In an attempt to redefine the agricultural way of life and elevate the perception of farming to the youth the Bindu Healing Center (BHC) is a model of land preservation based on permaculture principles. Bali’s beautiful rice paddies are loved the world over and are an icon of what we imagine a tropical paradise looks like, but few tourists really understand what they represent in terms of the Balinese culture and the fragile ecosystem they coexist in. What is unseen by most is the ancient wisdom that’s now almost forgotten, agricultural land that is being lost at a rate of 700 hectares per year to tourism projects and the desire of the young generation of Balinese to be seen as modern, not poor farmers. It is about the loss of land ownership by the Balinese and all it represents. Bali is at a critical point in trying to maintain their traditional agricultural way of life in the midst of mounting pressures from mass tourism. The younger Balinese generation are increasingly moving away from farming looking for more modern opportunities. The precious and sacred land in Bindu, has been owned by the Pemilik family for generations since 1775. The Pemilik family holds a prominent position in the leadership of Bindu as they were one of the founding families the family compound is referred to as the “mother house” of the village which reflects the many responsibilities that come with it and has been used for spiritual healing from the beginning; the family are responsible for providing spiritual healing to the community. BHC aims to educate and offers experiential learning opportunities, and at the same time strengthen Balinese culture and tradition. Fundamental to the BHC’s spiritual power are 30 lontars, entrusted to the Pemilik family. Lontars are ancient palm leaf manuscripts which represent not only a physical artefact, but also a connection to the spiritual world. The beautiful etching, which is itself an endangered art form, is typically done in a mixture of Sanskrit from the lontar’s Indian roots and Kawi, an old Javanese language. While lontars are regarded as sacred texts, the manuscripts were also used to record everything from birth records, epic stories, poetry and even cock fighting. Bindu’s lontars which have been passed down through their family for generations, are referred to as lontar usada which contains ancient information about traditional medicine. Unfortunately, the information contained in the lontars in many cases, as is true at Bindu, is no longer accessible as most Balinese cannot speak or read Kawi. So while a great source of ancient wisdom resides in the form of lontars, lovingly kept in Bindu’s temple and celebrated each Saraswati Day (the goddess of knowledge), it is in fact knowledge that is primarily symbolic and is at great risk of being lost. With the help of the Hancaraka Society, a Balinese organisation dedicated to popularising lontars with Balinese youth Bindu’s lontars are beginning to be translated beginning with Buda Kecapi or ethics for Balians and Usada Rare, herbal treatments for children. Of utmost importance is that the Pemilik family, as keepers of the lontars, retain control over how to utilise this knowledge and who should have access. Critical to maintaining this control over their indigenous knowledge is the community maintaining control over their land, resources and communities. Bindu Healing Center offers many different modalities of healing together with acupuncture, plant medicine and remedies. Services are offered by Pak Gusti Balian (Bagus) and other visiting healers and practitioners. The site includes a permaculture herb garden used for herbal medicine, cultivation Mangkok rice cultivation as well as vegetables and fruit. The aim is to set up a farm to table warung in the near future. Not only can people come and learn about permaculture and sustainability they can also enjoy a wonderful meal with produce from the land. Treks, ceremonies, classes and workshops around medicinal herbs, permaculture, spirituality, healing, meditation and yoga are all on offer. Accommodation is also available for longer retreats in the family compound and at homestays with families in Bindu. BHC works closely with Nadis Herbal, and will eventually produce remedies and herbal personal care products.
