Editorial: Subud's Best Kept Secret by the Subud Vision Editors Many, if not most, Subud members seem to be unaware of the Subud Vision website, which has been publishing free-thinking, wide-ranging articles relating to Subud for nearly four years. This is a pity, because: 1) an independent journal is a healthy phenomenon in an organization that wants to avoid being labelled a cult; 2) most of us have had questions, doubts, and concerns about the Subud experience, and it is hugely liberating to be able to discuss them freely; 3) our organization is not thriving; there’s a need for a wholesale re-evaluation of how we function, but the ordinary channels are obviously ineffective for change;
|
4) Subud tends to be a top-down, patriarchal organization in which there is little scope for expression at the grass roots level unless it supports the accepted wisdom; 5) Subud is good at burying conflict and differences; Subud Vision provides a space for ‘disruptive’ viewpoints that need to be aired before we can move on; 6) Subud Vision examines Subud culture, which may feel cozy and familiar to long-term members but can be experienced by newcomers as alien and off-putting; 7) Subud Vision counters the Subud tendency to dismiss the mind and recognizes the vital importance of critical thinking; 8) Subud Vision authors, some of whom are ex-members, have learned to look at Subud with some detachment and objectivity — a perspective which can be valuable to those who only see the insider view; 9) if Subud members can accept those among themselves who ask awkward questions and imagine new possibilities, that opens the door to all those enquirers who are looking for a new experience while still retaining the right to question and think for themselves. |
Subud Vision has now published roughly 125 articles by over fifty authors, with more than 20,000 article hits. Even if the contents are sometimes controversial, it deserves recognition as a Subud members’ initiative. We invite you to visit with an open mind, read a variety of articles and judge for yourselves. Click here if you are interested in reading the other editorials, or sending feedback on any editorial. |