December 12, 2019

Alternative Approaches to Traditional Beekeeping in Bali

December 12, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

The traditional Balinese methods for harvesting honey are not larvae and hive growth supportive. While the general practice is to only harvest 40% or less of the hive, because of the fact that wild Balinese bees build their hives such that brood cells and honey cells are in the same area of the hive - generally the bottom two thirds are brood cells with larvae and the top third are the honey cells. This differs greatly from western honeybees that build their brood cells in a separate part of the hive from the honey storage cells. As such, the traditional Balinese methods to harvest honey simply include removing the entire section of honeycomb - both brood cells and honey cells - and processing all of it. The honey is extracted and the brood cells are boiled and the larvae are eaten. If new extraction methods can be achieved, hopefully honey harvesting can be done without destroying the larvae or the existing honeycomb, which will hopefully improve hive health and increase honey production.

Read our entire research here

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October 01, 2019

Exotic animals, trees and fauna

October 01, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

Being in Bali allows you to get acquainted with various exotic animals, trees and fauna. Here, at Jiwa Damai we do have some incredible inhabitants. Today I would like to introduce you to the sacred Temple snake.

According to Balinese beliefs she lives in the temples and blesses them and is sacred. She lives in between the roof and the ceiling in one of our houses and is early seen. The last sign was a snake skin hanging in a tree close to the area, which meant she has grown and was shedding. Usually she goes out to hunt every 10 days or so, to catch a frog or mouse meal. She then returns to her quarters to digest and is not seen for another week or more. She does hunt at night and that is when we can catch a glimpse of her. She is shiny black and has beautiful yellow rings around her slim body. usually she is curious and will look at you for a while before moving on. According to the general information about her kind, she is lightly poisonous and her bite can cause some swelling. We have never heard of anyone being bitten.

Here at Jiwa Damai we respect all beings, and as it is we are taking the living space away from these beings. Therefore a respect and honoring of these creatures is appropriate.

September 09, 2019

Cloves

September 09, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

Cloves, once the most valuable spices in the today Indonesian, then called the spice islands, sought after by the Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and others.

Today the cloves are still sought after her in Bali because of their high quality.

The clove tree harvest begins in the northern part of the Bali island which is covered in clove trees during the dry season when the tree is blooming for some time. It represents the main income for the local Balinese, this season. It lasts about 2 months and everyone in the family is involved.

The trees are climbed by each family member, mother daughter, father, son and whoever is available. Small branches and leaves which came with the harvesting are removed, and the actual clove is shines brilliant in its many colors. Once dried it turns a beautiful brown. The most amazing thing is its incredible fragrance during the drying process and after.

The cloves are used for cooking spices, here the local people use it as a medicine mixed with raw coconut oil. Now the clove are extracted and become the wonderful clove essential oil. this can be used for diffusion, and many other ailments.

June 11, 2019

The internship: Each day was different from another.

June 11, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

Hi everyone! My name is Jana, I’m Russian-Estonian living and studying in Denmark. I’m yoga teacher and therapist but came to Jiwa Damai for an internship as a part of my Danish education (Global Nutrition and Health).

When I chose Jiwa Damai I didn’t really know what to expect. I thought I’ll study permaculture and teach yoga but eventually it turned out to be so much more.

First of all, the place where Jiwa Damai is located is just magical. Peaceful and tranquil, surrounded by lush vegetation. People who are working here and other volunteers and interns make this place even more special. We were always together, chatting and laughing. Here you’re literally fell yourself like home.

I also feel grateful and blessed to had an opportunity to be supervised by Margret. She is a super women. Her life and professional experience is countless (and priceless). She was directing me throughout my entire stay - explaining, giving suggestions and recommendations about my project. What I really liked about her supervision is that she was interested in finding ways to make the internship valuable and beneficial for ME.

During my 2,5 months stay I was doing my own project of retreat center. I was learning how to manage, maintain and promote it. I learned different aspects of running your own center in another country. I learned how to do permaculture design and how to be responsible and sustainable in what you’re doing.

Each day was different from another.

Some days I was working more in the garden: making compost, preparing soil and planting seeds. Some days I was more focused on paper and computer work. Some parts of my project also involved traveling around, meeting with a culture, observing different places and getting inspiration from them.

But what was even more valuable is my personal transformation. I feel myself more calm and peaceful after almost 3 months here. I got some clarity about things I want to do in my future, I got inspired and ready to create new things.

I recommend this place to everyone who want to learn more about permaculture and sustainable living. Who is ready to transform, get inspired and immerse into Balinese culture. I had so much fun and gained so much knowledge! I couldn’t wish for a better place for my internship.

Thank you Jiwa Damai and Margret for a life-changing experience

April 13, 2019

The challenges of making our own coconut oil

April 13, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

A specialized climber needs to be hired to take down the ripest nuts, which can be used for producing the cold pressed famous health food coconut oil.

Our climber goes up the tree with bare hands an feet and can climb 15 trees in one day. After which the nuts are each opened by hand from the outer shell and then the inner shell and the meat removed by hand as well.

After which the grating procedure and making of the oil can begin. See our coconut movie on the complete production .

March 16, 2019

The temple snake

March 16, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

This beautiful snake with its yellow rings is considered sacred by the Balinese. it lives mainly in the the,plus and is called the temple snake. Having this snake in your house under the roof is considered a blessing. It show itself on the average once a week coming down from the roof to go hunting for food. Its main food are the frogs it finds around the ponds.It nourishes itself from mice as well.

We have a special approach to the snakes here. Since we are the ones taking the living space away from them, we are respecting and honoring them. The Balinese do make offering for the snakes at the house temples. This way a peaceful co-existence is initiated.

January 21, 2019

The pineapple harvest

January 21, 2019/ Jiwa Damai

We wish you an interesting, fascinating and at moments peaceful 2019!

How to ride the waves of all these various global and local and personal events will be the challenge. All points to many changes and new approaches and discoveries. On this note, we will remain with the first item in our gardens, the incredible wealth of our pineapple growth and harvest. The sweetness of its taste. What a difference.

This year’s harvest of pineapples stretches for several months. we grow two types, a Javanese and a smaller Balinese one which is of an exquisite sweetness. After being cut from the plant, which is left to grow another fruit, the tops are removed and replanted and will grow into another pineapple. We have several ways of using the delicious fruit. one, to open and eat. One of our kitchen fairies, Jani, made for the first time a pineapple marmalade , trying out with sugar and with stevia as a sweetener. Made and Nyoman dry the pineapple slices and package them to sell and replant the removed tops in the garden..

December 05, 2018

The new born star

December 05, 2018/ Jiwa Damai

Here we have the new born star creating a future world. Having spent several months together at Jiwa Damai, two years ago, Romina and Vali married and now have this beautiful son. Congratulations, many blessings and much gratitude. We would like to extend this to the Mama as well, since Romina has been our steady support for the past 2 years with Jiwa Damai website, blog and Facebook.

November 20, 2018

A Journey into My Life – Emily Ren

November 20, 2018/ Jiwa Damai

When King Lear asks the blind Gloucester how he sees the world, Shakespeare has him say,””I see it feelingly”.

Travelling through all these years, I found myself always attached to the nature deeply somewhere inside of me. It is not only about green mountains and the blue ocean. Even though I took a lot of time and energy carrying my heavy photography equipment, hiking miles after miles, waiting in the freezing night, just to take a picture of starry milky way. Whenever I look up at the countless stars in space, I would be always awed by the magnificence of universe and could not stop crying. The vast ocean of stars can always carry infinite imagination. How beautiful this great nature is, and how small we as individuals are.

Herbal garden at Jiwa Damai

November 19, 2018/ Jiwa Damai

At this time, at the beginning of the raining season, all is blooming and growing in leaps and bounds. See some of the pics…

We are nearly fully self-sufficient at Jiwa Damai, excluding the electricity. our watering systems are working via gradual flow form the highest area to the lowest. This year we have an extraordinary pineapple year. As soon as a pineapple is harvest , we are replanting the top green part of the fruit immediately. We also began anew herbal garden with 22 different herbs as well as a new medicinal garden with medicinal plants and are researching the healing qualities of the herbs as well as the medicinal plants. In general most of the plants for food in the garden also have healing and medicinal qualities.

Basically our whole garden is a healing field of plants and trees. From the Moringa trees, we dry and make powder, to the mint, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric and rosella we use as teas or smoothies, all have special healing qualities.