The Balinese holy bathing ritual - not your regular bath!

Our paradise home Bali is called the island of the Gods for a reason; it is a very spiritual place. The Balinese believe in the power of nature, spirits, the good and bad karma. One of the many traditions that we always find fascinating is their purification ritual called Melukat (read: meh-loo-kut).

Melukat comes from the word "lukat," which means “to let go of something within us” in Balinese. As the name suggests, the purpose of this ritual is to cleanse our mind, body, and soul from negative influences and wash away all of our bad luck. Some also believe that melukat can cure heartache and make you feel good. 

This ritual is usually done in holy spring water or a place of worship. At the start of it, you will be blessed by a Balinese Hindu priest. Don't worry; you don't need to be religious to experience this procession. You will be guided to each step of the purification, and at the end, you will be given a tricolor bracelet called Tridatu. This bracelet will protect you from bad energy, and you should wear it until it falls off your wrist by itself.