We begin “Spiritual Quests Part 2” with a visit to what many call the “island of the Gods”, magical Bali. Our first visit in 1995 was totally transformative as I have never traveled to a place where spiritual pursuit manifests itself in every aspect of life. The woman is making a morning offering to the Gods, or “Canang San”.  The offerings  are carefully prepared each day to honor the lower and higher spirits in a household to balance the negativity with the positivity for family harmony. It is tradition to place the offering in front of every door opening.

Bali is the only non-Muslim island in the 13,000+ islands in the Indonesian archipelago. Marla and I visited this  Balinese temple, or pura, during a festival. The majority of Balinese practice Bali-Hindu, a unique form of Hinduism. Appropriate attire is required with the men wearing white shirts, “udeng” (head piece), “Kamen” (clothes to cover the legs) and a “umpal”, or waistband. The smell of incense and the sound of gongs heightened the experience. 

During the temple festival local women make special offerings.

A family is taking part in a temple ceremony in a small village in the Balinese highlands.

A religious ritual is performed by a Balinese priest. I rented a bike outside of Ubud for some area exploration and took this photo on the side of the road.

 

On one of our incentive trips with Wesco Fabrics’ clients we were invited to attend a “Ngaben”, or cremation ceremony. The cremation ceremony was for an important village elder in Kedewatan, outside of Ubud. We dressed in appropriate attire to witness this event with the sound of gongs and smells of incense everywhere. In David Bowie’s will he specified he wanted to have a Balinese Ngaben” ceremony. Click on the link for more information. A truly fascinating story!

Goa Gajah, or “Elephant Cave” is a must visit in Bali.  It was built in the 11th century as a spiritual place for meditation.  Visitors to Goa Gajah must wear a sarong and sash which can be rented at the entrance.

I’m saying a prayer at Goa Gajah.

The image is at the “Ogoh-ogoh parade” in Ubud which takes place the evening before Nyepi, the Balinese New Year. Ogoh-ogoh are monsters representing evil spirits and are made by youth organizations and villages. The evening is filled with laughter and fun with the sounds of gongs and drums filing the air. After the parade they are burned in a large field representing the victory of good over evil. Nyepi Day, also known as “Silent Day”, is a day of quiet when the whole island is shut down. the airport is closed, no cars are allowed on the roads, and no lights. It is a day of contemplation and meditation. Marla and and I have visited three times during Nyepi and the experience is transforming.

Thailand is one of my favorite places to visit for it’s wonderful people, culture and incredible temple architecture. There are over 30,000 temples, or wats, in the country and I would agree as they are everywhere. Theravada Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand as it is in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Burma (Myanmar). Wat Arun or “Temple of Dawn” sits majestically on the largest river in Bangkok, the Chao Phraya. It is easily reached by taking the “Tourist Boat” boat from the “Sapphan Taksin Pier”, getting off at Pier 8. From there you can take a small boat across the river to the temple.

Wat Pho, or the “Temple of the Reclining Buddha”, is just across the Chao Phraya River from Wat Arun.  This very large temple complex houses the majestic “Reclining Buddha” in a pose representing the entry of Buddha into Nirvana.

This image shows a woman putting pieces of gold leaf on a Buddha image near Wat Pho. The worshiper is “making merit”. This is a common practice throughout Thailand.

A short trip up the river from Bangkok is one of my very favorite cities in all of Thailand, Ayutthaya.  

Ayutthaya’s Wat Yai Chai Mongkol is a fascinating place and a favorite for worshipers and tourists alike.

Incense and prayers at the recling Buddha at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol.

We stopped at a monastery by the Chao Phraya river pier in Ayutthaya.

We found this “Spirit House” on a buying trip in Chiang Mai. Spirit Houses can be seen in rural Thai villages or next to tall skyscrapers in Bangkok. Offerings are placed  inside to honor animist spirits or relatives.

If you visit Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand I always recommend visiting the weekend markets. Two young worshipers light incense at the beautiful “Wat Phan On” on Rachadamoen Road just past the Tha Phae Gate in Chiang Mai’s Old City.

There are many nice hotels in Chiang Mai and Marla and I enjoy the “Shangri-La” as it is close to everything. One afternoon while walking up to the “Sunday Market” we passed the interesting “Wat Buppharam” on Tha Phae Road. Walking is my favorite way to explore the city but if it is too hot riding a “tuk tuk” is the easiest way to get around.

 

 A visit to Chiang Mai is not complete without a visit to “Wat Phra That Doi Suthep” on the mountain outside of the city. Transportation is easily arranged by your hotel. The 309 steps with the “Naga” serpent border are well worth the exertion even on hot and humid days.

Marla and I both feel the “Bayon Temple” in the “Angkor Wat Archaeological Park” in Cambodia is the most iconic and unique place we have ever visited. Today, one must arrive early in the morning to avoid crowds. When I took the photo above in 1997 there was only us and a singular monk sitting on the ancient  12th century stones.

Monks at the “Bayon Temple.”

Marla got up at dawn in Luang Prabang to take part in an “Alms ceremony.”  Laos is a wonderful country and I would love to return.

 

A colorful monk and Buddha sculptures at the “Wat XiemThong” in Luang Prabang.

We hired a guide and a boat to take us to the “Pak Ou Cave” on the Mekong River down from Luang Prabang. There are over 4000 Buddha sculptures in the caves.

We happened to be at the amazingly beautiful “Shwedagon Pagoda” in Yangon Myanmar during a novitiation ceremony to celebrate boys entering the order of monks. It was a colorful and fascinating spectacle.

A solitary monk with his alms bowl in the market in Bago, north of Yangon in Myanmar.

A worshiper prays inside the Confucius “Temple of Literature” in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Temple worship takes many forms on our Asian spiritual journey. The photo shows Taoist God statues in the “City God Temple” in Shanghai, China.

I’ll leave you with a Spiritual and contemplative image. Marla and I walked on the beach in Sanur, Bali, on our very first trip at 5:30 AM. The orange sun was just coming up highlighting a fisherman in the shallow water offshore. This image has remained with me forever. Thank you for coming along with me on my life changing journey.

IMAGE CREDITS: All image by Dick Gentry. Use is by permission only.