Life Spirituality in the Javanese Mystical Tradition: A Study of Paguyuban Sumarah Purbo in Bantul, Yogyakarta

Abstract

This study examines the spirituality of Paguyuban Sumarah Purbo as a form of Javanese indigenous belief spirituality within contemporary Indonesian society. The research aims to analyse the origins, teachings, spiritual practices, and meanings of spirituality within Sumarah Purbo, as well as to evaluate the relevance of Subjective-Life Spirituality (SLS) theory in explaining local spirituality in a non-Western context. This research employs a qualitative approach with a contextual case study design. Data were collected through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, and were analysed using an interpretative thematic approach. The findings demonstrate that the spirituality of Sumarah Purbo is rooted in concepts such as sumarah, sangkan paraning dumadi, and manunggaling kawula Gusti, which emphasise inner tranquillity, self-control, cosmic harmony, and social solidarity. The study also reveals that, although Sumarah Purbo shares certain characteristics with SLS through its emphasis on inner experience and the search for meaning, its spirituality remains communal, culturally embedded, and guided by Javanese cosmology and elder authority. This study contributes to the development of spirituality studies by proposing the concept of life spirituality as a more contextual framework for understanding non-Western local spirituality. The findings also provide practical implications for strengthening cultural literacy, social inclusion, and policy recognition for indigenous belief communities in Indonesia.