Note from Rachman:  It seems Menucha’s new management has taken a hardline stand on some fairly drastic changes that are listed in the announcement below.  I talked to Oswald about it, and it seems after much negotiation that the new policy holds and therefore, the reason this will most likely be our last Menucha event.  Registration material and pricing will be forthcoming.

Probably last one at Menucha

Our annual kedjiwaan retreat has been held at the Menucha Retreat and Conference center for over 30 years. Menucha experienced existential challenges during the pandemic and for this year’s event. Your committee has worked hard to secure this site for what will likely be one last visit by Subud PNW. For nearly-all packages, rates are the same or cheaper.

Please plan to attend November 9^th to 12^th.

What’s changed due to Menucha’s price and policy changes?

• Buildings available to us: Wright, Ballard, The Barn (for 2 or 3 nights) and Boyd (Boyd for 2 nights only)
• This year we’ll have five “deluxe” couples-oriented rooms
• All plans must include meals. And, no cooking will be allowed in The Barn.
• Only 8 commuter spots allowed for only Friday and Saturday. These spots had to include meals.
• After the 8 commuter spots are filled, for only $75 more we’re providing 15 “commuter plus” spots – only for Friday and Saturday and including an upper bunk if you want to stay over Friday night.
• All rooms rates include bedding.
• There will be no Gift Shop.

What’s not changed?

• The great group latihans
• Insightful testing
• Inspiring conversations
• The breathtaking view above the Columbia Gorge.
• The grounds in and around the Menucha Conference and Retreat Center
• And, fabulous entertainment, reflective solitude, and a welcome opportunity to take a break from the rigors of everyday life.
• The joy of spending relaxed time with your PNW Subud community and neighbors
• There will be the Portland Susila Dharma Silent Auction

We hope you will join us for this extraordinary weekend. You’ll be glad you did!

A link to our registration will be available on August 8^th. Stay tuned for that information in this publication or click on the link to Subud PNW’s website on August 8^th.

Donations Please!

As in past years events, we are anticipating that there will be some needing assistance. In order to help these members, we’ve created an opportunity for you to contribute to this fund.

When you register, you will have an opportunity to donate to our Assistance Fund. Please consider making a donation at that time so that those who need assistance can share this wonderful weekend with us.

NOTES:

• We are opening registration on August 8^thto allow those wishing to attend 60 days to register. All registrations (including day passes) must be purchased by October 15 and be paid in full at the time of registration.
• Most prices quoted are per person, several rooms that are best for couples will by charged by the room. You may register up to 4 people at one time.

Cancellation Policy:  Registrations may be cancelled until October 15 with a full refund less a $50 administrative fee. After October 15, no refunds will be made unless your room/day pass is resold to another registrant, in which case a refund will be issued minus a $50 administrative fee. ($40 for day pass refunds)

Questions about the event and financial aid inquiries can be made at menucharegistrarATgmail.com 

This is a new segment.  It was asked that the helpers make a contribution each month to the newsletter.  Thanks, Aliza for getting it started!

Concerning the spread of Subud, sharing online comments from Subud brother, Sebastian van ‘t Hoff.

“As regards the spread of Subud, here are some snippets which formed my attitude on this subject.

Once we had a question-and-answer session in Sydney where people asked Ibu Rahayu what we could do to bring more people to Subud. (Unfortunately, this session was not recorded, so, I will have to go by what I remember.) Ibu said that because there are hardly any members yet who have the qualities of Susila, Budhi and Dharma, it was no use for God to send hundreds of people to Subud as they would be unimpressed with us and leave soon after they were opened. She advised us to work on improving our own latihan first and leave the rest to God.

Interestingly, she mentioned God “sending people to Subud.” This confirms what many of us have observed, that so many seem guided towards the latihan. I have never seen anything come from willful approaches and creative schemes to actively get in more members, however well-meant these were. This approach too often seems to forget God’s role in this. Bapak once said that if it was only up to us, Subud would never have spread so quickly and to so many countries, in the late fifties. Clearly there is something at work here which goes far beyond us.

The spread of Subud in Ukraine and Malawi in recent years, are examples of this. Emmanuel Aronie and Ruslan Moore (and before them, Rofe) were given a role by the Almighty to help the spread of Subud. None of these men asked for this or willfully followed their desires in this. They were “chosen” for this job. Contrary to what some people believe that nowadays we need to avoid religious connotations in Subud, in the case of Ukraine, the majority of the members are Christians and in the case of Malawi, all are Muslims.

Several of us might also remember Mas Adji saying that after Bapak died, Subud would go through a dip, but he could see that in the future there would be certain Subud members of a high spiritual level around whom flourishing Subud groups would arise. This might be related to the well-known story of Varindra’s dream about the 40 stars, Bapak explaining that there are 40 high souls on their way to help Subud. Recently we tested what we could do to help the spread of Subud. I received that I should be deeper in myself, more surrendered in my latihan and in my daily life and closer to God. Perhaps it meant that if I am in that state, people might be naturally attracted to me, God willing. Others had similar receivings. Anyway, I thought I’d share this with you. Peace and blessings to you all.”

After posting the recent article about Luzita Davila’s passing, a few days later her husband, Ralph passed away. For more details on Ralph’s passing, please see this information on Luzita’s Caring Bridge Page.

And, this week, Mardiyah Tarantino, a long time Subud member for over sixty years, passed as well!

Mardiyah and Rashad were mentors to many of us in the early days of Subud in San Francisco. Rosada, my wife at the time, was pregnant with our first child, so she babysat the Tarantino kids while the rest of us went to the 1967 world congress in Japan. It was my early days of doing photography work, and I took many photos at that congress and Mardiyah was in a lot of them!

She was a model Subud sister and friend to many of us for over sixty years!  She served as a helper and did work in Cilandak in the secretariat for Bapak a number of years ago.  She also wrote a book about the life of Muhammad called ‘Marvelous Stories from the Life of Prophet Muhammad‘.

In a 1995 video interview in the Subud Archives site (Welcome – WSA Archives) Mardiyah describes her experiences traveling with Bapak and Ibu Siti Sumari in Mexico and South America. She was asked to go to translate Bapak’s words into Spanish and was a companion to Ibu. Mardiyah writes about these experiences in her book Bapak Lost in the Amazon. She speaks about Bapak’s compassion, about asking for forgiveness, laughter, testing with Bapak, how Bapak could also be stern, and about living and working in the Sekretariat at Wisma Subud typing letters for Bapak. Mardiyah describes a time in Mexico City in 1968 when Bapak gave an extraordinary talk to women and did testing with them. This particular occasion was remembered and described by many of the women who were there that day.

Both her books and her interview in which she describes her Mexico trip are available to Subud members in the Subud WSA Archives site. For details on how Subud members can access the WSA Archives, please see this article.

Luzita, Ralph and Mardiyah will be missed by their families and many Subud members!  They have truly earned the title of ‘Subud Pioneers’ for their many years of service to Subud!

Below is a link to photos of her over a number of years in Subud!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8bqMptLHwmDxQk8F7

Below is a link to an article about the Subud Archives and how to gain access to it for Subud members.

Subud Archives Website – V2

The Subud Greater Seattle committee and helpers get together the first Saturday of each month at 11:30AM for latihan followed by a meeting.  We met most recently on Saturday, July 1.  The helpers at the meeting agreed to try to contribute regularly to this very weekly online newsletter you’re now reading.

The group will have the use of the Subud house this coming Sunday, July 9.  It’s an opportunity for a kedjiwaan day.  The will of the members who attend on Sunday will determine how we use the time together after regular Latihan — perhaps for testing some questions that grew out of the recent national helpers’ meeting in North Carolina.  If you have suggestions, please bring them with you on Sunday.  Potluck, as always, but there is always plenty to go around!

Eastside members who formerly met on Fridays at a Bellevue church are now meeting every two to three weeks in members’ homes for Latihan.  All are welcome.  We get together at 7:30PM for quiet, Latihan at 7:45PM.  Afterwards, dessert and conversation for those who stay.  The next Eastside Latihan will be on Thursday, July 20, at Rachman and Aida Cantrell’s home in Redmond.

—Rayma Norton