 Traditional Beliefs in Bali
Traditional Beliefs in Bali still run strong. This is something that you won't fail to recognise as you get to know the island and its people. Even in the Hindu religious festivals and Balinese way of life, there is a strong undercurrent of animism and ancestor worship.
The Balinese belief in the sekala niskala, or "visible-invisible". There is a physical realm and the spiritual realm which often co-exist. Spiritual forces labelled gods or demons have to be appeased with offerings of flowers and other materials. Ancestors and ancestral spirits are venerated through complex rituals held at community or clan temples.
Natural objects such as trees and rocks are believed to be dwelling places of invisible beings. To keep them contented, they are appeased with a small shrine or temple. Trees are often dressed with a sash.
The Balinese generally have a widespread fear of witchcraft and magic - white and black. They also believe that objects (rocks, trees, etc.) can be magically charged. As such, you will often find trees wrapped with a checked black-and-white sash, called poleng if it is thought to be inhabited by spirits.
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Sajen, the making of an offering to the spirits in Bali (18 June, 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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There are practitioners of Balinese white and black magic that can call upon the invisible beings, for example the buta kala, or ground spirit, to harm or heal. To keep spirits contented, many households make daily offerings left on the ground. Called sajen, it is a small tray of offerings comprising cooked rice, flowers and salt that is left outside the house and sprinkled with holy water three times a day.
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