Warm, humid air wrapped around me as I sat cross-legged on the cool stone floor of a Balinese temple, a canang sari — a small tray of flowers — resting at my feet. Spirals of incense smoke rose into the open sky, weaving a rich fragrance. It seemed to lift my spirit before the ritual even began. In that sacred moment, I was no longer a visitor; I was part of something ancient, alive, and deeply holy.
A Sacred Invitation
I followed the priest’s instructions on how to participate. I lifted my hands in prayer above my head, signaling my readiness to receive the blessing. From my offering tray, I chose a white or yellow flower, symbol of the sun, and placed it gently on my head. Next came three colored flowers for Brahma, Visnu, and Siva, which I tucked behind my ears. With multi-colored flowers, I lifted my hands again, honoring all the Divine manifestations in the world, and placed them on my head. Finally, I raised my hands one last time without flowers, to give thanks for the blessing. The priest sprinkled water over me, completing the ritual.
Spirituality Woven into Daily Life
Participating in this Balinese Hindu spiritual practice was a profound honor. It opened my eyes to how deeply spirituality is woven into daily Balinese life. I saw a temple or shrine in front of every home or business. As the small van shuttled me and my travelling companions around the island, I witnessed business owners presenting offerings at their shrines, placing flowers on their doorsteps and bowing in reverence.
Science of Mind (SOM), a spiritual philosophy that teaches the Divine is present in and through all life, encourages us to honor all paths to the Divine, and what better way to honor a different path than to dive in and fully participate in what they hold sacred.
Seeking Meaning Through a Science of Mind Lens
We traveled to different parts of the island to visit Temples significant to the people of Bali. After a couple of these ceremonies, I asked myself, “How do I make this ritual meaningful to me and my Science of Mind belief system?” Science of Mind has no such rituals, and the first time I did the blessing it felt interesting, but strange. Why put flowers on top of my head? Behind my ears? I was trying to make sense of this practice.
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An Aha Moment at Gunung Kawi Sebatu
The answer came to me when we visited Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple, honoring Saraswati, Goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Just as I put the flowers on top of my head, I had my AHA! moment.
“OH! I AM the offering. My thoughts are the offering.” As I moved to put the flowers behind my ears, I understood it was about listening to Divine guidance, Divine intuition, becoming aware of my own thoughts. We say “change your thinking, change your life.” But to change anything I must be aware of what I am thinking. I must listen to my own thoughts. As I raised my hands one more time to place the multi-colored flowers on my head, I knew that I Am a manifestation of the Divine. God experiences life through me, as me, and through every other creation, uniquely.
Discovering Unity Across Spiritual Traditions
In that moment, I experienced the full alignment of the Balinese blessing ceremony with the principles of Science of Mind. I realized that honoring other spiritual traditions doesn’t dilute my own faith — it deepens it. Each new experience becomes a mirror, reflecting the universal truth that the Divine lives through all paths, all people, and all practices. In the heart of a Bali blessing, I found something that was not foreign at all. Instead, it was something profoundly familiar: the presence of Spirit within me.
About the Author:
Elaine Ocasio, RScP, believes that every journey is both an outer adventure and an inner pilgrimage. A student of Science of Mind, she finds joy in discovering the sacred in unexpected places — and in sharing those discoveries to inspire others on their path. She recently returned from a Spirit Tours journey to Bali and was inspired to share her experiences with our readers.