Cempaka Culture and Tourism: 'Sugian', a phase to reach spiritual victory

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Saturday, January 19, 2008

'Sugian', a phase to reach spiritual victory

Irawaty Wardany, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

It is still a week to go before Galungan, but the Balinese have begun preparations for the celebration by conducting the Sugian Jawa ritual Thursday.

The ritual aims to purify the world and strengthen the hearts of devotees to ensure a complete spiritual triumph through the Galungan celebration.

SUGIAN RITUAL: A temple priest presents offerings to the gods during
the Sugian Jawa ritual at a temple in Banjar (traditional neighborhood organization)
Taman Yangbatu in east Denpasar. (JP/I Wayan Juniartha)

Balinese Hindus carry out two Sugian processions, the Sugian Jawa and Sugian Bali, prior to the Galungan ceremony.

One of Bali's most joyous festivals, Galungan, is the celebration of the victory of dharma (virtues) over adharma (vices).

According to head of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Association, I.G. N. Sudiana, Sugian Jawa is a process through which to purify the universe. It is symbolized by the cleaning of sanggah (small shrines in Balinese homes), houses and ritual paraphernalia prior to the Galungan ceremony.

"It is symbolic of purifying the bhuana agung (universe) from all human mistakes and destructive actions," he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He added the Sugian Jawa ritual is conducted six days before Galungan, which falls on Jan. 23 this year.

"Tomorrow we will conduct the Sugian Bali or the Bhuana Alit (human being) purification ritual," Sudiana said.

He added the Hindu community would meditate in an effort to purify themselves and create harmony between the universe and themselves.

"This (ritual) will strengthen them to win dharma over adharma".

After carrying out the two Sugian rituals, Balinese Hindus would conduct the Panyekeban ritual Sunday, during which devotees store fruits in a closed container to ripen them. This is a symbol of the devotees' conscious efforts to control their minds in order to fight temptation.

The following day, devotees would carry out the Penyajaan ritual, during which they contemplate, meditate or fast in an effort to prepare themselves to face negative forces. Female devotees would make various traditional cakes on that day. The cakes would then be used as Galungan offerings.

"We believe that on that day there will be three negative forces from the universe that will come down to earth and seduce people into doing bad things," Sudiana said.

He added the negative powers were bhuta dungulan (arrogance), bhuta amangkurat (temptation for power) and bhuta galungan (greed).

"These three forces always try to control human beings; most of the time with disastrous results," he said.

Tuesday, Sudiana added, was the day known as Penampahan, when animals were sacrificed (particularly pigs and chickens) as a symbol of the devotees' willingness to kill various animal characters inside their bodies and minds.

Ibu Della, a housewife, said during Penampahan her family would gather in the natah (inner courtyard) of the family compound to pray for the protection of family members from the temptations of negative emotions.

"We usually gather at the natah at 6 p.m. or 12 p.m.," she said, adding she was preparing offerings for the Galungan ceremony.

"On Wednesday, or on the Galungan festival, we celebrate our triumph over the negative powers that control human beings, by either praying at the pura (temple) or sanggah," Sudiana said.

"So, Galungan is a moment of reflection, a moment to (strive to) be a better person, which we hope will be a model for others," he said.

Balinese intellectual Ketut Sumarta said Sugian was a phase in the spiritual development process, which comprised Sugian Jawa, Sugian Bali, Penyekeban, Penyajaan and Penampahan.

"We hope people will be able to improve their behaviors in their lives through this process," he said.

Unfortunately, he added, religion was almost similar to the regulations in this country; they had very good text but poor context.

"There is always a gap between the text and context," he said, adding if the text and context were parallel, criminal actions and corruption would no longer exist.

"I'm afraid Galungan will be interpreted on just the ritual level and its true meaning will never be implemented in everyday life," he said.

He added the main purpose of Galungan was to create universal harmony, starting with the family as the smallest group in the community.