Love and gratitude from a Balinise perspective

by hannahcates | Apr 4, 2018 | Writer | 71 comments

When I first arrived in Bali I was astounded by the joy and love I seemed to receive from the Balinese people. It seemed to exude from the people I met and I was eager to speak to someone about self-love from a Balinese perspective.

My friend and colleague Yuni explained that love from her perspective, and the Balinese perspective in general, is all about the way you live in life and the vibration you send out into the world on a daily basis. In short, what you give out is what you attract and their highest purpose to be a giver of love.

Every day the Balinese start the day by making flowered filled offerings to the gods called Canang Sari. Canang Sari is an offering made to the gods, in thanks for the peace that has already been given to the world. By making these offering the Balinese start every day with love, patience and gratitude.

The making of these offerings is a craft in itself and the time spent making and giving them represents their self sacrifice to their gods. Each little basket is folded by hand using strips of coconut palm leaves before being filled with betel nut leaves, sugar cane, sliced banana, rice, sweet-smelling pandan leaves, lime and adorned with indigenous flowers.

In this process of making and giving the offering they go through four elements that are so important and they call them Catur Purusa Artha which means the four main purposes in human life.

These are represented by the four corners of the baskets they make as part of the offering.

The first of the four purposes is ‘Darma’ – This means the absolute rightness. It is the source and the base of human happiness. To do good things, to speak nicely and to think positively for everything in life.

This then leads to ‘Kama’- This means patience. With that Darma that will lead your patience to do good things, to do something that makes you happy and spread love and joy.

This patience then leads you to reach spiritual connection and therefore to love and the attainment of good things in your life. This is what they call ‘Aretha’ – this is the material needs and creation to support your life.

The final of the four elements is ‘Moksa’- This means freedom from any attachment to material or emotional reliance it is leading you to unite with yourself, god and the universe. The idea that you are not attached to, or defined by the things around you. This is what the Balinese believe to be your highest purpose and is the purest love and freedom from all suffering.

With this perspective, when your earn something in this world, it is for everyone, you do the work to give to the world, not for material reward, but for happiness in life. You give, not as a means to receive something just for yourself, but with the end to send out positive vibrations into the world and to achieve Moksa.

From speaking to Yuni I now have so much understanding as to how Balinese people exude so much joy and love. They start every day mindfully. They understand that we face happiness and sadness in life, but through practical application of the four ‘Catur Purusa Artha’ it allows them to choose to live with love for all in front of personal desires.

With Love & Light

Hannah

Love and gratitude from a Balinise perspective

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