Work

From rasa to rukun: Toward a geopsychiatric perspective on Javanese well-being

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This conceptual article articulates a culturally grounded framework of Javanese mental health built around rasa (epistemic–affective attunement), nrimo ing pandum (acceptance-based cultural coping), and rukun (collective social–spiritual harmony). We synthesize anthropological and psychological scholarship to propose a reflective-transformative cycle whereby rasa enables meaning-making and self-regulation, fostering nrimo as flexible acceptance, which in turn orients individuals and communities toward rukun as a moral–cosmological ideal of well-being. We contrast this framework with dominant Western, individual-centric models, highlighting both synergies and boundary conditions (e.g., risks of conflict avoidance). We then outline culturally sensitive clinical and community interventions, and map research pathways for geopsychiatry in Indonesia, including psychometric development for rasa-rumangsa, nrimo , and rukun . The article advances epistemic decolonization by positioning Javanese concepts not as add-ons but as theory-generative constructs with testable implications for prevention, treatment, and community mental health.

Source: Geopsychiatry

DOI: 10.1016/j.geopsy.2025.100038

Author: Triantoro Safaria

Institution: Universitas Ahmad Dahlan

Language: English

Topic: Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,500