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'The Paranormal Zone' highlights Javanese mysticism
Daredevil host Phng Li Kim returns in the third season of the Paranormal Zone with thrilling investigations of the mystical realm of the unseen
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Daredevil host Phng Li Kim returns in the third season of the Paranormal Zone with thrilling investigations of the mystical realm of the unseen.
One of the main highlights in the series' latest season, aired by Syfy, is Kim's adventure in Yogyakarta as she shares her extraordinary experiences during her investigation of the ancient art of Javanese mysticism.
For Kim, the island of Java features some of the most interesting stories of the unseen and unknown realm of the spiritual world.
'I am curious about Javanese mysticism. I had heard about Javanese mysticism in the past, but I did not pay much attention to it until I started to host the Paranormal Zone,' Kim told The Jakarta Post in a recent phone interview.
'So when season three came up, the idea just came spontaneously to me to go to Yogyakarta and explore Javanese mysticism. We did research and found out that there were very interesting stories.'
Kim documented the mystical practices of kebatinan, kejawen and tenaga dalam during her stint in Yogyakarta. These practices are so ancient that they even predate Hinduism and Buddhism.
Kim also visited Mount Merapi and the town of Parangtritis, south of Yogyakarta, to personally experience the energy of Javanese mysticism and practices that seem to be able to stand the test of time.
She learned that over time, the practices of kebatinan, kejawen and tenaga dalam have had shifted in terms of their context.
In ancient times, Kim discovered that the practices were a lot more mystical as they focused more on invincibility, while in modern times, they focus more on emotional well-being.
Kim believed that the shift in context was related to fact that in the past, battles and wars were more physical while today, in the modern world, most wars are fought mentally.
Kim also visited Mount Kelir during her time in Yogyakarta and she said that in this place, she experienced one of her most interesting encounters with the spirit world.
'We were covering a story on Ratu Mas Malang and Ki Dalang Panjang Mas. It was kind of a love story. So, when we went up there, in a cemetery, there was a presence of energy that made it interesting because some of our cameras stopped working for a while and our CCTV monitors were flicking back and forth without stopping even though nobody touched them,' she said.
When filming in Yogyakarta, Kim also introduces the traditional Javanese dagger known as kris and reveals the mystery of the legendary ghost known as kuntilanak.
The Yogyakarta episodes, which will be aired on Aug. 10 and 17, are not the first times a specific city in Indonesia has been the focus of the paranormal documentary show.
In previous seasons, Kim has also visited Jakarta to document paranormal activities in the highly modern and cosmopolitan megalopolis.
However, she still feels that there is more mysticism and paranormal activity out there in Indonesia waiting to be documented.
'I am in the midst of finalizing season four with NBC Syfy and part of my plans are to return to Jakarta [...] There is a lot, lot more to cover in Indonesia other than Javanese mysticism,' she said.
Outside of Indonesia, Kim also documented mysticism in Singapore and Malaysia for the third season of the Paranormal Zone.
In Malaysia, Kim visited haunted houses and abandoned villages in Sabah. She also spoke to witnesses, researchers, scientists and spiritualists who investigate UFOs and followed up evidence of Bigfoot.
While in Singapore, she documented the truth about the Death House in Sago Lane.
'There are certain similarities in terms of the relationships between faith and animism and the belief of spirits,' Kim said.
'However, what is kind of distinctly unique about each of them is the rituals they practice and the logic and understanding of those beliefs, and the elements of superstition that are around the belief in the spirit, ghosts and the paranormal.'
Kim's passion in learning about the mystical realm of the unseen and the unknown began in 2009, during which she dug deeper into her own spiritual journey of Buddhism.
'In the process I met my spiritual teacher, [and] we spoke about the different realms. The realm of the unseen exists,' she said.
'It was very interesting when we talked about paranormal activities, about people being possessed [...] and it became a conversation and lesson about how we are always afraid of the unseen. And that sparked the beginning of the Paranormal Zone,' she added.
As Kim learned more about her religion, her faith in its capability to protect her from harm grew, she became less and less fearful of the paranormal world during her journey hosting the Paranormal Zone documentary.
Therefore, the purpose of the Paranormal Zone, according to Kim, was not to frighten people, but to give them knowledge and information with the objective of reducing their fear of the unknown or unseen.
'I think if you want to talk about fear, I was more scared about my performance in front of the camera,' she said.
'In terms of scary stories, because I have strong faith, I never felt that I would be harmed.'
Kim's familiarity with the paranormal, however, does not change her discontent with horror movies. According to her, horror is still her least- favorite film genre.
'Personally I do not like horror movies [...] if I had to choose, my favorite would be The Exorcist,' she said.
'The funny thing is now that I am actually the host of the Paranormal Zone and for three seasons have been understanding the unseen and the unknown more, it is really not as frightening as what the movies show us. I have realized that most of it is theatrics.'
' Photos courtesy of Syfy
