It is best to ignore this incorrect terminology. Pengiwa is exercised by people in order to control forces in the world of spirits and to focus these forces upon other people. The predominant Balinese religion is described as Hinduism, or Balinese Hinduism, the latter term implying that it is not the same as Hinduism as it is practiced in India. It is true that Hindu principles underlie much of Balinese religion. But, it is a mistake to ignore the very great effect upon Balinese culture of animism.
Animism is the pattern of belief that all objects in the universe have spirits.
These objects may be people, other living things such as plants or animals, or objects that most people would consider as being inanimate, such as rocks, the sea, the wind, clouds, and so on. Further, the spirits that these objects possess can communicate with each other and can thereby influence their behavior. We should understand that Balinese people live in two kinds of worlds at the same time. There is the real, tangible world of things that we can see and feel and measure and weight. This is the sekala world.