Bali Times
The media is the most powerful entity on earth,” said the American black militant leader Malcolm X, popular in the 1960s. For, in his own words, “They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
How does the media do this? How does it control the minds of the masses? By repeating one thing over and over. In the words of my very dear friend the late Dr Setiawan, a neurosurgeon par excellence, “The mind can be manipulated and controlled by intensive repetition.” (more…)
Others Media
There is a beautiful Sufi saying that, earlier “Sufi” did not exist as a term, but there were practicing Sufis everywhere. Now, the term “Sufi” exists, but there is hardly any true practitioner.
The same can be said about “multi-religious co-operation” and “interfaith dialogue”. Such terms were not popular earlier, but we had a genuine co-operation among people of different faiths, and there was harmony in society.
Now, the terms are popular, multi-religious and interfaith organizations are abounding, but true co-operation and harmony are missing. (more…)
Bali Times
Hardly? Impossible?
Not in Bali.
Here, science and the arts are not poles apart. Here, science and the arts are not opposed to each other. On this beautiful isle of gods, the two not only meet, but also complement each other.
This is the inner significance of Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge and Music. The Balinese are quite naturally drawn to this particular form of the Divine for She represents the totality of human experience. She is the very personification of power and beauty.
(more…)
Bali Times
We normally associate celebrations with noise, loud music, singing, partying and of course crowds of people.
Not so with the Balinese; not always.
Here, on this isle of gods, silence and solitude are celebrated too. Indeed, the most important celebration here is that of silence. (more…)
Bali Times
There is very famous Zen anecdote of a disciple asking his master, “Master, Master, what were you doing before your enlightenment?”
And, the Master answered, “I was tending my garden.”
“And,” the disciple asked again, “what did you do after your enlightenment?”
“Don’t you see,” the Master asked back, “I am still tending my garden.” (more…)
