Simbol, Ritual, dan Pengalaman Religius Penghayat Sapta Darma dalam Perspektif William James

Lindra Prastica, Drs. Farid, M.Hum. ; Syarif Hidayatullah, S.Ag., M.Ag., M.A.

2025 | Skripsi | ILMU FILSAFAT

Pengalaman religius sejak zaman dahulu hingga sekarang masih kerap dirasakan setiap individu, walaupun dengan bentuk dan cara yang beraneka ragam. Pengalaman religius dapat memperkuat keimanan seseorang dalam meyakini Tuhan dalam agamanya. Terciptanya pengalaman religius juga tidak terlepas dari peranan ritual dan simbol dalam keagamaan sebagai perantaranya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis makna simbol, ritual, dan pengalaman religius penghayat Sapta Darma dalam perspektif empat ciri pengalaman religius dari fenomenologi agama William James.

Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan fenomenologi agama William James untuk menggali pemahaman pengalaman religius penghayat Sapta Darma dengan mengklasifikasikan ke dalam empat ciri pengalaman religius (ineffability, transiency, passivity, noetic quality). Penelitian dilakukan pada penghayat Sapta Darma Cawas Klaten. Pengumpulan data lapangan dilakukan dengan cara wawancara mendalam. Pengumpulan data pustaka dilakukan dengan pembacaan buku, dan artikel jurnal. Pendekatan kualitatif digunakan untuk menganalisis data dengan fokus pada simbol, ritual, dan pengalaman religius penghayat dalam kerangka fenomenologi agama William James. Langkah-langkah analisis yang digunakan adalah interpretasi, deskripsi, dan analisis kritis.

 Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ada hubungan antara simbol dan ritual dalam menciptakan pengalaman religius. Simbol seperti “simbol pribadi manusia” merepresentasikan kesucian jiwa dari sinar cahaya Allah dan menjadi identitas religius yang mengingatkan penghayat akan tanggung jawab menjaga kesucian jasmani dan rohani. Ritual seperti sujudan, ening, dan racut memperdalam koneksi spiritual dengan Allah Hyang Maha Kuasa. Pada keempat ciri pengalaman religius William James didapati kesimpulan bahwa pengalaman spiritual mereka tidak hanya bersifat personal, tetapi juga mencerminkan keterhubungan dengan realitas transenden yang melampaui dimensi duniawi. Ini memperkaya pemahaman individu akan makna hidup dan tujuan keberadaannya, hal ini juga memberikan kontribusi penting dalam penguatan identitas religius komunitas Sapta Darma.

Religious experiences have been felt by individuals from ancient times to the present, albeit in various forms and expressions. These experiences strengthen a person’s faith in their belief in God. The emergence of religious experiences is closely linked to the role of rituals and symbols in religion, which serve as intermediaries. This study aims to analyze the meaning of symbols, rituals, and religious experiences of Sapta Darma adherents through the lens of William James’ phenomenology of religion, particularly his four characteristics of religious experience.

This research employs William James' phenomenological approach to explore the religious experiences of Sapta Darma adherents by classifying them into four characteristics of religious experience: ineffability, transiency, passivity, and noetic quality. The study was conducted among Sapta Darma adherents in Cawas, Klaten. Field data were collected through in-depth interviews, while literature data were gathered from books and journal articles. A qualitative approach was used to analyze the data, focusing on symbols, rituals, and religious experiences within William James' phenomenological framework. The analytical steps included interpretation, description, and critical analysis.

The findings reveal a strong connection between symbols and rituals in shaping religious experiences. Symbols, such as the "personal human symbol," represent the purity of the soul as a reflection of the Divine Light of God and serve as a religious identity that reminds adherents of their responsibility to maintain both physical and spiritual purity. Rituals such as sujudan (prostration), ening (meditation), and racut (spiritual purification) deepen their spiritual connection with the Supreme God. Based on William James' four characteristics of religious experience, it can be concluded that their spiritual experiences are not only personal but also reflect a profound connection with a transcendent reality beyond the material world. This enriches their understanding of life's meaning and purpose while contributing significantly to strengthening the religious identity of the Sapta Darma community. 

Kata Kunci : sapta darma, fenomenologi, agama, pengalaman religius, William James