Myth, Culture, Art, and Horror

Legend and folktale have close relationship with myth even if they are different traditional stories. Myths are considered true or sacred for certain culture whereas folktales may took place at any time and any place, and are not considered true by the societies. While, traditionally, people consider legends as true stories but they are set in a more recent time, when the world was much as it is today. The main characters of legends generally are humans whereas myths generally focus on superhuman or god-like characters.

In some culture, it is not easy to make boxes to classify myths and legends. Instead of dividing their traditional stories into myths, legends, and folktales, some cultures classify them into two categories, namely folktales, and one that combines myths and legends. It may happen because people from some culture believe the real conection between spirit world and human life and they believe that the magic is real or the natural phenomena like natural disaster is connected with human deed and spirit realm. Myths, folktale, and legend have influence life style and arts in some cultures. Some traditional ceremonies are also inspired by myths, legends, and folktales, such as Cat Wedding Ceremony.



Some horror stories ( ghosts, devil, etc) dark side stories in horror movies, horror games, and books (short stories and novel) are inspired by human-spirits relationship in legend, folklore, and myths. Horror stories elicit the emotions of fear, disgust and horror from audiences or readers. They raise dark fantasy in people's mind.



In Supernatural, a supernatural and horror television series, the stories adopt ghosts and mythical creatures from various culture. So, do mythical creatures and monsters in Final Fantasy.


See horror movie trailers and horror movies list if you love them. Some of them may be based on scary myths like Medusa Myth or other ancient myths and legend.



In some culture, some historical events especially in ancient times have relationship with the world of mythical creatures, gods, and spirits. Or, perhaps, they personify the incidents, disasters, bad luck, and fear in the dark as if they faced spirit or scary supernatural power that they could not understand.

The sensation of mystery and darkness influence Gothic style, gothic art, gothic looks, and gothic poetry. H. P.Lovecraft; Richard Matheson; Edgar Allan Poe; and Stephen King use sensation of mystery and fear in their horror stories.

Howard Phillips "H. P." Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an author of horror, fantasy and science fiction. Lovecraft's guides literary principle of "cosmicism" or "cosmic horror." The idea that life is incomprehensible to human minds. The central theme in most of Lovecraft's works is that of forbidden knowledge, non-human influences on humanity, Inherited guilt, and fate. Since his childhood days, he was interested in horror stories when his grandfather told him Gothic horror stories. Arthur Machen’s tales of the survival of evil of ancient times in combination with Lovecraft’s own perspective in the mysteries, contributed to Lovecraft stories. Edgar Allan Poe was the biggest influence for Lovecraft. Lovecraft had many similarities with Poe

Lovecraft and his dark stories have impact on popular culture and many modern writers. The Lovecraftian world had influence in dark and mysterious theme in literature, music, movies, and games.


In 2011, The anthology Historical Lovecraft by Innsmouth Free Press presents 26 tales of horror with Lovecraftian style. It presents tales of horror through times: Stalin’s Russia, 10th century Rome, Neolithic Mesopotamia, and Ancient South East Asea are just some of the backdrops before which madness and history collide.



Our tongue likes hot of chili and our heart and mind sometimes like the sensation of mystery and fear.

A Fable Based on Ancient Saying of Dharmakitri

In 1011 CE, Atisha and more than 100 disciples, visited Srivijaya ( in now Indonesia) and became disciples of Dharmakirti, known in Tibet as Serlingpa Gser-gling-pa (which means Master from Suvarnadvipa/ now Sumatera), to receive teachings on Bodhicitta or Pure Awareness.

Serlingpa said, "Planting the seed of bodhichitta does not grow well if the soil is too clean. It grows much better in soil that is dirty and fertilized."

Inspired by this saying, An Authspot writer presents Fable of Seed on Dirty Soil.

12th Century Prophecy from Java about Online Social Phenomena

According to Wikipedia, Ratu Joyoboyo, also Sri Mapanji Jayabaya or Jayabhaya, was King also known as Ratu of the Indianized kingdom Hindu Kediri in East Java from AD1135 to 1157. Ratu Jayabaya was known for his just and prosperous rule.

Ratu Jayabaya is most famous for his oracles or prophesies attributed to him. The prophecies is called Jangka Jayabaya. Some of his prophecies were written in book of poem or serat. Whereas, another prophecies were thaught through oral traditions.

Young Mice Manage Line is short modern fable story based on 7th divination of Jayabaya's 12th century Javanese Prophecy : "Tikus Pithi Anata Baris" which happens today. "Tikus pithi anoto baris" means line up rows of red rat or "young mice manage lines." They are not mice. They are mouse-like tools for computer. By clicking mice, people make online movement, leak the conspiracy, unite, vote, protest, distribute information online.

However, we have freewill to spread goodness nad peace thru the technology.

Read Short Fable Story: Young Mice Manage Line

Unity of Diversity

Unity of Diversity, even if there is difference, but all have one dharma.
It is the line quoted from Purusadasanta or Book of Sutasoma by Pu Tantular.

I have the fable story about the taste of diversity.
You can read English Version or Bahasa Indonesia Version.

Sono Wood Earrings

Wearing Sono Wood Jewelry such as sono wood earrings make you close to the nature. Organic carved sono wood earrings are unique girl's stuff from Indonesia. The unique earrings are hand carved, made out of Sono Wood from Indonesia, by Indonesian artistians. They are beatifuly exotic Hand carved tribal earrings.

Sono wood is also known as East Indian rosewood or malabar. It grows in southern India as well as in Indonesia. In Indonesia, including in Bali, Sono wood is used in wood carvings.


This picture is taken from AtBali.com

You can get information of various exotic handbags, sandals, jewelry and display form AtBali.com


If you visit in Indonesia, you can get sono wood earrings as unique gifts for your mom or girlfriends.

However, you can still organic sono wood earings through online shopping.

Read other art form Indonesia: Wooden Batik

Gado-Gado Salad: Taste of Diversity, Celebrating Diversity

When I am in Jogja, I always take chance to eat one of may favorite Indonesian food, a salad called Gado-Gado.


According to Wikipedia, Gado-gado (Bahasa Indonesia) or also called Lotek (Sundanese and Javanese language) is an Indonesian vegetable salad served with a peanut sauce dressing. If you are vegetarian, it can be the delicious food for you.


Picture of Gado-Gado Salad from Indonesia, taken from wikipedia



If you are interested to make Gado-Gado salad, you get the recipe, here.


Because I love delicious and healthy Gado-gado, I write a Fable Short Story/ Flash Fiction of Gado-Gado to celebrate the diversity.
Gado-gado content group of unique ingredients and I use their uniqueness to represent diversity.


To unite does not mean to be the same with others. You must be your best self.


The uniqueness in unity can be beautiful and powerful-- Unity of Diversity.

"Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, Tan Hana Dharma Mangwra", said by Sutasoma, in Purosadha Santa, a Sutasoma Book, written by Mpu Tantular in 14th Century.


"Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, Tan Hana Dharma Mangwra" - Diversity but one dharma

Read my Fable Story of Gado-Gado Salad.

Exotic Nusantara, Uniquely Indonesia

Indonesian Archipelago, South East Asia, consists of thousands islands. Of course, it has various arts and cultures.
Not only in Bali (An island in Indonesia), each area in Indonesia has its uniqueness.

Read following article about Indonesia
- Javanese Wooden Batik
- Spirtuality in Javanese Fable Story
- Tumpeng: Nusantarian Expression of Gratitude
- Folktales from Indonesia
- Astabrata Leadership
- Mimi and Mintuno: Javanese Symbol of Harmonious Marriage

Translating with Translation Software

Language is a mean of communication to convey the meaning. To understand foreign language, we must have cross cultural understanding.

Translating is not only mathematic logic but it also need feeling to understand before translate. Translation Machine or software cannot replace (human) translator.

Read my article about Translation Machine.

Forgoten Quote about Management by King of Ancient Majapahit Kingdom, 14th Century

“Relationship between state and its parts is like relationship between lions and the jungle. If its parts are ruined, the state will lack of food. If there is no strong instrument of the state, invaders will easily attack it. Manage and defend both of them and my command will be successfully accomplished."

(Hayam Wuruk, King of Majapahit, 14th Century)

Read also fable flash fiction based on this quote: Lion and The Jungle

Haiku of Serenity in Doubt | Authspot

Haiku of Serenity in Doubt | Authspot

Posted using ShareThis


Haiku is originally type of poem from Japan. This Japanese poem consists of 17 syllables with
5 syllables for line 1
7 syllables for line 2
5 syllables for line 3

Read the Haiku of Serenity in Doubt

About Silat: An Exotic Martial Arts

Silat is an exotic martial arts in South East Asia. Wanna know about it? Visit here

Best Regards

Purnomosidhi

Keris: Tools for Killing or Life-Giving Blade

Some Western scholars and writers classify the keris as a weapon, keris is made not for killing. Keris is rather a weapon in a simbolic, a weapon in the spiritual mean. For ‘sipat kandel’ (to increase the confidence of its owner), it is said in Javanese. That is why some believe keris has mystical power.

For the believer, certain keris can add the owner's bravery and confidence. Keris can also avoid a locust plague or other farming disaster. Keris can also get rid or cancel the harassment of ghost.

There is kerises that really used to kill people, such as the keris used in the old days by the king's executioner. There is also keris made for lower ranked soldiers. But the usage of keris as killing tool is ceremonial and only on special occasion, such as Kanjeng Kyai Balabar owned by Pangeran Puger. In the 18th century keris with the dapur Pasopati is used by Sunan Amangkurat Amral (the king) to execute Trunojoyo at the town hall of Kartasura.

Keris is an art form which include the art of tempa, sculpture, symbolic art and other forms of art. The making of keris always with certain prayers and mantras, and ceremony and special sesaji. The first prayer by the empu when he will hammer the keris is to beg the Almighty so that the keris will not harm the owner and other people. The prayers are followed by tapa brata and lelaku (mainly fasting and meditating, or no sleeping, no eating, no sex on certain times).

The material to make the keris is iron, steel and pamor material. Pamor material has four kinds. First is meteorite which has titanium in it. Second is nickel. Other pamor is other metal alloy with iron as main ingredient. Usually this third pamor is called pamor Luwu. While the forth pamor is iron alloy fro other region, which if mixed with the iron from certain area will make different color and view.

Iron and pamor are hammered repeatedly then made into many layers. Nowadays, the general need is at least 64 layers. For a keris with simple quality, it needs at least 128 layers. While the good quality keris needs at least 2000 layers. Then to get sharpness, steel is included in the middle. All thin material will be stronger if it is made layered. This theory is known to the ancient Javanese many centuries ago. They found this theory somehow, and used it about 7 or 8 centuries before the technology makin wood triplex or plywood made by Western technology in early 16th century.

The selection of meteorite stones that contains titanium is another intriguing ancient Javanese knowledge. Since titanium now known to has many good features compared to other metal. Titanium is hard, strong, light, heat resistang and rustproof. In the modern world, titanium is used to make the nose of the spaceship, rockets and ICBMs.

In the old days, the authority of a king is only recognized by the people when the king wore one of the monarch special keris in the inauguration. In Java, esp. in Central and part of East Java, when the groom somehow cannot physically attend his wedding ceremony, he can delegate his presence by presenting his keris. So the keris will be taking his place beside the groom. This custom is also present in Bali. In West Sumatra, a boy who will leave his hometown usually given a keris by his parents, as a family tie and blessing of the parents.

village cleansing ceremony still used a small blade of keris which is known as keris sajen. Village cleansing is a traditional ritual ceremony that prays to the God so that the villagers, the farms, are avoided from disease and pest, and also from natural disaster. The ceremony is meant to renew the deal or agreement with spiritual beings which inhabit the village (Sing Mbahureksa - Javanese) so it doesn't interfere with the villagers.

Read Also about Kerisology

Happy New Year 2008, It's Time for Exotic Quest

In many cultures (Javanese, Chinese, Balinese,etc), old and new event ( transition time to face New Year) is the time for people to do contemplate, to evaluate the past and prepare to live better for the future.In many ancient tradition, it's the time for meditation; 'meditation' comes from the term "meditate" or to set mid point betwent two event ( in the case, between evaluation of the past and planning for better life in the future).Past is the past, we cannot change it ( without time machine-- just kidding). However, the recent situation can be developed. People have freewill and power to change the recent situation that they can change, and serenity to accept the past situation that they cannot change.

2008 is the time to visit one of the largest exotic country, It's the time for Visit Indonesian Year 2008.In ancient time, Indonesia was called 'Nusantara" ( come from the word 'Nusa' = Country/ Island; 'Antara' = Between). So, Nusantara is the country covering many islands. Yes, Indonesia is beutiful archipelago country.We have various cultures, traditions, arts, tribes, and tourism spots ( one of them is Bali).

With Tantularism, you will see the beauty of diversity. If you love ethnomusicology, you will hear beautiful traditional musics, such as: angklung orchestra, campur sari, and gending. If you love foods, you will enjoy traditional foods from spicy islands, such as Rendang and Rica-Rica. If you love dancing, you will see many exotic dances (Jaipong, Reog, Cakalele).If you visit Mid Java and Jogja, Don't forget to visit Borobudur ( Budhist Pyramid with Stupas) and Prambanan temple (ancient Hindu temple). If you love to learn martial art, you can get info of exotic martial arts, called Pencak Silat.

Welcome to My Country

Dedicated to Visit Indonesia Year 2008 Program

The Way of Patience at Work and Ninja Art

Patience is heart of flower, let it grow at work to win with others.


Sometimes we hears 'I hate my work', 'My working situation is getting worse", "Everyone blame me and scold me and make me a loser". Another says, "I was patient and have tried to be patient, but I cannot resist anymore with work situation" of "my patience is limited, and I won't be patient anymore."

The word patience and bad working situation remind me about something interesting me when my brother in Indonesia learned shodo (Japanese Caligraphy). It was the character of "Nin". This character is also related to the word "Ninja", "Ninpo" and "Ninjutsu". Ninja were really not assassins sure they had to do that occassionally but a true ninja was and is a person of endurance and perserverence."The first priority of the ninja was and is to win without fighting", according to Essence of Ninjutsu By: Masaakai Hatsumi.

The Japanese "Nin" character represents the ancient martial art of Ninjutsu and it's higher form of Ninpo, the Arts of the Ninja. The "Nin" symbol translates into Endurance, Perserverence, Patience In many people's image, Ninja (person who masters art of preserverence, and patience) is hero. So, are preserverence and patience heroic acts? You can decide by yourself by considering role of patience and preserverence in peace, harmony, and achiving success. We should change our mindset, stating that patience and perserverence are actions of weak person. Instead, patience and perserverence were possed by the persons who knows 'The Secret'.

The Japanese character for Nin consists of two parts or radicals. The upper radical is called yaiba which refers to the cutting edge of a blade. The lower radical can be read either as kokoro or shin, both of which mean heart. One, who consider patience weakness, translates "Nin"as "heart stabbed by blade", meaning to say "he saves anger". Ancient saying says, "Patience, or preserverence (Nin) is not heart stabbed by blade, but it is heart of flower, instead" So, to manifest patience, we should develop heart of flower. We should choose to develop happiness, joy, and gratitude, instead of fighting against hate, stress, anger.

At work, sometimes, we work under pressure. Many things, we should finish. Some people ( customer or colleague or our boss) scold us. The bad situation at work that we feel make us difficult to take breath. Sometimes, it also happen in our relationship and social life. Then, we try to be patient, but we translate patience as "heart stabbed by blade" or we just let bad situation happen and save the anger and sadness in our mind. The situation can be worse, we can get into more stress because we attract worse situation, worse work climate, worse relationship. We try to fight againts jealousy, anger, sadness in our heart, but they grow bigger and bigger because we think about them. It is law of attraction, according to "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.

So what should we do, when in bad work situation? Remember 'Nin', 'the heart of flower', being patience means that you choose to feel joy and gratitude. Remember a happy moment, the beloved one who inspiring you, a momment when you are in love, a momment when achieving something. Visualize and imagine that you have achieved best situation (perhaps work performance achievement, happy momment, good relationship) and be grateful! Feel the joy, happiness, and grattitude and smile. Feel and the flower in your heart grow. That is patience. Spread it to all people.

The change within can attract better situation at work, in relationship, and in social life. You will be hero who posses way of patience and perseverance.

The writer is a copy writer for www.e-jobz.com, a Human Resource, Outsourcing and Recruitment Service company in Indonesia.

If you need manpower supply/ employees from Indonesia to work in your country, please contact A-Skill ( Asia Skilled Resource Indonesia)


See another inspired articles and links at Inspirasi Cafe

Javanese Aji Caka Script and Five Elements of Nature

Javanese alphabet by ancient mystical king, Aji Caka, consists 20 letters. In order, the letters was written in 4 lines by Aji Saka to commemorate his messengers.

Besides, they also have ancient teaching about human life.
Ha Na Ca Ra Ka means there were messengers. This line has philoshophical meaning that every human being is messenger of god. Every one has role for harmony when they were born.
In elemental nature philosophy, this line represents element of wind. Wind means direction to the goal. Everyone is created due to divine purpose.

Da ta sa wa la means the messengers met and discussion happened. This sentence mean that in our life we need to share and discuss. Our relationship is about networking with other.
This sentence represents element of water or flexibility. This element teach us to mantain harmonious relationship with others, that is why we need people skills for life.

Pa dha ja ya nya means both of messengers were fighting and both of them won. This sentence represents element of fire or desire or fighting spirit. In our life, we need to have fighting spirit to win. We should be enthusiasm in what we do.

Ma ga ba tha nga means both of messengers died. When we die, our body are burried and back to the earth. It represents element of earth.
It can allso mean 'memento mori'. We should remember that all human beings will die. In our life there is something to change, and there is something that we cannot change. We should have serenity in our action.

So, what is the fifth element in Javanese alphabet? The fifth element also represents fifth element of nature. The fifth element is not written because it is element of void or spirit, It is the divine mystery of god.

EXOTIC QUEST