SUBUD IN SOUTH AFRICA

Transcription

1 Personal copy; not for onward transmission VISIT OUR WEB SITE for News in Brief, subscriptions to Subud Voice and links to many other Subud sites. October 2003 SUBUD IN SOUTH AFRICA Rohana Fraval, Nkanga Wa Mambu, Sutinah Sudarsono and Hamilton Minnaar (outgoing South African Chair). Rohana Fraval brings news of South Africa I arrived in Cape Town five days before the 24th National Congress of Subud South Africa. Not having been to the African continent before, I was really excited. Sahlan, my husband was born in Johannesburg and in the thirty years we have been married had asked me several times to accompany him to his hometown. Because of the political situation I had always refused. A week prior to our departure, Murray Clapham had a meeting with Sahlan and mentioned that he was stopping at Cape Town for the Congress, en route to Brazil for the gathering. The part that was beckoning to me was the Susila Dharma International AGM. I had not mentioned to Sahlan that I really wanted to go. When he heard that Murray was visiting South Africa, he felt it would be a good idea for me to join him and Sutinah Sudarsono, who is of course the International Helper from Indonesia. I was ecstatic. So here I was bound for the African continent. My initial shock on entering the plane was being greeted by an all nonwhite cabin crew. I had not realized that the change was so great. They were very pleasant and full of humour. Yes, times have changed. By the time I arrived in Johannesburg, the crew had given us the food and chocolates normally given to the first class passengers. So the long journey from Perth to South Africa was indeed pleasantly passed. On arrival in Cape Town I was greeted by Hamilton Minnaar, the National Chairperson for Subud South Africa, and Mano Sadien. I was driven to Anwar and Riyana Slamang's home as this was where I would be staying. They were a young active Subud couple. Anwar was the chairman of the Cape Town group. Their two boys, seven-year old Masood, two-year old Amin and Poppy the nanny followed me to my bedroom all agog. By the time I left, I was granny for the first time in my life. On my first night in the African continent I was sleepless because I was freezing cold in bed. I had stupidly not packed any winter clothing, thinking it would be warm! Riyana, my hostess, lent me a winter coat, and I went shopping the next day. I was struck by the absence of white shoppers in the huge shopping mall. I was shocked when told it was in a coloured area. I found it strange and a little bit sad that even though the political climate had changed, the attitudes of the multitude would take much longer. Yet shopping for shoes in another mall, I found shoppers of all races and colour! So it is changing, though slowly. It is a stunningly beautiful country trying painfully to get back its standing in the world. Pre-Congress Meeting The pre-congress meeting at Mano and Ragimah's house set the tone for the next day. Hamilton Minnaar the outgoing national chair and his committee had worked very hard for six months before congress to get the agenda right. The discussions went on till quite late that night so that the kejiwaan programme fitted in with the business of congress. It also gave Murray, Sutinah, Nkanga (the representative for Zones 5/6) and me the opportunity of meeting the national helpers and the committee. The opening of Congress was attended by about twenty-four local members and Michael Muller, the national helper representing Johannesburg. Several members belonged to one very dedicated large Subud family, the Slamangs. The international flavour was added by Murray Clapham and Sutinah, the international helpers for area 1 and 2, and Nkanga who is from the Congo and was also en route to Brazil. Congress commenced with a simultaneous latihan for both men and women followed by tea and snacks. They were not just snacks, it was a feast! At the kejiwaan sessions that followed Sutinah was approached by the ladies to participate in testing. Paula Blacking, a dab hand from Johannesburg was the new national helper tested in absentia, with Halimah Gudgerjahn the Kejiwaan councillor. Boris, her husband, was tested in as the national chairman for Subud South Africa and Muchtar Slamang, the national helper for men. Boris is a German film-maker by profession and he was absent from the congress due to a photo shoot. Main Theme of the Congress The main theme of the congress was the progress of the latihan and how we could develop and practice it in our everyday life. How do we achieve harmony? How do we help the growth of Subud? Continued on page 2. SUBUD VOICE - October

2 SOUTH AFRICA Continued from Page 1. I was astounded to hear that there were 18 openings in the past two years. They must be doing something right. How many of us can boast such a figure in our groups? What struck me was their dedication to the latihan. Persevering with the Latihan Even though the active member numbers had dwindled due to the passing on of the older brothers and sisters, and the fact that the members were quite isolated, they still persevered with the latihan. Their greatest loss was when very active members moved overseas. Nonetheless, out of 56 members, 37 are active and attend latihan regularly. Saturday evening's entertainment turned out to be young talent time. The Subud youth put on a very good show. Some of them had extremely good voices, and the others played musical instruments. Not to be outdone, the older members especially Abana lent their vocal cords to a few old and popular Indonesian songs in honour of Sutinah. We all joined in. Michael Muller and Lambert enacted Little Red Riding Hood which was hilarious. In all, the performance of the evening brought about a camaraderie that was an integral part of the gathering. The weekend congress was very productive. Hamilton Minnaar and his committee executed an excellently organised meeting. It was decided that four national helpers would be adequate for all of South Africa taking into consideration the national finances available and the needs of the three groups namely Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. There was a growing interest in Susila Dharma and Mano Sadien agreed to be the group representative. Murray explained to the group that there were other Wings such as SIHA, the international health association, and SICA, the cultural association. The feeling was that the groups here had been isolated for such a long time that they were bursting to play an active role on the global scene. Present amongst the men was the well-known artist Lambert Kriedemann. I liked his paintings. I wish I had seen Muchtar's boat-building yard, and Ismail's upholstery and prosthetic chair making business. These enterprises add to the contributions that keep the group going. The members are very warm and caring. Their hospitality was immeasurable. I kept praying that, if it was the will of Almighty God, there would be many native Africans wanting to be opened. I did not see a single one - there were white members, and brown but no black brothers or sisters. Everybody tells me the latter are very God-fearing and religious people. A Touching Story I have to tell you this very touching story of my visit to Johannesburg after Cape Town. I had promised Sahlan that I would visit his childhood home. Carol, one of the younger members of the Johannesburg group took it upon herself to drive Sutinah and me all over town. On this particular Sunday morning she had rushed off to the airport at 6.00 a.m. to drop Nkanga at the airport. On hearing how much I had wanted to go to Sandringham to see the Fraval home, she came back from the airport and drove me down to the Jewish quarter. As a schoolboy Sahlan used to play for the Jewish soccer team. We parked the car and started taking photographs. In both Cape Town and Johannesburg, the security is very tight. The houses have a ten-foot wall surrounding them topped with two foot high razor wire and sometimes glass shards or electricity. Sahlan's house had a big gate with a huge lock. So we started clicking away with our camera through the bars. I spied an intercom by the gate and called out. We could hear voices from the far end of the house, and this time Carol leaned on the buzzer. Carol assured me that no one in their right mind would ever engage with strangers especially as a security risk. Suddenly the door to the converted garage opened and a large African woman lumbered out. I started calling out from the kerb to reassure her that I was from Melbourne in Australia and had come to look at the house where my husband grew up. What happened next was truly amazing. She came up to the gate and unlocked it! Carol whispered that this was impossible and unbelievable. No African caretaker would ever open the door to a stranger - hers would not. Stranger yet, the woman came up with her arms held up saying When Moses was cast out... and embraced me and then Carol and invited us like as if she knew we were coming, to go behind the house and take more photographs. She said she had a few minutes before taking the bus to go to the city. Then she introduced herself as Gloria. Carol by now offered to take the family to the bus stop so they bundled into the car, suitcases and all, telling us she knew we were coming! At the bus stop she hugged us some more and then reluctantly said good bye. Carol and I quietly drove back to Paula Blacking's house as I had only a few hours before leaving for Australia. Speaking of Paula Blacking, all I can say is that our old souls recognised each other from another time. My visit to South Africa was indeed very profound. I had been away for almost a month. In that time I had visited two continents, Africa and South America for the first time. The experiences there were memorable; the friendships interwoven into the tapestry of my life. The inner bond in Subud knows no boundaries. Hamilton, thank you for your generosity. My brothers and sisters in Cape Town and Johannesburg, you gave me something I will always cherish - a deep love for you and your country. This will bring me back again. Thank you. Rohana Fraval, Susila Dharma Chair, Australia IBU RAHAYU S LETTERS ONLINE Some of Ibu Rahayu s replies to members letters are now available online. Reading the letters to Ibu Rahayu and her replies to them are an excellent addition to her talks. The letters to her reveal the problems that some Subud members struggle with and her replies demonstrate her loving concern and insight. The aim of this project is to reduce Ibu Rahayu's workload. The hope is that by providing these letters as examples to the membership, we will find encouragement to answer our own questions, or help each other respond to life situations in a way that makes it unnecessary to write a letter to Ibu Rahayu. To receive a password to access the site go to IBU RAHAYU S ADDRESS Please note that at the request of Ibu Rahayu and the International Helpers we are no longer printing Ibu Rahayu s contact details on the back page of Subud Voice. They request that letters previously sent to Ibu Rahayu should now be addressed to the International Helpers. 2 SUBUD VOICE - October 2003

3 WORLD CONGRESS LOCATION Testing by the International Helpers at the Brazil Gathering indicated that Granada is not the right place to hold the 2005 World Congress, confirming testing recently done by the organising team. Madrid is now the preferred location, with Barcelona as a second possibility. Most likely time seems to be late July to mid- August corresponding to holidays in many parts of the world. WSC hopes to assist 1000 members to attend including 800 young people. EMIGRATE TO ROSSENDALE LANCASHIRE Low cost housing for the young! (as low as 23k = $US36k) Good place to downsize to! Older members can release capital without expensive equity release schemes! Excellent fairly priced local tradesmen - plumbers, carpenters etc. Formerly centre of world cotton goods manufacturing region it is ideally situated at the end of the finest motorway network in the UK (bar none) with lots of easily reached towns (Accrington, Blackburn, Bradford, Burnley, Colne, Darwen, Liverpool, Manchester, Nelson, Preston, Wigan, Warrington, so lots of job opportunities. Plenty of entrepreneurial possibilities with fine open markets and nice little shops for sale at affordable prices. Manchester, Leeds and Bradford airports close at hand with good rail links from Accrington. Tip top bus services too. High up in the hills (300m) it has spectacular views and clean fresh air (traffic is not yet heavy). Lots of good schools, churches, mosques, plus heaps of social and cultural activities. Good properties suitable for purchase as latihan halls. If enough of you come (4 so far) perhaps we might be able to buy another Loudwater farm which might become a regional centre with accommodation. Information sheet available from me: Leonard Wells, Casablanca, Woodlands Road East, Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4PH, UK. Tel: UK + (0) lw@uku.co.uk MOTHER AND SON Sharif Horthy and Rahmaniyah Bowden. (Photo by Viktor Boehm) During the Americas Gathering in Brazil I was able for a moment to catch up with Rahmaniyah Bowden to talk to her about her autobiography Honour And Duty. The book describes Rahmaniyah s life both before and after Subud. Of particular interest are the dramatic events in her life during the Second World War when she was married to the son of Admiral Horthy who was the ruler of Hungary at that time. The book has been a best-seller in Hungary and has led to many people joining Subud. An English edition is expected in about 6 months time. Meanwhile, her son, Sharif Horthy has not been idle. Sharif, as is well known, joined Subud in Coombe Springs when he was a mere schoolboy. He went on to live in Cilandak and to become Bapak s secretary, interpreter and translator and also worked on several of the major projects such as the S. Widjojo Centre. In October 2000, he gave a talk to the public in Los Angeles during Ibu Rahayu's visit there. He openly shared his life and his path in Subud. The video of that talk quickly achieved modest fame, and numerous members bought copies of the video to use as outreach with friends and relatives. Subud USA has now published a booklet which is a slightly revised version of that talk. It is intended to be used for outreach. National committees from all Subud countries are welcome to contact Subud USA regarding translating it and reprinting it themselves. Copies can be purchased from Subud USA as well. Quantity discount prices are available: talk to us! Profits if any will be used to translate the booklet into other languages and reprint it. It's for sale from Subud USA for US$2.95 each or $2.75 for 5 or more copies. Order form from Subud USA at subudusa@subudusa.org or write to: Subud USA, NE 8 th ST #A, Bellevue, WA Tel: The text can also be downloaded from the Subud Writers site: ters/index.shtml When you see the words, download file, double-click on them and the contents of the file will then appear on your browser's screen. While you are at the writers site, you may wish to check out the many other interesting writings on offer there. Harris Smart, Editor Subud Voice KALIMANTAN GATHERING A youth gathering entitled Kalimantan Basara IV 2003 will take place in Rungan Sari, Central Kalimantan, on 28 December 2003 to 10 January 2004 Why Central Kalimantan? It is a very special place which Bapak Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo addressed in many of his talks. A place for us Subud members to develop and sustain as a reflection of our latihan kejiwaan. The purpose of Kalimantan Basara is to introduce the youth, especially Subud youth from around the globe, to Central Kalimantan and how we can develop our community as a part of Central Kalimantan. The program will include Basic English language programs for the kids in Rungan Sari, cultural exchange program, Dayak Culture program and outdoor activities like visiting the gold mining and boat trip. Latihan, kejiwaan and social activities are the mainstream in Kalimantan Basara. We also have an idea for this event to be available for non-subud people. Web site: Contacts: Darmawan Febri Mahesa, mazcebi@yahoo.com Sutisna Fajar, sutisna@dutaloka.com Anna Mardiana Saraswa, anna@maverick.co.id SUBUD VOICE - October

4 MEMORIES OF VARINDRA Varindra Tarzie Vittachi died ten years ago on September 17th In their obituary the British newspaper The Guardian spoke of Varindra as a communicator of nobility and a true citizen of the world. The following is an excerpt from Varindra's speech at the Subud World Congress in Sydney in 1988, one year after Bapak's death. As a very young journalist, two colleagues and I interviewed Jean Paul Sartre. In the course of the conversation I asked him for his definition of existentialism. His answer was a surprising question, Do you like war? I said, Of course not. The other two journalists said the same. Sartre went on, Neither do I like war. But there is war. Let us go out and ask the first one hundred people you meet, Do you like war? Everyone will say of course not. But there is war. That is what existentialism means to me.' When I next met Bapak I asked him, Bapak, why is there war? Bapak said, Because there is war in yourself. And this is what we have been discovering in these Congress sessions. If we are honest enough to admit that, we begin with ourselves. That is why we are here in Subud - because we have already declared to ourselves that we are aware of the need to change and are willing to make an effort to change. From Fruitful Droppings from the legacy of Varindra Tarzie Vittachi, compiled by Matthew Barry Sullivan. Now available again as part of SPI's new publication in one volume of Varindra's books: A Reporter in Subud, Assignment Subud, Memoir of Subud, Fruitful Droppings. Rukmawati Branting, UK AT AMANECER I did not know Varindra well, but I do remember him especially at the World Congress at Amanecer, looking so thin and Gandhi-like in a white garment, as they wheeled him up to the stage so that he could speak to all of us. I was near enough to see the tears of love in Garrett's eyes as Varindra told us some Varindra Tarzie Vittachi. of his stories, full of humour, wisdom and insight. I remember also how he warned us about the Subud termites (was that his word?) who were always out to destroy our Subud organisation. I was aware too of his courage in going to Amanecer at that time, even though he was dying of cancer. And I vividly remember his touch - I cannot think of anyone else with a handshake so gentle. Ilaina Lennard, UK A MAN OF DIGNITY A person who understands things has more than knowledge; such a person has knowledge that is alive in the inner. Varindra had a great understanding of many aspects of life: values, politics, education, religion and, above all, human beings. This is why it was always a profound experience to converse and discuss with him. It was not that he had ready-made theories, but rather that his wisdom would always just emerge naturally. Even when he made familiar points, he would phrase them with a new and illuminating edge. Because of this, one had the impression that he owned an inexhaustible stock of insights. In fact, there were certain principles that he understood thoroughly with his whole being, such as never either or but always and and and, values are born of respect, and everything is about something else. More than anything, he was incredibly perceptive about other people. He was very compassionate, but his critical observations of others always cut to the quick. This perceptiveness enabled him to see what was going on in meetings beyond the topic of discussion. Consequently, his interventions were always pivotal. He was a master of communication. He called himself a wordsmith. He cherished words. I tried to understand what this communicative capacity consisted in. For example, before saying anything about the matter at hand, he would create space for himself, for instance, by giving the discussion a new and wider context. Often, he would not go straight to the point, but often approach the issue sideways on. He might tell a story, out of which the required principle would emerge. He would often end the story or the point with a biting, humorous or unexpected twist, which would go in the opposite direction to everything else that he had said. However, his mastery went beyond this. He had an amazing capacity to direct feelings, including his own. He would carry his audience along with him, make them party to his idea as if he were merely articulating something that they themselves were thinking or feeling. For a short while, one would live inside what he said. He did not merely tell stories; rather, in so doing, he created a drama, which would evoke a whole range of feelings. Varindra was a very courageous person. I would not say that he was brave. Courage goes beyond cowardice, and its antidote, bravery. I think that this courage consisted in something very simple: being himself in all circumstances. For example, he could be clear amidst confusion, humorous when everything seemed very serious, down-to-earth when everyone else was carried away with idealism, and idealistic when we talked for too long about money. The moods around him did not affect him. This is in part why he was a person of dignity. Garrett Thomson, USA 4 SUBUD VOICE - October 2003

5 SICA AT THE AMERICAS GATHERING Faustine Sfeir, SICA Chair, talks about SICA (or should we call it VIDA!) at the Gathering of the Americas... As you know, when we meet together in Subud, there is intense activity and there are many facts to report back. But the most of important thing for me this time was the process that we all went through to reach a new step towards change. Being an active part of the World Subud Council, I became aware of the necessity to move forward. This was the important message delivered by the seven Zone Representatives, headed by Daniel and Meldan and the International Helpers completely supported this vision. The Council asked us, the four Wings, to create a Wings Council that will help in managing and harmonizing the administrative side of our work and will allow us, the Wings Chairs, to be of more service to the members. The Zone Representatives, who voiced the concern and wishes of the members of their respective zones, came up with some recommendations for each wing. I will just list below all the points that were made for SICA: Work with the International helpers and all Helpers to encourage creativity amongst members; Produce the Video Magazine 2 to 4 times a year; Encourage inter-cultural richness experiences; Help make larger Subud facilities more active with cultural activities; Help foster young talents; Organise workshops regarding talents and creativity; Encourage the expression of true human culture; Allow creative windows to interface and interact with all of humankind! These points are in line with the work that SICA has been doing for the past two years, but it was encouraging to see that our vision is indeed answering members needs. The other point of agreement was regarding the name SICA. Our board felt in our first AGM in Ireland in 2001, how heavy this acronym was and that it is was not representing the inner reality of culture in Subud. The World Council, after some testing, came to the same conclusion and one of the suggestions was to change it to VIDA! I would like to hear back from members about this idea and to come with other suggestions if possible. Practical Matters Regarding practical matters, SICA (or VIDA!) has a new treasurer, Machrus Garces (Subud Cali) who has good experience and insight in how to successfully manage cultural activities. Luqman Gomez (Subud Austin) has agreed to be the accountant. We still need an assistant to help me manage all the different projects. If you know someone who might be interested in this position, let me know. One of the other interesting lessons of the Americas Gatherings was how it came to reality. It was decided during the Zone 7 meeting in Puebla (Mexico) in October 2002 through consensus, and confirmed afterwards by testing, to organise it in two different places, Colombia and Brazil. Although not many foreigners attended the Colombia Gathering, 100 young Colombian members were present. The issue of Amanecer was discussed and Subud Colombia took ownership of its survival and development. In Brazil, with the presence of Ibu Rahayu and with the WSC meeting taking place, we all worked with harmony and love like a big family for the same cause the growth of Subud. Elias Coragem, former IH and organiser of the meeting in Brazil, said about the SICA programme: I was about to write to you about this whole wonderful experience that we shared together. And had also a feeling to congratulate SICA for the very hard work in expressing this movement from within. I'm glad to see this life bubbling in different forms here and there. A Rich Presence SICA had a very rich presence including: The Love exhibition, with more than 60 art works from Subud and non-subud local artists, was shown at the Convention Centre in town which was open to all; Faustine Sfeir. (Photo by Julia Hurd) The cultural nights with singing and performance; The many workshops one of them being My Neighbourhood that was organised with the local school for children and will continue until the next world congress in Spain in The screening of the last 4 out of the 10 videos done this year for the video magazine about life in Subud: projects, activities and portraits. (The last video A Certain Woman was a portrait of Ibu Rahayu). All these videos are now gathered on one beautiful DVD We Celebrate Our Culture that is for sale. I would like to end this report asking you all to work together interfacing the necessities of the zones and the countries, that is to say having a direct contact with the members in order to understand the human potential of each culture. This might allow us to make it grow and accomplish Bapak s vision: with their knowledge human beings may fill the world with all the arts and skills helpful to human society. And their light, shining radiantly, will enable society to live in peace and prosperity. (Susila Budhi Dharma, Chapter 4: Pangkur). I hope these events and insights will inspire you to understand a new way of working in collaboration for a common vision. Please send me your opinions and advice about a new name for SICA to info@sica.web.net. Looking forward to hearing your comments, Faustine Sfeir, SICA Chair SUBUD VOICE - October

6 Ibu Rahayu s Talk to Members in Ramadhan Rungan Sari, Kalimantan, 15 th November TKL 2 Translation by Raymond Lee As the fasting month of Ramadhan is approaching, we bring you this talk which Ibu Rahayu gave during Ramadhan last year Brothers and sisters, good evening. Well, this is not a talk tonight; this is just to pass the time, as we have not met for a while. Actually, I wanted to come for some time, especially when I heard about the chronic smoke, but I had to wait until now when conditions improved. Of course I am thankful that I can meet you again, especially those of you who live here who have had a depressing time because you could not see the sun for a long time as if you were at the North Pole where you don t see the sun for months. As this is the month of Ramadhan, although it is not the time to talk about this yet, to give you an understanding of what s called the lailat-ul-qadar, I will explain something about this anyway so that you will understand what the lailat-ulqadar is. In Subud, it s not only Muslims who fast, but members who are not Muslims Christians, Buddhists fast too. For Muslims this is a duty they have to do. And for us in Subud, when we fast I believe that you can feel that the Fast is not just about reducing food and reducing drink, but inside you it is as though we clean our self too; we find we can separate out the passions an experience that people who don t fast may never have. This is why we do the Fast to learn how to separate out the passions and to clear our mind and emotions so that we can know the touch of God the touch of God within our being. And, because this is an effort that a person makes to improve, to be clean, God knows all about it. Something inside you automatically keeps track of this, so that when the time comes, on the odd numbered nights starting on the 21 st night, after you have fasted for twenty days well, if you only fasted for three days don t expect to get anything it is said that is when God will bestow, will start to bestow God s Grace on His creatures. Of course, this Grace is not like a present from Santa Claus. No. The gift is a spiritual one. This Grace can take many forms. It may be a material benefit, or it may be a spiritual one. If it is a material one, you may find it becomes easier to make a living, or Ibu Yati and Ibu Rahayu with friends at the Brazil Americas Gathering. (By Victor Boehm) that your health improves. And if it is a spiritual gift, you will feel an increased sense of self-awareness, or that you make some spiritual progress within you. Benefits of Fasting The one who will know is you. You can prove this when you do latihan, even though it is not the 21 st day yet. When you do latihan during the Fast, you feel lighter in the latihan. This is because, without knowing it, by fasting you are able to restrain your passions. You restrain them in many ways. For instance, if you feel angry, you don t get angry. But, don t just lie around and do nothing! So it is clear that when we fast, this Fast will have an effect on us. If you are sick, your suffering may be alleviated, because by fasting you cut back on things that don t agree with your body. Of course, God hopes that human beings will always be in the same state as when you fast. So after the Fast is over, if you can, you should continue to have that feeling and work the same way within you, as if you were fasting. So, it s as though fasting teaches human beings to understand and do what their true self needs. People normally fast as it s a duty, but for Subud members the hope is that even when you don t fast you continue to feel the way you did when you fast. As I just said, if we receive God s Grace, it won t take the form of an object or something you can see, but if you receive this Grace you will feel it and experience it. Bearing Witness I thank God of course if some of you receive this Grace and bear witness to this yourselves. What sort of witness? You bear witness to God s Grace, to the Greatness of God. What do we mean by the Greatness of God? The Greatness of God can take many forms by God s Grace you witness something that s beyond the reach of the human mind. In this way you will witness for yourself that the Greatness of God is not a fable... it is real. It is the miraculous that which is unexpected, that which the mind cannot understand. This can happen especially to Subud members, who, by dedicating themselves inwardly and outwardly, submit to God and distance the passions that can block your spiritual progress. For sure you can receive this... but when? That s up to God! This is really needed now when many people worry about the present uncertain situation. So, through your prayer, through your latihan, through your fast, hopefully if you receive a grace, it won t be just for you alone, but for our country, our nation, so that as human beings we can live in Continued on page SUBUD VOICE - October 2003

7 October 2003 Editor Ilaine Lennard Oliver Vos remembers a small boy he met in the early days of Subud in England.. During one of the early Regional Gatherings at the Barnet Subud Centre, an extremely anxious couple called, wanting to join Subud immediately. They were from Brazil, speaking broken English - Mauricio Rosenbaum and his wife Nilda. Nilda s sister Leila, a helper with Subud Sao Paulo, Brazil (20 members), was with them urging that this was a very special case. The Rosenbaum s son, ten year old Sergio, was dying of leukaemia in a London hospital. The Rosenbaums, with their three children, were only in England for six months or so. Mauricio, an architect, had been sent to London by the Brazilian government to study Town Planning with the Greater London Council. All went well with them at first, until Sergio became ill with a heavy bout of influenza - so they thought. When it was diagnosed as leukaemia, Paulo and his sister Silvia were sent back to Brazil. Leila had come all the way from Brazil to help the Rosenbaums in their plight. Testing two days later showed that it was right for them to receive the Contact. Mauricio started the latihan the following day, Nilda started two days later. I went to the hospital to visit Sergio. Something happened inside me. It seemed that a connection was established, as if we were made as one person. I am sure that Sergio also felt it. He was very, very thin and pale. Blood was dripping from a bottle through a tube and into his left arm. The doctors had given him at most, a fortnight to live. I sent a cable to Bapak, asking for advice. Prompt reply, Helpers to do latihan with Sergio every other day when he is asleep. Telephone calls to and from Brazil. Mas Prio Hartono, Bapak s ambassador for South America, was extending his stay in Sao Paolo. My first latihan in the isolation ward, I had to wear a gown and a mask. Latihan with Sergio was very difficult, because he liked to talk and ask questions. His English was reasonable. Arriving at the hospital at 9 pm. it would take about an hour before he got tired and went to sleep. After the first latihan, Sergio s condition began to deteriorate. After the third latihan his condition improved, and three or four weeks later he was allowed to go home. For some reason I had gone into a different state and had lost track of time. Sergio was looking very fit and well but still very thin. I remained in a kind of dreamy state for over a week. Gradually I went back to normal. Paulo and Silvia came back to England. Leila returned home. Sergio began to put on more weight. Membership in Subud Sao Paolo doubled. Twenty relatives of the Rosenbaums received the Contact. Bapak would be going on his next world journey. Brazil this time was not on his itinerary. Mauricio finished his studies in London and needed to return to Brazil. Testing at Loudwater: Should the Rosenbaums wait in England so that they can meet Bapak? No, they must return to Brazil. Oliver (Ivan) Vos studied yoga before he was in Subud. Here he is relaxing in my favorite posture. Below he tells the moving story of his relationship with a young boy called Sergio.. The Story of Sergio Mas Prio wrote to Bapak asking him to come to Sao Paolo. Bapak s answer was, Bapak will come to Brazil. Telephone calls to and from Brazil. Membership in Sao Paolo was now sixty. Mauricio s last latihan was at Loudwater. A selamatan (party) was held afterwards, singing Auld Lang Syne. Mauricio, before Sergio s illness a confirmed materialist, now spoke with tears in his eyes, God bless you all, brothers. Next day at the airport, another moving scene. Several members from Loudwater were seeing the Rosenbaums off. Many had tears in their eyes. Sergio was gone. I felt that he was still with me. He still hasn t gone. He will remain with me for as long as I live, no matter where he is. The latest report from Brazil said that Bapak had met Sergio and said that he was all right. I am a stranger here. Heaven is my home. - Author Two years later A hand written letter from a Brazilian Subud member to a member in the UK - February 8th I m very, very sorry to tell you that our beloved son Serginho (a childish name for Sergio) has left us. He died very beautifully, lightly and peacefully on Wednesday 6th at 4.30 p.m. I know how you feel. It was a shock to us all here too. Because we all expected him to pull through this crisis as he has always done before. Nilda and Mauricio were beautifully calm, as only Subud people can understand. Nilda had a lovely experience, I think this has helped all of us. She was resting in her brother-in-law s (Continued on page 8) INNER VOICE - October

8 Plants and their Essences Extracts from Bapak s book SUSILA BUDHI DHARMA 4 Having finished speaking about the significance of the power of matter, the subject now changes to the power of plant-life, another force that also accompanies human life on earth. 5 The power in plants can influence human life even more, for without it human beings would have no strength, nor a body like their present earthly one. 6 In fact, the force from plants is an absolute necessity for life. From the start, while still in the mother s womb, a human being obtains the essences of plants through her; so, up to the moment of birth, he or she is never separated from food. 7 For it is God s decree that human strength should come from food derived from plants, so the human body is nourished and formed by plant essences. 8 In short, people certainly cannot do without this food, even though their full diet also includes food that comes from animals but that subject is better left until later, after the nature of the force in vegetation has been discussed. 9 The reason for this is to avoid a tangle of subjects that would make it difficult to understand what is really intended. 10 You need to know that the essence of the vegetable forces are actually already present in human beings, though in a form that cannot be seen with the physical eyes. They can be perceived only by an inner feeling that is truly pure - clean and clear and quite free from the influence of thinking. So when the essences of food from plants enter a human body to form, nourish and strengthen it, what takes place is a meeting between the essences that come from outside and those that are within. 11 Truly, then, this is a meeting between external and internal, between the outer life and the inner. So if what comes from outside is not suited to what is inside, an unpleasant feeling will arise that can easily cause illness in the human body. 12 Although the eyes cannot see flavour, the essences of it that are present in a human being can recognise it by such tastes as sweet, nutty, bitter, sour, spicy-hot, salty, tart and brackish. Human beings are endowed with these essences of flavour, which correspond to the tastes of the food they eat. 13 Foods vary widely in outward form, but these forms are merely vessels for their essences, each of which have various tastes. The real purpose of all of this is to facilitate the meeting between what is outside and what is inside. 14 And the meeting of these two entities that resemble one another takes place in human beings when they eat. So, in reality, when people eat they are simply intermediaries for the force of the plant essences outside them to meet those within them. 15 In allowing this to take place, the human being has carried out his or her obligation correctly, and may truly be called a high and wise creature of God. 16 The wisdom of such a person is rightly praised by the participants - that is, the essence of the vegetable forces, both those inside and those outside - because he or she has been able to open a joyful path for them, and they have long awaited this help. 17 This meeting between the inner and the outer vegetable forces is like a long-awaited meeting between husband and wife. How great their joy is needs no description, for you can imagine it. What does need to be said, however, is that in this case the human being has already freed him or herself from the influence of vegetable forces. 18 Accomplishing this will enable you to know how life is arranged in the plant world; also, how the influence of its force on humankind can be dangerous, even though all these forces are intended to take part in your life as a creature of high standing. 19 In their outer nature, as food, plants build up the strength of the human body, its flesh, blood, and so on. (Continued on page 9) The Story of Sergio (Continued from page 7) house while Serginho was in hospital with Mauricio and Pedro. Serginho didn t want anybody around when he wasn t well. Nilda was awakened from a deep sleep (she had been taking strong sleeping pills) and heard a voice saying, Mummy, go to the hospital to be with Daddy. I m already going. She washed her face because she thought she was either dreaming or hallucinating, but the voice continued, Mum, don t make a fuss! Go to the hospital and stay there with Dad. I am well. You know Mum, when a baby is born he is purplish. (Nilda always used to worry that s all. That one who is in the hospital when his hands were purplish). Well, when we die we also get purplish, is not me, I m up here. Now I can go swimming in the swimming pool (which he adored but couldn t do since he became ill the first time). I can see Seid (Mauricio s father who died in 1973). It is much better here. There is no one to bother me with all that injection pricking. So Mummy, go to Daddy. Nilda then rushed to the hospital where she found Serginho still alive. He died half an hour later. Pedro and Mauricio were with him. He even asked for a candy fifteen minutes before he went. I was praying for him because Miriam (Nilda s sister) had telephoned and told me that his state was very very serious. I felt peace and calm while I was praying, and now I even felt him near me when I began to write this letter. We sent a telegram to Bapak asking him to pray for his soul. You can tell them please that everything was very peaceful and Subud-like. They can imagine that Nilda was magnificent. She didn t cry and was calm and serene and so was Mauricio. We were awed and grateful and also surprised that we were calm and serene too. Yes, Serginho was certainly a very special boy. There was something about him that made him stand out from other children. He was mischievous and wise at the same time. Three months later I received Sergio s gold fountain pen. Before he died he had insisted that I should have this to remember him by. I didn t need anything to remember him. At the time of writing this, twenty-eight years later, I still have the feeling that he is standing beside me. Oliver s complete memoirs - THE LIFE OF EAGLE JOHN FOX - can be obtained from him at: 14/6 Stoner St., Innaloo, WA 6018, Australia. AS $25.00 within Australia, AS $38.00 overseas or AS$30.00 cash, inc. p & p. Batches of 6 for AS$26.12 each. Oliver s e/m is oliver@argo.net.au 8 INNER VOICE - October 2003

9 The Choosing of Helpers and the Case of Sydney.. a story from Harlinah Longcroft Sometimes Bapak indicated those who should become helpers by pointing to them while they were sitting around the edge of the room. Sometimes they were in rows behind each other. Bapak was in latihan and receiving while he was indicating in this way. From time to time some confusion arose about who exactly Bapak had indicated. Was it the man on the right or the man on the left, or even the man sitting behind in the second row. Take, for instance, the case of Sydney. Sydney lived at Coombe Springs. He had been for many years a patient in a psychiatric institution and had been brought to live at Coombe before Subud in order, so the story goes, for Bennett s followers to test themselves and their reactions when confronted by abnormal behaviour. Sydney lived at Coombe for several years and was opened along with most of the other residents. Then, when Bapak was indicating who should be helpers, it appeared that Bapak had indicated Sydney. If Coombe Springs had not previously been a Gurdjieff centre, the choice of someone with quite a severe psychiatric illness would have given rise to questioning right away. Helpers are supposed to be able to answer the questions of those who want to join Subud, as well as to be responsible when accompanying the latihan, and Sydney s condition would have made it more or less impossible for him to fulfil either of these functions. Bennett s followers, however, were used to surprising and complicated situations that defied reason, so it did not occur to anyone to question Bapak as to whether in fact he really did intend Sydney to be a helper. So Sydney, now considered to be a helper, continued doing what he liked doing best at that time. He would meet people in the hall and assure them very seriously that he could now recite the Lord s Prayer in fortynine different languages, and could even recite it backwards. And if they were polite enough to give him half a chance, he would kneel down in front of them and begin. When the matter was eventually brought to Bapak s attention, it was discovered that he had never in fact indicated Sydney. It was the man sitting beside him. Furthermore, Bapak advised that Sydney should not attend latihans because the cleansing or purification that he would go through would be far too strong for him. So Sydney stayed at Coombe Springs and benefited from the latihan all around him, although he, himself, did not attend the latihans. After several years he was for a time strong enough to do the latihan occasionally, always accompanied by helpers. Later on when he had to return to hospital, he continued to visit Coombe Springs for short stays whenever his condition made this possible. When Subud started in England, there were no Subud hospitals where people with serious illnesses such as Sydney s could be looked after. Soon Bapak gave the advice that until such hospitals existed it was not advisable to open someone with a psychiatric illness. This is because their purification in the latihan might cause them too much distress, and there was nowhere yet available where they could receive medical treatment appropriate to their condition, while at the same time being supported by Subud helpers and the latihan. Extract from the HISTORY OF SUBUD Volume 1: The Coming of Subud. Book 1: The Beginning in Indonesia. NOTE copies of Book 1 are still available. It was circulated that it was out of print, but this was premature. Some Book 1's with printer damaged covers can also be supplied at a discount. Contact Luqman Leckie. Luqleckie2000@yahoo.com (Continued from page 8) 20 Even so, you are in fact not allowed to depend solely on the strength derived from plant-life, as that is only one of the means willed by God to enable you to live on earth. 21 If God had decreed that human beings be provided only with the essences of air and water, people would of course be able to live just by breathing air and drinking water. But then they would certainly not have been formed as you have been. 22 Clearly then, as has been said earlier, human beings need to eat foods made from plants, because God s decree has endowed them with the essential qualities of such food, in order that all these entities can live together in harmony. 23 Although human food is derived from living plants, when these are eaten or made into food they appear to be dead. 24 Nevertheless their essences remain alive and, as was said earlier, await the fulfilment of their desire. 25 And their desire is no different from a human being s; that is, when their end comes, to find the right way in order that they may return to the glory of the eternal world. Plants and their Essences 26 So if you do not reach your true level - meaning, the level where you are good at managing the life structure of your companion forces according to their natures - you will not be able to rise higher; that is, to the great, noble life meant for humanity. 27 As for the plants, they really and truly long to be united by human agency with their counterparts, and thereby return to a high and glorious realm. 28 Hence plants believe it far better for their essences to be eaten by people than just to fall on the ground and rot or only become food just for animals. 29 Indeed, when eaten by human beings, plants rejoice and greatly praise God, and liberally thank humankind for so glorious a death. 30 So their situation, my children, is like that of the force in material objects, as was discussed earlier. The difference between the two forces is that the material forces act as a participant in human thinking, whereas the forces of plant essences act in parallel with the feeling throughout the human body. 31 But, although both of these forces have such a close link with human beings and blend with them, for human beings they are simply companions. Susila Budhi Dharma NEW 400 PAGE HARD-BACK 2001 CENTENARY LIMITED EDITION WITH NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION EACH COPY INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED. SPECIAL OFFER PRICE REDUCED FROM TO (world-wide) Available from: Subud Publications International Loudwater Farm, Loudwater Lane, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 4HG Tel: (44) (0) Fax: (44) (0) spi@subudbooks.co.uk Methods of Payment International Money Order/Draft/UK Bank Account cheque - payable to: Subud Publications International or Credit Card MASTERCARD VISA AMERICAN EXPRESS INNER VOICE - October

10 THE BAHA IS AND SUBUD The following two letters (originally posted to Subudtalk) were found in the Baha i Academics Resource Library under Unpublished documents from the Universal House of Justice at bahai-library.org/uhj.subud.html. The library is a private, independent academic resource and is not officially sponsored or endorsed by any Baha i body or institution. No names were contained in the originals. - Iljas Baker The Universal House of Justice Haifa, Israel Dear Baha'i Friends, It has been brought to my attention that the Universal House of Justice has advised the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States that a person may not be allowed to be a member of both the Baha'i Faith and the spiritual brotherhood and sisterhood of Subud. I am writing to humbly ask you to give this matter additional consideration. This decision affects many people, and will likely affect many more in the future. Although Baha'u'llah clearly stated that a Baha'i cannot be a member of more than one spiritual organization, it must be noted that this tenet was established at a time in which the organization of Subud did not exist. Subud did not exist at all during Baha'u'llah's lifetime, and Subud also did not exist during the lifetime of `Abdu'l-Baha. From 1925 until 1957, Subud was in an embryonic state in Indonesia, largely unheard of in the rest of the world. It was not until 1957 that Subud came from Indonesia to England, and from there spread to many other parts of the world. The nature of Subud is such that it is intended to be a companion to whatever religion a person might have. The spiritual exercise in Subud, referred to as the "latihan kejiwaan" or "latihan", is not a teaching which is studied, but it is a receiving of Grace from God. This guidance and grace is given to a person by God in accordance with that person's individual nature and in accordance with whatever religion that person chooses. The latihan is just simply a gift which makes it easier for a human being to follow fully the Will of God and the teachings of all of God's Messengers. From the Subud perspective, the choice of one's own religion is entirely up to each individual. So it is therefore a matter of free choice for a Subud member to be in the Baha'i Faith or to be in any of the other religions which have arisen by the Grace of God. At this time, most members of Subud have cultural ties or personal commitments to the traditional religions of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and so on, though some members of Subud have not chosen a particular religion for the time being, as they continue to search and grow spiritually. It is very likely that some of the people in the world who are members of Subud could very much prefer to choose the Baha'i Faith to have as their own religion. One of the major problems in the choice of a religion nowadays is the existence of many sects, so that a person is really just choosing a particular interpretation of the teachings given by each of the Manifestations. As a Christian, I am continually confronted, for example, by the realization that I am not only following the teachings of Jesus Christ, but also an interpretation by Martin Luther, or George Fox, or John Calvin. Each of these Christian interpretations is incomplete. So I myself must grow to encompass a fullness of understanding on my own, of what it truly is to be a Christian. On the other hand, the teachings of the Baha'i Faith are fully complete. The teachings of Baha'u'llah were interpreted only by `Abdu'l-Baha, and his interpretations are completely at one with the teachings of Baha'u'llah. Likewise, Shoghi Effendi kept to the line established before him, as he developed the foundations and structure of the Baha'i Faith. So there is only one Baha'i Faith and one interpretation. This feeling of unity is only one of the many reasons a person might be attracted to the Baha'i Faith. Some of the people in the world who might wish to become Baha'is could very possibly be members of Subud. It is also very possible that a member of the Baha'i Faith might wish to join Subud in order to participate in the worship of God through the latihan kejiwaan. In the latihan, a person can worship God alongside of people of all the various religions, in simple surrender to God, and that is a wonderful experience. I am enclosing several books for you to read, if you wish, which can help to make clear the relationship between Subud and religion. Please do inform me of your official stance regarding membership in Subud for Baha'is. I hope that you will have peace and joy and many blessings as you study this matter. Thank you very much for your time and attention. With best regards, xxxx Enclosures: Autobiography: Bapak Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo Susila Budhi Dharma, by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo Living Religion in Subud, by Matthew Barry Sullivan The Universal House of Justice Baha'i World Centre Department of the Secretariat 29 June 1995 Dear xxxx, Your letter of 5 November 1994 to the Universal House of Justice with its enclosure of books on Subud has been received, and we have been asked to reply to your request for a clarification of the Baha'i position on Subud. We very much regret the delay. You are probably aware that the point round which the Baha'i teachings revolve is unity. This is expressed essentially in the belief that all the revealed religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, have come from the same Divine Source, but progressively at different times. Each exerts major spiritual, moral, and social influence for a particular time, a dispensation. The essential understanding of Baha'is concerning their own Faith is that its Founder, Baha'u'llah, is the latest Divine Messenger or Manifestation from God, Who has established a dispensation for a duration of at least one thousand years, after which a new Manifestation will come. Your letter states that "the nature of Subud is such that it is intended to be a companion to whatever religion a person might have", and you refer to "the spiritual exercise in Subud" as "a receiving of grace from God". This would seem to imply that Subud provides a channel of divine grace without which every religion, including the Baha'i Faith, is incomplete. This is a belief that is incompatible with the Baha'i teachings concerning the nature and purpose of the Manifestations of God and the completeness and perfect suitability of each Revelation for the age for which it is sent. From the Baha'i point of view, the concept of Subud places it in the category of a religious organization, and for this reason membership in Subud is incompatible with membership in the Baha'i community. Such membership would put a Baha'i in the untenable position of subscribing to two different religious communities at one and the same time, involving him in an inherent conflict. However, as Baha'u'llah has exhorted His followers to consort with people of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship, the Baha'is have no difficulty in associating with people of various groups without having to become affiliated with different religious organizations. Hence, the Baha'is harbor no resentment towards Subud. Your effort to supply the House of Justice with accurate information about Subud is deeply appreciated. It will pray that the work in which you are engaged, that of fostering greater love and understanding between people, may increase the possibilities of peace on earth and thus draw upon you the confirmations of the Almighty. Sincerely yours, For Department of the Secretariat 10 INNER VOICE - October 2003

11 IBU RAHAYU S TALK Continued from page 6. peace, both outwardly and inwardly, and we can have harmony in our life, so that whatever path we take we will find that the way is clear. So by doing latihan, we don t just pray for ourselves, but we pray for all of human kind. If the situation is calm and peaceful, that will bring about peace and tranquillity in human life. I don t mean that Subud should be involved in politics, no! But we should pray to God for peace in the world. Because chaos, the outbreak of all sorts of evil and so on, is man s doing when human beings cannot limit or restrain their greed. People here from overseas are really feeling this now non-subud expatriates don t feel safe in Indonesia anymore. But Subud members, because of their faith in God, don t think about this. They put more emphasis on being close to God through surrender. So at a time when many expatriates have left Jakarta, some of you have come here to Palangka Raya. You have come here for this because of a Subud feeling that is here and your faith in the Greatness of God. If we feel this faith, wherever we are will seem the same. If you don t feel safe there, it is not safe. If you feel safe here, it is safe. So even though Subud has a small membership, whenever you pray you should pray to God that Indonesia will soon become a safe and great country. Not just safe of course, but so that its people will develop as they should, in the way that God Wills. Well I don t think that I will take this discussion further. As I said earlier, this is a balm for your longing. I hope those who are fasting can continue their fast undisturbed so that you will get what you hope for. And also because I won t be here very long just a few days as I will go home on Sunday. I am happy that I could come; before arriving here I felt that I was coming home. So I wish all of you who will persevere here well and that you can live here safely. And I hope too that the clear weather now will bring some cheer to your lives. Thank you. I apologise that this is not long, because if I give you a talk they will be upset with me, as when I left they said, If you are going to give a talk you have to take a translator! So this could cause all sorts of problems. I told them I was only coming to see my house and to visit you. So forgive me if I don t give a long explanation. Thank you. MUSIC FOR THE SPIRIT Lucas Hille from Vancouver has released a new CD entitled Destination Peace of Mind with his group Legacy. Their slogan is Music for the Spirit. Lucas writes: This CD is quite a departure from the country track I was on. I am now struggling toe express something closer to what Bapak called true culture as distinct from true entertainment. The general public has been responding well to our music with comments like peaceful. soothing, relaxing and so forth which is great because our intention is to touch people on a spiritual level when we play. Legacy developed from the long standing musical friendship between singer/songwriter, Lucas, and Miles Simons, an improvisational R&B/jazz saxophonist. Salvador Pedraza, a classical/jazz bassist from Monterey, Mexico, completes the trio. Together the musicians of Legacy are fulfilling their creative vision: to enlighten, as well as involve: to soothe, as well as inspire; and to offer, through their music, a healing and spiritual experience to their listeners. The music was performed live in the studio to recreate the feeling the musicians share when playing together. This gives the collection of ten songs a wonderful feeling of intimacy. The songs themselves bring healing and uplifting messages and both voice and instrumental solos contribute to a relaxed and gentle mood. Definitely one to listen to when you are feeling calm and mellow, or when you need to feel calm and mellow. For copies of the CD contact Lucas at 3126 West 13 th Ave., Vancouver BC, Canada V6K 2V3. Phone: (604) lucashille@shaw.ca AN EXPERIENCE OF CRISIS My separate latihan with Mas Sudarto, was perhaps meant to be a fortified and extended initiation, as I was destined to move further away from Cilandak and circumstances forced me to wean myself from Mas Sudarto's personal care. One year after I was opened in Subud and had been receiving the private latihans with Mas Sudarto, my fortune took a turn for the better. I was offered a rent-free house by the Government Company I worked for. It happened that the house was known to be haunted and nobody dared to occupy it. After hearing from Mas Sudarto stories of apparitions and evil spirits, I relished the prospect of having an encounter with a ghost myself. So I happily took up the challenge. But it meant that I had to move 30 kms away from Cilandak, and would be cut off from Cilandak, which is in South Jakarta and I was moving to the most northern part of Jakarta, along the coast. From the very first night when my wife and I moved in the new house I had latihan by myself every night after my wife had gone to bed. To my disappointment I never had a face-to-face encounter with the ghost that was known to be a resident of the house. But later I heard from my new neighbours that the feeling of the place and its surrounding neighbourhood had changed. They said that the ghost must have gone, as the feeling of the neighbourhood had become lighter after I moved in that house. For that and for my bravery, my wife and I earned the respect of our neighbours. Our neighbours held us in high esteem, believing that we had a spiritual gift. Living with Crisis Type One My daily/nightly latihan resulted in me reaching a state of crisis which in fact lasted for the next two years or so. Fortunately according to Bapak's classification, the crisis I was going through was the Type One. The gentle type that is not observable by anyone else. My own purification, according Mas Sudarto, started from my intellect then to my feeling. My latihan has never been physical or vocal from the start until now. Type One Crisis is a crisis or experience which one ought to go through in consciousness and calmness, whereas the Continued on page 12. SUBUD VOICE - October

12 AN EXPERIENCE OF CRISIS Continued from Page 11. Type Two is a more disturbing crisis that one has to go through not in calmness and/or consciousness. The person may have a very active and strong imagination or reaction that can be observed by others. Both Types are essentially a purification that is going on and is necessary for the worship. (For further explanation please read Garis_garis Tuntunan Bapak Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo Bagi Para Pembantu Pelatih, First Edition, June 1995 (Guidelines from Bapak Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo for Helpers, compiled by Dewan Pembantu Pelatih Nasional Indonesia. Even Type One Crisis can occasionally be disconcerting for the person undergoing purification. From my own experience I can say that sometimes purification can be very intense. Very often I felt as if my body was going to be lifted off the ground and as if I was about to lose my sanity. But every time when I felt as if my breaking point was nigh, and when my heart cried out, God when is this going to end?, a voice was spoken in my head in Javanese, Ora suwé menèh. ( Not much longer. ) I learned for myself from experience, and I can testify that God never tests His humble creation beyond their endurance limit or teaches them beyond their capacity to receive. Another thing I learned is that God never reneges on His promise. When one receives a true receiving, it will materialise. If my private latihans with Mas Sudarto at Cilandak could be compared to an academic crash course, then my two years' living with crisis was equivalent to an accelerated and intensified purification. Indeed as Bapak said, crisis is nothing to be afraid of. It is in fact a path towards accelerated purification or cleansing of the body, mind and soul one ought to go through. The result of my private latihans with Mas Sudarto and my period of prolonged crisis extended beyond my own inner-self. In fact, strangely enough my wife, who was not opened in Subud, shared the benefit, and at one stage became more receiving-sensitive than I was. Subagio, Adelaide, Australia NSIMBA MAMPUYA RWAGASORE Nsimba Mampuya Rwagasor. Only a handful of Subud members helped in the expansion of Subud in the DR Congo. As a civil servant, Mr Nsimba was one of those pioneers, and we can be thankful that he devoted his skills and goodwill to this task. He was opened around He was a committed and responsible member and of course a leader of many, someone special like a shepherd, and with considerable spiritual qualities. As a member of the Subud Association, he had to assume several responsibilities, both spiritual and material. So he worked as a local helper, national helper, national secretary on the national committee, as Kejiwaan Councillor and at the Kingantoko Center. His words of advice as a helper were wonderful and contributed to the blossoming of Subud worldwide. As a Kejiwaan Councillor, he travelled widely, visiting countries such as Angola, South Africa, England, Colombia, and Sydney, Australia. Thanks to these travels, he made friends with many Subud members all over the world, with whom from time to time he exchanged spiritual experiences. After his death many who had known him and had experienced his commitment came forward to pay tribute to him. We thank him greatly for the many sacrifices that he made here and there, in order to build up the RDC Subud Association. For many, Mr Nsimba will always be an example. In addition, some of his articles in the local paper will be an inspiration for years. His Death Before his death, Mr Nsimba had been a healthy strong man for he was keen on agriculture, and had worked on his farm and at the Kingantoko Center. What s more he had never before suffered in such a way. However, three weeks before his death on July 31st, he felt extremely dizzy and weak, so he was taken to a near-by dispensary for a check-up. Things were soon cleared up, for it was a problem with his blood pressure. But his health subsequently worsened and he had to be taken to hospital. On July 28 th some Subud members paid him a visit. They came to chat, do a 15 minutes quiet, and the like. But Mr Nsimba could apparently not do his quiet properly because he was overtaken by a spontaneous latihan. There was real hope that our brother would survive at that stage, for he was still able to do many things for himself: he could walk, eat, chat, and advise those Subud members who visited him. So it was a surprise when on July 31 st it was confirmed that he had passed away. Many people had been comforted by the thought that he might recover, but fate decided differently. It was a spiritual death, a death without pain, said many. On August 5 th the body was carried to the cemetery (in a place belonging to his family, where he used to farm.) Many were shocked by his death, because it meant the loss of an important Subud member. But God gives and God takes away, says the proverb. Jacques Lemba, RDC National Chair Edited by Ilaina Lennard SICA LOVE EXHIBITION NEXT STOP Thirty international Subud artists are showing their work around Europe and next it will be seen in Subudhouse Rotterdam: Spoorlaan 4, Capelle A/D IJssel, from 11 Oct-16 Oct, opening on Saturday the 11th with a party afterwards. Contact: Beatrice Filius or SUBUD VOICE - October 2003

13 GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERS In the months preceding the WSC meeting in Brazil, there was some discussion in our pages about the revision proposed by the International Helpers of the book Bapak's Advice and Guidance for Helpers. At Brazil, Ibu Rahayu made it clear that the revision of the book should go ahead and that there were guidelines in Subud. Arifah Burra, International Helper from Area 1, will head up the team producing the book. She says... When asked if we should proceed with a new edition of the Helpers Guide, Ibu Rahayu said that it was important and necessary so that new helpers would know what to do. Ibu also said that there were guidelines and that it was important to keep to the fundamentals and not deviate from what Bapak intended. All members of the International Helper dewan are involved with the new edition in a supporting capacity, and those taking a more active role are Arifah Burra and Viktor Boehm, with Paul Gawen, Rohana Laing, Iljas Jamieson, Taufik Waage and Mardijah Simpson all taking active roles at some stage of the book production. Non-IH members with particular expertise (eg. Laurie Lathrop, research and Sharif and Tuti updating translation where necessary) will also be involved. Of course Ibu Rahayu will be asked to comment, make changes etc, before publication. It appears that the new book will be for all Subud members not just helpers and will include some new translations of excerpts from Bapak s talks and writings and some new sections. A section on death and dying was one possibility mentioned. Arifah Burra has also asked us to also publish the comments by Manuel Oliver, Cochair of the Subud Youth Association International, to give a young person s perspective on the subject. Harris Smart, Editor FROM MANUEL OLIVER Manuel Oliver, Co-chair of SYAI, wrote this after the Australian Congress in Queensland in 2003 in January 2003, when Arifah Burra asked him to try and gauge the needs of young people re the Helpers' Guide: Let me say from the start that I see how huge an undertaking this is, in the inner sense of trying to get right something that is really beyond our understanding. I do not think that one needs to be democratic by subjecting to debate and passion all the thoughts about what should and should not be. I feel very happy that it is being undertaken by the International Helpers, I believe that you all will get the grace to do it, so ultimately my personal opinion is that I trust you guys to know how to proceed. My apologies ahead of time for anything I write here; it is a big undertaking and I can only get grips on a bit of it. It is not straightforward to ask what someone thinks/needs/feels a book like this should or could be. In my canvassing at congress, I ran across two primary themes. One theme among my generation is that it is quite helpful when one becomes a helper to have some advice as to what we really are supposed to do. The other theme is that we (my generation) don't want a book of don'ts, or rules about lifestyle. When I mentioned the Ibu Rahayu letters project (making the responses available), there was some sense that her letters could speak to lifestyle don'ts much better than a canonical book. Removing Barriers to Action I am now back here in Wisma Subud and seeing the struggle that Subud Indonesia is having in making its phase shift among those looking for work guidance, helpers, youth, SDI and YUM, all of it. It has emerged that the language I use that is most effective in addressing what people are actually seeing going on and struggling with is language which addresses barriers to action. Too many people here feel heavy. Varindra s first book talked quite a bit about heavy being something to pay attention to in Subud. People here seem to understand me when I speak of our collective need to make it easy to bring interested people into latihan, to allow them to act without worrying about whether or not they have the Youth in Brazil. The book can help. (Photo: Viktor Boehm) right to do this or that, removing the sense of burden and fear of making mistakes, trusting each other, trusting ourselves, all that. Therefore my point of view on the book(s) is also that helping remove barriers is a helpful way for me to view what we can do. When someone my age becomes a helper, it is a scary thing to take on and something no one wants to screw up. But God is there, God is always there, and Bapak tells us over and over again that we are not responsible as helpers for doing God's work. Bapak once called his duties that of a janitor, making sure the lights worked and the furniture was prepared and so on, so that God could do God's work. This message is important for me/us because it removes fear and burden from our limited selves. Being responsible for aiding harmony in everything I do is a reasonable task, explaining things to people that I can't understand myself is not reasonable, yet unfortunately is a trap that I've seen many helpers (and people and myself) fall into. We have been given permission to not have to be higher than anyone else in Subud, including those whom we open. We don't have to be able to explain Javanese cosmology or differentiate between levels of life force. We do need to believe though that the latihan doesn't need our interference or our mediation to work in people's lives. To the extent that the book can help us (especially in places and countries where there are not many or any Bapak generation Subud members), remove confusion or burden, it will continue serve an important purpose. Manuel Oliver, Co-Chair SYAI SUBUD VOICE - October

14 USING BAPAK S ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Before Brazil we had received the following article from Léonard & Mélinda Lassalle. As is well -known they are very experienced Subud members who were themselves for a time International Helpers. We publish this article - which in some ways questions aspects of having a Helpers Handbook not to provoke a controversy, but to provide perhaps an insight into other aspects of the situation. Even if we agree that a book such as this is good and necessary, there is still the question of whether it is used well and wisely, sensitively or mechanically. I believe that Léonard & Mélinda s article alerts us to these issues. International Helper, Viktor Boehm, has asked us to add this comment: In Leonard's article I can support the receiving argument of the helpers. Nevertheless it will be good to have a guideline for young helpers (and older helpers), who never met Bapak. Not everybody can read in a short time all the talks of Bapak in full length. Harris Smart, Editor We hope that what we are expressing below, will be well received and contribute to a better understanding of the role of helpers in conjunction with the Helpers Guide, which is creating some confusion amongst many of us helpers. What attracted us to Subud, in the first place, was that Bapak told us that with the latihan, we could receive an inner guidance directly from the power of God. We liked the thought of finding this freedom, a freedom where each one of us could really become who we are and be guided by our Creator. The way to come to that awaking of our soul was through regularly doing the latihan. The teacher, then, would come from within. Bapak, our dear loving Grandfather, when still amongst us, would often tell us, One day you will come to experience, for yourselves, the reality of the life within It will, in time, bring you an understanding that will come, not from your will, but from your inner feelings. He would also tell us, You will be able to differentiate what comes from your own passions, self-will and desires, from what comes from God, through your inner feelings. In the 70s, some Helpers thought that it would be a good idea to have a guide book, selecting some of Bapak s explanations and putting them under different titles, so that all the questions that helpers might need could be answered by reading under the appropriate headings. It was not Bapak who wanted this book, it was some of the older helpers, who, at that time, wanted to publish it. Did they feel that helpers were not capable of receiving themselves directly from God? Was it not through trust and sincerity that we would find our own way? Through surrender to God? This book was to take away much of the initiative of many helpers who instead of looking in themselves for guidance, looked into the book; and by so doing, bypassed their own growth and understanding. Now in practice, in the material world, that is so, a guide book is very necessary; you have to follow the instructions to understand how something works. But in the world of the spiritual that is not possible, because the guidance must come from inner understanding, guided by God. For many years, Bapak talked to us, often saying, First you experience, then, when you have experienced, Bapak explains by giving you the words to help you to understand your own experiences that have come through your practice of the latihan. Bapak always talked to us in context, sometimes for several hours, and often followed by testing, so that we could experience for ourselves the realities of what Léonard and Mélinda Lassalle. he was saying. The work of helpers is by no mean easy. Bapak, for this reason, use to call us emergency helpers. The Importance of Context Bapak s words of guidance could harm when used without understanding, or they could slow our spiritual progress. Why? Because repeating what he says when it is out of context can have the opposite effect to what was originally said. Using the Advice & Guidance for Helpers regularly will end up weakening the link with our inner feelings and take away our responsibility in the front of God. We would be using Bapak s receiving, which was received under a different context, instead of our own and by so doing would be doing the opposite of what Bapak wanted us to do: which was to stand on our own feet. Bapak s words, used out of context, will not do the work for us. The book is static, it is not evolving as we are growing, God s guidance is ever renewing itself, always adapting to the situation of the moment, to the instant. All situations are in contexts, never repeated, the work of helpers cannot be summarised into a book. Read Bapak in Full Let us read Bapak s talks in full, there will be in them some roughage to help us to digest what he is telling us. How is it, for instance, that many of us, older members, were opened without the now official 14 SUBUD VOICE - October 2003

15 opening words? It is because it is not the words that do the opening but the sincerity of the person being open and the total surrender of the helper/s present. On several occasion, at openings in France, I was asked by Bapak to translate what Bapak was saying via his Indonesian/English translator. Bapak s opening words were never quite the same, sometimes they were short, sometimes they were long, Bapak s words had a deep calming effect. For some people who were agitated Bapak talked until they were quiet. For others, it was brief, because they were already quiet. Bapak is an example to us that means that like him, we must pluck up courage and follow God s guidance that comes from within us. If we copy or imitate Bapak, it will only make us weaker and the members will not have trust in us. How many times have we seen helpers rushing through reading Bapak s opening words? These words have content. It is better if the helpers receive the content at the time of the opening. In our years of experience as international helpers travelling round the world, we have observed that this helpers guide has often created the opposite effect to what it was hoped it would do by the ones who brought it out. What we notice is that many helpers have not taken the courageous plunge into themselves to find the answers, but have reverted to the book, using it like an instruction manual. We must learn through our mistakes: it does not matter if we make them, as it is probably God s will that we should, so as to grow in our understanding. In our view, any of Bapak s talks chopped up to make them more readable to get to the point quicker is not desirable. Bapak did not take short cuts, he gave us his time. Let us encourage our helpers to read Bapak s whole talks as they were given by him, in the context of their time. Isn t Subud for all humanity? For all who ask for it? Therefore, let us make it accessible to all. The Impact of the Word God For some people, due to their upbringing or some traumatic experiences in their own religion, the word God spoken to them, can actually block their way to find the Subud experience. Is the word God more important to us than the need of a person who wants to find their soul? Do we have the right to tell them that they cannot be opened if they can t say that they believe in God? Actually, this is happening in many places. Can we not receive a language that will not shut the door to the millions of people who have been disappointed by the people who use the word God and whose behaviour is not in accordance with what they say? Please, brothers and sisters, can we not be wider in our understanding? And adapt our language to the person we are addressing, so as not to exclude them? How can we ask people to believe in God when they have not had any positive experiences with that word? Yet they are God s children too? Should this situation exclude them from the latihan? God does not exclude any one. To find an answer in the book is to turn away from the presence of God within us: it takes away the responsibility from our shoulders because it is in the book. We just apply; we do not have to ask our inner. In fact this way, our inner is never challenged. How can our soul wake up when we do not make the effort ourselves to find the truth related to needs? Would it not make Bapak happier to see the Helpers Books all dusty on our bookshelves and us helpers, connected to our inners, following, to the best of our ability, guidance derived from our understanding? With love to you all, Léonard and Mélinda Lassalle, France Letters ORIGIN OF THE HELPERS HANDBOOK The new book proposed by Ibu Rahayu and the international helpers is the 5 th revision of the Helpers Handbook. The first Handbook was complied in the early 60s by Mariamah Wichman and other international helpers. I was Mariamah s secretary at the time and remember typing much of it. As Bapak went on speaking around the world to us all and as there was growing understanding of the Indonesian language, translations improved. Also Bapak changed and developed the way he spoke to us and his advice widened, so in time there have been, I believe, four revisions of the first book. They do not change Bapak s noble advice. Surely those unpleasant words controversy and crisis so common now in the media (coming from the nafsu?) are totally unnecessary in Subud publications? We can easily discover the facts and we have, above all, the priceless gift of testing. Early Friends had a similar book Christian Faith and Practice in the Experience of the Society of Friends (Quakers). It has a forword which applies, I believe, to our own Handbook. Dearly beloved Friends, these things we do not lay upon you as a rule or form to walk by, but that all, with the measure of light which is pure and holy, may be guided, and so in the light walking and abiding, these may be fulfilled in the Spirit, not from the letter for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. This book has been revised and added to a number of times, and this forward was what guided me into Subud. Sheila Clake, Loudwater, UK Editor s Response: Thanks for filling us in on the history of the Helpers Handbook. On the issue of controversy it seems some readers like more discussions of issues while others feel it can be out of place. We ll try to strike a balance. THE FURTHERING OF SUBUD All of us on earth belong to the human race. As we were warned years ago, it s so important, while we latihan to realize that each one of us is only a tiny fraction of humanity. Together we are God s creatures. God didn t make no junk. With such an attitude our latihans can be rightly received and our development assisted. The latihan and its social spin-offs are meant to be wide open from the inner to everyone. There are no special people or cliques who enjoy exclusive privileges in a healthy Subud community, for intermingling enlivens and grows us. Where we re located, accessibility to our Subud halls and houses is an outreach goal worth the effort once all the members agree to bring it about. Near public bus routes the latihan can be reached by many of today s youth and others who need a wholesome direction and purpose in life, as guided directly by the Power of God. Subud houses that are tucked away from transportation, except by car might be kept and rented, profit going toward setting up at a more open location. We members are clever people who can certainly find the right solutions together for our various groups growth and harmony. Aminah Schwartz, Santa Cruz, USA SUBUD VOICE - October

16 EVENTS OCTOBER 3-5: Portuguese National Congress in Bucelas, outside Lisbon. 3-5: International Kejiwaan Weekend in Hungary (Arrive p.m. on the 3rd; depart after lunch on the 5th). Contact Konstanze Kovacs at hotmail.com HOUSE IN WISMA SUBUD INDONESIA FOR RENT Four bedrooms, study, large living room and dining room and servants' quarters. US$500 per month. Please contact Sofyan and Halimah Brugger at or RAMADHAN 2003 MUSIC BY SUBUD ARTISTS Robert Millard Piano Recital Hamilton Camp Mardi s Bard Mira nda So Bravely Human Marius Kahan Tomorrow s Memories Isles Theatre Co The Isles Hamish Barker Natural Culture Malarky The Band that Plays at Night Lucas Hille Lost and Found Musica - The SICA CD The DJC Collection - 16 Track Sampler : French National Congress in Mayenne, West France. Contact: marianne.harvey@wanadoo.fr 8-12: Healing the Family Tree, a Life Forces Workshop with Solihin and Alicia Thom in Knappenhof, Austria. Contact: alexandra@adhumanitas.com 16-19: Being Human, a Life Forces Workshop with Solihin and Alicia Thom in Sussex, England. Contact: alexandra@adhumanitas.com 18-19:Kejiwaan Meeting at Oslo Subud house with IHs and the Zone 4 Rep. For details contact Lara at borgnho@online.no NOVEMBER 5-9: Kejiwaan Gathering (first 2 days) and Irish National Congress at Bellinter House, Navan, County Neath 5-9: Intimacy, a Life Forces Workshop with Solihin and Alicia Thom in Portland, Oregon, USA.Contact: alexandra@adhumanitas.com 7-9: Kejiwaan Meeting for Germany, Austria and Switzerland at the Munich Subud house. Contact Viktor Böhm at viktorboehm@t-online.de 13-16: Menucha Kejiwaan Retreat in Orgeon, USA. For details, contact Subud USA at Subudusa@subudusa.org DECEMBER 23-Jan 4: Swiss Subud Snowcamp More information on subudworldnews.com Contact: Davina Haitzmann, davina_star@gmx.net NECKLACE AUCTION FOR WISMA MULIA The bidding for the necklace currently stands at 250. If you would like to make a bid, please auction@susiladharma.org.uk with your name, address, and the amount in pounds sterling. The best bid by 1 st December 2003 will secure the necklace just in time for Christmas. Details are available at org.uk or telephone bids can be made to Michael Wisnom Tel: Ramadhan this year is expected to begin around October 26 but because the start of Ramadhan varies from place to place, you should check with your local Islamic authority to determine the precise starting date. Please note that this information is included for those Subud members who may be interested in Ramadhan and Ramadhan is not an obligatory practice in Subud. RAMADHAN IN RUNGAN SARI The Kalimantan meeting Centre (KMC) at Rungan Sari, Central Kalimantan has announced packages for Ramadhan. The full information is available on the web site www. rungansari.net. The information includes prices for both the KMC and the Eco Village with faculties available and also special events such as river and orangutan tours. To give you an idea: KMC: 3 nights (including airport pick up and breakfast) is Rp 850,000 per person, I week is Rp 1,600,000 and 2 weeks is Rp 3,100,000 Eco village: 1 week is Rp 225,000 and 2 weeks is Rp 500,000. (US$/Rp exchange is approx 8650 as at September 2003) Enquiries to kmc@rungansari.net PRICE (Incl p&p) UK 13 Europe 14 Other 16 ORDER NOW Pay by UK Bank cheque or Credit Card: Subud Publications International Loudwater Farm, Loudwater Lane, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 4HG, UK Tel: 44 (0) Fax: 44 (0) Prices include postage anywhere. DJC Records, 104 Constitution Hill, Norwich, NR34 BB UK. clague@paston.co.uk WORLD LATIHANS Oct 5: 5:00 (CET) 3:00 (GMT) Nov 2: 11:00 (CET) 10:00 (GMT) Dec 7: 21:00 (CET) 20:00 (GMT) To find the corresponding time in your part of the world go to SUBUD VOICE is published monthly. DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 15 October 2003 ARTICLES & PHOTOS: Send to Harris Smart, Editor Subud Voice, preferably by to editor@subudvoice.net or PO Box 194, Moorabbin, VIC, 3189, Australia. Tel: SUBSCRIPTIONS: Adrian Anderson, PO Box 60, Croydon, VIC, 3136, Australia. admin@subudvoice.net. FAX: RATES WORLDWIDE per 12 : AUD$50.00 groups, AUD$60.00 mailed individually.(10% discount for pensioners over 60 years), AUD$35 online. As a guide, subject to international exchange rates - AUD$60 is approx.uk 22 or US$35. PAYMENTS: (Australian Dollars only) preferably by Credit Card - please provide your name, address, card number, card expiry date and your signature as on card and fax to the subscription fax above. International Bank Drafts and Money Orders should be made payable to SUBUD VOICE and sent to the subscription address above. ADVERTISEMENTS: 50 cents a word. Minimum charge AUD$ (Third World countries - no charge). Rate for INSERTS available from: admin@subudvoice.net SUBMISSIONS MAY BE EDITED: Submissions to Subud Voice may be edited for a variety of reasons including the need to shorten them or improve expression. If you do not want your submission to be edited in any way, please mark it clearly NOT TO BE EDITED. 16 SUBUD VOICE - October 2003