TALK TO THE INDONESIAN CONGRESS… a talk by Ibu Rahayu

Since Subud Voice is now once again available in full to the general public, we no longer publish talks by Bapak or Ibu Rahayu in their entirety, because it is felt that, generally speaking, these are really only comprehensible and of value to people who already practise the latihan.

Bapak always insisted that his talks are “explanations” for people who already follow the latihan. One of his oft-repeated maxims was, “First the experience, then the explanation!”

He compared the latihan to eating a mango. There is no way you can “explain” the taste of a mango to someone who has not tasted one. First, you must experience it for yourself, then you can talk about it.

At the same time, brief quotations from Bapak, the founder of Subud, and his daugther, Ibu Rahayu, are often comprehensible to anyone, and may contain wisdom or advice that is akin to what is said in religion or other spiritual traditions.

So what we will do in Subud Voice from now on is generally suggest a talk which relates in some way to the contents of the issue and include a brief quotation of general interest. Subud members may then go to the www.subudlibrary.net web site to read the talk in its entirety.

This issue we are suggesting a recent talk by Ibu Rahayu…no one has their finger on the pulse of subud more than her…

11 BGZ 1

Ibu Rahayu’s Talk to 25th Indonesian National Congress

LIDO, BOGOR

18 February 2011

Recording 11 BGZ 1

Final Translation by Raymond Lee

An extract from that talk…

If you have not understood or you feel you have not progressed, it does not mean you are stupid or that you do not surrender enough. Many of you do not realise or are unable to realise that we get lessons from within in everything we do. However, most of those lessons, most of that guidance from within, is drowned out by our self-interest, by what we want. That means, as I said, the latihan is not something you can be taught how to do. For example, I cannot teach you: this comes from God; that comes from God; or this is controlling you. You have to become aware of that and find that out yourself. Indeed, it is not easy. It is not easy because, being human, we too often pursue our self-interest that is closely related to desires that will block our progress on this spiritual path.

Here is one example. Many members feel inadequate since everything they do is wrong. They get to a point that they feel that God has deserted them. Then, because they feel that God has deserted them, they ask for help, ‘Please pray for me.’ Well, that means they do not value their own self. Given that all human beings are created the same, if we have something wrong with us, God is not to blame. God gives everything to human beings fairly. It is the person in question who is still unable to conduct himself or herself as a human being.