JAVANESE MYSTICAL MOVEMENTS

Introduction

North Indian shaman

There are numerous forms of mysticism. The majestic grandeur of nature evoked an intuitive awe in man and a feeling of unity. Some time in history members of the homo sapiens species began directing their attention inside themselves as they received indications of a magical and spiritual nature.

In early cultures groups formed around a person who seemed through some strange play of nature be possessed with extraordinary powers and insights. Some call them medicine man, or shamans.

In modern culture mysticism is seen as the practice of communion and adoration of man of his divine nature.

It takes all forms, though. On this page an introduction to Javanese mysticism, the origins of which little is known as its early adherents committed little to writing.

ANTHROPOLOGY AND JAVANESE MYSTICAL MOVEMENTS

During the last decades Javanese mysticism has become more and more of interest to anthropologists. They base their books, articles, doctoral theses, etc. partly on Dutch studies during their colonial past, partly on their own observations during field-work. Java is particularly fascinating because its culture bears traces of various religions.

'Kresna', wayang puppet

The original religion of Java was animistic. Prevailing was the belief in powers, nature-spirits and souls of the deceased hidden in the unseen world. The selamatan is considered to be part of that folklore. This gathering is held at specific dates such as the third, seventh, fortieth, hundredth, and thousandth anniversary of the decease of a relative. The food eaten is meant to be a sacrifice for the soul of the dead person. After a thousand days the soul is supposed to have disintegrated or reincarnated. Prof.J.M.van der Kroef writes: "The homeostasis sought via the selamatan has an animistic background which is part of the Javanese cosmology: man is surrounded by spirits and deities, apparitions and mysterious supernatural forces, which, unless he takes the proper precautions, may disturb him or even plunge him into disaster."

Anthropologist Clifford Geertz divides the Javanese population in three main groups: the abangan, the priyayi and the santri. The Abangan (Agami Jawi) are nominal Muslim, but to a great extent they are guided by the ancient belief, the kejawen. Dr.S. de Jong: "Flora and fauna have like man a soul. The animal and vegetable soul is deeper sunk in material existence than the human soul. Therefore certain plants and animals may be harmful...The Godhead towers above in serene rest and offers no assistance. The abangan remain two possibilities: surrender -rela-, and worship -bekti. The primitive main concepts recur in 20th century mystical groups, may have never been absent."

In the 5th century Hinduism was introduced in Java and struck root. One thousand years later it was followed by Islam . The form of Islam that reached Java had already undergone Ishmaili Shi'ah influences. In Java it was again adapted to suit the existing Hindu and animistic elements. Sufi mysticism was embraced particularly, because it coincided with the existing way of thought. Sufi brotherhoods - tarekats - of the Sufi orders of Naqshabandiyya , Qadiriyya, and Shattariyya were formed and spread slowly.

Towards the middle of the 19th century opportunity arose for the Muslim population to have more contact with their fellow-believers. This led to a reform movement to rid Indonesian Islam of Hindu-Javanese elements. The Santri belong to this part of the population. They condemn such diversions as Wayang performances and selamatans. They reject the belief in the unity of man and God, in rasa(feeling) over akal(reason).

Eling, the deepest aspect of the inner life of the Javanese

Mysticism may be said to permeate Javanese life and consequently its vocabulary. Certain Javanese words are hard to understand for us in all their shades of meaning. One is "culture". Another is "jiwa," which may mean life, but also enthusiasm, spirit, inner self, thought, feeling, mentality, essence, and implication.

Eling (pronounced "ailing") is another one of these frequently used terms that defy translation. The word can only be understood by looking at its context. Javanese will understand it intuitively. It may mean "one of the jiwa's powers", "an ethical value", or "a level of depth in religious awareness".

Eling as one of the jiwa's powers

Another meaning of "eling" is a return to consciousness after fainting.

Eling as an ethical value

Self control to the Javanese is of high value, if not the highest. In this context, eling has more the meaning of consciousness than remembering. It refers to a high level of self-awareness that enables the individual to observe and control all movements of the self, both inner and outer - its actions, words, and thoughts. By being on guard we enable ourselves to remain in the state of eling

In his life the Javanese must be willing and able to see into the depths of everything he encounters and to remain always in a state of eling. It requires the highest level of awareness to observe and maintain control over all the movements of the outer and inner selves. This involves two-way traffic. Being in a state of eling his words and thoughts will attract attention as being important and thus will be heeded.

He will be prevented from falling for the five forbidden things: getting drunk, smoking, opium, stealing, gambling, and whoring. Not only that, he will be saved from an overly materialistic outlook of desiring only for his own benefit.

Being attracted to inward and outward pleasures is in conflict with eling and prevent the Javanese from staying in that state. That is why he is advised to eat and sleep less in order to reduce the conflict in himself caused by the nafsu (passions). This will help him to become more aware and capable of self control.

Other dangers are lying, boasting, and hypocrisy - all ways of showing off the ego and overstepping the boundaries of self control. A Javanese saying states it well: "We have to learn to feel pain when we are glad and gladness when we are in pain." Then we can be said to have become eling.

The method for achieving this is based on inner quietness.

Eling as a level of depth in religious awareness

If the aspiring Javanese trains himself by means of silence, he will see more clearly with his inner eyes, making it possible to see the essence of things, to remove the veil of mere appearances and temporary values. Once he reaches this stage of eling he will draw closer to God. There will no longer be a separation between subject and object, microcosm and macrocosm, or creature and Creator. The sweetness will no longer be separate from the honey.

At a still higher level of eling all names and forms will vanish. There will be only emptiness. This is called the experience of ilang (lost), suwung (vacant), sirna (gone), komplang (empty), also called "dead in life". It requires a strong faith to overcome all obstacles and fear.

To conclude, Eling is a much used word in Javanese because of its close connection to the deepest attitude of the Javanese to his inner life. It is operative not only in religion, but also in everyday life and in their ethical norms. So religious and mystical life, which is usually considered exclusive and individual, permeates the way Javanese people live from day to day. The inner levels neng, ning, and eling are not reserved for religion and mystical observances alone, but are embedded in the Javanese way of life. They are in the background of their dealing with ordinary problems involving ethics, education, economics, philosophy, security, and politics. The Javanese try to solve problems with a clear eye and an inner calm that arises from their deepest inner attitude: eling.

(Subagio Sastrowardoyo, (free) translation Mansur Medeiros)

How a good Javanese should deport himself properly against the background of mysticism has been laid down in two books in the nineteenth century: Wulangreh (Lessons in behaviour), by Paku Buwana IV) and Wedhatama (Excellent teaching), by R.Ng. Ranggawarsita. Both are very similar short works in tembang (fairly modern Javanese song lyrics). They are still being read and reprinted.

Priyayi

The above observations are particularly true for the priyayi type Javanese. To this group belong the descendants of the aristocracy of the Javanese courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta, who the Dutch won over to become members of the appointive civil service in colonial times. Nowadays they constitute the intelligentsia of Java. They have their roots in the Hindu-Javanese courts of pre- colonial times. A noble and pure character is attributed to them. They were the bearers of the mystic court-traditions taught to them by highly revered guru's.

Wayang shadowplay performance

Priyayi conserved and cultivated the art of dance, drama, music and poetry. Sunan (=king) Kalidjogovan(also called Kalidjaga) is credited by some to have given the ancient Wayang play its present form. Before it was part of the Javanese ancestor-worship. The shadow figures represent the spirits of the dead. Subsequently the Hindu epics Mahabharta and Ramayana were introduced and integrated in Wayang performances.

Literature:

Beatty, Andrew: Varieties of Javanese Religion : An Anthropological account (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology, March 1999) Becker, Judith: Gamelan Stories Tantrism Islam and Aesthetics in Central Java (1993) Geels, Antoon: Subud and the Javanese mystical tradition (1997) Geertz,Clifford: "The Religion of Java".(1960) Gonda,J.:"Sanskrit in Indonesia" (New Delhi 1973) Hadiwijono, Harun: "Man in the Present Javanese Mysticism" (Thesis, Amsterdam, 1968) Headley, Stephen C.: From Cosmogonony to exorcism in a Javanese Genesis: The spilt seed (2000) Howe,D.G.: "Sumarah, a study of the art of living"(Doctoral dissertation, Chapel Hill 1980) Howell, Julia Day. 1989. ``States of Consciousness and Javanese Ecstatics.'' In 'Creating Indonesian Cultures', edited by P. Alexander. Sydney: Oceania Press. (1989) Kartapradja, Kamil : Aliran kebatinan dan kepercayaan di Indonesia, Jakarta: Yayasan Masagung.(1985) Kroef, J.M.van der: "New Religious Sects in Java"(1959) Lewis,I.M.:"Ecstatic Religion"(1971) Al Makin: ‘Challenging Islamic Orthodoxy’ (2016) Mulder Niels: Mistisisme. Jawa-Ideologi di Indonesia (Yogyakarta 2001) Mulder, Niels: "Mysticism and Everyday Life in Contemporary Java" (Singapore 1978) Mulder, Niels: "Mysticism in Java" (Amsterdam, 1997) Rofé, H.: "The Path of Subud" (1959,1988) Sitompul, P.P.: "Susila Budhi Dharma. Subud - International Mystic movement of Indonesia" (Dissertation, Claremont 1974) Stange, Paul: "The Sumarah movement in Javanese mysticism " (Thesis, Madison 1980) Paul Stange: The evolution of Sumarah, and other writings Wilson, Ian Douglas: The politics of inner power: The practice of Pencak Silat in West-Java (thesis) Woodward R.: Islam in Java. Normative Piety and Mysticism in the Sultanate of Yogyakarta (The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1989)



The abovementioned doctoral documents are available from University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor MI 48106 and London WC1R 4EJ, UK

Video clips:

Foreign translations

Your response is welcome. Send your email to manandu@NOSPAMxs4all.nl">, but remove 'NOSPAM' from the address first.

Return to: main page: "Man and the Unknown"

© Michael Rogge 2020

Site opened 1996; latest revision: 11 May 2020

Webcount: