Subud Vision - Feedback

Howard Melder - Opening up the Future

Unsustainability and the hackneyed mantra. From Luthfi Dixon, June 8, 2008. Time 17:24

A good analysis. I was interested to see you use the word 'sustainable' - you said that the present situation was not sustainable. Back in the early '80s, when I was on the National Council here in the UK, I was told that the future of Subud in that country was 'unsustainable' from our then membership of just over 2,000. Since then it has dropped down to around 1,250! So we very much have the same situation as that which you describe in Australia.

I'm not at all sure what can be done about the pretty dire state of Subud in developed countries. It might not be so bad in other parts of the world, and they certainly don't seem bothered in Indonesia.

Here's a very recent communication I had from a member of Bapak's family - it really doesn't matter which member, because I think the rather snooty 'de haut en bas' atitude, and the rigidity of thinking, is prevalent among them all:

'Out here in Indonesia there seems to be a steady flow of people interested in joining Subud. The system of helpers is what Bapak established. People will naturally gravitate to those who offer what is needed and will ignore those who don't. What we have seen so far over several decades is a fairly steady ebb and flow, rather than rapid growth or rapid decline in membership. Mankind's twin duties to worship God and develop the world we live in require that we follow the latihan kejiwaan and do enterprises. I feel sure that leaders will emerge as and when needed.'

You may note 'follow the latihan and do enterprises' - what I described, in reply, as 'a hackneyed mantra which just doesn't cut it anymore.'

While I have a great deal of sympathy with much of the outlook expressed in Subud Vision articles, I feel that, basically, there is nothing that can be done, except by some person or persons with real inner authority who come along and give Subud a real inner boost, and give it new vision and a sense of direction. Having said that, the one thing I really do think should be done is for the helper system to be abolished. I'm in complete agreement with Rosalind Priestley as regards that.

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