Ladies and gentlemen, Bapak will continue with his explanations about the spiritual latihan of worship that you have received and are following.

The content of the latihan, that is, the movements you have received and experienced, is actually the fruit of the efforts people generally make to obtain the life contact from the One God. You all know and are aware of the various kinds of efforts man makes to achieve this, for example meditation, concentration, memorizing words given by a guru, and so on. All these are only a means of calming the heart, thinking and desires.

Similarly in religion, whether in Christianity, Islam or Buddhism, or other religions, man is always advised to obey the instructions or advice of the prophets. Their advice was that human beings should have complete faith in God, and should surrender completely to God with full trust and sincerity, so that God is worshipped and honored in all respects, more than their own soul and body.

The intention behind this advice was that human beings should really come to obey God and not have many wants, and not be greedy, so that when they are in a state that is empty of desires and passions and greed they may be able to obtain the life contact, as you yourselves have felt and received it, ladies and gentlemen - a vibration of life beyond expectation, beyond the thinking mind. For when man's inner feeling and the power of God meet they become as one, as a unity, so that we will not be able to see, hear, feel, or think, if it is not God Himself who does so.

God's power is such that it cannot possibly be compared to anything. If a human being has really received the power of God, and God's power occupies his whole body, it will no longer be he who feels and hears and so on, as Bapak said just now, but only God. So, in the true state, God's power manifests in a human being, even though not completely, so that man automatically follows wherever and however God leads him.

The progression of our worship will be like that, if we are really able to receive it because of our cleanness, and if God grants us the grace, for example gives us a revelation. It should now be clear to you that it is impossible for human beings to find the right way to God with their thinking mind and heart. They cannot find the right way without God's power, without God's guidance, which comes to them as a result of their surrender and trust and purity.

The way to God is not like the ways in this world, which you can tread with your feet. The way to God can be traversed by human beings only when their whole body, their whole self, has been awakened and is alive and understands how God's power is. So it is not only the arms and legs that need to know the greatness and power of God, but the whole human body and all its members, both coarse and fine, including those finer parts that cannot be seen by the ordinary eyes and cannot easily be thought about in the ordinary way.

This manifestation of God's power is called in Islam, mukjizat ( miracle ), which means the power and working of God. Now in the life of human beings, in our life in this world, we have two components. One of these is for human beings to know and understand and look for whatever is necessary for their lives, and it is used by humans, for humans, from humans to humans and with human strength. This is called istidrat in Islam, meaning whatever can be learned by the human thinking mind, the human brain, the will and the feelings. The other component in man's life is called kodrat. Kodrat signifies something that cannot be learned by the brain or the will or the feelings, but is suddenly and unexpectedly received as a gift from God, that is, what is called a miracle mukjizat.

This training ( latihan ) you have received is a latihan of the kodrat, given by God and worked by God, and is called mukjizat Allah, or a miracle of God. There are names for it in Christianity and Islam and other religions, but it is very difficult to find in practice, because people try to find it by using their brain, their will and their feelings. Whereas what Bapak calls the kodrat, and God's workings, called mukjizat, should not be looked for. The way to find this is to be clean in oneself and just surrender, just trust and have faith in God. But people still use their thinking mind, their will and their desires to look for this. In reality, therefore, what they find is not the kodrat, but the istidrat.

The fruits of the istidrat are indeed astonishing, so many people think it is willed by God. In fact, however, it is a deviation from the right way of life, and is not God's will, not permitted. But people go through tremendous suffering in their efforts to obtain these fruits, on the premise that they really are from God, and they also claim that the resulting experience is really willed by the One God. The underlying motive of istidrat is to enable people to have power over others through what is known as black magic and white magic, or through such practices as spiritualism, hypnotism, occultism and so on.

These practices can be really astonishing in their effects, and those who learn them can be captivated if they have not yet received something real within themselves. Consider, for example, people who are able to know things before they happen, clairvoyants as they are called here. This too is a form of istidrat. Another example is that of mediums, and there are yet others. Perhaps there are many here, and there are also many in Indonesia, and in the Arab countries and elsewhere. There are also people who use mantras - perhaps you do not know the word mantra. A mantra is a kind of incantation, a formula, as a result of which someone suddenly falls down and then gets up again and starts to speak in a trance, and asks what a person wishes to ask. Sometimes these people can indicate things that are quite revealing.

There are also people like those in - well, it's not necessary for Bapak to say where it is, but they strike a rotating ball. The spectators or listeners to such phenomena are also affected so that they find themselves moving unconsciously, as in a trance, because their movements are filled with the mantra. All such phenomena are within the sphere of what Bapak calls istidrat. Those who practice istidrat have to fast from food and sleep and cut down all their desires, and practice all kinds of asceticism. In general, the people who go through this kind of self-denial and are able to achieve results through the istidrat, do it because they do not wish to be looked down on; they like very much to put themselves up and consider themselves superior to others. In short, these people - not all of them, but in general - are trying to make a name for themselves. Indeed, the driving energy behind the istidrat is, in fact, the satanic force.

In the Bible and in the Quran it is said that satanic beings of the higher order are also able to enter heaven. Suppose that you go to heaven, ladies and gentlemen, you will still be followed by devils. It is necessary for you, therefore, wherever you go, whether you go to heaven or not, to receive a contact from God, because the satanic force will not be able to influence the power, that is, the thrill or vibration that you have received in the latihan.

There are two kinds of vibrations that occur within man's being. One of these is not itself a vibration. It is man's self that vibrates when it is struck by something. So one of these two kinds of vibrations occurs as a result of satanic influences. The other is called the vibration of ilham ( divine inspiration ), which means it is from God.

The vibration from satanic forces occurs or can be experienced within the self of a human being only when he is using his thinking mind, when he is using his will and desires. This is what Bapak calls istidrat. Why does Bapak say that what you have received in the training is the kodrat, an inspiration from God? It is because you receive and experience this training not because of the desires, the thinking mind and the will, but only when these are still. When you receive the training your thinking mind, your will and your desires are not working at all.

You have already verified this yourselves. When, for example, you laugh in the latihan, you do not understand why you are laughing, and yet you really laugh; similarly, if you cry in the latihan, you do not understand why you are crying, and yet you really cry. It is the same with the other movements and sounds you make in the latihan; you are not aware of the reasons why you make them because, of course, they come from beyond the thinking mind, the will and the desires. But if you try to move, or you try to think, the latihan stops. This is already clear to you. Clearly, what you have received does not like to have and should not have - because indeed, it is not God's will - any interference from the thinking mind, the will and desires.

This takes us back to what Bapak said before: that if human beings can find the contact from God's power, they will not be able to see, hear, feel, smell and so on, unless God Himself does it. In Islam this is called - perhaps this will sound strange to you, ladies and gentlemen - zat wajibul wujud. Zat wajibul wujud means that God's power has manifested in one or another nature or form, whether it be the human nature or another, which is clean and has been purified by the One Almighty God. Philosophers, especially scholars of orthodox beliefs, do not like this concept very much. They keep away from it, because if human beings received this truth, this gift from God, their theories would no longer have any meaning.

For people whose thinking is so advanced, it is really very difficult to erase it all and follow the wish that exists within them. However, do not be baffled by their situation, and do not find fault with such people, because actually there is a time for them too. The time will come when even such a person suddenly and spontaneously, without wanting to, will follow the wish within his or her heart. Well, not just within his heart, but deep within the innermost depths of his heart.

Why is it that within the self of a human being who only thinks all the time there is also a reminder, something that remembers, deep down inside his heart? The reason is that, as well as the structure of various different life forces or roh, which Bapak described last time, God also created or willed two roh ( spirits ) as intermediaries, as givers of reminders and as guides for all these other roh, in order that they might from time to time remember God's greatness and their own real nature, and remember the right way, the way of good and human behavior. These two spirits are what Bapak calls the roh Ilafi and the Rohulkudus.

For this reason the prophets, those human beings who received God's commands and God's gift, advised, 'Do not belittle or look down on other people, and do not feel high or clever, because there will come a time when your arrogance as a clever person may be crushed, and when the person you looked down on may be raised up.' In everything, in human beings, in animals, in plants, and in material objects, there is a connecting force, so that within everything there is a reminder from God. So, at times, this chair is more powerful than a human being. This is why the Prophet Jesus himself said, 'If you see someone who is poor, feel your own poverty within yourself.'

The reason why, in Islam, people fast in Ramadhan and give alms is so that they can get used to feeling how it is for someone who is really poor, and how it is for someone to have to go without. It is to remind people, 'Those of you who have the means should give to those who have nothing; it is necessary for you to feel how life is for people who have nothing.' The meaning of this advice is that human beings should not fast merely for the sake of fasting, but should really put it into practice. As the Prophet Jesus said to one of his followers, 'If someone strikes your right cheek, offer him your left.' These words are not to be taken literally; we have to look for their real meaning, which is that human beings should behave in such a way that they show evidence in practice of feelings that are alive. In reality, if someone really were struck on the right cheek and then offered his left cheek, the striker would not do it because he would surely feel that the person who offers his other cheek is a person who is without sin, a person who really submits.

We have practiced and verified this in the Subud latihan, although so far you yourselves have not yet experienced it. But later on, ladies and gentlemen, you will experience when you are with someone that, without asking anything, the tears will flow spontaneously from your eyes. Also, in the latihan, if, for example, one lady is here and another lady is here, and this one laughs, the other one will start laughing too. If this one weeps, the other also weeps. This is evidence that the feeling intended in the Muslim fasting and in the Christian advice to turn the other cheek is put into practice and becomes a reality in this Subud latihan of ours.

Religion is a kind of brotherhood and sisterhood. Christians, for example, call the preacher 'father', which means that all of those who call him this are brothers and sisters. But it does not go deep, for if one is pinched the others just keep quiet. But in Subud, when one is pinched, others feel it too. ( Bapak laughs. ) Therefore, if Subud grows and spreads, this world will become good. Because we human beings are one, regardless of race or language, and God is One. So we are like a big family. In reality - not that Bapak wishes to boast, but this is the real situation - everywhere people are still only talking theory, whereas we are now putting the theory into practice, and that is more difficult.

These explanations are useful and relevant and necessary for us so that we, or you, ladies and gentlemen, maintain a firm standpoint, and do not have any doubts as to whether, for example, this might be hypnotism or spiritualism or what is called black magic or some other form of magic. In this latihan of ours we can feel that our brain is free, our will is free, our desires and passions are free. From this feeling of being free, we then begin to experience something, and we begin to be moved by God. And in three or four months' time you will be able to obtain proof. What kind of proof?. The kind that shows outwardly. For, if the inner content is good, it will certainly radiate outwards and appear good on the outside. If a person, within himself, is filled with something that is good, it will certainly show as good on the outside too.

Later, after three or four months, you will be able to verify this. Someone who used to look old will look young, someone who used to look sickly will look healthy, and someone who used to appear irritable and nervous will look active and fresh. This really happens, and has been experienced by the brothers and sisters in England, in Indonesia, in Germany and everywhere. Here not yet, because you began only one week ago! When Bapak first came, and saw Mr. Bennett, he looked very old. If someone claims, 'I am a man of spiritual wisdom, I am this and that,' there should be a corresponding glow on his face. Otherwise people may say, 'A man of spiritual knowledge, like that? He doesn't look good, his face is not radiant, and he looks as if he doesn't have any energy!' Of course, no one will believe him.

So through this latihan it is not only our soul ( jiwa ) that is improved and made healthy, so that it will become a human soul again. We ourselves also become good. Therefore, it can be said that we become healthy in soul and healthy in body, healthy inside and healthy outside.

Do not be, for example, like a man who sells jamu ( an herbal remedy ) to someone to make him healthy and strong, while he himself is thin and ailing. How would anyone believe you? Everything is clear from your own self; the reality is in yourself. 'Actually, this spiritual training of Subud is not what is called an inner, mystical teaching. It is both outer and inner, both inner and outer. So during our life in this world we are able to be aware of how our life will be later on, after death, and how our life should be while we are on earth. We are always in line with the words and advice of the prophets. Who has ever heard of a prophet who went naked? There wasn't one. The only one who was naked in the beginning was Adam, and even he found something to wear. So why should people who seek spiritual knowledge nowadays go naked?

In Indonesia, people always wonder about Bapak himself.' 'Pak Subuh can't be a man who has received spiritual knowledge, he still wears a tie, he still wears a suit, he still likes to smoke. Why doesn't he just wear a sarong, like this?' Also, to show that Pak Subuh is really able to receive, they would have him let his beard grow. People's thinking is really very comical, when you think about it. Later on you will be able to rely on your own experience, ladies and gentlemen. When you meet someone, you will directly and spontaneously be able to know the state of that person. There are many people who profess to have a high soul, but they are only posturing - they wear a cloth, like this, for example, and stay quiet. Then, if someone asks, 'How is the Yogi or Maharishi?' ( the answer is only a low ) 'hmmm'. You will know for yourselves.

It is indeed God's will that human beings should not make themselves suffer, nor abuse themselves. 'Worship God, for God will always follow you. As long as you do not look for God, God will look for you.' A chair does not look for a person; the person looks for the chair. But if someone looks for God, it is like a chair looking for a person. The chair should not look for the person. The person should look for the chair. The reason is that we were created by God, we were made by God, just as the chair was made by a person. It should now be clear to you that we only need to surrender. As long as the chair stays where it is, the person will find it easily. So, if this chair wants to be found easily and wants someone to sit on it, it will stay where it is to make it easy for the person who is looking for it: it's no use if it runs about all over the place. Therefore, if someone goes off looking for God, each is looking for the other, and they do not meet. Just stay as you are, and you will meet. We will then be freer in our worship of God, because we always remain in our selves, as the saying goes: 'Always remain within you; do not abandon your self.'

Ladies and gentlemen, you should worship within your own self. Do not say, 'Wow, that person is wonderful, I want to be like that. Please buy me a hat so that I can be like her!' The one you already have is good, but don't on the other hand flaunt it and say, 'This one is the best!' That's why it is not permitted for people to worship anything, because if they worship something they depart from their own selves. A person's faith goes out to the object of worship, and he forgets his own self.

In the same way, suppose that someone has a teacher, A, for example; it is not permitted for him or her to always be remembering and thinking about his or her teacher, A. That's why Bapak tells you not to think about Bapak. Direct your thoughts towards God, surrender to God. Otherwise, not only is it a burden for you, ladies and gentlemen, it is also a burden for Bapak. If you turn towards God, ladies and gentlemen, you will be very free, and you will be able to have self-control and correct yourselves and find within yourselves everything you need.

This is Bapak's advice to you, interspersed with some joking, to awaken in you a calm, peaceful self feeling that sincerely believes and loves God. Bapak will now end his explanations, and will continue with some testing, so that you can experience a little how you are actually doing in the latihan.