Permaculture style pond
David, our volunteer from Spain, started mulching the edges of one of our ponds with cut dried grass planting according to permaculture principles, first low plants, watermelon, then tarot, and then bananas.
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Sol and Mom
Soul was the first baby born (in an underwater birth) in the Jiwa Damai health room in the Spring of 2012. Margret recently had the opportunity to meet with Soul and his parents, Miquela and Terry, in upstate New York to celebrate Soul's second birthday.
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The lily pond got a makeover recently. Volunteers and staff transplanted new lilies and gave the water a thorough cleaning, leaving us with a cleaner pond and lots of good organic matter for the gardens.
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The open-air yoga and meditation area got a fresh coat of paint last week just in time for a new group of guests.
We are currently enjoying our second flush of organic Jackfruit from the garden. The trees fruited a few months ago before Christmas and are again yielding mammoth fruits for us to savour. Parting the strong skin with a large knife and peeling out the fruit makes our hands very sticky, while providing a unique aroma and taste. We thinly slice some of the fruit to put in our dehydrator, so we can enjoy this delicious treat on the out-of-season months. The seeds can be chopped and roasted for salads, boiled and blended into a delicious rich hummus, or boiled in soups and stews.
Our pond fish enjoy eating the remaining Jackfruit flesh attached to the peel as a special seasonal treat and for some variation in their diet. Yes, pond fish love fruit too! You'll never have to throw away a peel again if you simply compost it or feed it to whatever friendly critters you have around.
You may see trees with large sacks hanging between the branches all over our garden. These are the young Jackfruit which we cover in order to protect from fruit flies that sting and destroy it. All fruit is enjoyed without using poisonous and harmful chemicals.
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Jackfruit seeds
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One of our most challenging and complicated issues is the pollution of the river which runs through Jiwa Damai. Much garbage and plastic is coming down our way. After putting up nets, and other barriers, we now built a solid fence which does not break and does not allow the plastic to go further. However, this implies that we have to daily put on our rubber gloves and clean the debris which are caught and fill them in large plastic bags to be picked up and taken to a landfill. Unfortunately there is no recycling of plastic yet in Bali.
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This is our Christmas tree at the entrance of our dining area. Our guests from Germany and Switzerland helped decorate the tree. And to do that they had to move into the water. We still keep it, you can come and check it out by yourself
Ketut Badung, our head gardener at Jiwa Damai invited the whole team and our volunteers to join him at his village in his compound to attend the wedding of his nephew.
Ketut in front of the altar
The altar in the background with all the Balinese offerings is made completely our of pork. This was prepared by the whole village and will also be eaten by the village later.
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The headdresses of the bride and the groom weigh about 5 kg each.
The clots are very beautiful and elaborate.
Guests come and go all day to bring gifts, mostly some money in an envelope to support the expenses.
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This was a wonderful event to witness and a beautiful opportunity to experience Balinese culture.
Terima Kasi!
Take a stroll around our expansive premise and visit the huge tropical forest. Enjoy the lush green vegetation and the fresh air. There is a lot to discover... tropical plants and trees, little animals as well as several beautiful spots for meditation and contemplation... A little pathway will lead you around...
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Teak Tree
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Summer vacations are approaching and many people begin to wonder where to spend their free time. How about a trip to the island of Bali ?
How about a stay at Jiwa Damai Retreat Center ?
We offer six spacious guest rooms with view into the gardens with their lush tropical vegetation. The rooms are beautifully decorated in a minimalist modern style and elegantly understated color schemes. Hand colored batiks, stone carvings and furniture reflect the wealth of the local arts and crafts.
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For nature lovers we offer accommodation in one of our three Balinese Lumbungs. These are traditional Balinese houses made of wood and bamboo. They offer rural comfort and are equipped with a private bathroom.
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Filled with natural spring water, our pool offers a refreshing swimming experience. Relax in the sun and cool down in the pool while you listen to the sounds of the teeming wildlife.
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For more information regarding packages and prices please visit our website:www.jiwadamai.net
Jiwa Damai is a hands-on, socially responsible organic garden and retreat center.
We are located amidst lush tropical vegetation in the heart of Bali (20 mins from Ubud).
