The smallest offering, known as baten jotan, is a small bit of palm leaf sprinkled with rice. The most common offerings, canang sari (above), are offered to the gods many times throughout the day with a prayer for prosperity. Before the offerings are given, incense is lit and water is collected as tirta amerta (holy water) to sprinkle over the offering. The incense is set with the offering and a prayer is made. A small offering of flowers known as a kwangen is used in ceremony during group prayers. The kwangen is often held to the heart or to the center of the forehead and prayers are symbolically made from the "heart-center" and the "third-eye" center. By placing a flower to the heart, one can make a prayer and offer the flower symbolically to the gods. The gebogan (right) are offerings carried on the heads of balinese women. They are made with layers of cakes, flowers and fruits.

Offerings are tools of communication to the invisible forces that govern the universe. They contain the "essence" (sari) of life and each bit within the offering has a purpose and signifies aspects of the universe, including aspects of the human body, the male and female forces, and the elements of creation, namely earth, air, water, fire and ether. The offering is a "microcosm" of the "macrocosm", the universe.

There are many places in Ubud that offer courses in making Balinese offerings.

The UbudVibe.com Directory has many offerings for you, including courses on how to make Balinese offerings!