When God Came to Earth

Written by Kyle about Indonesia. Feelin' thoughtful

What would you do if God came to Earth? In Bali, this happens every 210 days.

Before God comes to Earth, for 3 days straight, the Balinese are tempted by an evil spirit to do bad things. Selfish things that we all want, but are not good for others. In order to restrain from the temptations, medition and self-restraint is practiced. If successful, the higher self will supercede the ego and no one will succumb to the temptations.

After the 3 days, God comes to Earth and the victory of dharma (good) over adharma (evil) is complete. This day is called Galungan and is the most important holiday period in Bali. This is a story about what happens in Bali when God comes to the Earth.

When God came to Earth, decorations were prepared.

When God came to Earth, people made penjors and put them outside of their homes. They made them large to mimick the largest mountain they can see and decorated them elaborately to represent every element in the world.

When God came to Earth, the spirits of long deceased ancestors came to visit, too. The entire family came from far and wide to the family temple To give thanks and to entertain the infrequent guests.

When God came to Earth, the people brought offerings to give thanks and to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.

When God came to Earth, people prayed.

When God came to Earth, some little girls occupied themselves collecting the prettiest flowers for their parents.

When God came to Earth, families spent the day together.

When God came to Earth, everyone dressed in their best clothes.

When God came to Earth, people were cleaned with water on the top of their head, forehead, and throat.

When God came to Earth, the monkeys rejoiced as they fed on the offerings.

Finally, when God came to Earth, some people decided not to take notice and treat it like another fun-filled day.

« Homesickness is a Bitch

Bali Feels Magical. »

May 13, 2010 Olivia: This is one of the most beautiful posts. Period. What a treat.

May 14, 2010 Kyle: Thanks! We tried to convey a bit of how magical the day seemed to be.

May 13, 2010 DADDIO: Very spiritual, poetic and peaceful... Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos... Peace be with you and your wife in this paradise.

May 14, 2010 Kyle: Thanks! Glad you liked the photos.

May 13, 2010 jeronullet: Superb post Mr. Kyle!

May 14, 2010 Kyle: I think that's the first time any one has used Mr. referring to me. I feel all grown up and such :)

May 13, 2010 Linda: Looks like God makes a peaceful visit. I wish he would drop in on Afghanistan. Beautiful photos.

May 14, 2010 Shannon OD: What a beautiful photo essay you have presented and I agree, poetically written. Thoroughly enjoyed a look at this Balinese ritual.

May 14, 2010 Kyle: Thanks for the kind words! We were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

May 14, 2010 Melissa: Amazing and beautiful!

May 16, 2010 Earl: Good to see you've been able to get away from Bali's beaches! Seriously though, the format of this post was excellent and with such few words you provided such a clear and educational glimpse into this holiday...

Thanks Kyle!