Keeping a keris for protection

[Raden Usman Djogja]

the existence of keris is unique in south east asian social system and believe.

the people who believe keris is an appartement of ghost/spirit tend to do an offering ritual as an obligation. Even, if not an obligation, they do more because they are afraid if the ghost/spirit inside leaving their kerises and trying to find new appartements in where full of kemenyan smoke every friday kliwon / tuesday kliwon or friday legi.

moreover, some people go beyond. for instance, even still in the same level of offering using kemenyan, there are variety of kemenyan. everyone has favorite kemenyans. more powerful ghost inside they believe, more special kemenyan they offer. Then, usually, more special kemenyan is more expensive.

competition of offering is not finished yet by offering the most expensive kemenyan.

to few people, they try to offer using fresh blood. In their believe, using blood is the ultimate offering to get the most powerful ghost/spirit from sixth world.

then, till this step, sometimes a question rises who the real master is: the owner of keris or the ghost inside keris which owning the soul of the owner. be aware

offering is an expression
expression leads awareness
awareness leads to the decision how many effort should be spent
then
the real power of protecting should still inside the people who do an offering
the keris remains merely a "medium"
even to the people who believe in ghost power
the keris master should be THE MASTER.

all mentioned above is just an opinion

OeS in Africa

[David]

Originally Posted by Raden Usman Djogja

offering is an expression
expression leads awareness
awareness leads to the decision how many effort should be spent
then
the real power of protecting should still inside the people who do an offering
the keris remains merely a "medium"
even to the people who believe in ghost power
the keris master should be THE MASTER.

I believe we see eye to eye on this one Usman.

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, agreed.

The master of oneself.

[Pusaka]

Personally I think a keris is and can be thought of as a Jimat.

http://drgrotte.com/BalineseMedicine...ntraforAmulets

[David]

Originally Posted by Pusaka

Personally I think a keris is and can be thought of as a Jimat.

http://drgrotte.com/BalineseMedicine...ntraforAmulets

"Because the jimats is created and consecrated specifically for one individual it can never be transferred to another"
In this respect at least i would have to say that a jimat is the polar opposite of a keris.

[Pusaka]

"If possible, the consecration of the jimats through the mantras is best when completed either on the new moon, full moon or a particularly auspicious day called Kajeng Kliwon that occurs every fifteen days. Consecration proceeds as follows:

1. Bringing the jimats into being with its accompanying mantra, using the name of the recipient as well as visualization
2. making the jimats alive with the Penguripmantra,
3. following with a joining mantra,
4. concluding with the Pasupati mantra that imbues the jimats with sakti

The jimats is then worn next to the skin by the recipient, who is instructed with additional information on the responsibilities of honoring, respecting and maintaining the live state of the jimats. If these instructions are not followed the jimats will cease to contain living energy."


Above was what I was referring to, the isi (or whatever you prefer to call it) would be created in a similar way. Also its questionable as to whether a keris was made for one person or not. That is why some would prefer a new keris rather than an old one

[David]

Originally Posted by Pusaka

Also its questionable as to whether a keris was made for one person or not. That is why some would prefer a new keris rather than an old one

Is it? Surely a specific keris is initially designed with a single person in mind, but the idea that it will then be passed on down through the family as a direct line of power and a means of accessing that family's power and history seems implicit to the keris and it's cultural application.
Seems a strange statement from a guy who calls himself Pusaka.
There may indeed be similarities with the way jimat is imbued with sakti, but i think that it in the nature of the way this particular type of magick works. Certain many keris were made solely as talismans, but then keris have always had many other positions to fill in Indonesian life. I am not saying that some may not have functioned as a type of jimat in some cases, but to say that is what a keris is seems a bit off the mark to me.