Saput Poleng cloth ( the Indonesian ‘Yin Yang’) wrapped around a demon guard outside a temple in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

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From Kalpavriksha: The ancient Balinese and Javanese wisdom teaches that there is no joy without sorrow, no night without day. They understand that there will always be good and bad in the world and in everyone. The Balinese will for example never celebrate too excessively because they know that good things and happiness will eventually be balanced by their opposite. They embrace differences because these create harmony and balance. This principle, called Rwa Bhineda is represented by the black and white squares of the saput poleng (saput means ‘blanket’, poleng means ‘two-toned’). The alternating black and white squares symbolize the coexistence of opposites and the ultimate goal of harmony. Just as the Chinese people have Yin and Yang, Rwa Bhineda is basically a manifestation of the universe’s balance in Indonesian Hinduism.

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Size: 4000px × 6000px
Location: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Photo credit: © Bert de Ruiter / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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