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Sjahari Hollands - How to Read Bapak’s Talks and How Not To

Balancing Voice. From Stefan Freedman, June 30, 2008. Time 22:59

Hi Sjahari,

I chime with your key points about getting the most value from Bapak's talks:

"Enter a latihan-like state within yourself. Try to find inside yourself that deep but active quiet. Read Bapak’s talks in a similar way to reading poetry."

During my first year in Subud I was a voluntary worker in a small community-support centre. My boss committed suicide. His deputy (also his lover) had a breakdown and I was left, a naive 18 year old, trying to run the place. It was a testing time, and the thing that helped calm and soothe me was reading Susila Budhi Dharma. I found that reading the high Javanese was the most transporting of all.

But in later talks when Bapak urged us to start enterprises, to take an interest in kalimantan etc I noticed that he was, however, wanting us to hear his words as a spur to action. This is something other than a poem for the inner self. This kind of talk seems tailored to a particular group of people at a particular time.

In your first article you suggest that we need to find new ways to express Bapak's message about the universality of the latihan, in order to reach today's generation. I agree with this because Bapak so much wanted us to adapt what we say to each person, and to speak from our own direct experience.

Members of our association hold a spectrum of views on the value of Bapak's talks. I'd like to see us become more able to talk freely about this emotive subject. Several writers on this site (including myself) raise questions, and I very much appreciate your balancing voice, showing the value you find in Bapak's talks and explanations.


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