According to Kejawen teaching, Kawruh or Ngelmu Kebatinan Jawa or Javanese spiritualism, the universe and everything in it including human beings and other beings who live in this world were all created by the purbawasesa- the power and the will of God, the Creator of the Universe.
Million of years ago, when the universe and the world have not yet existed, what was there was just void, darkness and quietness, a phase known as Alam Sonya Ruri. Sonya means void, quiet, or in Javanese known as suwung. While ruri means pitch black dark, or in Javanese known as peteng ndedhet.
Alam Sonya Ruri is a base, as a base it was still empty and dark. Until at a point, it is not mentioned when it began, Alam Sonya Ruri started to move and then spin. With time it spin faster or in Javanese known as mubeng seser, it began to create a heat essence and it started to get bigger. After a long period of spinning strongly, an explosion happened or the Javanese calls it mbledhos. This explosion lighted up the universe. At the same time, all the other items in the sky such as planets, the sun and the stars started to form and to be seen.
This is align with scientific theory which states that the universe has been around since 15,000 million years ago. Formed by the Big Bang which is a cloud explosion along with heat and dust in the sky, followed by gravitation that formed planets. Until today, ilmu and ngelmu agree that the universe will continue to experience evolution that will never stop.
Note that the Kejawen differentiate between Ilmu (knowledge) and ngelmu. According to Kejawen understanding: ilmu (knowledge) is the science that is the genius of human’s brain that becomes more developed; while ngelmu is Javanese for kawruh, this is knowledge that relates to purbawasesa- the power of God, which most people called ‘gaib’ (super natural). Ngelmu or kawruh has been around since the ancient days, wholly and completely under the power of Lord, Prince, God. Ngelmu is revealed little by little as according to the level of understanding and need of the people at the time. So to differentiate, ilmu is revealed based on the effort of human beings, while ngelmu is revealed by the power and decision of God.
Going back to the process of how the universe is created, the universe is formed based on the purbawasesa- power of God the Almighty. This is the same for the planets, stars, the sun and supernova including the world which did not exist at the time, because it started to form after the planets and other stars.
The Creator Commanded Light
In Kejawen term, this sub title is known as Kang Murbeng Alam nitahake pepadhang. A bright light appeared in the universe because of the rotation of the items in the sky. Light appeared from the many items in the sky, so many that they cannot be counted. Or in Javanese this is known as sakirno or millions.
The sun as align with the power of the universe, as willed by God, brighten the universe including the world and has the obligation to give life to all beings with its bright light. The moon and the stars in the sky at night shine their soft light which benefit all beings. In all, the constellation of the sun, the moon, planets and stars affected weather and the life of human beings and all beings in the world.
The Creation of the Earth
As mentioned above, the forming of planet earth happened towards the end and it took a fairly long time after the frictions and the influence of other planets and stars in the sky. At the time, a medium size star is formed in the center of the universe which is known as pratala, which means the bottom of the ocean. After that the sea was created, known as sagara because it kept being filled up by water through the movements of all the items in the universe. After the sagara is formed, the world started to get created and to get perfected in form through a natural process, so that it became bantala or the world.
Scientifically it was mentioned that the process of how the earth is formed began 4000 million years ago, described that it began with volcanic explosions which thrown hot lava out. After million of years process, it became what the world is now, a planet consists of big lands and oceans.
The water which filled up the earth at the beginning when the earth was formed is known as Kamandanu. Once it filled up the earth and met in the ocean it is known as Padmasari, which means the essence or the source of food that benefited the beginning of life in the world.
The world is the union of the elements pratala, segara, padmasari and bantala which continue on to process and to affect other items in the universe/world to prepare a place that is fit for all kinds of beings (including human beings and animals) to live.
Elements of the Earth
Since the beginning of the formation, the universe included all elements: wind, light, fire, dirt and water to interact, move and so all these frictions created the planets, the stars and planet Earth which later will be inhabited by human beings.
As we know, the elements of a human being consists of: angin, banyu, geni lan lebu or wind, water, fire and dirt. The element of light is the part where suksma begin in the form of light.
In the beginning, the air factor did not allow for life on Earth. Human beings began to live on Earth when the air and situations were already conducive, which is when the layer of atmosphere in the dirt reached to 17 km in height.
The Need of Food in Earth
When the Earth is finally in a livable condition for humans and other beings, it needed to provide food and water for all the beings. One element in the human body is water, in a healthy body during the most productive time of life the body consists of 80% water. 2/3 of the top layer of the earth is covered by the ocean and 1/3 of the earth is covered by icy rivers. Therefore, the cells of life in the simplest form began in the water, or to be exact in the ocean, because it is where the essence of food is provided.
The Essence of the Earth
Earth is filled with richness of items buried deep in it, including in the ocean, where human beings dig or mine to facilitate their needs for living. In earth there are plenty kinds of rocks, minerals, sand, chalk and many more that can support the livelihood of human beings. On top of that there are all kind of metals such as: gold, silver, copper, bronze, tin, iron, aluminum etc.
When we talk about precious stones, these stones have many benefits and avalailbe in variety of prices from very expensive to affordable such as: diamond, emerald, jade, quartz, sapphire, turquoise, amethyst, ruby, tourmaline, citrin, amber, tiger’s eye and all kind of agate stones in beautiful and attractive colors.
On the surface of the earth, land produces plants to eat, herbs for medicine including plants for industrial needs. While in the belly of the earth there are all kind of items to mine. Truly how kind is Mother Earth.
If we are to be honest, us the modern human is in debt to the beings and plants of the ancient days. To be in debt to the universe is equal to being in debt to God, the Creator of the Universe who has given richness in earth so that human beings can fulfill their needs of food, clothing and dwelling and other needs that are continuing to evolve. Therefore, by common sense it can be understood why the Javanese Nusantara originally were the preservers of the ancestors traditions, which at specific time will carry out Ritual Ruwat Bumi (the ritual to care for the Earth), Sedekah Bumi (alms to the Earth), Sedekah Laut (alms to the Ocean) etc.
All the rituals are the forms of gratitude from the heart because the earth and the ocean have provided us with all that we need in life, and thus need to be taken care of as best as we can, to not be ruined or destroyed. The Earth is the source of life, which also provides abundance to the human family and all the other beings on earth.
At the same time all the ritual carry out by the Javanese is a form of thankfulness, a form of the biggest gratitude by the Javanese towards God, the Creator of sky and earth.
As explained above, since the creation of Earth until this modern day, from when the first human was born in Earth until today, we are still occupying planet Earth in the very same universe. So when and how and what is human created from? Kejawen will answer these questions.
SURYO S.NEGORO
Translated by LOLO KARTIKASARI
