Dasa Vayu Retreat is led by Mangku Made Subur. He was born in October 1966 in the village of Jatiluwih, Tabanan regency. Made is the 3rd child of 4 siblings. His mother, who came from a long-line of Balinese healers, passed away when Made was 2 years old. In a short period of time, his father left the four young children in the loving care of his maternal grandmother to return to his village where he remarried.
As a young child Made experienced the gift of healing and spiritual awareness. When many strange things and occurrences happened to him, people believed he had mental health problems. No one knew or understood what was actually happening with young Made.
Throughout his adolescent and young adult years, Made became a hard worker, persistent, determined and self-centered. He was an intelligent young man who attended university with a focus in economics, while at the same time working in a bank to support himself. In university Made met and married the love of his life, Ni Nyoman Sumiartini who was also studying. They were later married in 1991 and had a daughter, Dewi in 1991 and later a son, Agus, in 1995. Made obtained a second degree in social communications during this period as well.
Made advanced on a career path in the banking field. In fact he had a good career and a perfect family with a lovely wife and 2 healthy children. Still, Made was dissatisfied and not happy. He was stressed due to work and, being an emotional person, he never had time for his family.
His grandmother and brothers became most concerned about him and were convinced of the reasons for his stress and his differentness. They learned more about the family history and understood that the job of being a healer or shaman (Balian in Balinese) was a family tradition and had been passed along from generation to generation on his mother’s side.
They believed that Made inherited this ability and therefore believed he should take over the work and family responsibility of being a balian. However, Made being a practical banker, did not believe in shamanism and all it entailed. Made ignored his family warnings that he would have ongoing problems if he continued to ignore what they felt was his destiny.
In 2000 the bank where he worked became bankrupt and he lost his job. The resulting economic situation became even more stressful. He was also concerned that his wife had married a banker, not a shaman. However, after consulting with specific and renowned spiritual advisors himself, Made finally came to believe and understand that being a shaman was his destiny. And he started doing shamanic work. He has developed his healing methods primarily from dreams.
His healing and shaman gifts involve water purification ceremonies, palm readings, traditional herbal medications, yoga and meditation. He also uses the teachings of traditional Bali that is called Dasa Vayu, and hence the name of the retreat centre, which focuses on the channeling of divine energy. In 2008, Made started to travel around the world to teach yoga and to further his spiritual journey.
It turns out that this work has provided him with a better career and a more stable economic life for his family, than when he worked in a bank. Also, he has been offered opportunities to work overseas with an appreciable remuneration. However, Made has chosen to remain in Bali with his family and dedicate his life to people who visit, consult and work with him in Bali.
Once Made decided to devote himself to the public, he has felt the happiness of life without stress. With a lot of support from his family and close spiritual advisors, we can see Made as he is now: a man who dedicates his life to serve people.
