From Jim

Brief synopsis of Subud Seattle general meeting August 30th:
Financially we are doing OK thanks to member donations and reducing our commitment to the region.  Thank you , members!
Remote latihans continue on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday, no in-person latihans at this time.
The rental committee and dewan presented their recommendation to the membership regarding contracting with Karen Hunt of itrip vacations to manage whole-house rentals at Spring Street center.
This would not interfere with latihans on Sunday at the time that is again possible.
The membership voted yes with the exception of one abstention.
The proposal will now go to Subud Pacific Northwest in compliance with SPNW bylaws, as this would be a long-term contract.

Asa was the wife of Oswald Lake and early members of Subud.  They both passed on years ago but this letter was recently posted in the SICA news.

“1959 was the year of our opening. The room was filled with hundreds of people screaming, crying and moaning after a “begin” was said by a little foreign woman I could barely see in the front of a huge room in Alhambra, California. We had driven all the way from Santa Monica after a three-month probation in this mysterious group called SUBUD. After this experience, we stood on the sidewalk outside the building and compared notes. What did you feel? None of us knew much about what had happened in the latihan, but we knew we felt wonderful! SO with that began our years in Subud. Our little world was expandable to include all manner of interesting and odd brothers and sisters who suddenly became important to us. Oswald was almost immediately on the committee, and I naturally came along. We never had marvelous “spiritual experiences” or “crisis” — but we always felt fresh and new and wonderful after latihan.

We read everything we could find and did our latihan and work in the world — and knew almost nothing until 1963. That was the year of the World Congress in New York. There we came to know Bapak and Ibu, Tuti, Ismana, Usman & Aminah, and that’s where Bapak did “testing” in the group in front of every one. The testing gave us a deeper experience of the latihan and meeting with the brothers and sisters from around the world gave us a happier feeling about “the brotherhood” of Subud than we could have from just knowing the group in California. That was the first time we drove Bapak and party in our car. Little did we know it was a preview of having Bapak come to our home!

I think of these as rich, fulfilling years… our children grew, we grew… We started SNA (Subud North America), the precursor to Subud USA, and our lives and hearts expanded to hold more and more.

There were always a thousand levels of everything. Heaven and Hell were always combining and intertwining and the fruits of the latihan seemed to always be there to save us from falling into the Magnetism of any one of these levels to the detriment of embracing the present. God is Good! It was a grand beginning and a gift from heaven. Time hardly seems to have passed, yet here it is, 1999, and here we still are — Oswald and Asa, married 50 years this past June, have five grandchildren, still doing the latihan…and doing nothing wonderful in our lives. I had expected at least WINGS by this time — or to have experienced the Cosmos personally! But, I was one destined to be ordinary.

Ordinary? Of late, I remember Bapak saying that’s what we SHOULD be, and as the world gets more and more crazy with each passing day, I have learned to treasure my ordinariness as the “pearl of great price”. I believe that it is important to do latihan for reasons far beyond ourselves and beyond our understanding. It’s as if we form a bridge for the latihan energy to penetrate this level, and this is important for the Earth itself — and our duty to Almighty God in response to the constant blessings with which he fills our lives. When all other reasons fail, we keep on doing latihan because it is the only choice we have.

Love, Asa

Some have been missing the regular group latihans but the call in latihans are a good substitute!  We are now having a call in latihan on Friday nights for all members.  The call in number is 1-425-436-6260 and the code for men is 8632438 and for the ladies 2426147.  I have been a reluctant user, sometimes preferring just to do latihan without calling in, but recently I have found it helpful to share the experience with my Subud brothers.  Last Friday I experienced something much stronger and very different from my normal latihan which made me feel the importance of this virtual group latihan.  It even felt stronger than my past latihans which reminded me that our spiritual lives are not limited by space or time!  We can feel the latihan whenever or wherever we are and it can be as strong as in the physical group!  I would encourage members to join in and try it!

The way it works is that we call the number (1-425-436-6269) and give the code ( men 8632438 and ladies 2426147) , then announce our name when joining.  There is a quiet period from 7:45 PM till 8:00 PM, then the helper assigned will announce the beginning of the latihan.  You can listen with your phone or you can mute the voices if that is a distraction.  Sometimes at the end of the latihan we have a check in to tell how we are coping with life, health, changes, etc.  This has been a new and valued addition!   Please join us for this unusual but potent happening!  Keep safe!

Rachman

Looks like there may be no Menucha this year so I am sharing pics from last year!   Click the link to see them.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mTMLHA1DqRvVwX8A7  

This is a video taken at the Menucha retreat near Portland, Oregon in November of 1999.  Views of Subud members from over twenty years ago!  Menucha grounds, entertainment night, workshops.  Video starts at the 4:45 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/JsSZtp1daEc

The SUBUD Greater Seattle Facebook site has been inactive for a while but I am hoping it will become a channel for local Subud members to communicate with each other, especially during the time of Covid-19! Our newsletter is a good way to communicate to the members but this site allows you to communicate back!  Please feel free to share what is happening in your life with words and pictures!  The link is here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/58385320633/

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the last month your donations to our center have been steady. We are grateful.

Even before the Shelter In Place order from Governor Inslee, we knew that the income for our Centerprise, Spring St. Center AirBnB, was going to take a hit. It has.

All future rentals we had were cancelled. A major enterprise, renting our facility once a month on weekends cancelled and requested a refund of their deposit. We have had no rental income for March, April and May.

All staff that worked on the AirBnB enterprise is either furloughed, or working on vastly reduced hours.  One member is donating their time. We have cut our expenses in this area and in the area of utilities to the lowest level possible.

Many AirBnB property owners are now looking for possible long-term rentals, or considering selling their properties.  We’re currently looking for long-term renter(s).

Until that time, even though we’re not able to go to the building weekly, we still need to maintain its appearance. This is essential if we are to provide an interesting property that someone would want to rent long-term.  The building interior needs to be clean and tidy. The outside needs to stay picked up and the lawns mowed.

We have reduced our payment to the region. However, it still needs our support. Its work includes that of our regional helpers who are managing our virtual latihans. Our region also supports our national and international organization’s through this payment. This includes members nationally and internationally who do not have the strength in numbers or contributions we have locally.

I just wanted to let you know how we are managing the limited funds we have and your committee’s commitment to coming up with a new solution for other income from rentals.

Your continued donations to our center are essential if we are to keep it in good repair. We want it to be ready not only for a potential renter, but also for ourselves, once we’re able to return.

Thank You, Oswald Norton

Subud Greater Seattle Treasurer

In 1983 Rayma and I had the privilege of attending the 7^th World Subud Congress at Anugraha, a conference center Subud was building in Englefield Green, England, near Windsor.

During that congress, Bapak came and gave many talks. Amelia and Emmanuel Williams got married. Rayma and I worked in the tea tent and learned how to serve tea properly. Many, many dear Subud friends who are no longer with us were there. We saw the interior of a wonderful conference center we Subud members designed and built that still exists today (though we don’t own it).

Recently a friend sent me a link to Rachman Cantrell’s photo album from that time. It was great to see how we all looked 37 years ago. And to remember, with fondness, our Subud brothers and sisters from that time some living and some now gone.

Go ahead, take a peek: Subud 7th World Congress Photos

Many thanks to Rachman Cantrell for sharing these photos – Oswald

I found more photos of Rini and thought I would share with the group.  Click the link to see them.   Rini was a longtime member of Subud Greater Seattle who passed on in Indonesia a few months ago.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FNc8eiJTLxqnzjEX8