Keeping a keris for protection

A. G. Maisey · 3rd January 2008, 09:43 PM

Kamis kliwon cannot fall more than once a month, but that does not mean that there is a kamis kliwon in every month.

This year, 2008, kamis kliwon falls on jan 3, feb 7, mar 13, apr 17, may 22, june 26, july 31, no kamis kliwon in august, sept 4, okt 9, nop 13, des 18.

Kamis kliwon occurs when kliwon, from the five day market week:- legi (umanis),pahing, pon, wage, kliwon, coincides with kamis (Thursday), from the seven day calendar week.

The sacred day for Muslim people is Friday, but Friday does not commence when midnight is passed on Thursday, it commences when the sun goes down on Thursday, and it ends when the sun goes down on Friday.

Those people whom I have known who followed the practice of bathing their keris with smoke from menyan did so each Thursday evening. However, the reason why somebody may, or may not do something when that person is acting in accord with a Javanese belief system is not necessarily simple, easily interpreted , nor standardised.

For instance, the conjunction of kamis + kliwon generates a set of numbers under its neptu that can be interpreted in various ways according to the Candra Sangkala. Then again, according to the dhapur of a keris, one day may be better than any other to attend to any perceived needs of that keris---for example, minggu wage is the best day to attend to a keris of dhapur brojol. But on the other hand, if that day falls on a day when the naga is not in a fortunate position, or when the owner himself may be better to perhaps stay in bed and not do anything, then obviously he would be a little bit silly to engage in tending to his keris.

Thus, if we are truly serious about bathing our keris with menyan, it might be best to first determine our Javanese horoskop, consider the attributes of our keris, and take account of the characteristics of the various days. Probably we should seek expert advice in such an important matter. But for those of us who are not Javanese, and not living within the social and cultural fabric of traditional Jawa, all of this could be a little bit pointless.

3rd January 2008, 09:43 PM	#11
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Kamis kliwon cannot fall more than once a month, but that does not mean that there is a kamis kliwon in every month. This year, 2008, kamis kliwon falls on jan 3, feb 7, mar 13, apr 17, may 22, june 26, july 31, no kamis kliwon in august, sept 4, okt 9, nop 13, des 18. Kamis kliwon occurs when kliwon, from the five day market week:- legi (umanis),pahing, pon, wage, kliwon, coincides with kamis (Thursday), from the seven day calendar week. The sacred day for Muslim people is Friday, but Friday does not commence when midnight is passed on Thursday, it commences when the sun goes down on Thursday, and it ends when the sun goes down on Friday. Those people whom I have known who followed the practice of bathing their keris with smoke from menyan did so each Thursday evening. However, the reason why somebody may, or may not do something when that person is acting in accord with a Javanese belief system is not necessarily simple, easily interpreted , nor standardised. For instance, the conjunction of kamis + kliwon generates a set of numbers under its neptu that can be interpreted in various ways according to the Candra Sangkala. Then again, according to the dhapur of a keris, one day may be better than any other to attend to any perceived needs of that keris---for example, minggu wage is the best day to attend to a keris of dhapur brojol. But on the other hand, if that day falls on a day when the naga is not in a fortunate position, or when the owner himself may be better to perhaps stay in bed and not do anything, then obviously he would be a little bit silly to engage in tending to his keris. Thus, if we are truly serious about bathing our keris with menyan, it might be best to first determine our Javanese horoskop, consider the attributes of our keris, and take account of the characteristics of the various days. Probably we should seek expert advice in such an important matter. But for those of us who are not Javanese, and not living within the social and cultural fabric of traditional Jawa, all of this could be a little bit pointless.