Mecaru: A Balinese Ceremony to Maintain Harmony at Home

The Balinese believe in performing ceremonies to maintain the balance of the universe. This belief applies on a universal level and also in smaller contexts, such as within my family. Recently, I performed such a ceremony to restore balance in my small house. The aim was to remove sickness and negative energy lingering in my space.

The ceremony is called mecaru, and its purpose is to remove disruptive spirits by offering them something in return. I don’t fully understand the details, as that is the responsibility of the pemangku (the priest) who leads the ceremony. The idea is to ensure that any spirits or disturbances leave our home. This is one of the complexities of being Balinese—the priest explained that we must live in harmony with the spirits while also consulting the spirits of our ancestors to guide us in life.

Although I don’t completely grasp how it works, I have reason to believe in its effectiveness.

The ceremony began at midday. The priest and his assistant, who happened to be his wife, conducted the ritual. They prepared a variety of offerings made from coconut-leaf baskets filled with flowers, leaves, rice, and food. There were also bamboo shrines, a bamboo bell, a sweeper made of bamboo, and other items that I can’t find exact translations for in English.

The priest recited mantras, blending Balinese, Kawi (Old Javanese), and Sanskrit languages. My family and I were then blessed with holy water, which was sprinkled on us by the assistant. We also drank the holy water, which is ordinary water imbued with mantras and blessings from the gods and ancestors.

Next came the cleansing ritual. As a family, we were spiritually cleansed with holy water (young coconut water of different colors) and flowers of seven colors.

In summary, the ceremony is meant to remove bad luck and negative energy from our home. This practice is very common in Balinese tradition. With this cleansing, we hope to face whatever comes next in life with renewed strength and harmony.