The Taman Beji Griya Waterfall

1: Taman Beji Location

2: The Purification Ceremony

3: The Ceremony: Step by Step

4: Waterfall Therapy

5: Detoxification

6: The Aftermath

7: Water Consciousness

1: Taman Beji: Location

I was aware of this place from last year, but had completely forgotten about it. And when my friend suggested we go there, I said ‘Yes. Let’s do it.”

It was what I most needed -to do the full Water Purification Ritual -going deep into a cave where the water showers upon you from high above.

I have done several purifications now at Tirtut Empul, TampakSiring and at the Dasa Vayu Retreat Centre along the slopes of Mount Batukaru.  But this one at Taman Beji Griya Waterfall  which some call a hidden gem was only opened to the public in 2022. The gardens are kept well and the path zig-zags its way down leading to the gorge preparing you for what’s to come. There was a view of Mount Agung through the palm trees. This volcano is stunning, if a little ethereal in the morning light. It is so like a pyramid and that must be resonant for the whole island as it determines spatial orientation for the locals.

This waterfall is run by a local family headed by Ida Bagus Eka Giri Artha, who seems quite young for such a responsibility.  He claims one of his ancestors heard a voice in the cave which invited him to stick the branch of  a tree in the rock and from there flowed a holy, healing water. The waterfall is behind the Griya Gede Manuaba, in the village of Punggul, not far from Ubud.

At first I thought they had too many rules that it seemed officious- religions are often like that, operaing like cults of control- don’t do this; don’t do that etc. and this was off-putting. But then it has good reasons to protect the area from those who do not fully understand its import.  I hope they don’t take the rules to extremes though. It would be a shame to ruin it with regulations. The charges presumably are also for the upkeep of the gorge and the facilities, which are well maintained and organised, making the experience seamless and satisfying.

In the entrance to the waterfall there were three owls and a bunch of huge bats. The bats hang upside down with their spiky claws clutching a wooden pole. Apparently, bats hang upside down like this even in death, so they are quite Scorpionic. They use this reverse position for easier flight take off with their delicate wings. They are such extraordinary creatures- their wings are shiny black and their claws are intricate – their knees bend backwards- yet they are also furry and cute with big penetrating eyes.

The owl too is a miracle of nature, its neck really does turn 360° as it showed us. These were very large and majestic looking owls. They symbolise sagacity, so are linked to Sagittarius, and owls are sacred to the goddess of wisdom, Minerva.

We had to wait for the waterfall as there was a  procession of Balinese people in their white finery passed us, a solemn parade with women carrying the canang sari offerings on their heads. So the locals are regulars here and ceremonies take place everyday at this sacred spot.

 

2: The Purification Ceremony

I decided to only do the regular Purification ceremony (300,000 IDR) as I would most likely not be in the region again.  But this was sequenced like a chain link of actions, the one adding and deepening the previous one. It demanded intense concentration.

I was given a tray of Upakara (benefit), a little woven basket containing Canang Sari, Pejati, Rarapan, Lakesan – the flowers and incense offerings with crackers and biscuits all prepared beforehand for each participant in the ceremony. Contents of these Upakara can vary but they say that a Gambier plant is for Brahma, and for Vishnu they place a red betel nut, and a white lime is added for Shiva. That covers the Hindu trinity. There are white flower petals for Ishwara, red petals for Brahma, and yellow for Mahadeva, and any blue or green ones for Vishnu.The point of the canang sari is to keep the demons in their place in hell as well as to give to the gods. In Bali they don’t deny the existence of the dark side of life but acknowledge and incorporate it.

3: The Ceremony: Step by Step

Here is my record the ceremonial process and all the gods and spirits named.

It’s quite elaborate to get ready. All people must go barefoot- good for grounding- and they have to wear a sarong. I had a choice of maroon or green. I felt the maroon was good. Made Mungku, the guide assigned to me, said ‘It doesn’t matter’ as he picked up the maroon one and a red sash and proceeded to tie it on me firmly.

First down the lower steps there were carvings of Nagas along the side which then emerged at the open temple had statues of several gods. Nagas are local  guardian spirits too.

From this level, the first double waterfall now came into view.

My guide kept saying the word Ida which is used almost as a prefix, an honorary title added to the name of the gods and to the pedandas, the priests.  Here I gave the  offerings of canang sari to each one of the mini-shrines. There were several statues of HIndu deities, raw cut and not designed to be pretty, but to be powerful and even fearsome-looking. This included all the local deities and Parvati the Mother, Saraswati, Shiva, Ganesha and Surya the sun. But I don’t remember any statue of Hanuman, the monkey god, which is interesting. All the rock carvings were sculpted with Nagas portrayed with lizard-like faces. These carvings must have been quite a feat to achieve as the artistic and religious shapes blended smoothly into the rock formations as though they were naturally there.

I was lucky with the guide, Made Mongku, as he was a genuine monk, more mature that the other guides who all wore black. Some guides were female. When he intoned the ancient Sanskrit prayers the other guides stopped to listen to him.  I don’t know if the selection process chose him for me specially but it felt like that. He said I could say the Sanskrit prayer in my own language, or copy him out loud, or just say it to myself, but I prefered to listen closely to him as his tone resonated as sincere and ‘spiritual’. Some vibration exists in the sound of Sanskrit that goes beyond mere onomatopoeia. It was a traditional prayer that began with Om and ended with Shanti, Shanti, Shanti – repeated 3 times – again the magic of the number 3 was evident.

First there was the Tirta Penglukatan the first holy water stop before entering the temple area. Holy water is called toya. Then the canang sari was used at all the statues one by one. This was specific: first I placed the woven basket; then I positioned the incense stick; then I waved the petals between the thumb and forefinger around the area like a mudra;  and finally I dropped the petals to the ground.

This area is called the Ajeng Betari. This included obesiance to Tu Aji Mangku and Ratu Niang Manku – these are considered the guardian gods of the gorge.

Then a few steps lower down the gorge, I stood in the centre of a carving of a lotus blossom in the main pond. This overlooked the waterfalls with a good overview of the gorge and made for a good photo opportunity for tourists. Whether we like it or not we are lumped into that bracket if we are not from Bali. But the locals do it too.

Further down we came to the first of the waterfalls. There are nine in total. This one was special because it was the Tchampuhan-the meeting of two rivers.  This had a shrine specially for itself. Two shrines I think. I knew the name ‘tchampuhan’ already from where the two rivers meet in Ubud in the valley below the ridge. But the guide added that this two-rivers-meet water is regarded as sacred and so used in cremation ceremonies. The confluence of two water sources carries extra energy; and if you think about it, that makes sense.

Then the gorge narrowed into a passageway to  a huge cave. You  could barely see the sunlight above but the occasional rays shone a beam of light on to a statue or shrine making for dramatic natural lighting. At night his place must have an ultra-spooky atmosphere. It must be also the home of the resident bats, but such places are unique topographically and naturally regarded as sacred due to their magnetic resonance.

We had of course to pay respects to the guardian of the cave at the entrance, there was a little shrine for this god. This is the ‘genius loci’ – but also a portal, an important energy and not to be treated lightly in my experience. You have to ask them for ‘Permission’ to enter the cave. Who knows what might happen if you do not? I had to wade through shallow water and get totally wet from the water splashing my head from above, but that did not matter. In fact, it felt very good to be showered in this special water.

Inside the cave no cameras are allowed.  So I could not get a shot of the interior. We performed several prayers in the purifcation area which is called Tamba Suniya. My incense sticks had been extinguished by the overhead falls but Made Monku said ‘that does not matter’- we still did the prayers. Tamba Suniya means ‘medicine from the universe.’ It certainly felt like that we all need medicine for the soul right now at this point in 2024.  Prayers and actions are performed in a sequence of three as it separates out the wishes: the first is for medicine and good health whatever your ailment happens to be; the second is to ask for fertility and/or virility;and the third is for harmony with a lover and/or spouse. All good I thought, and needed by just about everyone.

Also at the cave entrance on the way out is the purification of Bulakan Rambut Sedana. This small pond is called Bulakan. We prayed here to the gods one more time, to Ida Bhatari Rambut Sedana. This holy water was from the goddess Ida Bhatari Lakshmi for good fortune, good business, money flow and good luck etc. There was a statue of Lakshmi there. My guide held out a wooden ladel for me to cup my hands and wash my head and face  three times, then to drink it seven times, then to splash water on the back of your neck- again three times.

The water tasted pure and sweet. It had not yet been contaminated by chemicals. This is the highest quality water, straight from the rock face itself. It’s venerated not just because Krishna said in the Baghavad Gita that offerings made with love can include water but because it is a natural element to life without which we cannot survive.  It’s a vital spiritual agent and some people take samples of this water away with them to help improve their ‘trade’.

4: Waterfall Therapy

Then there are the two main waterfalls to visit. This is where you are invited to do waterfall therapy like primal scream style. You could hear the sound of screaming every so often as each participant let rip under the water. The sound richoeted upwards. People are invited to stand under the torrent of water which is noisy enough and scream out loud to release all their internal griefs, frustration, anger or resentment or whatever. I am sure most people benefit from letting this out rather than keep it festering within.

Then the second waterfall right next to it is where you stand with your arms raised high to invite laughter, humour and happiness into you, with a laughing attitude. You are invited to remember a happy time in your life. This all makes sense the one after the other in a sequence-  like comedy follows tragedy. Life is a comi-tragedy; it is all interwoven. I actually couldn’t stop laughing as I exited this second waterfall ; it seems laughing can become infectious. It felt good to remember to laugh and not be so serious- especially me as I tend to forget this. All part of the waterfall therapy which is like a ‘soft’ kinetic version of some well known Neuro Linguistic programming techniques. This is now fired into my cellular system.

At this point I was tripping over my sarong and had to pull it up, some of the steps were painful under bare feet but I persisted without complaining.

Then it was back to the Lotus pond  where the final two deities have a fountain of water each. Here I did showerings and purification by wading into the pond thigh deep. I queued for a place at these two fountains. The water here comes from the Bedawang Nala stream above so it also is very pure and refreshing. To ask for grace is to ask Ratu Niang Sakti and Ida Betara Lingsir to fulfil all your heartfelt wishes. These two deities are said to grant health, grace and propserity. This as usual followed the rule:  X 3 head and face, and X 7 drinking, and X 3 back of the neck.

5: Detoxification

But it was not even over by then. There was a  final stage back at the higher level, the Bungkak Gadang. This was to clean toxins from the body,  and the water is designed to replace lost ions and any dead cells. Then there is a further water blessing of coconut water which you also drink and a Wishnu Gangga Amertha. That is followed by touching your head upon the stone and anointing your Ajna chakra with a white paste. This part is for Ratu Wasapadan Ida Bhatari Ratu Siang Sakti – the final guardian statue with a big stone for prostration. Then you get  a small dollop of rice which is placed on the paste so it sticks to your forehead marking that you have been cleansed.

Then finally, an oil anointing and a three-coloured thread to wrap around your wrist:  Colour symbolism is in place as with everything.

Red (Brahma) Fire; Black (Vishnu) Water and white (Shiva) Air which is the Hindu trinity I could not help noticing that this also matches the Rubedo, Nigredo and Albedo colours used in the ancient system of Alchemy. So such a simple thing is loaded with meaning. The links to alchemy is a whole other subject to get into, not here.

The impact of all this purification lasted a long time and I did feel cleansed later in the day. I was in a trance state, very focussed and had no sense of time during the ceremony. My nose was already doing a detox of sorts so I hoped it would clear all the rest out. I bought the Taman Beji Griya oil Made Mangku recommended. It is quite fragrant. He anointed the points of all seven chakras for me with this oil, which is of course for sale at the reception. It contains a local root that appears to have astringent and anti inflammatory properties. That’s clever marketing,  but I think worth paying for as a memorial to the whole experience. Plus it just smells good.

6: The Aftermath

I drank cinannon Jamu for my ‘drink included’ at the end to finish off the purification. Jamu is a medicinal herbal drink well known in Indonesia for varous health problems.

I think if your attitude towards a ceremony such as this is done with an open mind, all well and good. You know you are not going to convert to being a Hindu, or invite in demons into you. You would feel the spiritual nature of it, regardless of your religion. The connection to deities as archetypes and the way they all balance out is universal. Then, as in all magic rituals, the ceremony is functional. It works on a primal domain, on the level of art, imagination and ritual as a physical practice embodying the symbolism of nature.

You get out of it what you put in. But the  clear and sincere intention is crucial. This kind of mental focus is worth developing at all times as it gradually begins to elevate your spirits and maybe even bring hope where there was none. I began to feel elevated and purified. I think it had an effect on my friend who felt it too, judging by his reaction, and he only observed me me doing it. So it is powerful.

7: Water Consciousness

This ceremony was performed on the day before the Solar Eclipse, April 7th, with the Moon at its perigee, and with all the fears and anxieties around the blocking of light, and what that might reveal. Doing this ceremony helped to ground me – being bare foot  on the rocks does that – and keep my state of mind steady and contained. All this amounts to is clearing emotional baggage. All thanks to this scenic gem of a location and the pure water sources that emerge from here, fresh from the mountain.

My intentions were focussed on not just myself and my own life, but on what I want to happen in the world, which is generally the total opposite of what the technotopian psychopaths want for us. It would be better to have a more spiritually developed human future and to not go down the path of cyborgs, humanoids, or to increase the number of ghost-in-the shell type people with their brains rented out to AI. This place I hope will never be digitalised.

I said to some friends half joking, “If a shed load of bad karma did not shift today then at least it loosened its hold!”  But I think you need a real Puja to release karma but a purification ceremony makes you feel that much more elated, freer, lighter.

It’s the effect of all that pure water and what it does to your mind and your aura. Dr. Alex Ling and Veda Austin say water carries consciousness and memory, so if that is true, the purer the better and the effect will linger. And if it is also true that water contains the intelligence of the universe, then it can be moulded by the intentions of the user, but it also has conversations with us. To the Balinese, this is nothing new. They have been working with water all along for centuries.

But I think we must be reminded of the traditional wisdom,  that ALL elements contain consciousness, not just the undines of Water- that’s the Salamanders of Fire, the goblins of Earth and the Sylphs of Air included-and this has always been known. Rudolph Steiner said of eclipses that they affect animals too, and cause a wave of radiation that goes out into space and that they have a spiritual and not just a physical dimension. So the timing was right for me.

It may not provide a miracle cure, although you never know with the placebo effect, but this ceremony can uplift your spirit, purge the detritus of your mind and help you sort out what your prorities are, what to carry with you and what to leave behind.

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