Ladies and gentlemen, Bapak's arrival has rather shaken the atmosphere among those of you who have been studying something you felt and thought would enable you to find the way that leads to God, or to become aware of your real inner life. Indeed, this is not the first time such a situation has occurred. It happened also in the past, when the prophets received their revelations and gifts of grace from God. The revelations they received shook the world of those people who were trying to find the right way to God.

For example, when the Prophet Jesus received, there were many prominent scholars and teachers who had studied for years how people could obtain peace in their heart and inner feeling, but who did not manage to find the right path as willed by God. So then a real commotion was caused. Those people, who had for years learned how to calm their inner feeling in order to find the right way of life in this world and in the hereafter, were surprised and bewildered by the coming of a young man who was completely uneducated, but was the person God, not man, chose and appointed to receive a revelation from God. And he was able to give the way to people so that they would really believe in God and worship God.

It was the same with the Prophet Abraham, the Prophet Moses and the other prophets. All these happenings in times long ago are a lesson for us, and draw our attention to the fact that something that happens beyond human understanding will shock a society that is not accustomed to it and that has been practicing and studying other ways.

Bapak doesn't wish to put himself forward as someone who has been chosen and appointed by God. Bapak will not say that. God's power, God's will and God's greatness cannot be measured by the human heart and mind. Bapak only trusts the evidence, the fact that what you receive and practice is really beyond the fathoming of the human mind. The human mind and heart cannot know and cannot measure how God in His greatness gives something to human beings.

As Bapak has often said about spiritual matters or man's worship of God, and about people finding the right way to God: only God Himself can give these things to someone who believes in God and surrenders and entrusts himself to God.

So what is received, and what God gives to human beings, is not something learned with the human brain and heart, but is a receiving. In the eyes of God in His greatness, human beings are mere tools that are steered by God's greatness so they can think, wish, see, hear and so on. That's why what God gives to human beings, and what human beings receive from God, is not a study but is a gift or a receiving; in Dutch they call it gave. In reality, what we have received, and the training Bapak has given you, is not the work of human beings, but is God's work for humans, God's work for all creatures. It is called godsdienst ( service of God ): the work of God, not of human beings.

So we humans need only to prepare ourselves and make all the preparations God requires; that's to say, Bapak surrenders everything to God, and God does what Bapak surrenders to God with care, and in a neat, orderly way. That's why Bapak hopes you will always have a sound basis of surrender, patience and belief in God. Then it will be easy for God to correct the mistakes within you. Human beings, with their mind, the will of their heart and everything that is in them, cannot know how to find the right way and distinguish good from bad. For their very cleverness and high feelings darken their way for knowing right from wrong, what is right and what is wrong within their being. The wrongness or rightness within them can only be received and known if they can calm their inner feeling so that it becomes as tranquil as water that is really clear and pure and unruffled.

But the human brain, heart, feelings and desires, which have worked and have been educated from birth to maturity, cannot possibly be stopped in the twinkling of an eye. If everything within a human being were to stop in an instant, it would mean real death. But such a state of tranquillity is really the only way for a person to experience in one moment his whole life from beginning to end. At such a moment, a human being can really receive the power of God that envelops him inside and outside. In the Holy Books of the prophets, in the Bible and in the Quran, it is said that when people worship God in the right way, they leave behind their thinking and desires. For human beings cannot possibly approach the presence of the One God with their desires and thinking.

God has given mankind the state referred to, and we have received it, at the time of our opening and in the latihan. At those times, we cannot use our mind and our desires. If we still use our mind and desires, we cannot receive the latihan, and we feel like a stone, without any feelings whatsoever. But if our thinking mind and desires and everything in us is not working, we can receive. This is the proof that God's gift to us humans, and our receiving of God's gift, cannot be mixed with our thinking and the will of our desires. We must be really pure and really clean when we face God. That's why Bapak says, in fact it is not really right to call the spiritual latihan we receive a latihan ( exercise, training ). We should call it our worship of God. It cannot be learned like a course of study, because God and His power are not like human beings.

God is not our fellow-man. No. God cannot be measured in the way people measure each other, because God is the One who created us humans. So, in reality, we are only instruments for God; we are completely powerless before whatever God wills for us. When we have been given the latihan and have been practicing it, we realize that the way to God should not be studied, and that we can only receive the latihan with a pure inner feeling in a state of surrender and entrusting ourselves to God.

As for what we receive, this is completely up to the wisdom and greatness of God, because God is All-knowing. God knows and understands the strength and capacity of each one of us humans. God will not give something to someone who is unable to receive it. God will not give to someone who will suffer catastrophe or inner difficulties as a result. God knows. God is Most Just. God gives to human beings when they are able to receive.

Bapak is not disappointed and does not find fault with you, because you are really experiencing a transition from believing in a person to believing in God, from receiving advice from a person to receiving advice from God Himself. Naturally, you find the atmosphere in the groups very heavy, because in the past, one of you gave instructions, and the others followed them. It was instruction from person to person. But seen from the spiritual point of view, the way to God cannot be learned like that. From the spiritual point of view, if someone is given advice by a counselor, it is not fitting; it does not fit the members and organs within the person. Advice which can really be carried out and fulfilled is advice that fits the target of the advice. This is impossible for human beings ( to do ). Only God can do it, because God gives human beings advice and guidance which fits their real nature.

Bapak will illustrate this. If Bapak taps this ( table ), it does not sound like that ( glass ). Why are they different? This fits its nature, and that fits its nature. That's the way God gives to human beings. People don't know this. This cannot sound ting, ting, ting, and that cannot sound tok, tok, tok. This has to sound like this, and that has to sound like that. In Islam, it's called zat wajibul wujud. It fits exactly the nature in question. That is the will of God Himself, because only God can be one with everything He has created, including humans.

That's why we now learn from God, we now work for God. We face God not as a human being, person to person, but as God the Almighty, with a feeling full of love, patience and entrusting ourselves to God. We need to have the right feeling, which in truth means we prepare everything that is in us. As Jesus said when he was alive, Give the whole of yourself, body and soul, completely, to God. God knows, and will give something so that human beings can put their inner self in order, beginning on this earth, until they die.

Yon should know, children, that within us humans, although people claim, 'I am a human being, I really am a human being' -well, naturally. This glass claims to be a glass ( Bapak taps the glass ), because it really is a glass by nature. Likewise, a human being claims, 'I am a human being,' because the claim will not depart from the nature that fits the human soul ( jiwa ). But people don't know that there are forces that give rise to the strength within them and enable them to move - that is, what Bapak calls the life forces or spirits - the material spirit, called roh rewani; the roh nabati, plants; the roh hewani, animals; the human spirit, and the spirit of the perfect human being, meaning a human being who is already whole and is neither female nor male, but is both male and female in one, that is, a human being like the one called Adam. When Adam was still in heaven and had not yet been sent down to earth, his nature was still one, both male and female.

Now, what is the reason why a person's inner feeling comes to be occupied by the material soul or spirit or by the vegetable spirit or animal spirit, and not by the soul of the human being himself, as the leader of his life? It is because the person's ancestors have for generations constantly faced the atmosphere of this world, which easily influences the inner feeling, heart and brain of a person, so that gradually the person's brain is centered on the atmosphere of this world, his heart is subjected to the atmosphere of this world, and his inner feeling is brought closer to the atmosphere of this world than to his surrender to God, than to God who created him.

Eventually, the force at the center of the person's inner feeling, and the fount that pours forth in all directions to every nook and cranny of the inner feeling in the entire human body, is a low, subhuman force, because the human being is more centered on worldly matters than on the hereafter.

Suppose the force that dominates within the inner feeling of a person is the animal force. Then the animal force sends its power flowing constantly through the entire physical body, and uses as its instruments everything that is in the self of the person. Yet the person thinks the way humans do, he has a will as humans do, he has desires the way humans do, he speaks the way humans do, and he does everything the way humans do, because the instruments he uses are indeed human instruments. As Bapak illustrated just now, even when Bapak taps this ( glass ) with his hand, it won't sound like his hand. It cannot. So even when it is the animal force that is within a person, because the person has a human form, he behaves like a human. The person himself doesn't understand this. He may well claim, 'I am a human being.' True. But he doesn't know who it is that says 'I'.

So, Bapak reiterates, he, the human being, will not be able to know or understand who 'I' is, if there is no gift from God, within everything that is within the human self, which awakens his soul ( jiwa ). Then the person will realize involuntarily, Ah, this 'I' is not a human being; what is controlling me is an animal. Only God can clear out everything within a person that is not right. That's why we do the latihan and we receive; we just surrender to God's wisdom, so that God will give us guidance as to what is wrong and what is right within our being.

So the gift from God, as Bapak just mentioned, received by a human being, penetrates everything that is in us, and our thinking mind is powerless. Why? Because the heart and mind and everything that is within a human being is penetrated by God's power. That is the way God gives to human beings, not in the outer sense, but within their innermost thoughts, so that their ordinary instruments cannot perceive it. But the reality is that although we don't think of anything and we appear to forget in the latihan, we are always in a state of consciousness and self-awareness. It's the mind that forgets, but certainly all of you have received and felt the awareness that is awakened by God's power within us.

The way of purification you always face cannot be the same for everyone. One person may be very low, for instance, and his human soul ( jiwa ) may be very oppressed and closed up. Another may not be so oppressed, so the person's way of receiving the purification is easier than the one who is very oppressed. There's no need for us to regret or moan about this state of affairs, because we are the ones who made the mistakes. So we should accept it, and we should be able to correct our mistakes along the way. We really have to face something that is our own fault. If we do wrong, and we don't like to be responsible, it's a sin. We have to take responsibility for what we have done. We have to have the courage to be responsible to God. For this reason, it is said in the stories of the prophets, in the holy books, that when a person has died, his soul will be brought before God. He will be asked and will have to answer, but his heart, mind and desires will be locked, and the person will have to reply to God about what he really experienced on earth, because his heart cannot cover things up any more.

So clearly, to come before God, to face God, to be close to God, we must put our heart and mind behind us, because they are very good at tricking us. If you have money, for example: 'Do you have some money I could borrow?' 'No.' The heart is like that. The heart can do conjuring tricks in matters it feels will bring about its own loss and another's gain. So in the holy books it says that when a person comes before God, his heart and mind are closed up and locked, so the person will give a reply to God revealing what he or she really experienced in this world. It is because of this that the prophets, including the Prophet Jesus, said, 'O humans, fear your wrong deeds, and encourage your inner feeling to do what is right in accordance with God's will.'

This we now receive and practice in the training ( latihan ). It begins with the purification of everything within us. So don't be afraid, don't worry, and don't feel troubled if something affects you or happens within you. Within each one of you there are things you have had since you were born until now when you are mature adults. So, whatever you may receive from God, if this ( glass ) is within you, and we tap it, it will go, 'Ting, ting, ting.' But if there are lots of bits and pieces of things inside it, when it is tapped, the sound will not be, 'Ting, ting, ting,' but, 'Tok, tok, tok.' It's not the one who taps who is wrong, but the content.

So if you really have a good heart and a good character, and you do good things, all will go smoothly, no matter what purification you receive in your inner feeling. But if, for example, a strong-armed man is being purified, he will punch. If a storyteller is being purified, he will tell stories. It's not because of his spiritual knowledge, not because it's a gift from God, but because of the clearing out of things that are there within him.

Why is it all being cleared out? It's so that later on, after death, there won't be any questions from God, because he will have been purified. Suppose he is asked by God, 'What did you do on earth, O human?' 'Surrender, and worship of God.' That's right, because he has begun to be purified in this life, while still on this earth. So in this latihan, we are given the opportunity by God to be able to do that, and return to our original state.

This is the nature of God's power and God's work on the self of human beings. In reality, everything works by itself. For this reason, there's no need for us to think about the way to God, or worship of God, or God's gift that we receive in the latihan.

There's no need for us to search with our desires. It's not our work. God Himself will arrange it, so that our thinking and our brain are no longer full of questions, but know and understand spontaneously, because they have been tuned by God Himself.

Why do we always ask questions? Why don't we understand? Because our brain hasn't been tuned yet; it is still filled with the atmosphere of this world. So when we think about things, we think very strange thoughts. People may depict God as a magnificent being, noble and strong, with a beard, wearing a turban, sitting on a throne of gold, surrounded with angels, carrying a scepter and speaking slowly.

We humans have to live in this world the way humans do, and we are accompanied by all the instruments we have in us; so use your brain, will, desires and heart to fill and improve this world.

In the life of human beings, in the life of one nature, there are two kinds of work: one is the work of the One who creates; the second is the work of the one who is created. That is, one is God's work and the other is the work of humans. So human beings need to think of themselves. Think of yourselves, and will yourselves to be able to fulfil the conditions of your life in this world. As for later, after death - that is, the way to God -just surrender it to God. If you can really surrender with a full feeling of sincerity and love, God will give to you. Now we have received this, and we practice it. So it's not difficult for us. It would really be very heavy for us to think about God when our mind is already thinking too much about the world. Moreover, it couldn't possibly be done. But if we think about our own work, it can be done.

Clearly, you should use what you have, your thinking, your heart and feelings, for the needs of your life in the world, so you will be someone who is really human. Not someone who is human in outward form only, and doesn't behave like a human being. Work like people usually do. Live in the way people usually do in this world, as humans.

In addition, you are followed by your teacher. Who is the teacher of human beings? Who is the father of human beings? The One God. All of you can experience this, now you have received the training ( latihan ). When I walk, sometimes there is someone who makes me walk, and sometimes I walk myself. When I am sitting, sometimes there is someone who makes me sway from side to side, and sometimes I do it myself. So, clearly, when I see, God is behind it; when I hear, God is behind it, behind my hearing; when I speak, God is within it and behind it. Be careful not to say something wrong. Don't look at something that is not right. Don't listen to talk that is not right. But, generally, people like very much to hear people quarrelling and to see people fighting.

So for us who have received the latihan, it's not that we should, but that we become more and more able to be careful, because we feel, although we don't yet perceive it, that behind us, behind me, within me, and within everything that is in me, God is there. So I, or we, need to work and behave as well as we can, to facilitate the working of the human soul that is in us by God's will, so that it can work well and eventually penetrate all the walls that are within us, and we can receive what we aspire to.

We can do the work we know how to do in carrying things out. And, just within our own circle, there are arrangements that need to be made in the ordinary way. You need to appoint a section with people to arrange places for the latihan, places for worshipping. You need to appoint a section with people to arrange how to rent a place, how to buy Coca Cola and various things, and how to obtain money for all the requirements. You also need to appoint another section with people for answering whatever questions there may be. Then there will be no confusion, where one person answers and then another person answers; there should be people appointed especially to answer questions. And there should be another section where people are appointed to answer any letters that may come asking about the meaning of Subud and the latihan. They have to be answered, and people have to be appointed for that. People are also required for arranging all the other things we need. That's all that is necessary, and it is of an organizational nature.

The organizational work we have to do only involves people. But when human beings turn to God, they are free of organization, because God cannot be organized by human beings. God cannot be ordered by human beings. God is free in His greatness. So organization is only for people, not for God.

What needs to be arranged is: who is to be appointed, who are the ones to do the work. Also, who are to be appointed as assistants, that is to say, to accompany people doing the latihan.

The assistants do not have to be responsible for answering questions, because their answers will not be right. The only right answers are from God Himself.

As for Bapak, Bapak just gives an example and gives a picture of what Bapak has done, of what Bapak has received. So it's really only an example, not the real thing. You yourselves will experience the real thing. You cannot possibly have the same point of view as Bapak, ladies and gentlemen. Bapak may enjoy very much seeing something, but that doesn't mean you will enjoy seeing it. For example, Bapak may not like watching ballet, but you may enjoy it very much. Bapak may enjoy going to the cinema, and you may not. Everyone is different. So, what fits each person is in that person. Only God Himself ( can do ) that. So just receive what you receive. It will come from God Himself. We only collect in groups of brothers and sisters for the needs of brotherhood, that is, harmony of worship. As for the results obtained from that worship, they will come from God.

You have to remember also that you have only recently experienced and received this spiritual training ( latihan ) of Subud. This is really only the first phase of Subud in London or in Europe. Certainly, the first phase, the beginning, entails difficulties and suffering and things that are uncomfortable and not yet sorted out. But certainly, it won't always be like this. Through God's grace, which we always receive, as the days, months and years go by, there will be changes that bring good within a society of people worshipping God.

For example, when the Christian religion appeared on this earth, it was only after three hundred years that there were any definite arrangements. Similarly, in Islam, there were only definite arrangements after two hundred years. In any new atmosphere, there are always difficulties and things out of order, because there has to be a change from the old to the new. As Bapak said before, when the Christian religion came, many people who were considered clever at philosophy blamed Jesus, and reviled Jesus, and Jesus was crucified, it says in the holy book. And who was right? Jesus, who was crucified, was right.

Clearly, something that brings change is sure to require suffering, sacrifice and difficulties. Bapak is only reminding you all to remember how things happened in the past. Our present situation is not peculiar to us. It was like that before. So certainly our situation will improve, if we always receive and do the latihan.

This is Bapak's explanation about the spiritual way of Subud, and perhaps it is what you wanted. Bapak hopes this short explanation - but it has already been two hours - has given you all some satisfaction. This may be the last explanation of Bapak's present visit. If Bapak can come back here next year, Bapak will certainly give you many more talks.

Bapak would also like to take this opportunity to give thanks to God that all of you, and the other brothers and sisters who are not here on this occasion, are really receiving and can worship God with a feeling of love and sincere submission. May God bless you for this feeling - or inner feeling - of yours, and may God grant that you may be really open and clean and can always receive what God gives to you.

Besides that, Bapak takes leave of you, because there's not much time left. If there is no obstacle, Bapak will be leaving you all on Friday, bound for America. After that, Bapak will go home to Indonesia, to see his grandchildren and children there, because they have been waiting for a long time for Bapak to come back to Indonesia. Although Bapak will be a long way away, Bapak will always remember all of you and Bapak prays to God that after Bapak leaves you will always be in God's protection, happy, safe and sound.

Now Bapak says good-bye, brothers and sisters, and Bapak ends his explanation. Thank you.

Translated by Sofyan Brugger