1. Regarding members who take drugs

REGARDING Subud members who take drugs, although they may think that this might increase the calming of their inner feeling, yet in fact it even destroys them inwardly and darkens their spiritual condition. Thus, so far as possible, the helpers should forbid members to take drugs because, if anything happens, the helpers will be blamed.

2. Drugs useless and dangerous

FOR the sake of the well-being of body and soul of the members of the Brotherhood and for the sake of the purity of their worship of Almighty God, in accordance with His guidance as manifested in the latihan kejiwaan of Subud, Bapak hopes that those members who are accustomed to use drugs, such as narcotics, marijuana and the like, will quickly cease to do so.

When we remember the realities that we have received in the latihan kejiwaan of Subud, it is then clear that any means that you may think to employ to perfect your worship of Almighty God cannot possibly be of the least use or benefit. It is precisely by the use of such means that you may easily fall into a world of darkness, and you will be lucky if you do no more than fall sick, becoming dizzy and physically weak.

From Pewarta Kejiwaan Subud, Vol. V, No. 2, page 43 –(letter) 10 September 1966.

3. Strong drink

BROTHERS and sisters, in the latihan it is essential to be quiet and calm in your heart and mind beforehand. Therefore, although it is not forbidden, it is advisable not to drink before doing the latihan - especially for helpers. Bapak would also like to add that in general it is better not to drink much. Therefore, if a helper comes to the latihan place after drinking, and is drunk, it is better to stop him doing the latihan, even though he is a helper. The same holds good for ordinary members: obviously it is better if a member under the influence of drink is prevented from entering the latihan place and from joining the latihan, and be told rather to go home and sleep off his drunkenness.

From 'Subud in the World' page 122 - relevant recording: 63 BC£ 10.

4. Drinking

THE reason that it appears as 1hough drinking is forbidden to Subud members is that drinking gives rise to the lower forces and therefore interferes with our ability to surrender.

From Bapak 's letter to I.S. C. Helpers, 4 January 1979.

5. Further to above

1) Regarding the habit of drinking strong drink or alcohol this is in fact something that is not permitted by religion or by those who worship Almighty God, because strong drink has the effect of reducing the firmness of our faith in Almighty God, for those who drink generally forget their faith in God and are often enveloped by the nafsu of anger, the nature of which is to bring chaos into our life situation.

2) Looked at from the health point of view, to drink strong drink tends more to ruin our inner feeling than to bring us to health and perfection of life.

That is Bapak's disposition which Bapak would like all of you to feel and consider seriously in order that you should not later feel disappointment about actions which is too late to undo.

(I asked Bapak what was his definition of 'strong drink' and Bapak said that any drink that has the possibility of making a person intoxicated falls into this category)

From Bapak - (letter by Sharif Horthy) 14 June 1979.

6. Children affected by drugs

IF you ask about which method is best to help them (young children affected by drugs), then in Subud there is none. What is clear is that Subud is a spiritual Brotherhood which develops by the latihan kejiwaan. So for children under the age - that is, not yet 18 - they cannot yet begin to do their exercises.

Therefore, the method of helping them must be a way that is commonly used; that is, they should be helped by medical specialists who can cure them. If they are cured, then just make an effort to find a way that these children do not return to their habit of using drugs. For example, they should be placed somewhere that is far from the environment which presents the possibility of being easily influenced again. They should be given the understanding of the reasons and the results of drug abuse in a deep and profound way. If this help is carried out by Subud members, as we already do in the latihan, so in an indirect way it is possible to influence these children greatly. For example, there is the matter of training, education and directing the will and wishes of children into a useful field, both for children's health and their goals in the future.

From lbu Siti Rahayu, (letter) 30 October 1979.