We would love to have your response to Subud Voice.

Were there any articles in particular in this or recent editions that resonated with you? Were there any that particularity entertained, informed or enlightened you? Were there any that made a difference to your life, brought new insights or valuable ideas and feelings? Were there any that caused you to reflect on aspects of your own life?

We are interested in building a community of like-minded souls, of people who like to communicate and share experiences, both their inner spiritual experience and how this plays out in their daily lives – in their work, their relationships and so on.

Do you approve of the general direction in which we are going of opening Subud Voice up more to the diversity of experience in Subud and the diversity of experience in the world? Do you find it strange, odd or even disconcerting to find articles about rock’n’roll in Subud Voice (complete with video clips) or do you understand and applaud a greater openess and variety of experience? Does it open some windows and let some fresh air in?

Or what did you think of Sudarto’s book which you got as a gift with the September issue? Was it full of intersting and illuminating things, just as relevant as when he wrote them 50 years ago? Did it excite you, open your understanding, get you thinking, or was it all “ho-hum”?

We are trying to reflect the diversity of Subud and the diversity of life. The September issue was a real “return to the pure source of Subud” with articles about the recent Subud gatherings in Wisma Subud and Rungan Sari. October issue is more of the other side of things, the energy and colour of the outer life. I guess these are the poles between which all of us swing, inner and outer life, the interplay between spiritual and material experience.

Not just for Subud members buit bring subud in all tis variety and vitality to the whole world.

The Mission of Subud Voice

I take Subud Voice quite seriously. I really believe we have a purpose and a mission.

For me, Subud Voice is based on a talk that Bapak gave in 1984 which has since become a guiding light in my life. People are always saying listen to Bapak’s talks and pay attention to what he says. Well, I may have failed to listen to many of them (I was probably asleep at the time), but at least I heard one and have tried to put it into pactice in my life.

I took this to heart and produced a book and several since. I do not delude myself that I have produced the book Bapak was talking about. It remains a goal to which one constantly aspires, and constantly falls short of. But as we say in Australia, aim for the stars and you might hit the back fence.

To me, Subud Voice is like a book, quite vast book, which has been unfolding for 25 years; millions of words, a vast comependium of Subud experience in all its aspects. In the talk which Bapak gave in March 1984 – in his house, delivered to a fairly small group of people who had been attending meetings in Wisma Subud – he urged that someone should write a book about Subud for the general public.

It is clear that he is talking about a book which focuses on Subud members’ visible activities – enterprises, social welfare, culture etc.He said that the book should show “the proof, the evidence and the reality” and that “Subud has every kind of thing in it”. In this talk he also talked in general about how SICA could play a really important part in attracting people to Subud.

This is the spirit in which we are producing Subud Voice. Not a book of course, but a periodical – a book in serial form – but we think the same message from Bapak applies. Of course it still goes mostly to Subud members but gradually we hope that it will also reach the general public.

Here is a quotation transcribed by Muchtar Martins from that talk…

The world at the moment is looking for a way out, a way by which a limit or constraint can be placed on man’s passions, the expansion of man’s passions. Everyone is wondering about this and looking for a way that it can be done.

And we have a way, a way that can relieve people of their anxiety, their depression when they survey the state of the world today. The book Bapak is talking about is what is happening now. It contains proofs, realities, evidence, which demonstrates the scope or scale of Subud. There is every kind of thing in it. It is very broad and wide.

It is a book about the way Subud has developed and what it is. As Bapak is talking, Bapak can see pictures of this book in front of him that he wishes to convey to you.

...the book..embraces all aspects of Subud…Is one that speaks about reality. It describes what has happened, what is happening and the direction things are actually going…

Very best wishes and hoping to hear from you,

Harris Smart, Editor Subud Voice