An amalgam acquired over centuries, they are steeped in Javanese thinking with elements of animism, ancestor worship, Hinduism in the tradition of tantrism, Buddhism in the form of Mahayãna and Tantrayãna, and mystical Islam with its Sufi practices.
Kejawen may be understood as a body of paradigms embedded in mysticism and/or a set of worldview related beliefs in the true nature of the universe and life. On a personal level, it is outwardly directed and expressed through community-oriented lifestyles manifested in physical forms, rituals, and practices. Puppet shows such as wayang kulit and the like, with their moral underpinnings, humour and parody, are an example of how audiences are directed to lead a better way of life.
By comparison, Kebatinan refers to the path to “awaken” and “nurse” the inner…