When I was opened 26 years ago at Rocky Gap, immediately after my first latihan—an experience I’ll never forget—I felt compelled to return to my hotel room, lace up my sneakers, and run for hours in over 100°F heat around the lake at Cumberland Gap, Maryland—much of it off-trail and through ravines. I wasn’t a runner then, though I became one later. The entire time I ran, my inner voice said, “Allah, Allah, Allah.” Even when I’d stop, focus, and try to say something else it would just come out, “Allah, Allah, Allah.” At that moment, I knew that I needed to experience this so that I would never forget that God and the latihan are real.
I couldn’t have had that experience—or countless others—if people like you hadn’t donated their time and money to organize gatherings and support helper travel. I know I owe Subud far more than I give, so I’m grateful for the nudge that got me to serve on the committee. I’m a full-time dad, full-time CEO, and Chair of Subud USA, and I can say with complete honesty that the more I give to Subud in both time and money, the lighter, easier, and more fulfilling life becomes. The company I started, Noxgear, has become an unexpected success as an international brand with a devoted following. The latihan has guided my work, not through testing, but through how I move, think, and feel as I do it.
That’s why I’m writing today to ask for your help. As someone who is equally committed to supporting Subud, I wonder how you might write this letter to members inviting donations. (It turns out that serving as Chair doesn’t automatically make me an expert fundraiser.)
I might want to understand the impact of my past donations—and why I should continue to give. But in truth, what compels me to donate each year is actually this one question: “Where would I be without the latihan?” It is without a doubt the most important part of my life, not only because I attribute many of my outward successes to the guidance it’s given me, but because of the experience itself. It is real and beyond anything I could have imagined.
Practically speaking, your donation makes it possible for others to experience the gift of the latihan. It supports the gatherings that take time, money, and effort to organize and helps our National Helpers travel across the country to serve our members. It also sustains our essential operations as a charitable organization, including the creation of a national database and directory, our member communications, and makes possible travel for delegates to the World Congress. Your donations also support similar Subud work internationally, including the WSA Archives.
We need your help to prepare for the future—not only for the changing needs of our members but for the next chapter: Subud’s rapid growth. As Bapak explained, “This Subud is not an endeavor made by human beings. It is the grace of the One Almighty God.” I can’t influence Subud’s growth in the same way I might as a CEO (and what a relief that is). From what I’ve heard in conversations across the country, humanity is asking for exactly what we receive in the latihan, and this is being echoed on prominent podcasts. I believe these voices could become a channel through which Subud experiences rapid growth. As Bapak said, one day soon Subud may need to open and support millions of people. We must begin preparing now, and your support makes that possible.
With gratitude,
Simon Curran
Chair, Subud USA
