Julie and the Balinese Priests
I have met with Nyoman many times on my journeys to Bali. As well as renting deck chairs with umbrellas on the
beach and selling beer for the obligatory ‘sunset drink’ he is the local priest in his nearby village. Instead of his
usual over cheery greeting at meeting again, he slowly sat up and said ‘Hello, long time no see”.
Nyoman explained to me that he had problems. His daughter Luh, who works for a large bank in Denpasar, had
been having migraines for several years and they had become worse. She had recently been in hospital to have
brain scans but the doctors said they could not find the problem and did not know how to help her. The family was
very concerned about her health and her future. The last two visits Nyoman had asked if I could help his daughter
and I had explained that I didn't know what I could do. Even though I have worked as a spiritual consultant for
many years, I felt that this was out of my depth. It felt a little strange when he exclaimed “This time you can help!”.
How did he know I had taken a seminar in healing and indeed did know what I could do?
I was invited for the first time to his home, which was up a small lane way just behind the beach. The doorway
entrance looked different to the others, with special decorations and inside the traditional Balinese courtyard I felt
a clear and open energy. There were birds in cages hanging from trees, beautiful flowers and herbs that Nyoman
explained that were used for his daily ceremonies. There were many separate rooms that were the bedrooms of
his family, brothers and children of the brothers. There was a large day bed with ceremonial bowls and items for
his morning prayers held each day before heading to the beach to work.
Luh showed up just after we arrived and told me that she was very unhappy. I asked her if she would like me to
do some Reconnective Healing and had her lay down and relax. At the end of the 30 minute session she said
she had been asleep, but had also been awake, and didn't understand this. She said she didn’t feel or notice
much else, although looked at me in a strange way, as if she was not really sure what had just happened. She
still had her migraine.
A few days later I was sitting in my open air room when one of the hotel staff came running through the garden
yelling “Mrs Julie, you have a visitor, it’s the priest!” It was Nyoman, dressed all in white with ceremonial rice on
his 3rd eye and ear lobes. I was shocked at how different he looked to the outfit he wears while selling beer on
the beach! Things had now taken an unexpected turn for him: his daughter Luh had announced that she wanted
to get married and that evening the boy’s family were coming to meet with Nyoman to discuss plans for the
ceremony!
This had now created another problem, a wedding is very expensive! Nyoman started to explain some of his
financial problems and how he may have to sell his home. I started to feel a little responsible thinking ‘what have
I done?’ I then thought about the seminar I had taken where it was explained that it is not me doing the healing
and that we have to trust that it will unfold in the perfection of god/love/universe – pick which word you prefer – with
whatever is appropriate for that person. I cannot claim responsibility if a person does have a healing or if a
person does not have the healing that they expect. This was definitely not what anyone had expected! I had to let it
go.
On my next visit 10 months later I was greeted very differently than last time, Nyoman and his Wife Noni came
running to me at the beach and proudly announced that Luh had a baby boy two weeks ago and was now very
happily married. We made arrangements to visit them in a village about 20 minutes drive away. When a baby is
born in Bali it is not permitted to be taken out of the home until it is 3 months old and Luh was living in the home
of her husband’s family.
Luh was very excited to see us and show me her baby who she has named
Putu. She said ‘Julie, I have to tell you something. I have not had migraines
since the day after the healing session with you, except for just one day which
was the day before my marriage ceremony!” I sensed though, she was not so
happy with where she was living, it was very crowded with many family
members and extremely hot. Lou then indicated that as soon as the baby
is old enough she wanted to move back to live in her Fathers village, which
is more abundant and being closer to the ocean, much cooler. This is most
unusual for Balinese, as they always live with the family of the male.
I felt privileged to be asked to hold the baby and was able to take photos. I will
probably never understand what her healing had been about and I have to be
OK with that. Luh was no longer having migraines and she was happy.
At the end of my visit to Bali I went to see Nyoman. I had been using the chairs on the beach each day and also
drinking a beer or two at sunset so needed to pay him. Each day he had said don’t worry, pay me later. He
refused to take the payment from me, which I have become used to, so I tried to sneak the money into his pocket
and he again refused. Nyoman then pulled out some money and gave it to me. He said he wanted to pay me in
return for all I had done for his family. Then it was me refusing the money from him! This went on for quite a while
until I realized that I needed to take the money from him so that he could feel that he did not owe me. I accepted
his payment and he was now happy. I left Bali for this time and wonder what will unfold on my next visit.
Julie Jara has been a Spiritual Consultant since 1984 and has run a Reconnective Healing Practice in
Sydney, Australia since 2004.
BALI, Indonesia
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©Julie Jara 2007
| Julie, Mother Luh, Baby Putu, Grandmother Noni |