Kula

2 kula Desa Seni, A Village Resort Volume 5 路 January 路 February 路 March

2012

Manifestation Man’s influence on

Namaste

nature.

Man is not only a dweller in nature, he also transforms it. From the very beginning of his existence, and with increasing intensity human society has adapted environing nature and made all kinds of incursions into it. An enormous amount of human labour has been spent on transforming nature. Humanity converts nature’s wealth into the means of the cultural, historical life of society. Man has subdued and disciplined electricity and compelled it to serve the interests of society. Not only has man transferred various species of plants and animals to different climatic conditions; he has also changed the shape and climate of his habitation and transformed plants and animals. If we were to strip the geographical environment of the properties created by the labour of many generations, contemporary society would be unable to exist in such primeval conditions.

Man and nature interact dialectically in such a way that, as society develops, man tends to become less dependent on nature directly, while indirectly his dependence grows. This is understandable. While he is getting to know more and more about nature, and on this basis transforming it, man’s power over nature progressively increases, but in the same process, man comes into more and more extensive and profound contact with nature, bringing into the sphere of his activity growing quantities of matter, energy and information.

The man-nature relation, the crisis of the ecological situation is a global problem. Its solution lies in the plane of rational and humane, that is to say, wise organisation, both of production itself and care for mother nature, not just by individuals, enterprises or countries, but by all humanity, linked with a clear awareness of our planetary responsibility for the ecological consequences of a civilization that has reached a state of crisis. One of the ways to deal with the crisis situation in the “man-nature” system is to use such resources as solar energy, the power of winds, the riches of the seas and oceans and other, as yet unknown natural forces of the universe. At one time in his evolution man was a gatherer.

He used the ready-made gifts of nature. This was how human existence began. Perhaps even today it would be wise to resort to this method, but on a quite different level, of course. The human being cannot restrict himself to gathering, any more than he could in primitive times. But such a shift in attitude could at least abate the destructive and polluting principle in civilization.

The bitter truth is that those human actions which violate the laws of nature, the harmony of the biosphere, threaten to bring disaster and this disaster may turn out to be universal. How apt then are the words of ancient Oriental wisdom: “live closer to nature, my friends, and its eternal laws will protect you!”

TRIMURTI YOGA MERAPU SPA FOOD / MAKANAN DEWI ORGANIC DHARMA / COMMUNITY ART & CULTURE I LAB

“I always wanted to ride a dragon, so i decided to do this for a year in my imagination” Cornelia Funke

MAHA DEVI Studio The new Yoga Studio at Desa Seni, named Maha Devi was a designed from a compilation of different theories, principles and beliefs. The name itself refers to the Great Goddess. Maha, meaning “great“ and Devi, being the “goddess.” As a place of practice, it was important that a space was created where people would feel the spirituality, energy and comfort to be able to come and focus on whatever their practice is. Maha Devi studio is the space where Desa Seni will offer their own yoga, dance, and music programs while the original studio, Trimurti will be for private retreats.

It is no wonder why Bali has been tagged “Island of the Gods” Much of this has to do with the deep rooted belief system of Hinduism, but also by the energy force that exists here. As an energy source, it is important that one takes note of the space/atmosphere that is created in a place of practice.

Mahavidyas (Great Wisdoms) or Dasha Mahavidyas are a group of ten aspects of the Divine Mother or Devi in Hinduism. The Ten Mahavidyas are Wisdom Goddesses, who represent a spectrum of feminine divinity, from horrific goddesses at one end, to the ravishingly beautiful at the other.

The development of Mahvidyas represents an important turning point in the history of Shaktism as it marks the rise of Bhakti aspect in Shaktism, which reached its zenith in 1700 CE. First sprung forth in the postPuranic age, around 6th century C.E., it was a new theistic movement in which the supreme being was envisioned as female. A fact epitomized by texts like Devi-Bhagavata

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is the number of divine grace”

Purana, especially its last nine chapters of the seventh skandha, which are known as the Devi Gita, and soon became central texts of Shaktism. The name Mahavidyas comes from the Sanskrit roots, with maha meaning “great” and vidya meaning, “revelation, manifestation, knowledge, or wisdom.”

Numerology is any study of the purported mystical relationship between a count or measurement and life. It has many systems and traditions and beliefs. Numerology and numerological divination by systems such as isopsephy were popular among early mathematicians, such as Pythagoras, but are no longer considered part of mathematics and are regarded as pseudo mathematics by modern scientists.

Today, numerology is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts.

The term can also be used for those who place faith in numerical patterns. It has been long believed that numbers come into play in architecture, n umbers representing strength, balance and harmony. The ten Mahavidyas are in relation to the ten pillars of the studio. The three steps entering the studio, represent the Hindu belief of the three stages of life, birth, life, and death.

The cluster of five palms planted together symbolizing strength while the 14 decorative pieces surrounding the studio make reference to the 14 ascending and downward days of the moon.

Sacred geometry is beyond religion and doctrine, yet many of its principles have been adopted by different religions in their

architecture and art. Through the centuries, architects around the world have used certain geometric principles to build their temples, monuments and cathedrals—intended as symbolic models of the universe.

Sacred geometry merges the physical, tangible aspects of creation with the spiritual essence behind them. It is the meeting of the seen and the unseen, the manifest and the un manifest, the finite and the infinite, the mundane and the profound. Sacred geometry has played an integral role in the philosophy, architecture and art of numerous cultures since time began.

We are a microcosmic reflection of the macrocosm. The structure of the human body is based upon the identical principles that are found functioning on all levels of creation. We are the measuring stick of the universe.

This principle of interconnectedness, inseparability and union provides us with a continuous reminder of our relationship to the whole, a blueprint from our hearts to the sacred foundation of all things created.

More simply, though, sacred geometry describes the beauty and simplicity of the world in which we live, a fundamental chorus where we harmonize our own melodies.

Whether one applies and or believes in these principles, we invite you to come and practice with us. Let yourself come and explore, come and practice in a space that will envelop you. When all said and done, you are your own energy force that will create an experience that is solely yours.

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Exploring The Brain Space

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The brain is a mystery that has millions of millions of years of evolution. Diving in the deeps of our conscious and unconscious mind can be a beautiful journey. Here are 10 things you must know before you jump in to the ocean of knowledge that is your precious brain:

Almost 95% of our decisions, actions, emotions and some of our most important behaviors (like who we choose as a partner), come from our unconscious mind. Only 5% come form the conscious mind!

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The expansion of consciousness is associated to an evolved part of the Brain named frontal cortex. This is the platform that allows you to create your own identity, experiment the quality of thinking and respond to the outside world.

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9 9,6% of our DNA is almost the same as the chimpanzee genes. That small difference makes a whole world of distance. t is this small difference that allows people to join the play of life, having the opportunity to be at the same time the player and the observer from the audience.

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The unconscious mind can process around 40 million nerves impulse per second, like a massive processor of information. The conscious mind can process only 40 nerves impulse per second.

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Your unconscious mind operates only in the present moment and your conscious mind has the ability to review your past and plan the future. Both minds work like a team. The unconsciousness takes control of all your behaviors and decisions while the conscious mind is dealing with the future or the past. Be careful, where is your mind now?

Each time you feel stress, your unconscious mind is the one that dominates the scene. The hormones that we release under stress situations will constrict the blood vessels on the cortex, reducing the ability to function, reducing your intelligence.

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Before you were six years old, each word, action, look, attitude, caress from your parents became recorded in your brain. All that we observed in our parents became hard wired as a synaptic pathway, in our unconscious mind. Once programmed in our unconscious mind, they will control our biology and lives, unless we figure out how to re program it.

Your brain will never stop growing.

This is call Neuregenesis. We produce neurons our whole life, but this is not for free. If neurons don’t make synapses with others, you will not grow. Use it or loose it, meaning, learn something new every day. The process of learning never stops.

The more you make decision from the frontal cortex (conscious mind), the happier you are. The fact is that each time our thoughts travel from the back of the brain to the frontal cortex, you find more and more opiate receptors ready to bind in to the endorphins. And as you well know, endorphins make you feel good.

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So, our all our body, our all our anatomy, is built with the potential to rise to a higher consciousness. It is part of our original design the ability to be responsible of our life and to manifest the way we want to live it.

TRIMURTI YOGA STUDIO YOGA

YOGA snapshot:

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remember the first time I went to China in 1981. The crowded streets and sidewalks were packed with masses of people walking and riding bicycles to work and school. Privately owned cars were not allowed as the regulation of the communist government was quite strict and any influence from outside, meaning non-chinese, culture was forbidden. Twice a day, I watched office workers and school children file out onto the streets and into parks in military style clothes to do their 10 minutes of daily government mandated “Radio Calisthenics” to music broadcast over loudspeakers installed during the cultural revolution - part of the national ‘health and fitness program’.

These early powerful images were engrained in my memory in a way that now seem dreamlike. At the time, I could have never have imagined coming back to China decades later... to be driven around in foreignmade cars by private drivers to high-end yoga studios in Beijing or make-shift yoga halls in Sichuan where I would train Chinese teachers how to chant in Sanskrit, utilize muscular energy in asana, and combine mind-body awareness to bring better health and vitality to people’s lives.

The dichotomy of it makes me often think of BKS Iyengar’s early travels to the west. Coming to America to live in the home of and teach the widow of an oil heir and her family

AROUND THE WORLD

“Seeking means to have a goal; finding means to be set free”

in the mid-1950’s. Teaching headstands and pranayama in a luxurious mansion in Rhode Island. It must have felt strange, new and exciting for Iyengar to overlap such different cultural landscapes.

When Iyengar shared yoga with westerners, he introduced the concept of ‘Householder Yoga’. A practice that could be utilized by people with families, jobs and social responsibilities. At the time, this concept was a radical shift from the Gurukula tradition where a young boy (of Brahman caste) was asked to leave his family, his village, and everything he knew to go live in a remote location in the jungle, mountain (or even cave) to study intensely for years with his teacher. This teacher-student (gurudisciple) relationship was the primary way the practice was maintained for hundreds (arguably, thousands) of years. When Yoga Acharyas (master teachers) like Iyengar and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, began teaching students who didn’t fit the previous mold of a male brahman “yogi”, they allowed everyday citizens to utilize the benefits of the practice without having to give up living in conventional society.

- Herman Hesse

The radicalness of this shift was about as wonderfully unique and unusual as a westerner like me, coming to China to teach Chinese teachers a practice that was originally created in the east. The re-adaptation of this very traditional turned modern holistic practice, had come around full circle. Across strong cultural boundaries and political differences, yoga broke through dividing lines in a profound new way.

Around the world, people are seeking a better way to live. For millions, yoga has become a means to that search. The new International Yoga Community has brought together people of different religions, nationalities, political and social backgrounds down a spiritual path towards better health and healing. I have taught groups of students from Europe, Asia, and Middle East all in the same room; side-by-side, mat next to mat, hindus, muslims, christians, and sikhs laughing, sweating, and re-discovering how to breath. The shared language being not from any one individual, but from this new collective body - the yoga body which no longer seeks, but has been set free.

Pancha Vayus The five essential movements of Prana

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or over 5,000 years, since first described in the Vedas, the movements of Prana, the life force, have been at the very core of Ayurvedic, Yogic and Tantric teachings and practices. Directly translated from Sanskrit, pancha meaning five and vayu meaning wind, air or movement, these five aspects of the One Prana are what govern our physical form and are the manifestation of that vital energy. Like a hand that has five fingers and the fingers are part of the hand; so is the relationship between Prana and its five vayus. From both a Yogic and Ayurvedic perspective, an understanding of this flow of Prana is essential for balance and wellbeing. It is a disturbance or imbalance within the pranic body that is believed to be the root of disease.

Each vayu has a specific location in the body as well as a primary element and function that it governs. Looking first at prana, with a small p, located within the thoracic region specifically the heart and lungs, it is connected to the fire element. This prana is often associated with the inhalation and an upward, forward moving force. Imagi-

ning a cup being filled from the bottom up (rising), the liquid being poured in (moving down) we can feel how with the inhalation we are filled from the bottom up even as the breath is drawn down into the body. Our ability to assimilate both physically and mentally is the function of prana vayu.

Apana vayu is located within the pelvis and the lower body and is connected to the earth element. It is the air that moves away, specifically down and out. It is a vital energy responsible for elimination of our urine and feces as well as the expulsion of the reproductive organs, semen, menstrual flow and ultimately the powerful force of childbirth.

Mentally it is our capacity to let go of and release emotion. Apana enables us to feel stable and rooted.

Coming from the root “sam� meaning equal or same, samana vayu is the balancing, harmonizing air which moves towards the core. Located between the diaphragm and the navel, samana is responsible for our digestive energy and coordinates and motivates all the digestive organs. It is our will, our fire, our ability to digest our emotions and is associated with both the fire and

water elements.

Udana vayu is located in the head, neck and throat, deeply connected to the five senses it is associated with the air element. It is the up and outward moving force governing speech, growth, thoughts, the nervous system and expulsion which comes up and out; belching, sneezing, and vomiting. It is our capacity to speak our truth and not hold back.

Existing everywhere throughout the body vyana vayu is the underlying reserve force, able to support the other vayus if imbalanced or weak. Associated with ether, it radiates from the center out. This omnidirectional energy governs circulation of all our bodily systems and is an integral part of the whole.

As we deepen our awareness of these essential energies that make up our very existence we become more connected to the universal nature of our own life force, that which connects us to the greater whole.

Integrating this awareness into our daily life we can create greater harmony and balance in ourselves and the world we live in.

TRIMURTI YOGA STUDIO YOGA

YIN Yoga

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he concept of yin yang lies at the origins of several classical branches of Chinese philosophy and science. It says that two complementary forces exist in the universe: Yin and Yang. Yin is the more internal, lunar, feminine, intuitive aspect. Yang is more expressive, dynamic, male. They exist in relation to one another.The interaction of the two establishes harmony.The balance of the two is most desirable.

Most yoga practices, most of our activities in life, are yang practices. They are dynamic; muscular; energetically yang.

Yin yoga is a practice designed to get a deep stretch of the connective tissues around the joints that are not normally exercised in a more yang form of yoga practice. Postures are held for 3 to 5 minutes (sometimes longer). These static, long holds enable the muscles (yang in nature) to relax, so as to stretch the deeper set tissues (yin by nature), appropriately. Connective tissue responds best to slow, steady, stretching as opposed to the rhythmic contraction and release that works to stretch and strengthen the muscles.

By drawing energy away from the muscles and deeper into the ligaments and bones, a relaxed focus is achieved. Yin yoga works primarily on promoting flexibility in areas that are often less malleable... especially the hips, pelvis and lower spine. It is very beneficial for facilitating an easeful posture for meditation. Releasing deep seated tension and stress around the pelvis and lower back invites the pelvis to come into its optimal tilt to allow alignment of the spine which is very important in meditation as this facilitates the movement of the energy up and down the spine as you meditate.

Yin and Yang are complementary forces of chi (or prana), which gives rise to, and animates, all creation. Yin yoga enhances the flow of this vital life force (chi /prana) moving through the subtle conduits of energy in our bodies: the meridians. According to Chinese medicine, and to the ancient wisdom of yoga, living life optimally and healthfully depends on this life force energy moving unobstructedly through our bodies. Any stagnation of this healthful flow creates tension - a bias to our experience - and if not transmuted, will eventually manifest in some physical, emotional or metaphysical imbalance in our body / being. Literally, the issue is in the tissue! Emotional memories are stored in the body. Through the

deep stretches of yin yoga we are able to become sensitive to the physical and metaphysical stories clinging in our tissues, in our joints. As a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist I have studied and witnessed the physical manifestations of stress and anxiety, and people’s ability, through their sheer presence and willingness to go deep, to release those stresses and disempowering beliefs.

The sheer act of coming into a place of presence with one’s self, of inviting one’s self to breathe at one’s edge, to soften that edge and to experience your own power to move past those self imposed limitations, no matter how deep rooted (seated) they are, is a profoundly empowering space to honor.

Yin yoga is a wonderful complement to your regular yoga practice, or to any exercise regime. While it may initially seem quite passive, you will soon feel the benefits, and even the challenges, inherent in this practice. It is an amazing practice for enhancing flexibility and for preparing the mind and body for longer meditation practices. I am very pleased to offer this practice here at Desa Seni beginning soon. Please check the schedule for days and times. Namaste.

“Yin is internal, lunar, feminine, Yang is expressive, dynamic, male. They exist in relation to one another.The interaction of the two establishes harmony.”

“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine”

TRIMURTI YOGA STUDIO YOGA

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Daphna

The Lotus Flower: The lotus flower is a symbol of light and beauty emerging from darkness

Rooted deep in the mud the lotus flower rises up and blooms on the surface of the water. It is a symbol of powerful yet graceful unfolding.

Lotus mudra is a mudra for opening the heart.... for the blossoming of the heart center in its fullness of compassion and light. It is a symbol of purity. It is a wonderful mudra to practice when feeling lonely, drained, misunderstood.

Bring the hands together in prayer pose in front of the heart center, fingers spread wide. Separate the index, middle and ring fingers of the left hand from those of the right hand, keeping the thumb tips and pinky fingertips connected. This action resembles the opening of a flower bud.

Manuela

JnanaMudra: psychic gesture of knowledge

This mudra is use for meditation and pranayama practice.

Fold the index finger of both hands so that they touch the inside root of their respective thumb. The other three fingers should be straight but relaxed. Place the hand on the knee, with the palm facing upward.

The small fingers represent the three qualities of nature. The middle finger symbolizes “sattwa” (purity wisdom, true understanding), the ring finger “Rajas” (action, passion, movement) and the little finger “tamas” (inertia, lethargy, darkness).

The three stage of gunas have to be transcended, from tamas, to rajas to sattwa, in order to pass from darkness to knowledge.

The bent index finger represents the individual manifestation of consciousness (jivatma). The thumb signifies all pervading consciousness of reality (paramatma). The index finger and the thumb touching each other show that, though they seem separate, the individual being is in fact one with the supreme.

Anna

Arlisa

Vishnu Mudra: is the preserver of the universe and upholds Dharma

Prana Mudra: This beautiful mudra honors the life force

In Hindu mythology, . Vishnu is the master of the past, present and future. One who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within.

To make the shape of the mudra, the first two fingers are pressed into the palm of the hand, while the thumb, 4th and 5th fingers are extended straight out, forming the shape of a Conch Shell.

The Conch Shell or Shankha, is named “Panchajanya”. The Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota - water, fire, air, earth and ether. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind.

The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and universal maintenance. When we “breath through” the conch shell during pranayama, we align these 5 elements in our body and mind, by invoking the vibrational sound of the universe, OM. This helps to preserve and develop our own inner harmony and balance.

This beautiful mudra honors the life force within as well as the manifestation of this subtle, intelligent energy in the world around us. Beginning with the spine long, elbows bent hands just below navel facing the body, with the fingers pointing towards one another take a deep inhale allowing the hands to rise up the central channel as the breath ascends. At the throat center, the hands begin to move away from the body, keeping the elbows gently bent, hands open and receptive, fingertips to the sky, hands face the body in line with head with the upper arms parallel to the earth, exhale deeply. Breathe fully here, honoring the conscious breath as the vehicle of Prana. One may repeat this cycle moving the hands down the same path with the exhale and repeating from the beginning. Advanced practioners may begin to work with retaining the breath after inhale and exhale. This mudra invokes an awareness of the hands as an extension of our heart, the origin and source of prana, and a profound inner peace. With the palms soft and receptive and the fingers extended skyward (as pictured) the balance of giving and receiving is felt and known deeply within. Om Pranaya Namaha!

R.O.L.E. FOUNDATION Rivers Oceans Lands & Ecology

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first visited R.O.L.E. in early 2010. It’s founder, Mike O’Leary, was giving me a personal tour through the Foundation’s “Eco Learning Centre” in Sawangan, south-east Bali. It was International Earth Day, and the 1.5 hectare property was animated in festivities with live music, games and a generous mixture of locals, tourists and expats. With a late afternoon beer in hand and wry smile, Mike proudly walked me through the property’s various sectors, giving details of each station and it’s role not only in the Foundation’s operations, but in the act of promoting permaculture and a sustainable life for all living creatures.

We saw greenhouses, and neat rows of ve-

getables growing with fierce determination in the Bukit’s dry and lime-stony earth. There was a bicycle linked to some wires running here and there; a little further up the hill was a Snail Farm, and further still a spa facility with several women gathered eagerly around their teacher and a smiling guest laying atop the soft massage table beside.

Outside was a large Herbs Garden, and a Medicinal Plants nursery. Finally, at the top of the hill, we encountered Warung Scenic, with a number of papaya trees and passionfruit vines complimenting this simple eatery’s panoramic views to the ocean and nearby waves of Nusa Dua. As we stood talking atop a concrete water

storage tank disguised as a lookout, Mike displayed a reverent enthusiasm for the property, something that flows naturally from his passion for the environment. With his raucous nature he revealed his concern about the deterioration of Bali’s ecosystems, a fact that is shared by many here with the pace of modern day progress.

Mike created R.O.L.E. after realising that throughout the world, the natural environment and social welfare are inextricably linked. Poor people do desperate things, sometimes at nature’s expense. He believes that the most effective way to eradicate poverty and ensure a healthy environment is to educate, re-skill and create alternative

environmental job opportunities for poor communities. And according to Mike, this begins with the women and children.

“There must be balances between a comfortable income for all people, use of natural resources, and preserving untouched land” he says. “Eco-friendly jobs and small businesses are the best medium to create a world without poverty and save the deteriorating natural environment”.

The ROLE Foundation seeks to accomplish is that by providing a free learning program for unskilled women to not only develop workplace skills and become job-ready, but to understand the importance of caring for nature.

Today, the ROLE Eco Learning Center is a campus where specifically targeted underprivileged local women are paid a salary to receive tuition in areas including renewable energy, composting, cooking, water management, seed propagation, and free-range duck and snail farming. By completing the

Foundation’s Vocational Education Program, these once unskilled women can become avenues for environmental change, while also gaining the tools necessary to become financially independent.

In early 2011, the ROLE Foundation’s administrative facility moved from Sawangan to nearby Nusa Dua. On a busy back road to the beach and internationally famous resort complex, one now finds the ROLE Foundation’s headquarters containing small offices and a meeting room; the information display centre for their affiliated coastal management program SURFER’S ROLE; a spacious classroom where students of all ages are taught basic school skills such as Maths and Bahasa Indonesia; and the Silly Snail Organic Café & Eco Surf Shop. Here students have the opportunity to learn more in-depth hospitality and retail skills with an eco-focus. The café utilises organic produce from the Eco Learning Centre in a menu that focuses on affordable, fresh, and healthy

meals. Emphasising salads, healthy juices and power smoothies, minimal frying and lots of ‘super foods’, the students learn the basics of western cuisine and service whilst gaining invaluable health and nutritional knowledge also.

ROLE Foundation aims for a cleaner Bali and a more financially equitable culture. It is continuously raising funds through social events, but always requires support in the form of donated labour and public funding.

If you wish to help, please drop in to the Silly Snail Organic Café in Nusa Dua or visit www.rolefoundation.org. *SURFERS ROLE is currently implementing waste management programs at Uluwatu, Keramas and Canggu with the placement and management of garbage bins, and specifically designed waste catchment nets for the rivers that flow to these beaches.

For more information visit www.surfersrole.org and www.ecosurfrescue.moonfruit. com/

YOGATHON “ AYO KITA BICARA HIV AIDS” YOGA MUSIC DANCE Desa Seni is avidly starting to plan the 2nd Annual Yoga, Music, Dance A-thon spectacular which will be held on Sunday, March 25th 2012 from 8:00 am till 8:00 pm.

We are excited to create this Pre-BaliSpirit Festival fundraiser for “Ayo Kita Bicara HIV AIDS.” Our goal is to raise $10,000 for this organization to facilitate the spreading of AIDS awareness. Last year we raised $15,000 which funded the program for one year!

This works like an AIDS ride or a walkathon. You, and or your business decides to participate. You get sponsors to sponsor you as their ambassador to this event.

You can do this individually, or if a team of you wants to participate and tag team the event, you could do it that way. Ask your friends, family, and or your employer to sponsor you. If 100 people can raise $100 each, we can reach our goal.

There will be two yoga shalas and lawn/poolside activities. In the shalas there will be asana based yoga. Pool side there will be kirtan, ecstatic dance, and other activities. An organic lunch will be served for three hours so you can decide when you want to take breaks. You can participate in whatever you want and in as much as you want.

In the same spirit of BaliSpirit Festival, we see this yoga of service as a huge part of the big yoga picture. A-thons around the world have raised lots of money and awareness for non-profit organizations. To use your energy, to help raise money for others is an amazing way to selflessly give back to those in need (daana).

The community of Bali, Yoga will be coming together as we did last year to put on a full spectrum of teachers; Manuela Herreros, Twee Merrigan, Eoin Finn, Daphna Dor, Daniel Aron, Cat Kabira, Anna Kolackny, Ellen Watson, Awahoshi, Lee Ann Erickson, Kate Graham, Emily Kusher…..to name a few. It is truly inspiring to see how many people and business from all over come together, unite, and practice together.

Events like this link us energetically to the compassionate spirit of giving that is the heart of yoga. Please come and enjoy the celebration of life, laughter and love, for Bali’s second ever Yoga, Dance, Music A-thon. Shanti!

The BaliSpirit Festival

With all its offerings, Weber underscores the precious underlying human connectivity factors, comparing the Festival to “a ritual or a process that people go through that strips away heaviness, trauma, negativity and falsehood about who they are; to arrive at a place where there is more universal consciousness.”

BLENDING ENERGY, VITALITY AND CONNECTIVITY

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nce a year, one of Bali’s most significant community building celebrations returns to blow open hearts, minds, and bodies in the form of a blissful Bali adventure known as the BaliSpirit Festival. To its founders, the Festival’s real power is how it inspires proactive change and introduces more people to the benefits of a conscious lifestyle, and these aspects are gaining traction among a wider audience thanks to the Festival’s impact.

Says Co-Founder and Music Director, Robert Weber, of the phenomenon he helped to establish, “It’s shifting people’s lives.

There are people still in Bali who first came because they were inspired (by the Festival) to make life changes. It’s not just us, it’s the timelessness of the teachings and practices shared.”

Talk to anyone connected to Bali’s holistic scene and you’ll be hard pressed to find a soul who doesn’t sing the BaliSpirit Festival’s praises as a galvanizing force in the community. The Festival’s size and popularity is now outgrowing the spa and wellness crowd; as its appeal is drawing more than just Bali’s or even Indonesia’s consciousness tribe into its orbit. Indeed, it’s hard to ignore the Festival’s up-spiraling reputation as a bulwark of vibrancy and positive energy that enhances Bali’s brilliance, and brings the island to life for 5 days and 4 nights every March.

At its core, the Festival is a celebration of yoga, dance and music, which has in just under 5 years blossomed from a small local gathering of friends in 2008 into an international nonstop fiesta. In 2011 several thousand guests from 47 countries participated; for an

experience designed by its organizers to be as entertaining as it is transformative—imagine mystics rubbing shoulders with night reveling concertgoers and you’ve found the BaliSpirit community.

Weber explains, “It’s a community event that’s bringing different types of people together—may be because people seek greater meaning in uncertain times, may be because it’s just natural for people with passion to bond. It’s not the same as strangers at night getting wasted together.”

The results are an ecstatic blend of self-development, cultural enrichment, health and wellness education, an eco-friendly market, diversity, an official local charity, an environmental initiative, grassroots community action—karma yoga style, new friendships, family fun, and high vibe creativity.

YOGA: A FESTIVAL FOUNDATION The yoga and progressive health elements remain a founding feature of the Festival, with 100 plus daytime workshops and master classes on offer for every skill level’s benefit. More leaders in the field are jostling to be a part of the BaliSpirit Fest experience with workshop presenter numbers reaching their capacity back in October-- 5 months before the Festival’s opening!

There’s no shortage of quality for the yoga enthusiast either. In 2012, BaliSpirit Fest will welcome high profile figures in the yoga world such as Mark Whitwell (Heart of Yoga), Nadine McNeil,(Yoga Ethno-Choreology), Simon Low (Yin and Yang Yoga), Danny Paradise (Ashtanga), and Carlos Pomeda (Meditation, Tantra, Philosophy), and many more. Most will admit their attraction to the rich natural, open air settings, the tropical and cultural appeal of Balinese climate and culture and the diversity embodied by the Festival. “Bali is not just the backdrop, it is the energy beneath the surface that moves the waves we see with our eyes,” Weber sums up.

LIVE MUSICAL CELEBRATION The power to promote positive change and entertainment merge at the Festival’s One World live music stage too. After a day of centering and self-transcendence, guests

can let loose to the grooves of outstanding international and Indonesian performers who keep audiences on their feet into the night.

Among the lineup of confirmed artists for 2012 are international Reggae star and social activist, Rocky Dawuni (Ghana), cutting edge world Kirtan leader, Dave Stringer (USA), and Bali-based Green Grunge alternativists, Navicula (Indonesia).

“Last year’s favorite band will be back.”

Says Weber with nostalgia as he announces the return of last year’s sensational CelticPunjabi fusion band, Delhi to Dublin (Canada). D2D dazzled a 2,000 strong record crowd in 2011 and asked the Festival to return for a second time. “It was their most favorite show ever, and one of mine.”

“2012 is going to be the best music line up in our history,” predicts Weber. “It’s a super diverse selection: amazing conscious hip-hop, uplifting reggae, African beats, cutting edge Banghra, Indonesian, and traditional Balinese.”

According to Weber, the musical variety at the Festival grows because the Festival’s reputation is doing the same “It’s great to have the attention of global superstars who recognize the value of the event,” says Weber.

Weber believes that the Festival’s broadening appeal has to do with its community building nature, and that anybody who has an interest in the best of what Bali has to offer will be drawn to the Festival, which will be split between two venues in the Ubud area (the Purnati Center for the Arts during the day and the ARMA Resort at night).

“When we come together in loving community and that experience turns into a celebration at night; that resonates.”

Mark your calendar: The BaliSpirit Festival, March 28 – April 1, 2012. For tickets or more information, visit www.balispiritfestival.com .

COMMUNITY ACTION A FREE HIV/AIDS awareness pre-Festival gala concert will be hosted by the Festival’s education and community outreach initiative, Ayo! Kita Bicara HIV/AIDS with well known Balinese artists and special guest, Trevor Hall, February 18, 2012, at the Ubud Soccer Field.

MERAPU Spa

D

esa Seni is an oasis of peace and calm built upon a sincere desire to bring together diversity whilst focusing on recognising the community and connection between us all. Set amidst this already existing tranquillity is The Marupa Spa, here to take you on a journey where you can experience therapies, treatments and wellness retreats that aim to cater to the multidimensional Self and help ease a stressed body and mind facilitating a return to harmony and balance.

Focused upon a sincere desire to cater to all aspects of the human experience, we provide treatments and tools for holistic wellness. The Spa offers a space where you can relax the body through massage, realign the skeletal structure to release long standing pain, realign your energetic system, or go deep within your psyche to uncover and release limiting beliefs and behaviours. By offering an holistic approach to wellness we believe that it is possible to facilitate change that will have deeper and long standing impact on all levels. We know that the human being is much more than the body and that by working on the body the mind is uncovered, by working on the mind the spirit is uncovered and by working with the spirit the body is given the space to heal – it is all connected.

For myself I feel blessed to be able to work in a space where others also passionate

MERAPU SPA

Philosophy

about the human being and are there, with purpose, to facilitate in the unlocking of the full potential of each individual guest. It is not possible to change one aspect of ourselves without this impacting the whole, our therapists share this same philosophy of the human being as an interacting energy system that finds expression through mind body and spirit. Treat one aspect and the whole is transformed.

One of the most striking aspects of the spa is that, both local and expat, our therapists have a deep understanding of the human condition, and each works with heart and a genuine love of the healing arts. There is a connection that enables an opening up to assist in the easing and releasing of condition or pain. There is an integrity that can be sensed and experienced, a sense of purpose and a feeling that we are all here to make possible positive change for ourselves and others with an openness and sincere desire to help make wellbeing possible.

Asian wisdom does not see a separation of the individual but believes that we can get in touch with our spirituality through awareness of the body. This includes pampering and caring for the vehicle that walks us through our life path, it is all connected.

This age old wisdom can also be found in the blending of oils and herbs – together with the heart of the therapist - to bring benefits to mind, body and spirit.

Touch is one of the most important senses

in the human being, it is a form of communication that can bring comfort to the Spirit and relief to the body. When a child requires comfort it naturally seeks touch, as adults we often disallow ourselves this primal need for health and healing. A touch can bring us back into alignment with the body and brings to awareness those areas where we are holding blocks and pain. In this fast paced world where it is becoming increasingly difficult to take time to connect with, and give to the Self, whether it is through a massage, deeper body realignment, energy work or releasing the emotions in a safe space, we offer the environment to take the time to do this.

Aligning with the integrity of Desa Seni the spa is committed to giving back to the local community through using ingredients and recipes sourced in Indonesia. Traditional treatments combine with local ingredients to bring this knowledge into therapies to facilitate relaxation in the mind and body as well as encouraging health and renewed vitality. Our traditional healers bring local understanding to the human condition and use cleansing and blessing to renew the Spirit through age old methods that have been passed down through family lineage.

We are no doubt living in challenging times, many people are feeling restless and tense within this atmosphere as these times can be experienced as stressful. We are being challenged more and more to connect

with the deepest aspects of our being and to live our authentic selves. Sometimes easier said than done, this means speaking our truth, walking our talk and connecting with our deepest purpose. By this I do not mean ‘work’, but purpose through finding peace within ourselves to feel the joy of living and connection with Earth and with others. This may mean being the best parent we can be, or the best friend, living towards our highest potential and embodying that, seeking compassion and understanding rather than anger or irritation. It may mean finding forgiveness for ourselves and others, being grateful for what we have in our lives, but perhaps above all it means living in acceptance of ourselves and others and finding the commonalities rather than seeing the differences. This challenges us to connect with our feeling – not our emotional – Selves.

There may be many reasons why we block our feelings, perhaps in order to fit in with social expectation and cultural norms or because we believe that to feel may hurt. But when we do this buried feeling becomes locked within the psyche and within the body structure and this affects how we experience life. When this happens we may find ourselves depressed or unmotivated or stressed, we may become irritated and angry with ourselves and others, or we may find our body begins to manifest pain and stiffness because stiffness of feeling, when not expressed,

eventually manifests as pain or disease in the body – all is connected.

What has this to do with the Spa? Our philosophy of holistic wellness together with the selected treatments offered at the spa and within the wellness packages enable transformation to be embodied. Whether blocks are held within bone and muscular structures or within the belief systems that we have been living by, or whether our bodies and minds just need to relax. By relaxing, unblocking, by releasing we are freed to feel, and feeling, authentic feeling, may be the key to living peacefully in these changing times. Feeling connects us with our intuition, it connects us to our hearts and the genuine answer for ourselves. By this I mean the answer that is not informed by social standard or expectation but by inner integrity and choice.

This in turn leads us to feeling the freedom of choice for ourselves and others regardless of what is happening around us.

We become more peaceful, less emotional and connect with our inner wisdom so we can make our choices with inner integrity.

Our aim is to provide a space where this authentic self can be uncovered, explored and expressed, with people who work with integrity and genuinely want to assist in facilitating healing on all levels. As each person takes responsibility for their own health this in turn impacts how they live their lives, it impacts on how we treat others around us, this impacts what we model to others who may eventually take the model out into the world to impact and influence others – it is all connected!

M A N A Holistics

B

eing Westerners, we often do not realize how our worldview has been shaped by a strong sense of being separate from the outside world. Unlike say the Balinese, we identify strongly with being free and autonomous individuals who are able to navigate an outside world predictably governed by the laws of physics.

This sense of the modern Western Self took however centuries to mature. Prior to this, the world, the cosmos was experienced as self-evidently awake, full of meaning and purpose. Sometimes this cosmos even needed human agency in order to balance it, as can be seen here in Bali through the daily offerings to the pelinggih (shrines) which act as transmitters of spiritual energy unifying earth and sky.

During the 17th century, scientific inquiry started to rely entirely on reason in the study of matter, and slowly came to propose the human mind to be the exclusive source of meaning and purpose in the world. In doing so, it eventually helped to discard archaic superstitions and traditions, instead giving rise to a certain dynamism. This empowered the Renaissance with intellectual rigor and democratic revolutions, helping with the creation of the Modern age and all of its present technological achievements. This worldview had the central role in creating a thriving world economy and one of the greatest and most sudden loss of biodiversity in Earth history.

The modern mind essentially decided to limit itself to the external material world, to search for guaranteed truth, A or not A. It required the certainty of hard physical evidence, rejecting all metaphysical or subjective dimensions. Trusting in analytical logic alone, science and modern medicine came to define a species as the sequence of its genes, a human being as all of the tissues existing below their skin, their consciousness a mere by-product of nervous tissues.

At Mana Holistics we take a different view.

We are a group of healers who come from a diverse range of ethnic, professional and cultural backgrounds. We are for the most part trained in Western universities and institutes yet we share the view that the human being is much more than a mere physical body. In fact most Eastern healing systems (i.e. Indian, Chinese, Tibetan, Balinese) tend to have energetic concepts for the body, health and illness that are still poorly understood by modern science.

At Mana Holistics our main belief is that every embodied individual is in fact a stream of consciousness encompassing a body, a mind, and a soul. Illness can occur on any of these levels and must be addressed at the core, at the source, because physical symptoms and pain are often signs of a deeper fragmentation.

Individual balance and harmony has to happen on both a horizontal and vertical level, meaning that one’s horizontal relationship to the environment and to the larger social group will also affect their health.

On a physical level, almost any structural imbalance in our bodies can be addressed through osteopathy. Specific hands-on procedures are used to identify where a patient’s structure has been disturbed, then gentle manipulative techniques are employed to adjust joint, organs and tissue imbalances.

If it is the physiology of the body which has been disturbed, through a pathogen like the dengue virus for example, then homeopathy is best advised. The aim of homeopathic treatment is to stimulate the body to heal itself through the careful prescription of tiny doses of medicines derived from natural substances such as plants, minerals, and many other natural elements.

Many of today’s most common and deadly diseases are caused not only by viruses and other germs but also by long term accumulation of toxins and acid wastes in the tissues of the body. Nutritional advice and a detox program of a few weeks is probably one of the most effective preventative measure you can take to purify your body in depth.

On a vertical level, the mind must also be in balance with itself, free from unconscious patterns and past traumas. Psychotherapy is a safe and confidential environment to explore these underlying roots of problem behaviour. Our psyche is often wounded in a relationship and therefore needs this new healing relationship in order to mend these deeper wounds.

Finally, on a soul level, energetic flows link various subtle bodies with the gross body via specific energy centres. Unresolved past life traumas, blocked emotions, astral entities or even transparent destructive behaviours from our family tree, all correspond to a dense energetic imprint in one or more of these subtle bodies.

Energetic healing aims to mould and harmonize the successive energetic fields and centres of a person in order to restore it to the full flow of Life. Unfortunately most of us turn away from our true calling early on in life but your soul must be in harmony with the Universe for you to be truly happy and healthy.

The wide range of therapies offered at Mana address all these different levels specifically, in the least invasive way. At Mana, we holistically merge the best traditions, the best practices, of the ‘East’, with the ‘West’. We believe that no healer alone has ever healed an illness, that it is Nature alone that cures, with a bit of help.

Yoga Bites Shanti: peace, calmness, tranquility Yin Yoga: will become a permanent class at Desa Deni, twice a week starting in February with Daphna Dor Have you tried the energy snacks now being served in Rumah Makan after Yoga! All organic, natural! Get a boost! Enak!

Teachers Lab: Every Friday, a time for advanced students and teachers to come together and experiment, share and practice.

Immersion with Arlisa: Ignite Your Inner Fire and Awaken Into the Year of the Dragon Yoga, Breath and Sacred Music a weekend immersion with Arlisa Houston and guest artist Daphne Tse This Shakti led, Bhakti fired immersion will awaken you more deeply to the transformative power of your breath and the inner wisdom that resides in your sacred center. Through Prana Vinyasa Yoga, ancient kriyas and conscious breath we will become more rooted in our fluid bodies, releasing old patterns of holding or stagnation so that we may experience the limitless freedom of our true nature. Utilizing the potent capacity of music and sound as a vehicle for the expression of our authentic self and a tool for liberation this weekend will fuel and celebrate that which already exists in each of us, the pure joy of BEING in body and breath.

Spa Bites Desa Seni was designed to be a spa in itself. Whether you are looking for a manicure or a traditional healing with an Indonesian pemanku, Merapu Spa at Desa Seni is committed to making one unwind, relax and feel rejuvenated. Our philosophy of integrating the body, mind and spirit enables one to come for a yoga class, eat organic food and experience treatments that are designed to fully balance all centers of our being.

We invite you to come and be a part of our community. To see our Merapu Spa offerings please visit www. desaseni.com

DEWI ORGANIC

JAMU Traditional INDONESIA Jamu�,mungkin tidak banyak yang tahu asal mula nama ini.Nama jamu berasal dari kata “jampi-jampi�(ramuan yang berbau magis)atau rafalan atau doa-doa tertentu yang dulu dilakukan oleh dukun atau balian yang dimohonkan kepada Tuhan dan di berikan untuk ramuan-ramuan untuk penyembuhan penyakit tertentu.

Oleh karena asal istilahnya yang berbau magis inilah pada awalnya perkembangan jamu yang merupakan warisan leluhur ini mendapatkan respon yang kurang baik dari masyarakat.Namun belakangan ini sudah banyak masyarakat yang mengesampingkan istilah jamu zaman dulu,dikarenakan semakin banyaknya sosialisasi mengenai bahan dan proses pembuatan jamu itu sendiri.

Disamping itu,untuk meninggalkan kesan zaman dulu istilah jamu banyak diganti dengan nama Obat Tradisional Indonesia atau Herbal Jamu di Indonesia dikenal sebagai obat untuk mencegah,menyembuhkan dan menjaga kesehatan dan umumnya terbuat dari bahan-bahan alami yang berasal dari tumbuh-tumbuhan baik itu berupa daun,bunga,buah,kulit batang,akar atau sejenis rimpangatau umbi dan bahkan hampir semua bagian tumbuhan yang mempunyai khasiat obat dapat dijadikan jamu.

Umumnya jamu berasa pahit sehingga di perlukan campuran madu atau gula batu untuk menetralisir rasa pahit yang ada.Sering juga jamu ditambah dengan perasan jeruk nipis dan kuning telur.Dengan semakin ber-

kembangnya tekhnologi,jamu sekarang banyak dikemas dalam bentuk sachet,pil,kapsul atau botol dan ada juga dalam bentuk bahan-bahan yang sudah dikeringkan dalam kemasan plastik sehingga lebih praktis bagi konsumen untuk mengkonsumsi.

Jamu yang dikemas dalam bentuk sachet masih harus di seduh dengan air panas untuk melarutkannya sebelum disaring,baru kemudian ditambah madu atau perasan jeruk nipis dan kuning telur bagi yang suka.

Sedangkan bentuk pil atau kapsul,tinggal di minum sesuai dengan dosis yang di anjurkan.Sama dengan kemasan dalam botol,bisa langsung diminum sesuai dengan takaran yang sudah ditentukan.Sedangkan yang berupa bahan-bahan kering perlu direbus terlebih dahulu sebelum dikonsumsi.

Umumnya bahan-bahan pembuatan jamu sendiri sangat mudah didapatkan.Kebanyakan tumbuhan yang juga berfungsi sebagai obat ini tumbuh liar selain juga mulai banyak ditanam di pekarangan rumah.Di Indonesia tanaman obat yang ditanam di pekarangan rumah sering juga disebut Apotek Hidup atau Toga.

Tanaman obat yang ditanam di pekarangan rumah biasanya juga dimanfaatkan untuk bumbu dapur selain untuk kebutuhan obat keluarga.Hal ini bisa menjadi solusi jika secara mendadak ada anggota keluarga yang sakit dan butuh pertolongan pertama,dan tentunya ini lebih ekonomis untuk keuangan keluarga.Selain itu,pengolahan dari bahan-bahan ini juga termasuk cukup

mudah dan praktis.Cukup dengan menggunakan peralatan yang ada di dapur,dan semua bahan-bahan obat yang di tanam di pekarangan rumah bisa di olah dengan mudah.Beberapa contoh jamu yang bahannya biasa ditanam di pekarangan rumah dan mudah pembuatannya seperti jamu beras kencur,dengan beberapa ruas kencur yang ditanam di pekarangan rumah dan sedikit beras dan pengolahan yang tepat jamu beras kencur yang bermanfaat untuk mengatasi pegal-pegal dan menambah nafsu makan bisa dibuat dengan cara yang sangat sederhana.jamu kunyit asam,beberapa ruas kunyit,asam jawa,gula jawa dan sedikit garam serta pengolahan yang tepat jamu kunyit asam yang bermanfaat untuk kekebalan tubuh,masalah haid,dan juga bau badan bisa dinikmati dengan mudah.Wedang jahe,salah satu tanaman obat yang sangat banyak manfaatnya dan gampang di tanam di pekarangan rumah adalah jahe.Dengan pengolahan yang tepat jahe sangat bermanfaat untuk menyembuhkan batuk,sakit kepala,rematik,pegal linu dan masih banyak lagi manfaat lain yang bisa didapatkan dari jahe.Selain itu pengolahan dan pemanfaatan jahe bisa di campur dengan beberapa jenis minuman lainnya seperti kopi,the,kopi susu atau susu dan bahkan cukup diseduh dengan air panas,jahe bisa dinikmati sebagai minuman kesehatan.

Namun ada beberapa hal yang juga harus diperhatikan dalam pengolahan bahanbahan obat ini.Seperti waktu yang baik

untuk memanen,bagian tanaman tertentu biasanya mempunyai waktu terbaik sendiri untuk dipanen guna mendapatkan hasil dan kualitas bahan yang prima atau sesuai dengan yang diharapkan.Cara pengolahan dan campuran dari bahan-bahannya sendiri juga perlu diperhatikan untuk mendapatkan hasil atau jamu yang optimal.Cara menjemur jika menginginkan bahan-bahan yang akan dibuat jamu bisa lebih awet dan bisa dimanfaatkan di kemudian hari.

Dan pada intinya jamu merupakan produk warisan leluhur kita yang sangat bermanfaat bagi kesehatan kita dan tentunya terbebas dari bahan kimia seperti kebanyakan obatobatan modern sekarang ini.Jamu yang dibuat secara tradisional tidak mempunyai efek samping seperti halnya obat yang mengandung bahan kimia,dan tentunya tidak boleh mengkonsumsinya secara berlebihan melainkan secara teratur guna mendapatkan hasil yang maksimal yang diharapkan.

Dan kita seharusnya bangga sebagai bangsa yang kekayaan alam dan warisan leluhur kita yakni jamu,mulai banyak di kenal dan dikonsumsi oleh termasuk masyarakat internasional.Dimana mulai banyak dari masyarakat internasional mulai kembali ke cara hidup sehat yang salah satunya dengan memanfaatkan hasil-hasil alam sebagai penunjang bagi kesehatan pada umumnya dan jamu secara khusus.Demikian sedikit ulasan tentang jamu,dan semoga artikel yang singkat ini bisa bermanfaat bagi kita semua.Salam.

Garden Bites

Many gardeners swear by the idea of planting by the phases of the moon.

The first quarter is when they plant crops which bloom above ground -- spinach and lettuce, cucumbers and corn, to name a few. The second quarter, leading up to the full moon, is the time to plant aboveground seed crops like beans, watermelons, squash and tomatoes.

During the third quarter, the week following the full moon, root vegetables like carrots and potatoes should be planted. Finally, the last quarter of the waning moon is the time to avoid planting altogether -- instead, work on garden maintenance such as tilling and weeding.

DEWI ORGANIC

Raw Brownie Snacks

Ingredients: 15 Pitted Dates 2/3 Cup Unsweetened Cold Pressed Cocoa Powder 1 Cup Raw Almonds 1 Tbs. Honey 2 Tbs. Water

Apricot Snack Ingredients: 1 Cup Dried Apricots 1/4 Cup Walnuts 1 Tbs. Honey 1 t. Sesame Seeds 1 Tbs. Grated Ginger Soak the apricots in warm water for about ten minutes. While apri× cots are soaking, in a food proces× sor pulse the walnuts till they are

Put the almonds in to a food

finely minced.

processor

let sit for a minute so excess water

ground.

and

pulse

until

Add the dates, cocoa,

honey and water.

Mix until

is discarded.

Drain the apricots, Put the apricots in

the food processor with the honey,

With

sesame seeds and ginger. Pulse un×

clean hands start to take the

til all ingredients are well mixed.

mixture and form balls about

Take out of food processor, put in

5 cm. in diameter. Once shaped,

bowl and start making balls with

roll in cocoa powder and or in

the mixture in your hands.

confectioners sugar.

These can

should be about 5 cm. in diameter.

be stored in the refrigerator

Once formed, roll in dry grated

for a week.

coconut.

you get a sticky mass.

Enjoy!

May be stored in the re×

frigerator for one week.

Makan!

Balls

Selamat

DEWI ORGANIC

“What Green Ginger lacks in space, it makes up for in spirit.

This is a cafe with soul!”

Green Ginger

With its homey atmosphere and quirky charm Green Ginger Noodle House provides a much loved vegetarian sanctuary.

The cafe is a collaboration between Britta Boyer, a designer with a penchant for vintage, and Jonathan Russel, well known on the island as DJ Rock Solid. You can still find him mixing it up at Ku de ta, but these days you are more likely to find him indulging in his passion for creating good food that is also good for you.

A hotch potch of styles and influences are at play, creating a unique space. Food is firmly of the Asian vegetarian persuasion; the vibe is quaint tea house – think ornate china tea pots, floral wall paper and tiered cake stands; while a vintage clothes rail, retro beaded lamps and bird themed art work create an antique feel. Much of the bric a brac, including the stamp collections, second hand books, and funky furnishings are also for sale. An enchanted garden out back is filled with dappled sunlight, frangipani, scatter cushions, hanging plants and tinkering chimes, definitely a place for lingering.

The picturesque Balinese temple that looms over the garden provides a fitting backdrop.

The vibe What Green Ginger lacks in space, it makes up for in spirit. This is a cafe with soul! As Jonathon explains, he hopes to add “Positive energy as well as fresh flavours to the local food scene.” The cafe certainly isn’t going to change the world, but does act as

an inspiration to others with its thoughtful environmental practices. Apart from Italian coffee, almost everything is sourced locally, and all dishes (including sauces and curry pastes) are made from scratch. A keen gardener, Jono has also been known to put together field trips to visit suppliers in Bedugul so visitors can learn about organic farming.

He is also committed to recycling, sustainability and minimal impact, encouraging customers to bring their own containers for take away. In the spirit of community, local Balinese receive hefty discounts, and weekly free Indonesian classes will soon be reinstated.

The Food Good ethics aside, Green Ginger also serves up fabulous food. I have been hooked on the Laksa since I first discovered the cafe a few months ago. Prepared Singapore style, this deeply aromatic coconut curry soup is thoroughly intoxicating, served with just a hint of chilli, wedges of tasty tofu, wilted bokchoy and sprigs of fresh dill. Big, fat Rice Paper Rolls are equally moreish packed with fresh vegetables and just a hint of mint, dipping sauces include a light and fragrant homemade peanut sauce. Tofu Puffs are delightfully fluffy, while Crunchy Corn Fritters are made with the plumpest corn kernels that really do burst with flavour, and are lovingly enhan-

ced with thick homemade chilli jam. Salads include Yasai Sarada, a Japanese vegetable salad with seaweed, and the Mango Avocado Salad combining greens with the sweetness of mango and the crunch of snow peas and bean spouts. Don’t even think about leaving without trying the Coffee, Cardamom and Ginger cake - it is truly extraordinary, even better when enjoyed with a pot of authentic chai.

Aside from Green Ginger, he also operates, Zucchini on Oberoi (famed for its salad bar) and the newly opened cafe at The Island (a boutique hostel in Legian) offering pizza and salad.

Green Ginger Noodle House Jl Pantain Berawa 46 +62 3618446640

DEWI ORGANIC

Sandstouch Indonesian Essential oils

W

hen we first came to Bali and announced our intention to set up a business dedicated to sourcing and selling Indonesian essential oils, many long-term residents shook their heads and declared that this was a fool’s errand. “Bali is already awash with essential oils,” they said, “the market is already saturated.”

Undeterred, we looked around and found it was true that the shelves in the souvenir stores were indeed squeaking under the weight of small glass bottles of coloured liquid bearing the words essential oil, but, on closer inspection, it was apparent that their contents bore little or no trace of the plant or flower that decorated their labels.

We did find genuine Indonesian essential oils in Bali but the majority of these carried the names of bottling companies in France, Australia and the USA, suggesting that the oils had been shipped out of Indonesia, bottled and badged abroad then shipped back again – an evidently expensive process that was reflected in the prices.

Our mission was therefore clear: to find sustainable sources of Indonesian essential oils and to ensure that at least part of the crop remained in country for people and visitors to enjoy at the sort of reasonable

prices that you would expect to pay when buying a product from the land where it originates. So that is what we have done.

What are Essential Oils?

Generally speaking, essential oils are aromatic liquids that are extracted from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, or roots of a plant, usually by steam distillation.

They are so named because they contain the true essence of the plant they are derived from. They are highly concentrated and a little goes a long way. Whereas essential oils are derived solely from naturally occurring organic material, the coloured liquids you find in the souvenir stores are largely composed of alcohol and artificial substances and do not offer the same therapeutic benefits.

These benefits come from the chemical composition of the essential oil and can be both physical and psychological. They are usually achieved either through inhalation, whereby the oil molecules enter the lungs and are absorbed into the bloodstream, or by application to the skin which absorbs the oil.

Normally, essential oils are not applied directly to the skin on their own, as they are just too powerful. Instead they are mixed in small amounts with a carrier such as sweet

almond oil, apricot kernel oil or grape seed oil to create an all-natural massage oil that can be safely and effectively applied. The ideal ratio is 1ml of essential oil to 50 ml of carrier oil.

How to Buy Essential Oils How do you make sure that the essential oil you are buying is genuine? The first indicator is the price. This is not to say that if a bottle of beautifully scented oil is cheap it must therefore be artificial. Especially in Indonesia, some essential oils are surprisingly good value in comparison with similar oils in Europe or the USA, simply because the plants are grown here. The cost of producing different essential oils, however, can very greatly. Factors to be taken into account include the rarity of the plant, the conditions in which it is grown, the quality of the distillation, and how much oil can be extracted from the plant material by weight. For example it takes about 1000kgs of jasmine petals to create just one liter of Jasmine essential oil, whereas it takes only 30 kgs of ginger root to produce a liter of Ginger essential oil. Jasmine is thus a very expensive oil while ginger is not. Therefore, if you are looking at a range of essential oils and they all carry the same price, they are highly unlikely to be the real thing.

If the oils are brightly colored in attractive pastel shades of pink, blue and green, they will certainly be chemical concoctions. Essential oils tend to be clear or possess natural plant-like colors; various shades of yellow, amber or brown are common and Black Pepper essential oil is dark green bordering on black. Another indication that you are buying the genuine article is that essential oils are packaged in dark brown or dark blue bottles made of glass. This is because sunlight has a detrimental effect on the oils and plastic is not substantial enough to resist their power. The bottles will also have orifice reducers fitted to allow the oil to be dispensed one drop at a time. Remember, they are very powerful, four or five drops in an aroma diffuser lamp or candle burner will keep a room smelling wonderful all evening!

Simon & and his wife Sofie run Sandstouch and many of their Indonesian Essential Oils and Aromatherapy Blends are available in the Desa Seni boutique. Learn more about Simon & Sofie and what they do at www. sandstouch.com

DHARMA

Desa Seni to Local Community Seperti kembali ke masa lalu

K

ata diatas adalah suatu kata yang sering sekali terucap oleh tamu tamu yang tinggal di desa seni ataupun yang tidak tinggal, terutama tamu local atau orang Indonesia.

Desa Seni mempunyai lebih dari 15 bangunan, yang kita sebut rumah. Tiap rumah mempunyai ciri khas tersendiri, sejarah dan rata rata berusia antara 60 -140 tahun.

Mulai dari Rumah Wungsu, Toer, Nashar, Erlangga, Mandau, Bendi, Widja, Gambuh, Majapahit, Wisnu, Shiva dan Brahma. Belum termasuk bangunan lain seperti Candi ( gift shop ), bale bale,Rumah Kawi, Rumah Uma, Rumah Makan, Trimurti Yoga Studio, Mahadewi Yoga Studio, Kantor ( Drupardi dan Pandawa). Ada yang rumah yang berasal dari Jawa, Madura, Lombok, Sumatra dan juga Bali.

Dari penggunaan nama rumah yang pasti orang lokal khususnya segera akan tahu apa arti nama rumah tersebut dan pasti akan mengingatkan kembali ke masa lalu, ke jaman kerajaan ataupun nama dewa dewa yang orang lokal punya. Seperti Rumah Majapahit akan mengingatkan kembali mengenai sebuah nama kerjaan yang sangat

besar sekali di jaman dahulu kala. Atau Rumah Brahma, Rumah Shiva, Rumah Wisnu, orang lokal khususnya Bali atau yang beragama Hindu pasti akan tahu sekali, karena mama tersebut adalah nama Dewa Dewa mereka.Itu semua belum termasuk barang barang antik yang sangat otentik yang rata rata berusia cukup tua yang Desa Seni gunakan untuk melengkapi isi dalam rumah ataupun di luar rumah, ataupun disekitar tempat umum. Seperti patung kayu, kursi, meja, lukisan, lemari dan masih banyak lagi.

Untuk areal tempat umum, banyak dihiasi pohon pohon yang beraneka ragam, seperti pohon kelapa, pohon palem, pohon kamboja,pohon buah buahan seperti pohon mangga, pohon pisang, pohon jeruk bali, tebu, dan masih banyak lagi. Tanaman bunga juga tersebar di area Desa Seni untuk menambah indah dan berkesan lebih alami. Seperti bunga hibiscus, bunga anggrek, bunga mawar dan lain lain. Juga tanaman sayur sayuran seperti, kol, terong, cabai, tomat, basil, mentimun, sawi, bayam, brokoli, coliflower, kangkung dan masih banyak lagi.

Tanaman dan sayur sayuran tersebut jika sudah waktunya untuk di petik akan digu-

nakan atau di makan oleh tamu yang tinggal di Desa Seni, tentunya jika sudah berupa Salad atau makanan atau minuman yang tersedia di menu Desa Seni.

Semua itu menjadi satu kesatuan yang merupakan daya tarik yang luar biasa dari para tamu, baik tamu local ataupun tamu asing. Khususnya untuk tamu local, selalu ada kata yang terucap, seperti, wow.. ini seperti rumah kakek saya, wow.. nenek saya punya tempat sirih ini, wow.. lampu antik itu pasti tua sekali, lihat tanaman tomat , cabai, seperti kita ada di pedesaan, lihat kayu ini, ini dulu digunakan unutk jalan kerta api atau lihat batu bulat ini, ini dulu digunakan untuk membuat tahu atau ,ini seperti ada yang di dalam buku pelajaran sejarah dan budaya dan banyak lagi kesan dan komentar yang terucap. Yang pasti mereka sangat menghargai dan hormat apa yang sudah Desa Seni lakukan untuk melestarikan, merawat semua itu menjadi satu tempat yang luar biasa. Semua hasil kerja keras Mr.Tom, sebagai pemilik yang bisa mewujudkan dan menciptakan itu semua, karena dia mau dan sangat cinta dan menghargai budaya Indonesia.

DHARMA

COMMUNITY Spirit Last year Desa Seni hosted its first Yogathon, an exhilarating day of yoga and dance that raised over $15,000 for Ayo Kita Bicara HIV/AIDS, an innovative program aimed at teenagers to promote awareness about the disease through a series of “EduSpirit” workshops

T

he concept of community lies at the very heart of Desa Seni.

Long time island resident and co founder Tom describes how he saw “Bali blooming and growing, but no one was staying true to the island.”

His vision was to create a village resort that incorporated the strong community values that are so inherent to the Balinese way of life, and slowly, joglo by joglo, Desa Seni Arts Village rose from the rice paddys of Berawa. Six(CHECK) years on this peaceful sanctuary unites a diverse group of people in the joy of yoga, music and movement; while also leading the way with its practice of responsible, sustainable, community driven tourism.

For Tom, “It is important to accept the culture and community of where we choose to live, to appreciate how much we have and how much we can give.” At Desa Seni, as with in a local village, the Balinese notion of “gotong royong” (community team work) is

in constant play, both within the resort, and in the outreach programs initiated. Serving the community comes in many guises, starting with the hiring of local staff, including farmers who use traditional methods to tend the thriving gardens which supply the restaurant. Staff also attend free yoga classes twice weekly (the turn out is huge,) as well as free English classes. Local orphanages are supported with fundraising efforts, yoga classes and the offering of apprenticeships to teach valuable skills which can lead to full time employment. The resort is also a major sponsor of the ‘Bali Street Kids’ foundation, and the newly created ‘Bali with Kids’ an enterprise/guidebook offering comprehensive insights and a plethora of tips for parents bringing their kids to Bali on holiday, or to live on the island. The ‘Pancamaya Yoga program ‘ offers Yoga and Balinese dance to the local community, while the ‘Keep Bali Clean’ campaign supports educational endeavours in greening up the island. The resort itself is sustainable and operates with

a minimal impact on the environment, and even offers green events and weddings.

In a true community oriented act, the first ever Yogathon, was staged at Desa Seni last year an exhilarating day of yoga and dance that raised over $15,000 for Ayo Kita Bicara HIV/AIDS, an innovative program aimed at Balinese teenagers to promote awareness about the disease through a series of “EduSpirit” workshops. This years event, slated for March 27 will be even bigger with 12 hours of yoga, music and dance taking place in both yoga pavilions and the pool area.

The founding tenet of Desa Seni is the belief that , “If we all give back, educate, inspire and nurture, the world will be a better place,” an idea that resonates clearly across Bali and beyond, drawing those who share the faith. As Tom says, ‘When people come together in force its amazing what we can do.’

The word Community is derived from the latin cum munis, which literally means to give among each other. The term can refer to people living in a defined geographical location, such as a village; or to a group that are drawn together through common interests, such as the Anusara yoga community (kula) which links people from around the world in a transformative yoga practice. Regardless of definition, the idea is the same – a community is a group of people coming together to share something that is of value to its members.

DHARMA

Bali Angels

trade practices, or uses toxic chemicals, or has poor disposal and resource consumption practices.

“Bali Angels envisions a society that welcomes and values the equal participation of people with disabilities,” adds Adams. “We are working to achieve vision by creating programs to develop self confidence, physical and economic independence and increased awareness in the general community for people with different abilities.”

ONE ANGEL AT A TIME

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

–Robert F. Kennedy, University of Cape Town, South Africa, N.U.S.A.S. “Day of Affirmation” Speech, June 6, 1966

B

ali Angels was launched in the Winter of 2010 when Ubud’s Glenn Adams sponsored raw food guru David Wolfe, a bestselling author of nutritional books, to present several talks to the community in Bali. The first of these was held at Adams’ Villa Gaia in Ubud. David Wolfe’s philosophy encompasses the idea that food is our medicine, and that organic earth-based activities lead to a healthier life, just as Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, opined in ancient Greece: “Let food by thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.”

Adams was inspired by the integrity of the model of using your time and energy for worthwhile endeavors that are locally based.

In a world of uncertainty, he reasoned, we need to invest our time, money and energy wisely.

Glenn Adams formed Bali Angels as a charitable wing of his Gaia Retreat Center with the high-minded idea of making Bali a model of what he calls “heaven on Earth.” Bali Angels is about creating heaven on earth, one angel at a time. By tithing the wealth of The Gaia Retreat Center to generate revenue for charitable initiatives (yayasans), Bali Angels has been able to donate a playground to the Ubud community, support a self-directed community for people with disabilities, Senang Hati, as well as providing support for making of the movie “ Bali is my Life,” The main focus of Bali Angels in 2012 and beyond will be the development of new products made by and for charities.

“Bali is unique in that time is not only money here,” says Adams, “time is art. And if the art project that is Bali were to be in-

formed by this philosophy then “heaven on earth” would be the real project, an organic island supporting organic farmers, where the local production of food and goods is source-based in Indonesia and consciously made.”

This philosophy can be extended to chartible works, where charities could become selfsufficient through the conscious production of organic foods and products, becoming trend-setters and leaders in the sustainable lifestyle. By knowing the source of the products that we are using in our everyday lifestyle we contribute to the change we want to see in the world. For example if you buy a product blindly, not knowing who is making the product, there is a chance that you could be buying a product that is produced in a system that supports cheap labor and unfair

Products That Show You Care Be Organic, a product line developed by Adams and associates, follows the philosophy of Zero Waste that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles, where all pro-

duct materials are recycled, reused and/or biodegradable. At this point, the products are designed and produced by Senang Hati workshops and marketed in local shops throughout Bali. The goal is an island wide distribution network by 2013. Be Organic follows these principles in product development: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. Zero waste, Condensing, Simple living, Ethical consumerism, Product stewardship.

The Unforgettable MultiUse Be Organic Bag is a premier Be Organic product: a reusable and durable silk nylon bag made from recycled factory remnants and offcuts, a colorful bag that stuffs into a built-in pouch, easily fits into a pocket or purse and when unstuffed converts into an oversized

shopping bag with easy carry handles, or becomes a decorative cover for large water dispenser bottles. Be Organic has a goal to give away 3 million bags with its new and redefining profit-for-all model. The point of sale instruction reads: “Buy one bag and get one bag for free, but please give your free bag to a Balinese.” With the amount of tourists on the island, Bali Angels hopes the Be Organic bag will become the gift of choice and a way to TIP (Thanking Important People) who have made your stay in Bali our Island of the Gods and Goddesses a memorable one.

NYEPI DAY

L

ike the night before Christmas; when all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse, Nyepi draws us all into the

silence.

Mythical, amusing, compelling and ironic, Nyepi is is considered to be the dawn of a New Year on the Balinese calendar. While Westerners celebrate with revelry, Balinese greet the New Year with silence. Not before, however, they make a hell of a noise.

Art & Culture

shhhh Nyepi is the most accessible of all the Balinese celebrations when everyone is encouraged to join in. Young or old, creative or not, rich and poor, all have a part to play in the ritual exorcism of evil that is precipitated by the ringing, the crashing and the banging that greets another year.

The Balinese follow the 210 day calendar so Nyepi falls at different times throughout the Gregorian calendar. The date will change but it is always held on the day following the

dark moon of the spring equinox.

Like a mythical beast, the event builds to a great crescendo of symbolic cleansing.

Ceremonies are held in the days preceding, aimed at restoring balance and the dominance of good over evil.

An amusing anecdote, which has become a modern myth is that by waking up the island’s dormant spirits and then retreating indoors, maintaining silence and remaining in the dark, these troublesome spirits will

assume no one is home and keep moving until they arrive in Lombok.

The carnival atmosphere created by the many ogoh ogoh parades held throughout the island is unique and much loved and yet this is one of the most important of the island’s religious days.

In the days leading up to the Nyepi the colourful Ogoh Ogoh papier mache monsters are slowly revealed. Throughout the villages young and old band together to create the demons of their own creation. The ritual burning of the monsters after the parade has been interrupted by collectors of late;

those who see the value of the ogoh ogoh as more than simply a representation of evil, but also as an art form.

Don’t think for a moment this has escaped the canny Balinese who themselves have begun to collect them to display. For those who are seeing the parades for the first time it is a spectacle. For the Balinese it is mere mischief and the enjoyment of school children, village groups, families and communities is clear.

Perhaps the symbology of having a clean house is also a factor. Like a woman who takes time to prepare for a special day, the

Balinese ritual cleansing that occurs before Nyepi is an important part of the day of silence that follows. The house is in order, the gods are appeased, the natural balance has been restored and evil has been averted for another year.

Therefore it makes perfect sense that on this auspicious day, everyone can relax, turn down the volume, keep the lights low and reflect on the year ahead where everything is as it should be.

I LAB

Folklore Bites

The Legend of Singaraja:

SRI Sagening was the king of the Klungkung Kingdom, Bali. He had a lot of wives. His last wife was Ni Luh Pasek. She was the most beautiful wife and that made the other wives very jealous. They often told bad stories abuout her to the king. Sadly, the king was influenced and he finally asked Ni Luh Pasek to leave the palace.

Ni LuhPasek was very sad, but she had no other choice. She became very sad when she knew that she was pregnant! Ni Luh Pasek arrived at another village. An old man felt very sorry for her. . His name was Jelantik Bogol. He was a holy man and had supernatural power. He married Ni Luh Pasek, and when the baby was born, Jelantik Bogol named him I Gusti Gede. He loved I Gusti Gede just like his own son.

I Gusti Gede grew as a strong man. He also mastered a lot of skills such as martial arts and supernatural powers. His step father taught him the skills. One day his step father asked him to go to a jungle in Den Hill. It was the place Ni Luh Pasek was born. Jelantik Bogol asked him to go there to attain more supernatural powers.

Before he left, his step father gave him two weapons, a spear and a keris. Gusti Gede did it. He went to the Den Hill and meditated.

While he was meditating, a spirit of the jungle came to him and spoke.�You will be a great king. Go to Panumbang beach, help the people there.�

I Gusti Gede continued his journey. When he arrived at Panombangan Beach, there was a ship from Bugis sinking. The people had tried to help, but they did not succeed.

I Gusti Gede wanted to help. He asked the people to stay away from the ship. He prayed and took out his weapons. Suddenly, two big spirits came out of the spear and the keris.

I Gusti Gede asked the spirits to pull the sinking ships back to sea. The people could not see the spirits. They only saw I Gusti Gede moving his hands. The spirits slowly pulled the ship. The owner was very happy. He gave some of his wealth to I Gusti Gede.

People were amazed with his power. They named him as I Gusti Panji Sakti.

I Gusti Panji Sakti went back to Den Hill. He started to build a village. People came one by one. I Gustipanji Sakti protected them from bad people. Slowly the village became a kingdom. I Gusti Panji Sakti became the king and he named the kingdom as Sukasada.

Skasada became a big kigdom. I Gusti Panji Sakti planned to make another kingdom. He opened up a new area full of buleleng trees; therefore, he named the kingdom as Buleleng Kingdom.

He built a great palace. People named it Singaraja. Singa means lion and Raja means king. With his power, I Gusti Panji Sakti was like a lion. He always protected his people from bad people. While he was a king, Buleleng Kingdom was safe and prosperous.

GIift Shop Bites available at Desa Seni Candi gift Shop

11

News

Yayasan Kemanusiaan Ibu Pertiwi

bites

(YKIP), Jl. Kediri No. 38, Kuta, Bali 80361, Indonesia Tel: +62 361 759544 or +62 361 759544 www.ykip.org ; info@ykip.org Donations can also be made via the website through PayPal.

Pak Merta Ada, also has a center in Sanur where he holds weekly classes and also conducts these Tapa Brata retreats throughout the year in both English and Indonesian, here in Bali and Java. You can find all the upcoming retreat dates and information on the Bali Usada website www.balimeditation.com

The Coral Goddess is a living artwork dedicated to the health of our seas.

The house reef outside Bali Taman Sari Cottages in Pemuteran Bali is home to the award winning Karang Lestari coral reef restoration project which uses Bio-rock®, a method that uses a gentle electrical charge to enhance coral growth and survival rates. Only ten years ago this coral reef was almost completely decimated and the success of this project now draws eco tourists from all over the world.

Immersion with Arlisa: Our resident teacher, January 28th and 29th “Ignite Your Inner Fire and Awaken Into the Year of the Dragon 2012.” Prana Vinyasa Yoga & Sacred Music

Our working partners and credits are Bio-rock centre, Karang Lastari ngo and SPONSOR A BABY CORAL program -www.biorockbali.webs.com Hotel partner and host - Taman Sari Cottages - www.balitamansari.com Dive Centre - Bali Dive academy - www. scubali.com www.globalcoral.org Follow us on Facebook @ The Coral Goddess Community

YOGATHON

Come check out the lovely Chinese antique furniture, a new arrival at Folkart Gallery.

This includes small Buddhist Altars,scholars tables,benches,cabinets, Mongolian trunks and much more.

kharisma Antique & furniture www.kharismabali.com

Jl. Laksmana (Oberoi) 17 B, Seminyak - Bali folkartgallerybali@yahoo.com www.folkartgallerybali.com

For information on Sayadaw U Tejaniya and his teachings, please see his website: http://sayadawutejaniya.org/ To contact the monastery and for a schedule of future retreats please see: www.brahmaviharaarama.com

Desa Seni is avidly starting to plan the 2nd Annual Yoga, Music, Dance A-thon spectacular which will be held on Sunday, March 25th 2012 from 8:00 am till 8:00 pm.

We are excited to create this Pre-BaliSpirit Festival fundraiser for “Ayo Kita Bicara HIV AIDS.” Our goal is to raise $10,000 for this organization to facilitate the spreading of AIDS awareness. Last year we raised $15,000 which funded the program for one year!

The outreach program “Ayo Kita Bicara HIV/AIDS” is a local charity that aims to raise awareness about the rapidly growing threat of HIV/AIDS in Bali.

Now in its second year of operation, enough funding has been raised to support the program’s expansion to reach approximately 25 schools in Bali. The goal for the program is to continue outreach activities through the end of 2012, with an emphasis on targeting high risk high school children from areas in Bali with the highest HIV infection rate. For more information please go to: www.balispiritfestival.com

Thank you to everyone who has continuously contributed and supported Desa Seni in staying true to it’s vision and philosophy. After 6 years of building Kula, we are honoured to be a part of the community, growing strong, evolving and developing amazing relationships. A very special thank you to Brad, Orly, Virginie, Rani E Morrow-Wuigh and Miryam Faken our photographers; Allison, Anna, Arlisa, Sarah, Johnny V, Daphna, , Sam, Abi, Balispirit Team, Iwan, and Howard for the articles; Martina and Howard for editing; Our new Kula members, Folk Art, Yoga Barn, Kafe Restaurant, BaliEco Village, Zula, Green and Earth Cafe, Saribuana Eco Lodge, Dance Asia, Pak Merta Ada, Brahma Vihara Arama, Maru Gallery, Celia-biorockbali, Kharisma, Bali Spirit Festival, YKPA (Bali Street Kids), Yayasan Rama Sensana, and Bali A very special THANK YOU to Manuela for all her magic! Matur Suksema! Terima kasih!

Desa Seni A Village Resort Yoga.... art.... spa....organic.... culture....eco.... accommodation.... community...

Jl. Subak Sari # 13, Canggu, Bali Tel + 62 361 8446392 www.desaseni.com - info@desaseni.com

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