My experience at Goa Gajah today was amazing. This is the sacred temple dedicated to the elephant. A temple said impart wisdom. In fact for hundreds of years monks came he to meditate to learn healing and spirituality. It is said they simply prayed here to receive all the insight they needed. Of course they would mediate here for 2 or 3 years not for a day! Still in one day you can still feel this sacred energy.
I was given a sari to wear to cover my legs, as were anyone in shorts or knee length skirts.
The temple dates back to the eleventh century when King Sri Astasura Ratna Bumi Banten was in power.
On the grounds is a sacred healing water. The energy is that powerful! You are invited to the healing pools where stone goddesses pour water over your wading feet. There are 6 statues. Apparently there were 7 representing the 7 major rivers. My friend entered the water and immediately began to weep. You can sit here and meditate to the lovely sound of gently pouring water. Large colorful coy fish swim around your feet.
There are several other alters, statues and places of workshop throughout the grounds.
The elephant cave probably the most spectacular. You enter through the mouth of the elephant, a carving into the elephant cave decorated with several scary looking creatures to ward off evil spirits. Within the cave are statues of the Gods from the 11th century. To the left is Ganesha, the elephant headed god. An alter is set up where many offerings have been laid. Here one can pray for guidance through obstacles.
Then to the right there are 3 big Lingga statues. You can actually touch these and of course pray to them. They look like three heads carved out of almost black stone. The details of the heads have been smoothed out over the hundreds of years people have worshiped them.
You can even meditate in the little alcoves where the monks meditated hundreds of years ago sitting on the same stone and feeling the same energy.
Another area of the grounds contained ruined stones from an older part of the temple now destroyed. Walking around these stone ruins I felt this area had some of the most powerful energy of the place.
I wished I could spend years here meditating….