Nyepi Day / Balinese New Year – Annually in March
Nyepi is the Balinese New Year where everything literally stops which means no cars, motor bikes and the Airport is closed on the Nyepi Day. All people are not permitted to go out into the streets and there are fines for those who do not respect this rule. On This day Ashram devotees practice silence and fasting to celebrate the new year.
Ashram Munivara Nyepi (Day of Silence and Fasting)
Ashram Munivara requests guests to check into the Ashram at least 2 days prior to the Nyepi Day of Silence. This is required so you can best orientate yourself and prepare for silence, fasting and spiritual practice as well to understand the schedule for Nyepi day and the etiquette of the Ashram. The local Balinese students of the Ashram will join after the Ogoh Ogoh parade and sleep up in the open pavilion of the inner holy sanctum area. We will start prayer together the evening before Nyepi at around 10pm till Midnight. Midnight silence and fasting begins.
NYEPI PROGRAM
Day Before Nyepi and Ogoh Ogoh Parade
Ogoh Ogoh are monster like statues that are carried by the young people through the streets of Bali in a parade. The central location for the largest (and most popular) ogoh-ogoh parade in Ubud is at the soccer field on Monkey Forest Rd. Head there around 5pm to see the incredible sculptures. Each village is getting more and more competitive every year in the creation of their elaborate monsters. The ogoh-ogoh’s are usually (arrangements may change each year) paraded on the soccer field and then carried down Monkey Forest Road where they ‘compete’ against one another in a simulated fight.
Due to the ogoh ogoh parade there will not be our regular New Moon Puja. The Ashram local disciples come to the Ashram after the ogoh ogoh parade around 10pm and stay overnight to join the practice of silence, fasting, meditation and inward reflection on the silent day. Silence and fasting begins at 12 midnight.
Nyepi Day – New Years Day and full day of silence and fasting
No lights, No cooking or fire, No cars, motor bikes and No people out in the streets starts at 5am on the Nyepi day. No talking, reading, writing or texting on phones, no social media allowed. Fasting and Silence starts from midnight of the New Moon and goes till the closing ceremony on the following morning at 5am . Nyepi day in the Ashram is complete silence, fasting and meditation. There can be a choice of fasting methods to suite any your personal needs.
Closing Nyepi – 5am
Agni Hotra (fire puja) is practiced on the following morning in the Ashram at 5am to close the Nyepi day of silences and fasting. The closing puja is lead by the Guru of the Ashram.
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