Kejawen unfolds through a tapestry of rituals that weave together Islam, Hinduism and animist roots. Ruwatan sits at the heart of this tradition: a purification rite designed to drive away misfortune, often accompanied by wayang kulit performances and gamelan music under starlit skies. Families bring offerings—tumpeng rice cones, fruits and flowers—while a spiritual guide recites mantras, creating an atmosphere that feels charged with ancestral presence.

Slametan, the communal feast, keeps social bonds humming. Whether celebrating a birth, a harvest or simply the changing seasons, neighbors gather around trays of opor ayam, tempeh and kicak. Sharing food becomes a way of sharing blessings, as though each spoonful carries whispered prayers for harmony.

Sekaten, celebrated every year in Yogyakarta and Surakarta to honor the Prophet’s birthday, is a perfect example of Kejawen’s ability to ride two horses at once. Traditional gamelan orchestras clash in friendly competition during the Pasar Malam Sekaten fair, modern carnival rides light up the night, and vendors sell everything from cotton candy to mystical talismans. In 2025, over 200,000 visitors streamed through Kraton courtyards, proof that this fusion of sacred and secular still resonates with young and old alike.

Grebeg ceremonies—Grebeg Maulud, Grebeg Besar and Grebeg Syawal—turn palace courtyards into vibrant stages of pageantry. Colorful gunungan (mountain-shaped offerings) are paraded in majestic processions, then flung into eager crowds. It’s a scramble for good fortune, literally grabbing blessings in the form of rice, vegetables and sometimes even tinsel-wrapped treats.

Labuhan, a seaside ritual, demonstrates Kejawen’s animist heartbeat. Participants board small boats loaded with offerings—coconuts, betel leaves, incense—and send them drifting into the Java Sea, paying homage to Nyai Loro Kidul, the Queen of the Southern Ocean. This year’s Labuhan in Cilacap drew eco-conscious activists as well, blending petitions for marine conservation with age-old spiritual appeals.

Together, these festivals and rituals show Kejawen’s knack for embracing change without losing its soul, ensuring that every drumbeat, every prayer and every shared meal carries forward a living, breathing legacy.