National Geographic Travelさんのインスタグラム写真 - (National Geographic TravelInstagram)「Photo by @joshuacogan / Wandering in the rural areas outside Ubud, I followed a side road down toward a river I had crossed at a few other points farther upstream. As I came down the switchbacks toward the valley floor I saw a gathering of motorcycles and people dressed for a ceremony that was just beginning. After some discussion with the men gathered at the edge, I was informed that it was a consecration of a new bridge that had been rebuilt by the village, that the old one had proven to be quite dangerous and had caused injury and death. Thereby for the well-being of the community, the spirits needed to be honored and given homage. Ceremonies like this in Bali are done in small and large ways throughout the island, as Balinese Hinduism in practice is often about balancing the forces of good and evil. There is not such belief that evil can be permanently extinguished but that through systems of blessing and spiritual work it can be managed. This organizing of the spirit realm often aligns with geography as well, with people organizing households and villages themselves according to directional relationships of sacred and profane. The blessing of the self, the household, and then the wider zones around one’s home or village are community efforts that require collective intentions and interventions. For this ceremony, as many others, members of the community spend hours creating offerings that are then transported to the altars set up around the area of intention. Smoke, prayer, presence, and practices guided by priests seek great well-being for all. As we head into the new year, I am holding these intentions in my own heart, and to see how I may honor what is near. For more images of ritual and faith in Indonesia and throughout the world, follow me @joshuacogan. #sacredspaces」1月21日 4時37分