I don’t think Cakoda is well known to foreigners but he seems to be quite popular with the local people who live there. He came highly recommended from our driver Marti who had heard about his healings through the grape vine. Of course everyone knows of Ketut (see previous blogs) from the Julia Roberts movie “Eat Pray Love”, but this seems to have brought people to Bali who are interested in seeking out other healers and sooth-sayers.
We arrive at the residence and healing center of Cakoda. Like Ketut’s place and many other beautiful Bali residences, they are not typical houses in the US. They are more like sprawling complexes, with several buildings for different family members all within a walled garden and usually a small temple or alter and several statues of the Hindu Gods. For instance each of the bedrooms may be separate small buildings and the kitchen maybe a separate building. Cakoda’s was beautiful, with lovely ornate buildings and lots of outdoor living space and verandas. Cakoda’s spread also seemed to include memorials.
As we wandered through these beautiful tranquil grounds we came a across a small gathering on a raised patio. A group of about 10 sat cross legged in a semi-circle attention focused on the healer. He is a beautiful thin man with shoulder length grey hair. Older but clearly in high energy and good health. His energy was soothing and loving. He was wearing all white and with bare feet.
He was working on a client. First he checked several points on her head and seemed to touch meridian lines and pressure points. From these points and perhaps psychic insight he told her about some issue she had and some vitamins she should consider. Then he asked her to line on a mat. He took what looked like a black liquor chopstick and ran it gentle over her body as if marking lines over her energy body. Then he used the “chopstick” on her toes.
I was ushered by a “volunteer” to sit with the group. It appeared he was taking clients one at a time as they arrived. There was a steady stream of new comers, always about 10 people waiting. I saw some placing a monetary donation in a box beside. The typical amount was about $20. I was told the money went to charity to help at a local children’s school (as well as some money for him to live off).
Two small Shitsu dogs wandered up from the garden. They checked me out, walked over me and made a bee line to sit under Cokoda’s chair. Clearly they were helping with the healing sessions.
It was my turn and I went to greet this beautiful healer. He motioned me to sit in front of him and he started to press certain pressure points on my head neck and face. He felt the groove behind my ears and checked my throat, given comments like “Yes, that is fine, a little bit there, this should be ok…oh here,.. here is an issue.” He pressed on a point on the top of my skull and I almost leapt off the floor. Yes he had found “spot” whatever that meant. He spoke good English, even with a strong accent there was no need for a translator.
“What can I do for you?” he asked. I told him I was pretty healthy, a little help with my eye would be nice. “That’s that point here.” He said as he pushed the same point on my skull.
“Owch.”
“This is where the block is.” He said
He motioned for me to lay down. He touched points on my face and with the “chopstick” he seemed to run meridian lines and stop at certain pressure points on my body. Then he took the end of the chopstick and firmly pressed it into deliberate spots on my toes.
“This should be good, this should be fine, now this one is going to hurt a bit.” He forewarned me as he was correct again and I almost leapt off the mat. He drew some imaginary lines over my body as if to do psychic surgery. And when he retested the chopstick on my toe this time it was much more bearable. I was certainly convinced some kind of block had been removed.
He then sat back on his chair with me sitting in front of him. He instructed me to open my jaw wide. He then took a finger in each of my ears. I felt my ears open up and his finger slide all the way in under the jaw bone and inside my mouth cavity. He asked me to close my jaw. I did and something clearly popped. An interesting chiropractic move I thought. Strange thing was when I tried to do that to myself there is no way you could get a finger in that far, none of my fingers were thin enough to go in that far and his had easily slid all the way through.
I told him I had names of many people from back home and many people would be watching who would love to get some of this beautiful energy at a distance. I had brought some Buddha beads and volcanic stones and asked if he could bless them. He smiled and at that he climbed high on a shelf behind him to get out a glass bottle of oil. He had me hold the objects in my hand as he carefully placed a drop of oil on each one and then rubbed it with intent. It smelled like Frankincense but I didn’t ask. He looked focused.
I was honored Cakoda has spent a lot of time on me. I thanked him and wished him many blessings. What a beautiful soul I thought.
I stayed around for a few minutes to talk to others. The people today I’d seen seemed to have minor ailments and were there for a “spiritual checkup.” It was obvious several had been before. I was told stories of friends of theirs who had been cured of cancer or received other miraculous healings. All talked about his gentle soul, loving energy and of how his passion was his children’s school charity.