Our Gentle Journey Through Bali and Java Indonesia – By Jason Davis

I was fortunate to be able to go on a transformative trip to Indonesia with Master Ou in May 2015. It was a special trip because it marked the 20th anniversary of Pangu Shengong being taught there. I am grateful to have met so many incredible students and for their warm hospitality and enthusiasm in showing us their wonderful country.

Our first stop was the mystical island of Bali. Set against the background of beautiful rice patties and volcanic mountainsides a beautiful backdrop of luscious greenery surrounded us on our bus tour of the countryside. I was told that Bali is sometimes given the nickname of “God Island” and after visiting it I can see why. Every home contains at least one small temple or shrine and each village contains several larger temples. Spirituality seems to permeate the culture on all levels.

We stayed in a hotel in the city of Denpasar. The hotel itself had a peaceful calming effect on me. The grounds surrounding the hotel contained Koi ponds and vibrantly flowering bushes and trees. I was also struck at how genuine and present many of the Balinese people were. I have never encountered such calm, gentle and welcoming people before. The smiles when talking with us were full of warmth. There was a calm soft gentleness to the way they spoke and I really appreciated how sincere they were.

After we spent a few days in Bali we moved onto Java Island and the city of Bandung. I noticed that on my first car ride in the city of Bandung that I felt tense inside. The sheer volume of traffic and the chaotic nature of it was overwhelming at first. People driving in-between lanes and coming from all angles. Scooters everywhere and whole families riding on a single scooter. After a while I was able to ease into the ebb and flow of it. Despite an apparent lack of strict road rules the traffic seemed to flow like a river and the people were quite courteous to each other. Somehow the system seemed to work naturally and automatically. At the end of the trip Master Ou asked the Westerners that were on the trip if we could drive in such a place. We all laughed and shook our heads saying “No”. He told us if we were calm and peaceful enough inside we certainly could do it.

I really enjoyed spending time with the Bandung Pangu Shengong students. I instantly felt comfortable and at ease with them. They often told me that they didn’t speak English very well but as it turned out they actually spoke it very well. I found that the students in Indonesia are very dedicated to their practice and enjoy singing Master Ou’s songs. We attended a large luncheon with around 150 Bandung students in which Master Ou lectured and sang his newest songs. We were asked by the local students to briefly explain our healing experiences from practicing Pangu Shengong to the crowd.

The local students took us to a cultural show called Udjo. Once again I enjoyed the enchanting nature of the traditional Indonesian music. I also marveled at how beautifully dressed everyone performing in the show was. The dances were full of elegance and grace. All of a sudden I felt a tap on my shoulder and I was told to look down at my left side. I was amazed to see that a tiny kitten had fallen asleep and was leaning against me. I didn’t even notice it approach because of the show going on. Seeing that innocent kitten sleeping next to me really softened my heart and I was filled with a caring gentleness. This seemed to be a recurring theme for me on this trip.

For our last stop on the trip we travelled to Surabaya. I was excited to see this place because I have always enjoyed Master Ou’s song about Surabaya. I was not disappointed and really enjoyed meeting and hanging out with the local Pangu Shengong students. They were really funny and full of smiles. All in all it was wonderful to meet them and joke around with them.

At our hotel in Surabaya, Master Ou did a small lecture for the Pangu Shengong instructors that had travelled from all over Indonesia. We were informed that some of them would be late for the meeting because their flight had been delayed. Master Ou asked some of his students from China to sing the song “Big Family”. I could really feel the strong sentiment in their singing. As they finished the song the delayed students arrived and I felt a feeling of excitement at seeing them again. There were instructors from Bali, Bandung, and Surabaya that we had encountered earlier on our travels. Despite the fact that I had only met these people for a few days at various stages of the trip I felt happy to see them again and it felt like a reunion of sorts.

On the last night of our trip there was a dinner celebration commemorating the 20th anniversary of Pangu Shengong in Indonesia. There were approximately 200 students in attendance that had traveled from all over Indonesia. People from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds were in attendance. Some people in the audience understand Mandarin Chinese but others only speak the Bahasa language. Despite all of these differences everyone had found great value in practicing Pangu Shengong. This happy event was the best way to top off the wonderful trip we had been on.

More articles:
Jason: Master Ou’s Jan 2014 Birthday Celebration in Macau
Jason: Pangu Shengong 2013 Advanced Retreat, Rhode Island
Jason: Well-being and Contentment in my Life