BUILD YOUR HOME WITH THE BALINESE VERSION OF FENG SHUI

A SHELTER IS ONE OF THE BASIC PRIMARY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SURVIVE.

And for us contemporary people, house-hunting is easy enough because all we need is space and a roof to shelter us from the weather. But some cultures will take great care in ensuring their home provide beyond those (simple) needs.

Take, for example, a real Balinese house: in one area of land, you will find separate, modest buildings that hold its specific functions. Pamerajan is a sacred site where the inhabitants use to pray, umah menten is reserved for the elderly, bale tiang is to greet visitors, bale sakepat is to house the junior members of the family, bale dangin is for ceremonial purposes, paon is the kitchen, and lumbung is the barn.

Interestingly, their measuring method simply uses their hands, such as the distance between the thumb and forefinger (or hasta) or outstretch arm (musti). This method is inscribed in an old literature written on lontar leaves entitled Asta Kosala Kosali, which is like the Balinese version of feng shui.

Talk to any Balinese regarding direction and they will tell you in the direction of the wind— and the same rule applies to the philosophy behind their architecture. The kitchen (paon) must be in the south because it’s where the fire is burning, prayer site is in the east where the sun rises, and the well faces the north where the mountains reside.

Of course, some houses are now built in a modern look but head to remote regions (say, Ubud) then you’ll still find more of these philosophies applied to houses, a manifestation of man’s connection to nature.