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The Articles
To read more, click on an article title
November 2011 |
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Mind, Friend or Fiend?
To do the undoable we need to think the unthinkable. |
Still Crazy after All These Years
The story of a Subud pioneer who broke all the rules. |
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Outside View
A Review of Bei Dawei’s ‘Baha'i and Subud Dissent: Developments in the 2000s’ |
Being Safe in Subud
What does it mean to be safe in Subud and how do we get there? |
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An Alternative Explanation of the Subud Exercise in Psychological Terms
There’s more than one way to understand the latihan.
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April 2011 |
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Stories
Spiritual wisdom or spiritual make-believe? |
A Question for the WSA
To be or not to be... a religion |
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Subud, Spirituality and the Body Electric
Maybe what your latihan needs is a re-charge.
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Subud Spoofed
Oddly familiar content in a 1966 novel....
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November 2010 |
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About the Latihan
An introduction that puts the latihan first. |
In Subud We Have No Beliefs
That’s our claim. But what is the reality? |
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Latihan Communities and Organization: a Dialogue
Two editors explore innovative possibilities.
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The Role of Subud
Maybe we're wrong to try to promote the Subud organization.
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The Transformation of the Subud Organization
Is Subud leading the way towards leaderless communities?
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What We Do and How We Do it
In defence of the WSA — an insider's viewpoint |
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Will the Real Bapak Please Stand Up
Who was Bapak? The question matters, even if it is unanswerable.
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The Wayward Way of Enterprise
The future reveals an exciting new concept that might actually work. |
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July 2010 |
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Self-healing, the Search for Community and Why I Left Subud
True community: how to get there from here |
Subud and the Art of Automobile Maintenance
A petrolhead’s perspective on the future of Subud |
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A Wayward Club Experience
Opening the door to the ‘deep stuff’ |
W(h)ither Subud
We don’t have to continue on a dead-end path |
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An Open Letter about Youth and Helpers
About one of the reasons groups don’t grow |
Worshipping in Beauty
Should we take Subud in an entirely new direction? |
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April 2010 |
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Reflections on Rejoining Subud
From the perspective of twenty years away |
Wayward
A Subud group with a difference. |
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What the...?!
Testing... testing... testing... |
Watch Your Language
Are we projecting the wrong image to the world? |
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Unthinkable Decision-Making
How Subud conventions discourage democracy |
Conundrum
What will happen when a new organisation offers only the latihan? |
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January 2010 |
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The Subud Inspector
If Subud appointed an external inspector would we ignore her recommendations just like we ignore the recommendations of our own members? |
Towards a Subud Renewal
Suggesting that there is a dissatisfaction with what Subud currently has to offer. |
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Our Cunning Plans
Plans that we have been following for 50 years that haven't worked out yet. |
Confession of an ex-Latihaneer
Ex-member John Elwyn Kimber is a man with a hyperactive Latihan. So why could he not come back to Subud? |
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How Not to Be a Cult
Most cults are not intended, not planned; they grow. |
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November 2009 |
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Subud and Sufism
What does Subud owe to Sufism? |
A Spiritual Democracy
Democracy is not just a political ideal. |
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Being and Doing
Getting the balance right. |
Was Pak Subuh a Dukun?
Subud’s connections to a traditional Indonesian role. |
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July 2009 |
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A Dead Parrot
Has the life gone out of the Subud organisation? |
A Mevlevi Shaykh’s Experience of Subud
How others see us – in the eyes of a Mevlevi Shaykh, the latihan is one more spiritual technique. |
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A Necessary Reappraisal
A reorientation of Subud must include a reappraisal of its founder. |
A View of Arcadia
Leave it to God. How is that strategy working for us? |
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Can We Fix It?
‘Establishment’ Subud and ‘visionary’ Subud seem to be at odds. But perhaps there are some things they can agree on... |
On Judging
If spiritual people are compassionate and loving, why do we treat each other the way we do? |
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Pulling Together or Pulling Apart
Are you a mountain or a river? A thought-provoking report for WSC on the present state of Subud. |
Anwar, Anwas and Subud Prejudice
How Subud became infected with a religious bias. |
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Why Subud Groups Should Not Present Bapak’s Talks
Is Subud equally open to people of all beliefs, as it claims? |
It Was the Vicar Who Did It
Why we would be better off without Subud membership. |
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March 2009 |
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An Atheist View
With Subud Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, why not Subud Atheists? |
My Non-Opening
What do you do when they tell you you’re opened... but you don’t believe them? |
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Change vs. Authority
A conversation about the stifling effects of authority in Subud. |
The Imprisonment of the Latihan
The downside of brotherhood. Maybe Subud should give up its monopoly of the latihan. |
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Latihan for All of Humanity
Breaking free of old norms to make the latihan more accessible. |
What I Like about Subud
Seven reasons to stay in Subud |
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Oct 2008 |
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Subud Is a Bud
A lively report on the challenges facing today’s Subud. |
Alternative?
How can we best support new members? Let’s consider new options. |
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The Role of the Subud Press
Towards more open, honest, and objective reporting in Subud. |
The Impossibility of Subud Enterprises
Inherent flaws in the enterprise concept. |
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Absurd Subud
We could make Subud a religion. Or dream of the ideal latihan world. Or we could start hauling Subud down to earth. |
Back on the Road Again
Let’s stop confusing the end and the means. |
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June 2008 |
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Subud-think
Spiritual understanding? Or just poor quality thinking? |
Can Subud Grow without Faith?
Could Bapak have been right about the importance of enterprises? |
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The Introductory Period
Is three months too long to wait? The arguments pro and con. |
Opening Up the Future
The numbers just don’t add up. What needs to change? |
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Why Only Subud?
As custodian of the latihan, Subud hasn’t done so well. Why not give others a chance? |
Belief and Unbelief
Why do we assume that belief is preferable to unbelief? |
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Subud without Theology
Avoiding the ‘G’-word in talking about Subud. |
How to Read Bapak’s Talks and How Not To?
Reading the talks is like doing latihan with Bapak. |
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The Visionary Approach
‘Where there is no vision the people perish.’ (Book of Proverbs) |
Subud and Buddhism
Finding connections between the two paths. |
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March 2008 |
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God’s Work
A new member shares her candid impressions of Subud and the latihan. |
Does the Concept of Enterprise Still Have Legs?
Past delusions and future prospects. |
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I Asked for Milk
How I found Subud – with some thoughts on Subud enterprise. |
Subud at Middle East Spirituality and Peace Festival
How a member met the challenge of giving an interactive intro. |
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The Problems with Enterprise
Questioning the assumptions behind the concept. |
Tribute to Husein Rofé
The remarkable life of one of Subud’s most influential members. |
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When You Graduate
A counter-intuitive modest proposal. |
Towards a Bigger Subud
We have the potential to evolve... |
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October 2007 - January 2008 |
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Do We Really Need a New Explanation of the Latihan?
Any explanation needs to include seven core assumptions... |
Why Did It Go Wrong?
Looking at the roots of enterprise failure. |
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The Mystery of the Vanishing Applicants
Talking (and really listening) to enquirers. |
Is Subud a Cult?
A Working Party report from the Bali Congress. |
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Our Internet Rights
Weighing risks against rights. |
The Rise and Fall of the AntiSubud Site
What we can learn from Subud critics. |
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8th June 2007 - First 50 articles |
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Ten Misconceptions about Subud Enterprise
Are we negative about Subud Enterprise because we never understood the concept properly? |
After Fifty Years: What I Think Is Needed
Why isn't Subud spreading? Has it turned into a secret society? Eight things we can do. |
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An Alternative Introduction
Looking for a different kind of intro to give your friend to read? |
Seven Questions about Subud Culture
Subud culture involves certain beliefs and assumptions. But do they serve us well? |
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Answers on a Postcard
We need answers to a very important question. |
The Fifty/Fifty Rule
Sometimes a 50/50 split is not the way to go. |
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Subud: The Religion
Why we should resist the tendency to turn Subud into a religion. |
Bait and Switch
Not living up to its promises can have consequences for Subud. |
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Presence in the World
What is holding us back from manifesting the latihan in the world? |
Bridging the Divide
Two kinds of Subud members; can they co-exist? |
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What to Do with Bapak’s Advice
Becoming wider, and finding strength in diversity. |
Clear the Path to the Latihan
If you are a seeker, what are the odds that you will find Subud? How can we improve those odds? |
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Genuinely Open
Is Subud culture an embarrassment for its members? |
Testing the Committee
Four editors argue that we should change the way we select the committee. |
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The Good Reputation of Subud
How to protect it? Some suggest by using censorship.... |
Blueprint for Change
A checklist of the changes Subud must make in order to (a) survive and (b) grow. |
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Testing or Testosis
Some say we test too much. But testing is an important tool. |
Redefining Success
In its own terms Subud may be a failure, but the latihan is quite possibly a success. |
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Fifty Years of Doubts and Reservations
How has Subud evolved? A unique, historical perspective. |
How I Latihan
A detailed account of one man's experience of the latihan. |
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What Lies Ahead
Subud people are not necessarily Subud members. Paring down to the essentials. |
The Latihan Place
Let’s look at our latihan premises through the eyes of a visitor or possible applicant. |
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Beyond Words and Images
The latihan is beyond words, but the words we use to describe it are putting people off. |
Reading Bapak’s Talks
What happens when you strongly disagree with something Bapak said? |
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History and Myth
Two very different ways of looking at Subud's origins. |
Process, Not Prozac
The importance of susila. The need to be heard and be healed. |
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The Closings
'Nobody knows for certain when the closings started.' |
Notes from an Old-timer
Time to let the young take the lead, and create a new Subud culture. |
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But What Is Subud?
We need to get clear about who we really are. |
Handling Hot Issues
Let’s talk. We can’t evolve by avoiding controversy. |
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Becoming Normal
How we can break free of the ‘cult’ dynamic. |
Making Claims
Deconstructing Subud hype. |
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Awaiting My Opening
Making sense of a long wait. |
Trial by Feelings
The inside story of how we lost Anugraha and what we can learn from it. |
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My Search for Spiritual Guidance
How different methods have brought healing in the course of one woman’s spiritual journey. |
Boushma Is Too Deep to Understand:Just Do It
Have we brain-washed ourselves into believing that we’re special? |
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The Case for Not Having Helpers
Looking for an alternative that is more inclusive, egalitarian and empowering. |
Open to Whom? That is the Question
Being open ought to mean accepting each other. |
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Psychology and Subud
When the latihan is not enough, why ignore the rich resource of modern psychology? |
Responding to the Helpers
Taken aback by the judgmentalism in an International Helper report. |
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Subud at Crossroads (reprint)
A manifesto for change written twenty years ago but just as relevant today. |
Buddhism and Subud
Subud doesn’t require you to stop practising your religion. Unless you’re a Buddhist. |
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Subud as University
Are we ready to move on from high school? A model for the next stage. |
Both Simple and Complex
Basing Subud culture on the latihan. |
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A Proposal for an International Subud Survey
We know very little about what members think of their Subud experience. Shouldn’t we be trying to find out? |
Subud: The Tribe
Subud claims to support individual growth, but does it? Where we rank in the ‘Stages of Faith’. |
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Peace and Subud
Does Subud have a contribution to make in the area of conflict resolution? |
What Happened?
The little-known story of Mas Totok in Australia; and how to revitalize Subud. |
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The Latihan of Subud, Dissociation and the Neurology of Spiritual Experience
Essential reading for anyone who wants to know more about the psychological effects of the latihan. |
Subud and Sumarah
Comparing Subud to its ‘close cousin’, Sumarah. |
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Forget About Outreach
Is outreach the priority or not? |
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