sanghyang

Sanghyang is a term used in Balinese and broader Javanese Hinduism to refer to sacred trance states in which a deity or ancestral spirit is believed to possess a human devotee or dancer. The word, rooted in older Sanskrit-derived vocabulary, denotes something holy or divine and is applied to both the divine being and the person who acts as its medium during the ritual.

In practice, Sanghyang rituals are conducted under the supervision of a priestly authority, often a local temple officer or priest. The participant, usually a dancer, enters a trance that is understood to enable direct communication with the sacred. During the trance, the dancer may speak, perform movements, or enact behaviors attributed to the possessing spirit. Afterward, the dancer typically recovers from the possession, sometimes with a period of purification or rest, and may have little or no recall of the event.

Two well-known forms of Sanghyang are Sanghyang Dedari and Sanghyang Jaran. Sanghyang Dedari involves two young girls who are believed to be chosen by the deity to perform the ritual and deliver blessings to the community. Sanghyang Jaran is a trance dance performed by a male dancer, who is believed to be possessed by a deity or ancestral spirit; the performance is marked by ceremonial music and specific ritual protocols. The practice is closely tied to temple calendars, healing rites, and the purification of communities, and it remains a culturally significant, though increasingly rare, expression of Balinese spirituality.