Tonight Bapak would like to explain about the spiritual way of Subud, which you are now following.

Subud is an abbreviation of Susila Budhi Dharma, the meaning of which is as follows: Susila means human behavior and character that are in line with what God wills, somebody who is humane. Budhi means that within the human self there is a life force created by God as a guide - a touchstone - which can become a true way for human beings to worship God. As for Dharma, it means surrendering the human heart, desires and thinking mind to the greatness of God; believing in God, and in God's greatness; and acknowledging oneself to be a creature of the One God.

Thus the meaning of the word Subud, as Bapak just explained, symbolizes the self of a person who is able to receive - who has the capacity to receive - something from God and to carry out God's will as it has been created within their being.

So the name Subud - that is, Susila Budhi Dharma - is not the name of a teaching. No. It is a symbol of the human self. It is possible for whoever possesses and is aware of these qualities to spontaneously receive God's gift, God's grace. They will be able to find the living contact they need in their lives.

So in this Subud latihan of ours we are absolutely not required to meditate the way others do. All that is required of us is to empty out our desires and thinking; this means calming our minds, which have been working from the time we were small up until now. The power of God already present within our human selves will thereby spontaneously awaken, making it possible for us to feel the vibration of life originating from within.

Something of this kind has been practiced by many people, especially in India, Pakistan, and other places. They do it by abstaining from every pleasure in life; by refraining from whatever they are accustomed to doing in their life; by forcing themselves to withdraw to deserted places far away from society. Their intention in doing this is none other than to calm their hearts, their desires and their thinking minds. And by doing this they hope to find a contact with the life within them.

That's how hard and difficult the ways are that human beings use to make contact with what is within them. The result is that in other societies, particularly in Europe and America - in short, in all those countries that are highly advanced in the knowledge of the mind - people cannot possibly carry them out, cannot possibly put them into practice. And, maybe, they themselves sense how hard it would be for them to make such efforts.

Also, according to what was advised by the prophets - those human beings who received God's grace long ago - the one way to God, and the way that leads to knowledge of the real truth about life, is to have the sincerest possible faith in God. Those ( other ways ) are unnecessary, for the prophets advised people not to neglect or run away from the things that make up a normal life in the world. The reason for this is that God created human beings complete with all that they have within their being. God did not create them in vain, to be useless, to leave ( their gifts ) unused. Rather, God wills human beings to be able to use every part of their being, diligently, perfectly, and in a way that is as harmonious as can be.

That's why it's said in the ( holy ) books - the books of advice - that the ideal way is for human beings to use ( everything ), not only in this world, but also in the life to come, after death. This is also expressed in Islam. In Islam it is said, 'both this world and the hereafter.' This means that we should not abandon this world, nor should we ( abandon ) the next. Then human beings can work on this earth as human beings should, without neglecting their devotion to God. And after death there will still be the continuation of life, which they must experience, because that is what God has prepared for them in the future.

So, in fact, if human beings ignore the world around them, if they do not live their lives in the ordinary way, it means that they are deviating from God's decree. They do not appreciate what God has given them. It is the same as somebody giving you something they know you really need and then you don't use it. Such an attitude would be disrespectful, it would be an insult to the giver. So it is a great sin to give up a normal life in this world, the life of a normal person: getting married, travelling, working to obtain this and that for our well-being in this world. Only, you must not forget that in addition to living in this world you need to worship God, so that later, after you die and your thinking mind doesn't work any more, your soul will continue living, in a place that is the greatest, that is glorious and noble. As Jesus said, beyond this world is the kingdom of God, which is truly magnificent, truly great.

That is noble advice, excellent and useful for human beings. But, now human knowledge has advanced so far that the mind is almost unwilling to acknowledge that beyond this world there is a sublime power, and only believes in its own excellence and wisdom. So now is the time - perhaps it is God's will - for the birth of something that gives evidence; not just advice, but evidence that can really be experienced. Many people, who at first do not believe there is such a thing as this latihan you practice, later acknowledge of their own accord that within their self there is a power, which can manifest within a human being.

In our Subud latihan, which is our worship of the One God, it is willed that we should put into practice and affirm that God and God's power really exist and encompass everything, both that which is visible to human beings and that which is invisible.

Through the latihan, little by little, we get to know what is called kodrat or ( original ) nature. So in our life on this earth we shall be able to receive the difference between what is called ( original ) nature on the one hand and second nature on the other, in other words, between kodrat and iradat between the will of God and the human will.

For that reason, what exists and what goes on in Subud doesn't conflict with any religion, because in Subud we practice what was taught by the prophets, from Abraham right up to Muhammad, and by the other prophets too. For the prophets - and others as well -were all inspired by God, and received God's gift. In Subud we also receive from God for all humankind. That is why in Subud we don't discriminate between different human beings, because we receive this from God for the whole human race. You can check this in other countries.

As Bapak said earlier, what happens in Subud is nothing new, for this has been in existence since the human race came into being. He will now illustrate this.

Ladies and gentlemen, those of you who have children are certainly familiar with newborn babies. Babies, when they have just been born, cannot yet make out the shapes and colors of things of this world. Nor can they yet make use of all the organs and faculties that make up their being, but their faces can already show happiness, sadness, and other feelings. This clearly shows it is by no means true that these newborn babies cannot yet receive anything from within. On the contrary, they can already receive whatever comes from within their being. This is because outer influences -worldly influences - have not yet begun to affect the inner feeling of these small infants and therefore they are still in close contact with their soul. One can say that at this time ninety-nine to a hundred percent of a child's feelings are still in contact with their soul.

But eventually, from day to day, week to week and month to month, the young child becomes better able to discern the colors and shapes of what exists on this earth. Likewise their other organs and faculties become able to make out what is going on around them in the world. Little by little their connection with their soul grows weaker and weaker.

And so it continues. The years go by and the child grows bigger. AH their organs and faculties have come very much under the influence of worldly things, and the connection between their inner feeling and their soul has become more and more blocked. So it's not strange that the majority of human beings know more about the world than about their own souls. And it's not surprising either, that many members of the human race are more familiar with tables, chairs, houses and objects like that, than with what is really there within them.

In Subud, with the Subud opening, it is this process that is begun. A person is opened and is introduced once again to ( that connection ) Bapak just described, which they lost long ago. So truly, ( this latihan ) you are experiencing and practicing is not something new. Through this introduction you should, little by little, become aware of what it was like when you had this contact before, and also what it was like when you first became human beings. Once you are able to become aware of that, you will certainly also be able to know what will happen to you in the future.

So it's clear that, although you are all adults, the knowledge possessed by your souls is something that has only just begun. You have no choice but to go through the whole learning process again. Think of it as being back at school and having to return to the beginning and learn your ABC's and such like all over again. But it isn't a human being who is teaching you, it is the power of God, which has started to work within your self, awakening your human soul, so that eventually it will be able to reach whatever level you need.

Knowing your real self, knowing your human soul, you will be able to find your own personal life-plan - your own instruction book - the structure of life that is within your own self. It will show you the path of your life; where to go, how you should work and what you have to do. Many people don't know or understand their path in life nor the best way to follow, because they have forgotten and don't know that within their being there are already instructions written by God's power: 'This is how you should work. These are the things you should obey. This is how you worship the One who created you.'

So Subud is not a set of rules or a religion that you have to follow. Nor does Bapak ( want you to do that, ) or to imitate him and the way he is. For Bapak and Subud only help you to get to know your own personal life-plan. Once you have become familiar with it, once you've seen it, you'll know: 'This is what I have to do!' This is also the reason why in Subud there is no way or system like those used by many other people. For instance, the methods of A's system, which require one to be like A, the methods of B's system, which require one to be like B, or the methods of C's system, which require one to be like C. No. Why is it that Subud doesn't have any of that? It's because within each of you there is your own individual life-plan, so you will wake up and live in accordance with whatever is within you and what is right for you.

So there's no: 'This is this way and not that way.' No. Really, that is how God wills it, for God is Most Exalted, God is Most Great. God isn't present only in this place, only in this house. No! God encompasses everything, both inside and outside. God is there inside the house and God is there outside it. God is there in this world and God is there outside this world. That is how the power of God is, so human beings may freely worship God in all places and at all times.

As for having or finding happiness in life - and this doesn't just apply to human beings - someone who has come to know their life-plan, and the instructions within their being, will certainly be better off and happier. Even animals - goats and cats for example -goats, with all the faculties that they possess, have been provided by God with a livelihood, namely, broad fields with all kinds of grass growing on them. So if a goat knows what is in the field, a glorious life will open up for it. Indeed, if one doesn't go against one's own nature, that nature will bring its own happiness. It's the same with cats. Cats will find happiness in their lives if, in the place they frequent, they can pounce on their prey. However, if somebody makes a mistake and places the cat in a field with plenty of grass, it won't be of any use at all to the cat, even though the grass may be wonderful and very plentiful.

Brothers and sisters, the same applies to human beings. If people do not yet know what is within their being, notwithstanding their thinking, which is so advanced, they will be almost totally ignorant of the right way of life to bring them happiness. Bapak will use a bird as an example. Since a bird doesn't have a very quick mind, it still has to use the instinct with which it has been provided by God; it can smell where its food is. Now if human beings can calm their minds and their hearts, which continually fantasize about everything, then they too, with the same organs, will be able to know, smell, and hear: 'Where should I go? Where can I find the happiness in life that is right for me and my family?' These things will become a reality for you in the latihan, which hopefully you will continue to practice.

Well, everything has its own time and everything takes time. That's why Bapak hopes you will continue doing the latihan now you have received it. Worship God with hearts full of sincerity and surrender, so that it will become easy for you to receive and put into practice the training you need for your lives.

This is the end of Bapak's explanations tonight. It's getting rather late and since you all work hard, you need enough time to get plenty of rest. And please be so good as to excuse Bapak if anything he said was out of place. Thank you.