Subud
Encyclopedia
Subud is an international spiritual
movement that began in Indonesia
in the 1920s as a movement founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo
. (The name Subud was first used in the late 1940s when Subud was legally registered in Indonesia.) The basis of Subud is a spiritual exercise commonly referred to as the latihan kejiwaan
, which was said by Muhammad Subuh to represent guidance from "the Power of God" or "the Great Life Force".
Muhammad Subuh saw the present age as one that demands personal evidence and proof of religious or spiritual realities, as people no longer just believe in words. He claimed that Subud is not a new teaching or religion but only that the latihan kejiwaan itself represents a kind of proof that humanity is looking for. There are now groups in about 83 countries, with a worldwide membership of about 10,000.
In the practice of the exercise, members are advised to surrender to the Divine (Muhammad Subuh, being a Muslim, assumes that God is the 'Highest Power') and follow 'what arises from within', not expecting anything in advance. One is recommended not to focus on any image or recite any mantra, not to mix other activities like meditation or use of drugs, but simply to intend to surrender to the Divine or the will of God. One is not to pay attention to others in the room, each of whom is doing his or her own latihan. During the exercise, practitioners may find that, in terms of physical and emotional expression, they involuntarily move, make sounds, walk around, dance, jump, skip, laugh, cry or whatever. The experience varies for different people, but the practitioner is wholly conscious throughout and free to stop the exercise at any time.
Many Subud members believe that this experience, apparently arising from within each person, provides them with something of what they currently need in life. For some, the latihan may appear to initially involve a 'purification' which possibly permits subsequently deeper experience. Members may describe their latihan as leaving them feeling "cleansed", "centered", "at peace", or "energized". The latihan is sometimes said to work 24 hours a day, not only when one is explicitly "doing" it. Supposedly, the regular practice of the latihan will enable people to experience positive development in various aspects of their daily life and being. The official website describes: "a deepening of the natural connection with wisdom, one's higher self, the divine, or God, depending on one's preferred terminology". (see links)
Although the latihan can be practiced alone, members are advised to participate regularly, typically twice a week, in a group latihan. When a member has enough experience to reliably sense the appropriate time to finish his or her latihan session, he or she may, in accord with broadly accepted recommendations, add perhaps one more weekly session of the latihan at home.
"When the helpers stand in front of those who are to be opened, it is necessary for one of the helpers to say this:
We are helpers in the Spiritual Brotherhood of Subud and we are here to be witnesses to your wish to worship the One Almighty God.
We hope that your wish is based on true sincerity.
You know that the One Almighty God is the Creator of the whole universe, of all that can be seen as well as of all that cannot be seen with our ordinary eyes. God is All-Glorious, All-Knowing and All-Powerful. Therefore in your worship, to which we bear witness, it will not be right to make use of your own self-willed desires and thoughts. For this reason we hope that at this moment you do not concentrate your thought, but open your feelings, truely surrender and submit your own will to the Will of God, and be patient and sincere before the Glory and Greatness of the One Almighty God.
So that your feelings can become calm, we would like you to close your eyes, and to stand quite relaxed and to pay no attention to other people exercising. Also, when movement arises within your body, do not resist it and do not feel anxiety, but freely follow whatever arises within you".
There are some within Subud who prefer that helpers may choose to use a different statement when they feel it would be more suitable for the person to be opened. But a fairly recent advice by Ibu Rahayu, the daughter of the founder of Subud, recommended that helpers should still use the same original statement as received by Bapak.
Such indications may take various forms, including sounds, visions, vibrations and/or spontaneous physical movements similar to, though perhaps more intense than, those experienced in the usual latihan. However, it appears that such indications often defy intellectual analysis and that the supposed guidance can be obscured or biased by the mental or emotional attitudes of those present. Testing is generally viewed as an instrument for possibly helping to clarify issues in the present, and which may lead to confusion if treated as a kind of fortune-telling. Nevertheless, many Subud members claim to find benefit from testing in terms of resolving issues. Deeper understanding may help with almost any problem, but never offers a magic formula.
Testing is normally used to help select helpers, and often committee members, throughout the World Subud Association. Pak Subuh's book "Susila Budhi Dharma
" cites examples of situations in which testing may be useful, including self-training in terms of putting any benefits of the latihan into practice. (Throughout Muhammad Subuh's book "Susila Budhi Dharma
", which was written in 1952, testing is always referred to as "feeling" or "receiving". The first time "testing" was called by that name was in 1957 by John G. Bennett
.)
which Pak Subuh, himself a Muslim, claimed to be suitable for non-Muslims. Others fast during Lent
or simply on a regular, private basis. In this context, fasting is frequently regarded by Subud members as spiritually edifying, although its practice is not expected.
Subud's founder wanted the latihan to be accessible to people of all cultures, faiths and ethnicities. Respect for the diversity of personal backgrounds and the uniqueness of each individual, along with a general absence of "thou shalt nots", are aspects of the organization that have been attractive to many members.
Pak Subuh
explained (in talks to Subud members given beginning in the 1940s) that during 1925 he was taking a late-night walk when he had an unexpected and unusual experience. He said he found himself enveloped in a brilliant light, and looked up to see what seemed like the sun falling directly onto his body, and he thought that he was having a heart attack. He said he went directly home, lay down on his bed, and prepared to die with the feeling that maybe it was his time, and that he could not fight it, so he surrendered himself to God.
According to the story, however, instead of dying he was moved from within to stand up and perform movements similar to his normal Muslim prayer routine. It seemed that he was not moving through his own volition; but was being guided by what he interpreted as the power of God. This same kind of experience reportedly happened to him for a few hours each night over a period of about 1000 days during which he slept little but was able to continue working full-time. He said he experienced a kind of 'inner teaching' whereby he was given to understand a variety of things spontaneously.
As these experiences proceeded, Pak Subuh explained, he gained spontaneous insight into people and situations that he did not possess before. Around 1933, as he reported, he received that if other people were physically near him while he was in a state of 'latihan', then the experience would begin in them also. While still in his early thirties, Pak Subuh's reputation as someone with spiritual insight apparently grew, and people went to him to be 'opened'. They in turn could open others, and this is how Subud eventually spread around the world.
In Jakarta, Husein Rofé, an English linguist who had been living in Indonesia since 1950, met Pak Subuh. Rofé had been searching for a spiritual path and became the first non-Indonesian to be opened.
Subud moved outside of Indonesia when Rofé attended a religious congress in Japan in 1954. Subud first spread internationally into Japan, followed by Hong Kong and Cyprus. In 1957, Rofé (who was then in London) suggested that Pak Subuh visit Britain. Pak Subuh accepted the invitation and visited the home of John G. Bennett
in Coombe Springs. It was at this time that many UK followers of G. I. Gurdjieff
were initiated into Subud (including Bennett himself, though he later left the group). Over the next 14 months Pak Subuh visited many countries before returning to Indonesia.
words of Sanskrit
derivation, Susila Budhi Dharma
.
What these words mean depends on whether referring to :
These three meanings are somewhat different from one another. The following is a quotation from The Basis and Aim of Subud , published by Subud Publications International (SPI), as an ostensibly authorized translation of the words Pak Subuh. (It must however be noted that SPI is not an official part of the Subud Association.)
"Susila means: the good character of man in accordance with the Will of Almighty God..
"Budhi means: the force of the inner self within man.
"Dharma means: surrender, trust and sincerity towards Almighty God.
"This is the symbol of a person who has a calm and peaceful inner feeling and who is able to receive the contact with the Great Holy Life Force"
"As the spiritual training (latihan kedjiwaan) of Subud is free from the influence of the passions, desires and thinking, and is truly awakened by the Power of Almighty God, the aim of Subud is naturally toward perfection of character according to the Will of the One Who awakens it, namely: Almighty God."
"It is also necessary to explain that Subud is neither a kind of religion nor a teaching, but is a spiritual experience awakened by the Power of God leading to spiritual reality free from the influence of the passions, desires and thinking."
The Subud symbol was envisioned by Pak Subuh in 1959. The design consists of seven concentric circles and seven spokes, which represent seven levels of life forces as well as the Great Life Force that connects them. Each circle grows wider, the further out from the center, and each spoke narrows as it approaches the center. The space between the circles remains constant.
The symbol is often printed in black and white when color printing is not available. When colors are used, usually the circles and spokes are gold and the background is dark blue to black. However, the symbol is also sometimes blue on white or white on blue. The World Subud Association has registered this design, as well as the name "Subud", as a trade, service or collective membership mark in many countries.
The broadest organizational responsibility rests with the World Subud Association
, which organizes a World Congress every four years and consists of the Subud World Council, Subud representatives from each country, and individual members who wish to participate, although only representatives can vote. The headquarters of the international organization moves to a different country every four years.
Helpers exist at the local, regional (in some countries), national and international levels. Helpers' geographical status relates to the regional or national supportive duties they are expected to provide – otherwise, there are no geographical restrictions on where a helper is considered to be a helper. A local helper from London who travels to Jakarta, for example, will be seen as a helper there, and can do testing or participate in a new member's opening in the same way as any Indonesian helper.
There are normally 18 international helpers—nine men and nine women. Three men and three women are assigned to each of the three areas in Subud:
The international helpers are members of the World Subud Council. They serve on a voluntary basis for a four year term, which runs from World Congress to World Congress. There is no distinction in rank between local, national, or international helpers. Being a helper is seen not as a talent but as a capacity.
The international executive is the International Subud Committee (ISC). Apart from ensuring communication, publishing, budgeting, archives and support of affiliates, it organizes a World Congress every four years. The ISC chairperson sits on the World Subud Council.
For purposes of a practical organizational structure, the Subud association is divided into nine multinational zones, more or less as follows:
Each Zone has its own four representatives that are the voting members on the World Subud Council. They also serve as volunteers a four year term like helpers. They are selected at Zone Meetings.
A chairperson for the World Subud Association serves a four-year term from one World Congress to the next, and is also the chairperson of the World Subud Council. The World Subud Council is responsible for ensuring that decisions made at World Congress are carried through. The current Chairperson is Luke Penseney, who was appointed at the 2010 World Congress in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Some chairpersons of these affiliates also sit on the World Subud Council and serve a four-year term.
In addition to the above affiliates, a foundation – the Muhammad Subuh Foundation
(MSF) – has been set up, whose main work is helping groups acquire their own latihan premises.
Informal networks and interest groups initiated by members include a Peace Network, a Spiritual Support Network (Yahoo group) and several Facebook groups.
There is normally a waiting period of up to three months before a person may be opened. During this period, the enquirer is expected to meet a few times with the local helpers so that he or she can have questions and doubts clarified.
There is no membership fee, but most Subud members contribute, for example, toward the rent or upkeep of premises where they meet.
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
movement that began in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in the 1920s as a movement founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo
Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo
Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo . As a young man Muhammad Subuh claimed to have received a series of intense experiences that he believed gave him contact with a spiritual energy from a higher power...
. (The name Subud was first used in the late 1940s when Subud was legally registered in Indonesia.) The basis of Subud is a spiritual exercise commonly referred to as the latihan kejiwaan
Latihan
Latihan is a form of spiritual or psychological practice. It is the principal practice of the Subud organization. Outwardly the exercise often manifests as physical movement and vocal activity that vary greatly both over time and between individuals...
, which was said by Muhammad Subuh to represent guidance from "the Power of God" or "the Great Life Force".
Muhammad Subuh saw the present age as one that demands personal evidence and proof of religious or spiritual realities, as people no longer just believe in words. He claimed that Subud is not a new teaching or religion but only that the latihan kejiwaan itself represents a kind of proof that humanity is looking for. There are now groups in about 83 countries, with a worldwide membership of about 10,000.
The Spiritual Training (Latihan Kejiwaan)
The central practice of Subud is the latihan kejiwaan (literally "spiritual exercise" or "training of the spirit") or simply the 'latihan'. This exercise is not thought about, learned or trained for; it is totally unique for each person and the ability to 'receive' it is passed on by formal contact with another practicing member at the 'opening' (see below). About twice a week, Subud members go to a local center to participate in a group latihan, men and women separately. The experience takes place in a room or a hall with open space, uncluttered by furniture. After a period of sitting quietly, the members are typically asked to stand and relax by a 'helper' (see below), who then announces the start of the exercise.In the practice of the exercise, members are advised to surrender to the Divine (Muhammad Subuh, being a Muslim, assumes that God is the 'Highest Power') and follow 'what arises from within', not expecting anything in advance. One is recommended not to focus on any image or recite any mantra, not to mix other activities like meditation or use of drugs, but simply to intend to surrender to the Divine or the will of God. One is not to pay attention to others in the room, each of whom is doing his or her own latihan. During the exercise, practitioners may find that, in terms of physical and emotional expression, they involuntarily move, make sounds, walk around, dance, jump, skip, laugh, cry or whatever. The experience varies for different people, but the practitioner is wholly conscious throughout and free to stop the exercise at any time.
Many Subud members believe that this experience, apparently arising from within each person, provides them with something of what they currently need in life. For some, the latihan may appear to initially involve a 'purification' which possibly permits subsequently deeper experience. Members may describe their latihan as leaving them feeling "cleansed", "centered", "at peace", or "energized". The latihan is sometimes said to work 24 hours a day, not only when one is explicitly "doing" it. Supposedly, the regular practice of the latihan will enable people to experience positive development in various aspects of their daily life and being. The official website describes: "a deepening of the natural connection with wisdom, one's higher self, the divine, or God, depending on one's preferred terminology". (see links)
Although the latihan can be practiced alone, members are advised to participate regularly, typically twice a week, in a group latihan. When a member has enough experience to reliably sense the appropriate time to finish his or her latihan session, he or she may, in accord with broadly accepted recommendations, add perhaps one more weekly session of the latihan at home.
The Opening
The 'opening' refers to a person's first latihan, which is specially arranged to pass on the 'contact', metaphorically resembling a candle flame that lights a new candle with no difference in quality of the flame. Only after the formal opening process, in most cases, is a person able to receive for himself or herself, and is then welcome to participate in the group latihan. In the opening, the person is accompanied by one or more experienced members called 'helpers', and is asked to simply stand and relax with the helpers standing nearby. A simple statement or 'opening words' is read by one of the helpers that acknowledges the person's wish to receive the contact. The helpers then begin the exercise as they would normally do. The contact is passed on to the new member without effort or intention on the part of anyone present. This is the moment of the person's first connection with the latihan kejiwaan of Subud.The Opening Words
The following is from the booklet "Bapak's Advice and Guidance for Helpers":"When the helpers stand in front of those who are to be opened, it is necessary for one of the helpers to say this:
We are helpers in the Spiritual Brotherhood of Subud and we are here to be witnesses to your wish to worship the One Almighty God.
We hope that your wish is based on true sincerity.
You know that the One Almighty God is the Creator of the whole universe, of all that can be seen as well as of all that cannot be seen with our ordinary eyes. God is All-Glorious, All-Knowing and All-Powerful. Therefore in your worship, to which we bear witness, it will not be right to make use of your own self-willed desires and thoughts. For this reason we hope that at this moment you do not concentrate your thought, but open your feelings, truely surrender and submit your own will to the Will of God, and be patient and sincere before the Glory and Greatness of the One Almighty God.
So that your feelings can become calm, we would like you to close your eyes, and to stand quite relaxed and to pay no attention to other people exercising. Also, when movement arises within your body, do not resist it and do not feel anxiety, but freely follow whatever arises within you".
There are some within Subud who prefer that helpers may choose to use a different statement when they feel it would be more suitable for the person to be opened. But a fairly recent advice by Ibu Rahayu, the daughter of the founder of Subud, recommended that helpers should still use the same original statement as received by Bapak.
Testing
Testing is a distinct variety of the latihan directed toward receiving guidance or insight on a particular issue. Some question or request for clarification is acknowledged, and then the exercise is performed with openness to the issue. The original word for testing used by Muhammad Subud was "terimah" which is Indonesian for "receiving". Many people who have been practicing the latihan for some time claim to be able to recognize indications or intuitions 'from their inner feeling' in response to questions that are put forward.Such indications may take various forms, including sounds, visions, vibrations and/or spontaneous physical movements similar to, though perhaps more intense than, those experienced in the usual latihan. However, it appears that such indications often defy intellectual analysis and that the supposed guidance can be obscured or biased by the mental or emotional attitudes of those present. Testing is generally viewed as an instrument for possibly helping to clarify issues in the present, and which may lead to confusion if treated as a kind of fortune-telling. Nevertheless, many Subud members claim to find benefit from testing in terms of resolving issues. Deeper understanding may help with almost any problem, but never offers a magic formula.
Testing is normally used to help select helpers, and often committee members, throughout the World Subud Association. Pak Subuh's book "Susila Budhi Dharma
Susila Budhi Dharma
Susila Budhi Dharma is a book written by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, the founder of the World Subud Association at the historic city of Jogjakarta in 1952. Its name corresponds to the three main qualities that are to be developed through the training in the Subud path...
" cites examples of situations in which testing may be useful, including self-training in terms of putting any benefits of the latihan into practice. (Throughout Muhammad Subuh's book "Susila Budhi Dharma
Susila Budhi Dharma
Susila Budhi Dharma is a book written by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, the founder of the World Subud Association at the historic city of Jogjakarta in 1952. Its name corresponds to the three main qualities that are to be developed through the training in the Subud path...
", which was written in 1952, testing is always referred to as "feeling" or "receiving". The first time "testing" was called by that name was in 1957 by John G. Bennett
John G. Bennett
John Godolphin Bennett, was a British mathematician, scientist, technologist, industrial research director, and author. He is perhaps best known for his many books on psychology and spirituality, and particularly the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff...
.)
Fasting
Individual Subud members often voluntarily engage in occasional fasting as Pak Subuh recommended. Each year, some members fast at the same time as the Muslim fast of RamadanRamadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
which Pak Subuh, himself a Muslim, claimed to be suitable for non-Muslims. Others fast during Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
or simply on a regular, private basis. In this context, fasting is frequently regarded by Subud members as spiritually edifying, although its practice is not expected.
Rules
Pak Subuh provided advice and guidance in his talks to provide direction to members as their latihan deepens. Although in general there are no rules in the practice of the latihan, a couple of important practices that might be called ‘rules’ are that: men and women do not do latihan together, and non-members may not attend the latihan exercise without first receiving the contact referred to above, known as their opening.Subud's founder wanted the latihan to be accessible to people of all cultures, faiths and ethnicities. Respect for the diversity of personal backgrounds and the uniqueness of each individual, along with a general absence of "thou shalt nots", are aspects of the organization that have been attractive to many members.
History
Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo
Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo . As a young man Muhammad Subuh claimed to have received a series of intense experiences that he believed gave him contact with a spiritual energy from a higher power...
explained (in talks to Subud members given beginning in the 1940s) that during 1925 he was taking a late-night walk when he had an unexpected and unusual experience. He said he found himself enveloped in a brilliant light, and looked up to see what seemed like the sun falling directly onto his body, and he thought that he was having a heart attack. He said he went directly home, lay down on his bed, and prepared to die with the feeling that maybe it was his time, and that he could not fight it, so he surrendered himself to God.
According to the story, however, instead of dying he was moved from within to stand up and perform movements similar to his normal Muslim prayer routine. It seemed that he was not moving through his own volition; but was being guided by what he interpreted as the power of God. This same kind of experience reportedly happened to him for a few hours each night over a period of about 1000 days during which he slept little but was able to continue working full-time. He said he experienced a kind of 'inner teaching' whereby he was given to understand a variety of things spontaneously.
As these experiences proceeded, Pak Subuh explained, he gained spontaneous insight into people and situations that he did not possess before. Around 1933, as he reported, he received that if other people were physically near him while he was in a state of 'latihan', then the experience would begin in them also. While still in his early thirties, Pak Subuh's reputation as someone with spiritual insight apparently grew, and people went to him to be 'opened'. They in turn could open others, and this is how Subud eventually spread around the world.
Subud moved outside of Indonesia when Rofé attended a religious congress in Japan in 1954. Subud first spread internationally into Japan, followed by Hong Kong and Cyprus. In 1957, Rofé (who was then in London) suggested that Pak Subuh visit Britain. Pak Subuh accepted the invitation and visited the home of John G. Bennett
John G. Bennett
John Godolphin Bennett, was a British mathematician, scientist, technologist, industrial research director, and author. He is perhaps best known for his many books on psychology and spirituality, and particularly the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff...
in Coombe Springs. It was at this time that many UK followers of G. I. Gurdjieff
G. I. Gurdjieff
George Ivanovich Gurdjieff according to Gurdjieff's principles and instructions, or the "Fourth Way."At one point he described his teaching as "esoteric Christianity."...
were initiated into Subud (including Bennett himself, though he later left the group). Over the next 14 months Pak Subuh visited many countries before returning to Indonesia.
The name "Subud"
The name "Subud" is an acronym that stands for three JavaneseJavanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
words of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
derivation, Susila Budhi Dharma
Susila Budhi Dharma
Susila Budhi Dharma is a book written by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, the founder of the World Subud Association at the historic city of Jogjakarta in 1952. Its name corresponds to the three main qualities that are to be developed through the training in the Subud path...
.
What these words mean depends on whether referring to :
- the original Sanskrit root word meaning.
- definitions in a modern Indonesian language dictionary.
- the explanation and definition given by the founder of Subud in his talks to members.
These three meanings are somewhat different from one another. The following is a quotation from The Basis and Aim of Subud , published by Subud Publications International (SPI), as an ostensibly authorized translation of the words Pak Subuh. (It must however be noted that SPI is not an official part of the Subud Association.)
"Susila means: the good character of man in accordance with the Will of Almighty God..
"Budhi means: the force of the inner self within man.
"Dharma means: surrender, trust and sincerity towards Almighty God.
"This is the symbol of a person who has a calm and peaceful inner feeling and who is able to receive the contact with the Great Holy Life Force"
"As the spiritual training (latihan kedjiwaan) of Subud is free from the influence of the passions, desires and thinking, and is truly awakened by the Power of Almighty God, the aim of Subud is naturally toward perfection of character according to the Will of the One Who awakens it, namely: Almighty God."
"It is also necessary to explain that Subud is neither a kind of religion nor a teaching, but is a spiritual experience awakened by the Power of God leading to spiritual reality free from the influence of the passions, desires and thinking."
Symbol
The symbol is often printed in black and white when color printing is not available. When colors are used, usually the circles and spokes are gold and the background is dark blue to black. However, the symbol is also sometimes blue on white or white on blue. The World Subud Association has registered this design, as well as the name "Subud", as a trade, service or collective membership mark in many countries.
Association
Members who wish to take on organizational responsibility in Subud can volunteer as a committee member or as a helper. Each responsibility can be performed at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Members often move from one responsibility to another, as needed.The broadest organizational responsibility rests with the World Subud Association
World Subud Association
The World Subud Association is a non-profit association registered in the state of Virginia, United States. Its members are the national Subud associations of around 80 countries world-wide.The WSA meets every four or five years for a World Congress...
, which organizes a World Congress every four years and consists of the Subud World Council, Subud representatives from each country, and individual members who wish to participate, although only representatives can vote. The headquarters of the international organization moves to a different country every four years.
Helpers
Each level of the association has members called 'helpers' whose role is to coordinate the timing of group latihan, witness the opening of new members, speak to those interested in the latihan, be available to discuss problems relating to the latihan, and sometimes attend to the latihan needs of isolated or indisposed Subud members. Helpers are usually selected from members who are willing to perform the duties, and selection generally occurs through testing. In no way does selection mean that a person is more spiritually advanced than a member who is not a helper.Helpers exist at the local, regional (in some countries), national and international levels. Helpers' geographical status relates to the regional or national supportive duties they are expected to provide – otherwise, there are no geographical restrictions on where a helper is considered to be a helper. A local helper from London who travels to Jakarta, for example, will be seen as a helper there, and can do testing or participate in a new member's opening in the same way as any Indonesian helper.
There are normally 18 international helpers—nine men and nine women. Three men and three women are assigned to each of the three areas in Subud:
- Area I covers Zones 1 & 2 (Australasia and Asia)
- Area II covers Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6 (Europe and Africa)
- Area III covers Zones 7, 8 & 9 (the Americas)
The international helpers are members of the World Subud Council. They serve on a voluntary basis for a four year term, which runs from World Congress to World Congress. There is no distinction in rank between local, national, or international helpers. Being a helper is seen not as a talent but as a capacity.
Ibu Rahayu
Ibu Siti Rahayu Wiryohudoyo is Pak Subuh's eldest daughter. She is regarded by some members as a 'spiritual guide', a phrase formerly applied to Pak Subuh. After his death, Ibu Siti Rahayu said that she had had a dream in which she met Pak Subuh, and that in the course of this dream he had designated her as his successor. In a recorded talk given by her on 5 March 2010 to a National Gathering in Semarang, Indonesia, Ibu Siti Rahayu explains how she came to be appointed 'spiritual advisor' by the Subud International Congress, although she does not say which resolution of which congress was involved.Committees
Most Subud groups have a committee, typically including a chairperson, vice-chair, treasurer and secretary. This committee is responsible for making sure there is a place to do group latihan, communications, budgets, and supporting the mutual efforts of members at the local group. A similar structure functions at the regional (in certain countries), national, zonal and international levels.The international executive is the International Subud Committee (ISC). Apart from ensuring communication, publishing, budgeting, archives and support of affiliates, it organizes a World Congress every four years. The ISC chairperson sits on the World Subud Council.
For purposes of a practical organizational structure, the Subud association is divided into nine multinational zones, more or less as follows:
- Zones 1 & 2 – Australasia and Asia
- Zone 3 – includes 8 countries of western Europe
- Zone 4 – central and eastern European countries
- Zones 5 & 6 – Francophone and Anglophone African countries, respectively
- Zone 7 – USA, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Surinam, and the Caribbean
- Zone 8 – the upper part of South America
- Zone 9 – the lower part of South America
Each Zone has its own four representatives that are the voting members on the World Subud Council. They also serve as volunteers a four year term like helpers. They are selected at Zone Meetings.
A chairperson for the World Subud Association serves a four-year term from one World Congress to the next, and is also the chairperson of the World Subud Council. The World Subud Council is responsible for ensuring that decisions made at World Congress are carried through. The current Chairperson is Luke Penseney, who was appointed at the 2010 World Congress in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Affiliates
Subud affiliates (sometimes called ‘wings’) are subsidiary organizations that focus on specific projects at a national or international level. They are technically independent organizations but have overlapping boards of trustees. They include:- Susila Dharma International AssociationSusila Dharma International AssociationSusila Dharma International Association is a member-based association of 24 national organizations, 18 national contacts, and 60 projects from 29 countries who are engaged in a range of social and humanitarian activities...
(SDI or SDIA) – humanitarian projects - Subud International Cultural AssociationSubud International Cultural AssociationSubud International Cultural Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of activities that grow out of the development of the human soul. Founded by Subud members in 1983, SICA was inspired by the realization that what one experiences in Subud is an inner awakening that...
(SICA) – networking cultural activities - Subud Enterprise ServicesSubud Enterprise ServicesSubud Enterprise Services is one of the "wings" of the spiritual organization Subud. It is not an independent entity, but a division controlled by the World Subud Association. Its purpose is to assist Subud members in their entrepreneurial activities.Subud's founder, Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo...
International (SES or SESI) – networks between entrepreneurial activities - Subud Youth AssociationSubud Youth AssociationSubud Youth Association is a branch within the World Subud Association, and one of four "wings" of Subud. It was founded in 1983, at the urging of Subud founder Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, called Bapak. His intent was to allow Subud youth to plan their own activities...
(SYA) – networks among younger Subud members
Some chairpersons of these affiliates also sit on the World Subud Council and serve a four-year term.
In addition to the above affiliates, a foundation – the Muhammad Subuh Foundation
Muhammad Subuh Foundation
The Muhammad Subuh Foundation is a charitable foundation named in honor of Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo , the founder of Subud. It is a non-profit, tax-exempt body constituted in the Commonwealth of Virginia...
(MSF) – has been set up, whose main work is helping groups acquire their own latihan premises.
Informal networks and interest groups initiated by members include a Peace Network, a Spiritual Support Network (Yahoo group) and several Facebook groups.
Enterprises
When Subud first spread outside Indonesia, Pak Subuh talked mainly about the spiritual exercise. He started to encourage Subud members to engage in enterprises and donate a proportion of profits to welfare projects and to maintaining the Subud organisation. He explained that the fact of the latihan 'bringing to life' the physical body indicates that worship need not be viewed as narrowly as prayer in places of worship; that people's ordinary lives, when following and guided by the Power of God, are ongoing worship, such that there is a dynamic interplay between "material" life and "spiritual" life. Therefore his encouragement for Subud members to engage in enterprise is seen in the context of putting the latihan into practice.Membership
Membership is open to any person over 17 years of age, irrespective of the person's religion or lack of religion. (As Pak Subuh saw it, the latihan is for "all of mankind.") The exception is that someone suffering from a serious mental illness may not be initiated as a member.There is normally a waiting period of up to three months before a person may be opened. During this period, the enquirer is expected to meet a few times with the local helpers so that he or she can have questions and doubts clarified.
There is no membership fee, but most Subud members contribute, for example, toward the rent or upkeep of premises where they meet.
External links
- www.subud.com. Official site
- www.subud.org. Official site
- www.subud.net. Official members' site
- www.subudbooks.com. Books about Subud
- Subud Vision. Unofficial site publishing critiques of Subud by Subud members. 100 articles readable online.
- Subud Forum. An unofficial active online Subud forum.
- www.subud.se. Official site in Swedish