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Balian - Balinese Healers |
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Before Balinese was introduced to modern medicine by the Dutch colonialism by the beginning of 19 th century, Balinese used to go to traditional healer, literally known as Balian . Balians are very unique, they are not usually general practitioners. There are a number of varieties, each specializing in a particular area of knowledge, including massage, finding lost objects, preparing love potions and protective amulets, delivering babies, or dispensing medicines.
The most common one up till now is the Balian Terang (Rain stopper), ‘terang' means ‘bright' or ‘clear'. Usually they will be hired in a special celebration or special occasion with a purpose to prevent a certain area would not be rained.
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Balian Usada is more like Balinese traditional doctor, ‘ usada ' means ‘medicine'. A Balian Usada is one whose healing powers are based upon the possession of books that deal with the subject of medicines and their uses. Balian Usada often are literate scholars who are consulted for their knowledge of certain lontars (Balinese books which its pages made from long-narrow leaves of the lontar palm, a very common tree in parts of Bali ). But some of them are event can not read the lontar of medicine but they have their power by learning from other Balian Usada.
Some ingredients of the medicine probably provided by the Balian Usada but likely the patient will be given a recipe that can be made up at home. Many herbal medicines are easy to find just about everywhere, event most of Balinese housing compound has its ‘living drugstore' ( apotek hidup ), a small garden of medical herbs. Most of Balinese medicines are plant substances, concoctions of leaves, bark, roots or seeds. Those are designed to be taken internally are boiled in water and resulting infusion, called loloh , it has to be drunk. For external use, the ingredients are mashed up in a stone mortar and pestle and smeared over the body as a beboreh . Some are combined with coconut oil and used to rub on the body. This treatment is very common recently as one of spa product.
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Types of Balian
The practice of Balian Apun ( Balian Uat ) is based upon massage (‘ apun' : oil, ‘ uat' in this context including muscle, tendon or nerve). Balian Apun is a bit different with Tukang Uut (common massage therapist), as with all the practice of Balians, Balian Apun combines the physical actions of massage with the mystical forces, through mantras and offerings.
The basis of massage by Balian Apun is to straighten the muscle, tendon or nerve that have become crooked, remove lumps or other obstructions in them, and stimulate the flow of the life fluids so that the body will be healthy and perform normally. Diseases and malfunctions, pain, stiffness, sterility, constipation, and so on, are attributed to improper circulation of the life fluids to the part of body where the problem is centered.
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A Balian Tulang which specializes in setting broken bones (‘ tulang ': bone) and Balian Manak (midwife) usually not based by lontars but commonly from lessons and taksu (spiritual power) given by a Balian to his/her successor.
Balian Tenung is the one whose specialty in divining or prophesying. Their powers are almost never directed toward foretelling the future or predicting events, nor do the clients ask for this service. Instead, the diviner is asked to do such things as locate lost objects, reveal a thief, or to find the identity of a baby.
The Balian Kebal are those who specialized in magical paraphernalia such as amulets and rings, or who are powerful in spells and charms. Such Balians are dispensers of love potions that are known to drive girls out of their minds. They can provide drawings or cloth that one should wear on to prevent spiritual attack.
While Balian Taksu are some kind of primarily spirit mediums. They are consulted for a variety of reasons, but usually the problem relates to sickness and a desire to communicate with a god or spirit that can reveal the cause of the sickness and suggest a cure. Sometimes a Balian Taksu is consulted so that the client can communicate with the spirit of a recent cremated family member (after or during Ngaben / cremation) in order to determine if the spirit is happy, and if all the proper observances have been carried out to the spirit's satisfaction. Balian Taksu can not practice on certain day therefore it is important to pick an auspicious day to visit and consult to a Balian Taksu.
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If you need to know and experience how powerful the Balian is, youmay CONTACT MAGELLAN :
JL. BATUR SARI NO. 20 • SANUR • BALI • INDONESIA
POBOX. 3715 Denpasar - Bali 80037
Tel. +62 361 271 484 • Fax. +62 361 286 087
supports@magellanexperiences.com
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