The Sastrå Harjéndrå teaching can be studied through several basic levels aimed at (the realization of) perfection, which consist of:
1. Pengasihan – Water Level
Pengasihan also means ‘worldly success’ and ‘material wealth’ (‘Pengasihan’ and ‘Pangirupan’). All new members have to join together in the bathing (‘padusan’) ritual through which they become brothers of the same school (‘sedulur tunggal banyu’). The padusan is held each month during Purnama (full moon) and begins with ascetic forms of practice like fasting and self-denial (‘tirakat’) on the 12th till the 15th day of the Javanese calendar.
2. Kanuragan – Earth and Fire Level
This teaching covers the practice of invulnerability against weapons and fire (by means of fusing the elements, i.e. conditioning oneself) in order to unify the Earth element and Fire element. Kanuragan is often practized in the form of martial arts, like Pencak Silat and other methods of self-defense practice such as Debus.
3. Ilmu Sarånå – The Knowledge of Rituals & Worship
The purpose of Ilmu Sarånå is to study the ancient methods of worship. If one knows how to correctly perform the rituals, then that will lead to auspicious results in the future. In order to ensure wholesome karma, one should regularly prepare (ritual) offerings, or ‘sesaji’.
4. Prakasepuhan – Wind Level
This teaching covers the practice of invisibility, shifting shapes and evasion of danger by means of conditioning oneself so as to fuse the flows of energy into the Wind element.
5. Kasepuhan / Pasamadhen – Contemplation by means of samādhi practice (Sanskrit; Javanese: ‘semedi’)
A mystical practice aimed at developing mindfulness of Guru Sejati, ‘True Teacher’ who resides within each and every one of us. This is achieved by channeling the flow of (cakra) energy through the nine holes in the human body (‘babakan håwå sångå’) and recitation of mantras which are used as a tool (cakra discus) to enhance the quality of one’s life. Samādhi is a higher level of concentration meditation that forms the basis for enhanced spiritual practice, i.e. the development of insight/wisdom.
6. Kawaskitan – Level of Intellectual Knowledge (‘Pamursidan’)
This form of practice consists of going on pilgrimage, studying human behavioral characteristics and the signs of nature to arouse inspiration. By means of studying the signs of nature, watching the moon and the people’s charisma (Javanese: ‘nyandra’, ‘neropong’), the practitioner will become an adept in clairvoyance (‘kawaskitan’; a preliminary level of knowledge – Weruh sak durunge winarah).
7. Kasedan Jati – Separation of Mind and Body (‘Megatruh’)
This form of practice is aimed at the perfection of Death. Through studying the vowel characters of the Javanese Hånåcåråkå script – hå hi hu he ho hang har hè hah – one will be fully prepared and aware in the moment of death when one has to dispose the physical body and one’s mind is called by God to enter Mokṣa (Sanskrit: liberation).
