Physical & Spiritual Cleansing at Taman Beji Griya Waterfall

I just returned from hosting a spiritual retreat in Bali, Indonesia. While the whole week was magical in the most divinely supported ways, there was one experience that stands out hands above the rest: our visit to the Taman Beji Griya Waterfall. I had seen photos and read a few blogs, and nothing could have prepared me for the sacred, overwhelming beauty and energy of this space.

Each group was assigned a guide, who handed each of us a basket of Canang (pronounced "chah-nang" and means "sacred offering"). A Canang Sari is a small tray made of pandan leaves in the shape of a square, filled with colorful flowers, incense, and sometimes snacks or sweets.

We began with making offerings to many Hindu gods, each governing a different element or aspect of life. The first waterfall we saw we assumed was “it.” However, we soon learned that was the end of our hiking loop and the final stop of many. The end was just the beginning, and the beginning was the end.

We turned a corner and followed steps down, carved out and through large granite stone. As we stepped down along a meandering path, light beams filtered through the foliage high above us at the top of the cliff. When we reached the first waterfall and beheld the beauty and energy of this space, tears to burst forth from my body like the water falling over the cliff ledge to our feet. The echoing sound of the water falling, light beams, solid rock, and hanging vines all worked in unison to clear away layers of separation.

We continued our journey around another corner, finding another chamber in the rock formation where long rays of light shined down through the trees and vines like light filtering through old stained-glass windows in a church. I’ve never felt more holy and sacred space. Our precious mother earth holding us with grace, strength, divine love, and peace beyond peace. The profound beauty left us awe-struck and in pure presence.

Around the following corner was a cove full of Hindu priests performing Melukat (a Balinese water blessing and cleansing ritual). They had tapped into the pure water coming directly from within the mountain, cleansed by earth’s natural minerals, touching air for the first time. We followed a series of spouts pouring water out of the rock and followed our guide’s guidance.

At the first spout, we were instructed to cup our hands and let them fill with the water to wipe it over the top of our head three times, spit out the water seven times, sip the water seven times, and then wash our face three times. At the next spout, we were to wipe the top of our head three times, sip the water three times, and then wash our face three times. At the third spout, we were to wipe the top of our head three times, sip three times, and wash our face three times. We also made more offerings to the Hindu god statues in this cavern.

As I concluded my cleanse and stood back to observe the rest of our group, I expanded my view and noticed large and ancient carvings of the rock walls. One was a giant human face, another was a giant hand that I could fit in, and another was of a lizard’s face. I wondered how long ago they were carved. How long had the indigenous people of this land been visiting these waters for ceremonies and rituals?

We exited that chamber and began our ascent along the looped path up to a large waterfall, where we stopped to take in the space (and a few group photos). Then we continued to the largest waterfall of them all. There we stood under the power of the water pounding over our bodies as we screamed three times and then laughed three times. (It reminded me of the screaming and laughing in the breathwork meditation healing I facilitate – such powerful forms of expression to release blocked energy!) During the screams, I felt stuck energy purge out from deep within my core through coughing.

We climbed out of the large waterfall area and were led to a large pool of water fed by statues, where we performed another Melukat. We cupped our hands and filled them with water that we wiped over the top of our head three times, spit out three times, sipped three times, and then washed our face three times.

After all these immersive water cleansing and blessings, we concluded our journey where we began with our offerings at the statues of the Hindu gods. Here, Hindu priests performed the Melukat for us with holy water (and later coconut water) poured over the top of our head three times, poured into our hands for sipping three times, and poured into our hands for splashing on our face three times. (A very thorough cleansing, when all was said and done!)

Part of the mystical journey was witnessing each awe-inspiring stop as its own individual experience in a long series of stops. Around each corner was another majestic waterfall, a precious energy vortex, with its unique washing away of layers of separation until you reach the final waterfall clearing and cleansing. By the end, I felt completely connected to everything and One with all of life. So much peace and contentment that has stayed with me since returning back to California.

I am deeply grateful and forever changed.