies (mostly in Russia and partly in USA and Europe).

Developing and feeling somewhat “cramped’ I left India and continued my researches through the whole of Indochina (visiting China too). Actually, centuries ago Indian culture itself spread in the same way, so I spent two years in order to assimilate this broader area which was mostly Buddhist. At that time I was based in Thailand, especially its northern monasteries and mediation centers spending my time in lengthy Vipassana retreats. Traveling all around, I observed ruins of Hindu-Buddhist temples like Angkor-Wat in Cambodia or Myson in Vietnam, finding alive analogue later in Bali.

My story manifests that by going to Indonesia I felt like not so much an individual as extensive “Space & Time’ in which was contained the great history and reality of Asia. However, the island of Bali was still a “gap’ in my inner cultural map. What I have found here is as amazing as a kind of “synthesis’ linking some separate parts together. You see, first Hinduism pushed Buddhism from India, later it was crushed by Buddhism in Indochina, but this contradiction was solved in Indonesia (Bali). It is remarkable because Indonesia played a role of alternative “Indo-China’ on seaway.

So, this Balinese combination of Hindu and Buddhist cultures is not just an original local phenomenon!!! The origin of Buddhism in ancient India 2500 years ago was basically reaction against Hindu Brahmanism which finally conquered in the spiritual battle. But contradiction just moved to Indochina where the greatest Hindu Empires (Khmer and Champa) tried to incorporate Mahayana Buddhism which came back from China. It worked for some centuries – not longer… Well, until now there are Hindu-Buddhist temples in Nepal – but quite few of them…

Balinese people found synthetic solution which works as a system during many centuries and still alive. The result is very important as a critical point for the whole of Asian history. Let me remind you that the great Buddhist master Atisha traveled to Indonesia in the 10-th century in order to learn Buddhism and bring back to India and Tibet while it was already integrated with Hinduism. The cycle was finished, and Balinese temples still preserve an orbit of cultural movement between India and China in form of the Hindu-Buddhist religion thereby becoming a unique centre of Asia.

This is the substance of specific non-duality which allows much other assimilation. One of the obvious examples is the family temple as an incorporation of local cults of ancestors. There is nothing similar in Indian Hinduism. Of course, Indians have some small altars inside of their homes but they are not visible from the outside while each traditional Balinese house looks like a temple. After all, I wasn’t too surprised seeing a characteristically Chinese temple with hieroglyphs inside of Pura Batur. Another subject is Indonesian Vipassana in the only Buddhist monastery in Bali. The main idea explains my personal decision to stop in Bali for a long time.

Contrast Experiences

Atma Ananda. Balinese Contrasting Experiences: Absolute Rest / High-Frequency Vibration // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №38 | Oct 2009.

After spending two months in Ubud village I got new experiences with Balinese people who have shown me important aspects of this unique culture (in comparison with my basic Asian background). Although I have had many interesting meetings, I will emphasize here just three of the most remarkable subjects and personalities. So, we’ll talk about meditation (“rest’), trance (“vibration’), and art (or rather “resting vibration’).

Meditation – Absolute Rest.

My journalist friend asked me if I would like to see “real spiritual life’ in Bali. Of course! Then he introduced me to Agung Prana, a descendant of Raja Mengwi, and I had an opportunity to stay some days in his Taman Sari Spa (Pemuteran) which was arranged for meditation. Till that point I was of the opinion that the Balinese didn’t meditate except for an objective meditation during their daily ritual practice. But, surprisingly, Agung Prana told me about his actual link with Indian Adwaita Vedanta which is the purest traditional meditation in original Hindu culture.

He had accompanied a high priest, Ida Pedanda Gunung on his two visits to Ramana Maharshi’s ashram in India. Even more surprisingly, Indians had accepted them as missionaries from the Pure Land, as they call the island of Bali. Adwaita means non-duality or unity of Atman and Brahman into One Self which is absolutely restful. Everybody can feel calmness in the Balinese atmosphere itself. But Balinese cultural synthesis integrates life in a holistic way, and feeling grateful to Agung Prana again, I could see both sides of meditation in trance and in its balancing in art work.

Trance – High-Frequency Vibration.

One night we visited a cave temple where the guests of Agung Prana became witnesses of the trance. The healer Made screamed in the darkness while being obsessed by spirit; and his whole body vibrated. He then transferred that state of trance to people one by one, touching each forehead with his hand. Some people began to vibrate as well, expressing trance in their own manner. Then we moved to another temple where the normal ritual was continued as a temple dance, and healer Made invoked spirit into one woman who fell into a trance too…

Later I was fortunate enough to meet with the healer Made at his home (where he has both a temple and a clinic) and we discussed the phenomenon. Moreover, I could see how he heals people performing the ritual for purification which causes vibration too. You know, in Indian culture there is contradiction between Vedanta and Tantra, where one represents rest while the other – vibration. The highest Tantric philosophy (Kashmirian Shivaism) is namely “Spanda Karika’, or “The Doctrine of Vibration’. I see in the Balinese version that they are curiously mixed altogether.

Art – Resting Vibration’ or Balance.

Obviously, for the Balinese, their art works are sacrificial offerings to the Gods – not just handicrafts for sale. This is the middle area which connects people with the Gods; and which is the conflict resolution between absolute rest and high-frequency vibration as well. Enjoying a day in Komaneka Bisma Spa I got a chance to talk with its owner and architect Mr. Koman, who explained to me about the artistic and social life in Bali. His biography is exhibitive for an understanding of the Balinese way of finding balance between rest and vibration – or between stability and activity in daily life.

I would like to emphasize here one philosophical realization. After spending a long time abroad and having become quite westernized, Mr. Koman returned to Bali to visit his father, Mr. Neka. He noticed that the act of standing before paintings in his father’s Neka Gallery induced in him a state of real peace. As a result, that feeling brought him back to live in Bali, where he opened his own art exhibition. In his opinion, spiritual development is illustrated through art: realism – impressionism – abstractionism – vision of essence. I would like to point out that this is the way of progressive balance within, or “resting vibration’.

Trance as Ritual Quintessence

Atma Ananda. Trance as Ritual Quintessence. // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №46 | June 2010.

Trance is common phenomenon for native cults in many original ancient cultures. It was done by shamans like peai (South-America), angekok (Russian Siberia), pythoness (Ancient Greek) etc. Being replaced by more refined spiritual practices in most cultures, surprisingly it still survives in Balinese temples being done even collectively by priests and ordinary people. I am not going to describe here “lower’ trances used for healing when people become “horses’ or “goats’ jumping as if madding since it is far from my own spiritual interests. The essence of “high’ trance is descending of particular God (or some lower energy being) into personal body, thus he looses his individual memory channeling incoming information and vibration to surrounding people. All trances happen very differently; anyway, the process is opposite to meditation which is ascending of personal perception to one God (or substantial consciousness) as expansion of ones awareness up to global omniscience.

One of important ceremonies was done at Tambligan Lake to worship ancestors once in three years. After big ceremony in temple on the bank Balinese sacrificed two cows and many ducks shipping them by boats and sinking in the center of lake. Next, part of family moved to another small temple in mountains continuing their worshipping. While the temple was in one hour journey by car, according to people, small spring channeled water from Tambligan Lake. In this solitary shrine under rain in full darkness Made was possessed by Spirit of the place. Being in trance he expressed anger of his ancestors that family was going to forget this important place. He took clod of earth and pushed it into his uncle’s forehead so strong that old man fall down on the hands of his wife. This action symbolized remembrance of holy homeland in the generation. After finishing his trance Made lost all his power and literally fall down by all over like cut tree.

Visiting other temples together with Made and whole group of his Balinese friends I was evident many trance sessions happening during ceremonies. Thus, in Pura Dalem Lempuyang one woman was in exalting state, and two men armed her from shrine to shrine around the temple. Notice that she worked as manager in 5-star hotel in Sanur while her customers hardly could imagine how she spent her week-ends. Another experience I got in Pura Rumbut Siwi when trance happened with Made’s friend, paranormal healer too. It cannot be denied, but in his social life he was security guard in Kuta – the noisiest tourist beach in Bali. Very mystic night we spent in Besakih temple where you can see shrines of all Balinese generations. So, trance is part and parcel of Balinese daily life and, indeed, during special grandiose ceremonies.

Ceremony, ceremony, ceremony…

Atma Ananda. Among Balinese priests, or “Ceremony, ceremony, ceremony’ // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №41 | Jan 2010.

Spending time in Bali, I was lucky to meet many different priests, thanks to Agung Prana, and my daily work with Made Mangku is slowly converting my life into a permanent ceremony. Balinese perform rituals every day and for any special reason. They can do nothing without ceremony; and they stop everything for the most important ceremonies themselves. It seems fanatic but they use even all their free time for ceremonies only. That is why there are thousands temples and thousands priests in Bali. Of course, I could call this short chapter just a survey.

The High Priest Ida Pedanda Gunung

“Everybody reveres the highest priest Ida Pedanda Gunung although nobody knows where he lives’, said Agung Prana, before bringing me to his Pashraman Yogadhirapamaguhya near Ubud. The ashram looked like a real hermitage or a forest monastery, but unfortunately we didn’t meet the owner since he was out at that time. I would see him in person later at the “Meditators’ Festival’ in Ubud, where some foreigners told me briefly about their meditation course taken with Ida Pedanda. It seems to be very traditional in the context of Shiva worshiping in Bali and there is a well-known connection of the high priest with the Ramana Maharshi ashram in India, which is located at the base of Mount Arunachala (honored as embodiment of Shiva).

Ratu Bagus – Another Extraordinary Figure.

I met him twice together with Agung Prana in his ashram near sacred Mt. Agung. Being the high priest as well, he has created a quite original system of “bio-energy shaking’, or a sort of new dynamic meditation. It works well enough, at least in three cases: healing of diseases caused by energy blocks; for beginners who need strong emancipation from blocking patterns of ordinary life; as destruction of negative results in the case of wrong practice. The last case happens when people start sitting meditation without purifying their bodies by kriyas, asanas and pranayamas, and these conditions do not give them a chance to escape new blocks created during stable seating. Shaking is a basic aspect of any preparation but limited to a bio-energy level only.

Kebayan Lingsir, the priest in Batukaru temple.

I was very impressed by our meeting visiting him together with Made Mangku as a healer. The priest suffered from bad eyesight although his spiritual vision was clear, since his whole energy structure was oriented for channeling of divine grace into people. It is a good illustration to my book “Yoga Recovery of Sight, or Path for Blind Man’, in which I recommend that working for the development of direct spiritual vision is better than trying to restore physical eyesight. Vedic Rishis became completely blind because of opening their spiritual vision, and God himself shown everything that was really necessary to see to his devotees. I wonder how many mysteries happen in the priests’ lives.

Malukat – Ritual Purification

Atma Ananda. “Malukat’ – Balinese Ritual Purification // “Ubud Community’ (Bali, Indonesia), №42 | Feb 2010.

Ritual Purification is an important aspect of Hindu culture. It is necessary, in particular, before entering any temple and can be done as a special ceremony for healing and spiritual development. Most temples here in Bali contain small springs, as all rituals include a sprinkling of holy water. But there are some temples in Bali which are situated at springs – at these temples Malukat is the main goal of visitation.

The most well-known place for Malukat is Tirtha Empul – one hour north of Ubud. The residence of the first Indonesian president is located on the closest hill because the place is both holy and beautiful. A big pond collects water from many springs around a temple. You submerge yourselves dressed in a sarong only after engaging in a small ritual at the shrine on the bank. Standing in the water you bow down before each spring, putting your head under the stream of water. After taking a drink from this stream one continues on to the next one. Everybody always feels calm and happy after flushing away all impurities from one’s body, mind and soul. After changing from a wet sarong into a dry one, you go to the main temple in order to perform a ritual of gratitude to the god of this place and also to all of the gods.

Another place for purification is smaller being located in Tegalalang. This is a natural waterfall with an open temple on the bank, where you can submerge yourselves in the stream (dressed in sarong only). Of course, it is not just the bathing in crystal water but the worship of the gods that is required for real success. Because the temple is so small, you will rarely see a priest there. Balinese people perform all the necessary rituals by themselves, while westerners should bring a priest along with them (if they really want to do everything in a proper manner). We have organized many individual and group tours there since Made Mangku is a priest and can help in this situation.

There are many other types of ritual purifications in temples, and they all vary to some degree although they remain traditional. From the very beginning I was impressed by the Flower Malukat developed by Made Mangke himself. He uses it in his healing process for cleaning aura and releasing karma from past lives. The result is the opening and balancing of the chakras as well as important first step to recovery from disease or difficult situation. After checking the karma, he decides how many flowers the person will need for purification and puts them into water for one hour or longer. Then, he invites the person to sit opposite the vessel and pray to God while he pours the flower water over him. I have observed many Malukats, and each one was both unique and beneficial.