Bali Spiritual: Brahministic Ritual

In spite of the introduction of Brahministic ritual, in spite of the influence of the Hindu cult and of early contact with the religious beliefs of the Chinese, Indians and Javanese, the Balinese religion remains substantially as animistic now as it has ever been in the past. -file Balinese worship the sun, the earth and water as the sources of life. Fire is a purifying element. The mountains are a source of fertility where the gods themselves dwell, for which reason the mountains are revered in every temple and family shrine. The highest mountain, the Gunung Agung, is the pinnacle of the universe, the central focal point of worship, the house of Silva the supreme deity. It reaches to the heavens from where the spirits of their ancestors return to earth and periodically to their homes as honoured guests. No idols are worshipped, and images of the gods are considered holy only when temporarily inhabited by the spirits of the gods, which are, of course, invisible.
Evil spirits are inevitably always present and must be pacified with appropriate offerings to avoid illness and misfortune. The religious life of the Balinese is very closely integrated with their community life, and provides an example of the eternal struggle between good and evil. Good positive forces are encouraged by propitiation of the gods through proper rituals and proper offerings, observance of the laws of community life, community service and avoidance of crime. Evil or negative forces are derived from the actions of evil spirits dwelling in unclean places, ready to cause illness, misfortune and destruction should the community become weak and vulnerable by becoming unclean, and are removed by ritual purification of the land, or of individuals, or of the village. Thus the eternal struggle between good and evil which is basic to the Balinese religious concept, provides the essentials on which Balinese community life and respect for the law have been built up. The two are inseparably linked.