Baliblog gets a ton of questions from people who are planning their first trip to Bali, and also people who are planning a repeat trip. Sometimes I am able to provide an answer, other times I have no idea. One question that I received recently totally stumped me and I am wondering if anyone out there can shed some light on this.
A visitor to Bali, who I will not name for privacy sake, sent me the following question. Do you have an answer to this question?
Dear Nick,
Last week I was in Bali for a short escape from work & encountered something strange.
I really hope you can shed some light on this, because even after lots of searching I can’t seem to obtain much info…
During the night of the 31st (perhaps technically it would be early morning of 1st april) I was woken up by a rhythmic sound - hard to describe, but it would be closest to the sound made by shaking the bundle of dried reeds (or whatever plant - I never knew) that girls / women use to sweep the stairs or entrances to homes. It was that sort of rattling sound that went on for 2 - 3 seconds, stopped, and then started again, and then stopped… When I opened my eyes, you can imagine how dumbstruck I was when it seemed as though my room was full of people. Ok, to start with, I was staying in a villa up in some hills near Ubud. The bedroom was rather large, and I was in a four-poster bed totally draped with white mosquito netting. I was sleeping on the right of my partner, and when I woke up, I had the impression the room was filled with people moving amazingly silently in the background, as though searching for something. Right before me though, just outside the mozzie net, stood 2 men (they were all men by the way), one along the length of the bed and the other at the foot, but both very near the corner. They were dressed in typical temple wear - white shirts and yellow kain with white headscarf. Light was very dim, and the two men seemed to be holding a very very dim light, focusing their attention on my sleeping partner. I even sat up in bed, blinked my eyes, and said “what’s happening” ? but no-one paid any attention and my partner slept on. All the time, the whole scene seemed to be very light, airy, floaty, and quiet. But constantly in motion. Next thing I knew, I saw a barong like creature (all in white) floating through the net (he seemed to be ushered by the 2 men) suspending just above my sleeping partner. It was so strange - he was dancing over him, and then I lay down & tried closing my eyes because it seemed as though there was another form waiting to dance into our space but this time it was a dark form whose shape wasn’t that clear to me. I just didn’t want to see anymore & when I peeked through very slightly opened eyes, I could only make out some cloudy form in black but couldn’t ascertain if it was my imagination, shadows, or really some smokey form. I was rather scared, but took the stand of a typical nightmare - I will just surrender if it comes for me & then everything will go away.
Although I wasn’t frightened to bits, my heart was beating pretty fast, and all the time I was wondering - what is happening ? am I really seeing this ? or is it just an imagination ? I am extremely surprised that I was more puzzled than anything, although I was tremendously relieved I wasn’t sleeping alone - otherwise I really don’t know what would have happened.
Are you able to tell me what this means ? I’m very definitely sure it isn’t a dream. My first impression upon waking up was that something was not right with the villa & the people were there to fix it. Then right after that (or in parallel) I felt that they were searching for something. Only after these 2 thoughts flew by in my mind did I notice the 2 men standing beside the bed.
Interesting experience and any useful thoughts are welcome.
{ 7 comments }
Ummmmm
1Give me a couple of pints of what they are drinking
2.Too much Arak
3.Could it maybe have been one of those really vivid dreams when you think you are awake but really you are not?
It is in everyones psych to sometimes dream and feel that it was an actual happening.I feel that if these events were really going on the partner would have woke up too.
4.But then there is always the para-normal stuff that goes on –as in ghostly happenings.
5.Or could the writer have had a group of friends who played an elaborate April fools prank?
Cheers laurs
stay off the piss
those bloody mushrooms……
Hi Nick,
I posted this link on http://balichatforum.com/forum/index.php
and asked for comments. I thought you may be interested in this response:
“There are a few stories of similar ilk in Ron Tassell’s books, The Other Side of Morning; The Dark Side of Paradise & The Importance of Being… in Bali. They take a look at the Balinese spiritual side.”
We had a similar experience Nearly 30 years ago that involved a Barong type image into our hotel room in Sanur. It has been documented in Ron Tassels books. We would like to talk to other people with similar experiences in Bali.
Bali is a ‘different’ place.
I heard about Sanur. In a particular hotel, the old towering by the beach hotel.
Maybe that was what the locals called “Leak”. There are 2 types: Dark and white. Dark is the evil ones. They said: if you see these images, there must be a ’spiritual fight’ between the white and dark. It’s like a duel in old western world. But, it’s intangible. The priests are the ones who capable held those things.
I think you need to let the staffs know right away..
I don’t undestand why ‘they’ seemed interesting to your partner. I don’t know.
If I were you, I would packed my stuffs and adios!
Hope this helps!
i thoroughly enjoyed reading The Other Side of Morning; The Dark Side of Paradise & The Importance of Being in Bali written by Ron Tassell. It gives you stories that you would be able to relate to with your recent experience in Bali. I hear he is currently producing a fourth book and i cant wait to read it.
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