2. April 2015Vol 160
What’s Inside
Board of Directors & Staff................................................2
Announcement..................................................................3
Notes from the Communications Coordinator.................4
Looking Backward, Looking Forward...............................5
Message from the Chair.....................................................6
A Life in Subud: Interview with the Branchflowers...........7
Subud Chicago Group Event..........................................13
Skagit Birdwalk...............................................................13
New Group in Fayetteville..............................................14
Indianapolis Welcomes New Member.............................14
SICA Report...................................................................16
SES Conclave Report......................................................16
YES Quest 2015.............................................................19
Do You Speak Elderberry?...............................................20
Subud Midwest Regional Dewan Meeting......................22
Subud Pacific Northwest Report.....................................23
Welcome to the National Gathering...............................25
2015 National Gathering Information............................26
Subud USA General Fund Financial Summary...............27
Subud USA Balance Sheet for Newsletter.......................28
Information about the Directory...................................29
Subud Chicago Report..................................................31
Subud Boston Weekend Gathering...............................33
Area 3 Helpers’ Visit to Ecuador...................................35
David Schepps in Cuba................................................36
Indonesian Journey with Unexpected Gifts...................37
Susila Dharma Human Force Camp 2014....................40
MSF Goes to Washington.............................................40
Beata & Michael Alexander on Climate March.............42
Welcoming....................................................................44
Before You Leave Us.....................................................45
Remembering Henry Herold........................................46
Calendar of Events........................................................48
List of Contributors......................................................49
Disclaimer.....................................................................49
Advertisements..............................................................50
3. page 2 May 2015Vol 160
Subud USA Board of
Directors & Staff
Executive Committee
National HelpersRegional Chairs
Affiliates & Partner
Organizations
Subud USA Staff
Daniel Stralberg — National Chair
Mary Wold — National Vice Chair
Muftiah McCartin — Committee Councilor
Maria Wallington — Executive Secretary
Laksar Reese — Treasurer
Shoshanah Margolin — Past National Chair
Renata Reid — California
Manuela Martinaitis — East Coast
Ahmed Richardson — Midwest
Hardwin Blanchard — Pacific Islands
Alexandra ter Horst — Pacific Northwest
Roland Evans — Rocky Mountains
Rosina Newton — South
Evan Padilla — SD USA
Mhd. Isman Kanafsky — SICA-USA
Matthew Clark & Lewis Olds — SES-USA
Mahallia Ward-Pollard & Dexter Douglass
— SYA-USA
Daniela Moneta — Archives
Alexandra Boyer
Lianne Card
Sofia Nicoletti
Halimah Polk
Michael Barber
Kenneth Clark
Marius Harold
Benedict Herrman
Sebastian Tedrow — Executive Director
Bill Rodgers — Executive Assistant
Halimah Harrison — Bookkeeper
Paul Nelson — Communications
Coordinator
Wilhelmina van Royen — Design Lead
Subud USA
4216 Howard Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
Phone — 301-595-0626
Fax — 301-595-0620
Email — subudusa@subudusa.org
Communications Advisory Board
Mary Wold
Shoshanah Margolin
Alexandra Boyer
4. page 3 May 2015Vol 160
Subud USA News
Announcement
This will be the last Subud USA News in this format. The new
version will be a selection of news items taken from blog postings on the
Subud USA National website. Our Communications Coordinator, Paul
Nelson, will be distributing a paper copy to active members without
email addresses on a quarterly basis.
For more information, contact Paul Nelson at
communications@subudusa.org.
5. page 4 May 2015Vol 160
Notes from the
Communications Coordinator
Paul Nelson, Seattle, WA
Welcome to the new Subud USA Newsletter. As you may know, Julia Hurd is no longer doing the newsletter and I
have been named the Communications Coordinator. I have big shoes to fill and have much to learn about newsletters,
but my feeling is that we need to re-tool Subud USA communications to reflect the reality of communication in
2015. We are working to create a blog and change the E-Blast to be sent every ten days so that news can be more
timely and stories can be easily found, shared, and retrieved. A good website can act as a sort of archive of Subud life
and is more suited to the way we get and take in information these days.
I am a “new” Subud member, having been opened in 2004, so my connections are mostly in the Pacific Northwest.
I welcome potential contributors from all parts of the country so that we can have a balanced view of Subud USA
activities. I am also quite interested in doing interviews, as I did about 500 in a radio career that lasted twenty-six
years. I also feel strongly that the stories of Subud elders must be documented, so the first part of the interview with the Branchflowers is presented here
thanks to contributions from Sherwin O’Bar, Bhakti Watts, Elisha Gullixson, Hadiyah Carlyle and others that paid for the transcription services.
I feel supported by the Dewan, especially Mary Wold and Daniel Stralberg, without whose perceptions and hard work, this newsletter would not
have been possible. My thanks to them and also to all who contributed. I encourage anyone to chip in. I’ll be happy to help edit your worthwhile stories.
As always your comments are welcome, your patience is requested, and hopefully my love and appreciation for Subud and its various communities
is reflected in this and subsequent newsletters.
Yours in Subud,
Paul Nelson
Subud USA Communications Coordinator
Seattle, WA
6. page 5 May 2015Vol 160
Looking Backward, Looking Forward
from Julia Hurd, former
Subud USA News Editor
I had the privilege of being the Subud USA Newsletter Editor for 2 1/2 years. As editor, I valued the responsibility and caretaking role of framing Subud
news. I tried to include a wide range of information and enjoyed being in touch with members across the U.S. and elsewhere. When asked to identify
specific stories I liked, it was almost impossible, there were so many. Nevertheless, I appreciated reporting on centers and groups and members stories and
do remember a hilarious piece that the late Harun Taormina wrote as well as a powerful 2010-2014
National Helpers Final Report. Trying to report on what helpers and committees, individuals, centers,
regions, the national, zone, international, affiliates and other entities were up to was a challenge, but it
was all fascinating.
But with 25-30% readership, more and more the question became how should Subud USA,
and indeed other Subud entities, best communicate with our membership at this juncture? With media
changing so rapidly and given our demographics, it’s a challenge. I’m not in touch with new media
enough and felt to step aside and allow others to take the lead. It was time for me to take a different
direction.
I would like to thank Rohanna Muth and Shoshanah Margolin for their invaluable assistance
with the newsletter. I also want to express my deep gratitude to Garrett Thomson, from whom I
learned so much.
Julia has also served as Subud USA National Secretary, Committee Councilor, Zone 7 Representative,
WSA Executive Secretary and Administrator, and Center Chair.
7. page 6 May 2015Vol 160
Message from the Chair
The Power of Teamwork
Having served in several committee and helper
roles in Subud, I have come to understand the
importance of working together effectively in
order to meet our objectives
organizationally and spiritually.
Having everyone on the team
aligned and working together
toward a common goal can be
a powerful force. On the other
hand, when team members
are not working well together
(usually due to lack of trust),
the team tends to spin and is
more likely to move backwards
than forward.
We live in a culture that
celebrates individualism and
freedom. These are wonderful
qualities but can also make
it more challenging to come
together as a team. Add to this the fact that
Subud attracts people from a wide range of
backgrounds and viewpoints, plus an emphasis
in Subud on following our own individual
guidance, and it becomes easy to understand
why we have not progressed as far together as
many of us have hoped.
This is our challenge. The potential
rewards are great. It starts with an awareness
of others’ needs as well as our own. It takes
a willingness to act when needed and also
to let go when appropriate. It requires an
understanding that we are really all on
the same team in Subud, whether we are
working as helpers or committee, locally or
internationally. Organizational boundaries
are essential for defining roles and working
efficiently, but can get in the way if we view
them too narrowly.
I am optimistic that we are well on
our way to becoming
more team oriented.
My hope is that our
National Dewan
can come together
as a powerful team,
together assisting and
encouraging teams at
the regional and local
levels, and cooperating
within our Zone and
with other countries.
Please pray that we
may all work together
with love and respect.
Daniel Stralberg
Subud USA Chair
8. page 7 May 2015Vol 160
A Life in Subud: Frederick and Melanie
Branchflower
Interviewed by Paul Nelson
We were invited by the Branchflowers, part of
the Pacific Northwest’s Olympic Neighborhood
Subud community, to stay overnight, enjoy
breakfast waffles and talk about their life in Subud,
at their lovely home in Poulsbo, Washington.
Paul: First of all, thank you for the amazing
hospitality and we’re very grateful for everything
and dinner last night and the beautiful breakfast.
Can you each tell me your—you’re both from
Seattle. We’re looking at Seattle natives. Holy
cow.
Frederick: Yeah, Melanie is.
Melanie: Right.
Frederick: Yeah, I’ve known Melanie for
about seventy-seven years, close to it. I was visiting
with my parents when—after she was born. She
was still in the hospital and my parents knew her
parents, and I visited. . .
Paul: You pick them out early.
Frederick: And we ran together as kind of
a gang when we were in high school, and then I
was back at Princeton and she went to Goucher
and that’s when—
Melanie: We started dating.
Frederick: —we started dating and so we
were married right after I graduated.
Paul: And you grew up in the Mount Baker
neighborhood of Seattle?
Frederick: Yeah, but we also had a place on
Bainbridge Island up in the Manzanita Bay and
so we knew each other real well during the—and
there was probably twelve people in our group
and there was nobody dating in the group but
interestingly enough, out of that, I think there
were three or four marriages. So that—
Melanie: We always called it a gang but I
guess it has a different context nowadays.
Frederick: Yeah.
Paul: You weren’t doing as much drive-by
shooting back then?
Melanie: That was very limited. We didn’t
know about those things.
Paul: But yet, you grew up—
Melanie: We knew about liquor.
(Laughter).
Paul: And who doesn’t?! And you grew up
on Capitol Hill.
Melanie: Until I was about nine, eight or
nine.
Paul: Then moved to this side of the water.
Melanie: Yeah. So we were only two blocks
from Volunteer Park and I had a lot of freedom in
those days and young kids, I could go down to
the drugstore on Broadway or to the candy store.
They had a candy store nearby and play up at
Volunteer Park and all the alleys in between. You
know, it was really pretty neat to be so free.
Frederick: And I also grew up—
Melanie: To roam about so.
Frederick: —I would take the number
ten bus from where we lived to the YMCA down
on Fourth and Madison and, you know, I was
six years old but I was taught to swim by Helene
Madison, who was an Olympic swimmer from the
Seattle area and so that was pretty neat.
Finding Subud
Paul: Tell us how you found Subud. What was the
occasion?
Frederick: Probably we—I should do that
one.
Paul: Okay.
Frederick: I was going through—I was
in the Navy and I had a Master’s Degree in
Operations Research Systems Analysis and I was
working for the Submarine Tactical Development
Group in New London, Connecticut, and I had
an office not much bigger than this rug and in the
office was a facing desk and two chairs and that
was it.
During that time, I was really going
through a spiritual crisis. I read the Bible from
cover to cover. I read about Hindu, Shintoism,
Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, everything I could
9. page 8 May 2015Vol 160
get my hands on and the guy that was the civilian
that was working for me, it was a guy by the
name of Livingston Dodson and he was one of
the founders of Skymont, and they had just left
Skymont. Vida Dodson was the National Helper
at the time. And I happened to borrow a math
book from Livingston.
It was a tatty old book. I was looking for
an algorithm and in the cover of the book, it said
“John Dodson.” I thought it might have belonged
to his father or something. I asked and he said
no, it’s mine. I said well, this says John Dodson
and your name is Livingston Dodson. Well, after
three days of questioning, I finally found out a
little bit about Subud and he handed me a book
by—
Melanie: Livingston just reeled him in.
Paul: He reeled him in. That’s right. He
was playing hard to get.
Melanie: Yeah.
Frederick: Well, it was and I was very
persistent and he gave me a book called A
Reporter in Subud by Varinda Vittachi and I
read that book and I knew right then and there
that this is what I’d been looking for. And I
also knew at that time that this was something
I did—I could not sell to Melanie. She had to
discover this for herself. So I started getting
these books and leaving them around the house,
reading them but leaving them around the
house and I also started doing something which
I’d never done before and that is go out in the
evenings to listen to Livingston. And we were in
that—this was at the end of ‘72 and oh, around
November or something, so we had this three-
month probation. I had decided that this was
what I wanted and meanwhile, Melanie picked up
on it and so she got a hold of Vida and—
Melanie: Well, I already knew because of
some wives luncheons and I tried to sell her soap.
We were into some pyramid scheme or we were
selling soap.
Paul: Amway? Was it Amway?
Melanie: No, it was Bestline but same—
same idea. God, Vida was really nice about it.
Paul: This is Vida Dodson?
Melanie: Yeah.
Frederick: Yeah.
Melanie: Yeah.
Paul: So she’s—so you’re finding the books
laying around the house and then—
Melanie: Yeah, I don’t think I read the
books. I think I have this sort of vague memory of
his sitting on the couch and he read me something
one night, and all I remember is that something
inside me sat up and said whoa, here’s something,
you know. Pay attention to this or whatever and so
I started going over to talk to Vida and we ended
up getting opened at the same time.
Frederick: Same day. In fact, there was a
group of Skymonters that were coming north for a
concert up in Boston or something, and they came
through and that was the day—
Melanie: Well, she invited people from
around. There were some people from Hartford,
from New York who came up and a lot of people
we know today, Elisha Gullixson and his wife,
Dalton or—
Paul: Elisha’s late wife.
Melanie: Late wife, yes. Ruth and Melinda
10. page 9 May 2015Vol 160
Pleshe, Melinda Wallis and her then husband.
Who else was it? Dalton? Dalton Allen—
Frederick: I think it was Dalton.
Melanie: —and his sister, his sister,
Heather, or daughter or something.
Frederick: Who just recently died. She
was—died and—
Melanie: So a lot of the people that she
introduced us to then, we ended up meeting in
Seattle.
Frederick: Years later.
Melanie: Which is kind of funny. Subud I
guess had been kind of a small world after a while.
A Hippie Cult
Paul: And it’s interesting because many people in
Subud today don’t want to be publicly identified
as Subud members so there’s the feeling that it’s
obscure or that some people think it’s a cult and
yet, we’re talking 1972 and you’re a Navy guy
and, you know, the Navy doesn’t always have the
most liberal people in it and yet, you were open
enough to be interested in something like Subud.
Can you speak to how—
Frederick: Oh, yeah.
Paul: —what was it about you that made
something like Subud be able to speak to you?
Frederick: I don’t know. But I do know
that a couple months later, we went to our first
Subud Congress. I think it was a U.S. Congress at
the George Washington Hotel in New York City
and I walked in. Now, I was a very conservative
Naval Officer. I had a degree from Princeton, a
very straight type of person, okay? And I walked in
there and I thought I had joined a hippie cult and
I could not believe it, you know? And a guy by the
name of Francis—
Melanie: Von Kahler?
Frederick: Francis von Kahler saw me and
recognized what was going on and he grabbed
me and we went into a room and he talked to
me for about four or five hours and I came out
of there and said to myself if I can become more
human like that person is, I’m willing to give this
organization thirty years, and I made a pledge to
myself at that time that I was going to stay with
it. There was just something about Francis that
was unbelievable. I’d never seen that in another
human being and that was my first time that I just
totally dismissed what was going on around me
and got out of the judgment mode and said there’s
something here that’s really important to me.
Paul: What was it about, what qualities do
you remember that he had?
Frederick: I don’t know. I can’t put my
finger and list boom, boom, boom, but he was one
shoot—
Melanie: I think in the Navy, there wasn’t a
lot of genuine – genuineness in people. You know,
out there [were] a lot of shows, and officers, they
had to act like they knew what they were doing,
you know, it was somewhat judgmental. I don’t
think anybody was really—women were more so
less of a problem but the men, I don’t think you
ever genuinely got to—
Frederick: Yeah.
Melanie: —how are you, you know,
inside.
Frederick: And we went through—I grew
up in the Presbyterian Church. Although, my
mother was Catholic and my father didn’t attend
church but there was a Presbyterian Church at the
end of the block, and then when I got older, I
went and studied under a Catholic and what have
you. And I left the Catholic Church one day in
Bainbridge that I’d gone to. The priest was up
there lambasting this nudist colony that was on
the island and said that nobody should associate
with these people. I thought that was a little bit
strange.
Melanie: Or their children?
Frederick: But then, he said and they’re
children. Don’t have your children associate with
these guys and I thought about that for about a
half a second and I stood and gave them the reserve
salute, turned right and that was the last time.
Paul: What’s the reserve salute?
Frederick: Well, in other words, shove it.
(Laughter).
Paul: See ya.
Frederick: And so we eventually got
married in the Episcopal Church and but we were
not active church-goers. That doesn’t mean that
11. page 10 May 2015Vol 160
that we really didn’t love. So that had a profound
effect on us and the Subud community really
supported us in a really good way, spiritually and
provided a comfort.
Paul: Melanie, can you speak to how the
community rallied in that instance?
Melanie: Well, we were at the Congress
when we heard the news that he died and so we
immediately—people came to do laithan with us
and then we flew out to Seattle the next day. Our
other children were all over the country. We had
to gather them in, and because both our family
was—lived on Bainbridge, we thought it was best
to come out here so we did but the Dodsons who
were still good friends of ours and lived near us,
I guess we’d driven to the Congress with them,
took us to the airport, got us signed up, you know,
and got us organized, saw that we got our plane,
and then a lot of really—really wonderful things
happened. We ran into our daughter in the middle
of O’Hare as we were going to our plane. She was
coming from Connecticut and suddenly, I looked
“I had this experience of
seeing our son. . .
he was happy.
He was sort of
bouncing on the clouds.”
I—I didn’t have these principles but I couldn’t
connect with what was going on church-wise. But
then when we got into Subud, I was connecting.
Paul: You were connecting to spirituality
or—
Frederick: Something was changing within
me. I was starting to—I don’t know—discover
myself much more.
Death of a Son
Frederick: And we had some experiences but
I don’t think that the two of us would have
survived as a couple when we lost our son in 1979
if it hadn’t have been for Subud. We were at a
Congress in Toronto, a World Congress, and our
son was out here on Bainbridge Island working for
a I guess you’d call a lumber company or. . . and
my parents lived on Bainbridge Island and that
weekend, she would come and visit them and one
Saturday morning, in August, he and my father
decided they were going to bake some bread and
they didn’t have the flour so he jumped in the car
and went to get the flour and was T-boned with a
truck and lost his life. But I don’t know. I’m not
sure that Subud didn’t save our marriage so that
was a very tough time for us and we left. By then,
I’d retired from the Navy and we left, we were
back in New London, Connecticut and we just
decided to pack our goods and come to Seattle.
We weren’t going to spend any more time in areas
and there she was with her arms around Frederick,
you know, and I got on the plane and I could—I
had this experience of seeing our son. Darn it—he
was happy.
I saw his inner eye. He was sort of bouncing
on the clouds. He was happy, you know, I couldn’t
ask for more than that and then I rememnber
sitting at the airport later in Seattle. I guess we
were meeting one of our other kids and sitting
there and I felt like I was at the Congress with
Bapak in the front because he was at the Congress,
I think. So there was a lot there that helped us.
I think it was something that was supposed to
happen.
All my years growing up on Bainbridge,
if I would—whenever I went over to Frederick’s
family’s house and I would drive home, there were
two streets and two roads and the second one was
the one I was supposed to take but often I would
think I got—where am I? I should be taking this
one. Well, this first road was the one Bruce took
and I think he thought he was going on the second
one so he missed a stop sign that he should have
seen but, you know, maybe he wasn’t paying
attention either but little things like that had sort
of told me, and I had some visions too before that
didn’t mean anything to me but, you know, I’d
see something in latihan like where he had been
working. There was a lake and mountains around.
It was a near an index [sic] and I saw that lake
in my latihan which may or may not have meant
12. page 11 May 2015Vol 160
anything, but when we went up there later to see
where he had been because we hadn’t been there
before, it was this place that I’d seen in my vision.
So I don’t know. I think that’s what—it was God’s
will, whatever. I accept it as such.
Dealing with Grief
Paul: You were married for so long and you were
in Subud for so long that how has Subud helped
sustain that?
Melanie: Well, I don’t know. I guess there’s
just guidance. It’s something that you really put
behind you after a while and he says it was hard
on our marriage. You know, I don’t pretend we
didn’t grieve and it was very hard to be there for
each other because we were both really hurting, so
we had a pretty awful year and we had three other
children too and Isabel was a total wreck and it
took her a long time to get over this, get past
it. You don’t get over it. You get past it. She
was very close to Bruce and they were almost
a year apart.
Frederick: They were only eleven—fifty-
one weeks apart.
Melanie: You know, and she really hated
that she never got to say goodbye and all that
stuff but I don’t know, just being able to do
latihan. Time, you know, time helps and I
remember some, maybe a year later, finally
coming to a point where I said, okay, I’m
either going to go off the deep end and stay
there, or it’s time to just put it aside and move
forward, and kind of that’s what we did, I
think. But it kind of was a defining moment,
just I knew that. And how I—how did I get
through that year? I took courses at college. I
took calculus and—
Frederick: Yeah.
Melanie: —I took a writing course, you
know, it just took my mind off of me. I remember
watching soap operas which I never did and stuff
like that, and Vida. She was the only Subud
member where we were living that first year and
for some—somehow or other, she managed to
convince me that her freezer didn’t work and
could she borrow some space in ours because I
have a big one in the garage, which of course, I
said sure, you know. And she would turn up just
at the right moment. I don’t know how she did it
but I’d be feeling awful or I remember one day,
going through one of the drawers, it had been our
son’s or something and that shattered me, and so
she’d just show up and be this quiet presence and
keep me.
(Doorbell rings).
Paul: And there she is again. (Laughter.)
Melanie: Oh, yeah. Good for her.
Paul: Maybe she has ice cream again.
End of Part 1
14. page 13 May 2015Vol 160
Subud Chicago Event
Posted by Subud Chicago Deawn
During each of the four seasons, we
have one group event outside of lati-
han. The Dewan decided that this year
it would be nice to do a community
service event that was low impact and
child-friendly so that anyone could
volunteer. New Life for Old Bags is
a monthly event run by a Lutheran
Church in Uptown. The activity is on
Saturday mornings and involves cutting
and weaving plastic bags into sleeping
mats for homeless people. There is no
prior experience necessary, nor is there
an age limit.
We were thinking that it would
also be nice to go out and get lunch to-
gether afterwards. The event is June 6th
and the spots are filling up fast! Simply
visit chicagocares.org and search New
Life For Old Bags.
The annual Birdwalk fundraiser for Subud
Skagit Valley/Bellingham happened on
Valentine’s Day 2015. The event was sold-
out, meaning a nice little payday to help
the community maintain their house on
Laventure Road in Mt. Vernon, Washington,
north of Seattle.
Unseasonably warm weather was
welcomed by the participants who traveled
from Fort Langley and Vancouver, BC,
Portland, Oregon, Seattle and elsewhere,
and who were led ably by avid birder Paul
Woodcock.
Trumpeter swans, snow geese, red-
tailed hawks, bald eagles, ducks, mergansers,
wigeons, blue herons and other species of
birds were spotted, sometimes in very large
numbers, sometimes in such a way that made
whole fields white. Marius Hibbard, Subud
Skagit’s expert photographer was able to get
some quality photos and the gang headed
back to the Subud House to honor birds the
best way they know how, by eating one—a
turkey. The feast at the Subud House was
Skagit Birdwatching
Paul Nelson
orchestrated by former restauranteur Michael
DuBois and was incredible. If you have not
attended this event, make plans to do so in
2016.
Originally published February 17,
2015 at subudgreaterseattle.com by Paul
Nelson.
15. page 14 May 2015Vol 160
Haidee and Jim Dehner moved to Fayetteville,
Arkansas after working in international schools
around the world, she as a high school teacher of
English, he as a principal. Since their arrival, the
group has grown and is now up to seven people.
The group does latihan at the Dehner’s house
and, in Haidee’s words, “all is going great.”
Henry Morgan found the Dehners. He is
with the Air Force in Little Rock. He is second
generation Subud from California. Then he
found Vaho on the base. Vaho may be the first
New Group in
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Haidee Dehner
Our newest member, Dulce Vega, was opened
in Indianapolis on April 11, 2015. Dulce comes
fromPuebla,MexicobutworkedfortheMexican
consulate for five years in the Indianapolis area,
Georgian member. He was recently opened in
Dallas. Jim and Haidee Dehner traveled there
for the occasion and there was a big celebration.
Jim is now a regional helper and Haidee is
auditioning as secretary for the Dewan. Rohana
Alkaitis told Haidee about the Bey family. The
father is Indonesian, the mother is Japanese and
there are 3 daughters. One is married and living
in Cilandak. Michiko was opened at the World
Congress last summer and her other sister has
been in Subud for awhile and is also living in
Fayetteville. She is inactive at the moment
because she is busy with three kids.
Subud Indianapolis Welcomes
Newest Member
Ahmed Richardson,
Subud Midwest Chair
then for several years in California. She recently
moved back to the Indianapolis area with her
husband and three children. Her opening was
celebrated with a delightful selamatan at the
home of Rohana Broadnax’s son, Matthew
Broadnax. Dulce’s sister is also a Subud member
and her mother will soon be joining.
Welcome, Dulce!
Left to Right: Simon Curran, Vanessa Nashold, Dulce Vega,
David McCormack, Rohana Broadnax, Dana Todd (Subud
Chicago). Photo by Ahmed Richardson
17. page 16 May 2015Vol 160
Since I became SICA-USA Chair in 2012, we have
applied for and received our 501(c)(3) status from
the IRS and are listed as a “Public Charity.” All
donations to SICA-USA are now tax-deductible.
Thank you to Doug Card for his help.
We have given numerous grants to Subud
USA members during this term and have also
built a new website, www.sica-usa.org. Thanks to
Andrew Morgan, our webmaster.
We have offered many SICA-USA
workshops at events around the USA and also two
workshops at the 2014 Subud World Congress,
in Puebla, Mexico. These workshops have been
very successful and have served to help members
deepen an understanding about the culture that
we individually receive in the latihan and each
SICA-USA Report
Muhammad Isman Kanaksky,
SICA-USA Chair
person’s true talents. You can view part of one
of these workshops on our website which was
filmed by Congress TV. Ibu Rahayu reportedly
gave her approval of these workshops and advised
that helpers be more involved in them. Thanks
to all who hosted, funded and videotaped these
workshops.
We have largely supported ourselves with
the sale of the “Portrait of Bapak” that was painted
and donated to us by artist Anthony LoSchiavo.
The original painting was sold and most of the
limited editions of fifty Giclée have also sold. There
are still about eighteen prints left which can be
purchased on our website. Words cannot express
how grateful we are to Anthony LoSchiavo for his
wonderful gift to us. Thank you also to all those
members who have given generous donations to
SICA-USA.
SIHA-USA has come under the SICA-
USA umbrella during this term. Ibu Rahayu also
gave her approval for SIHA to be under the SICA
umbrella.
My 3-year term concludes at the 2015
Subud USA National Congress this Labor Day
weekend. We will be testing members for the next
term at that time. We are hoping to find some
new Board members who are interested in true
culture and are willing to do the work that the
Board requires. Only Board members can test for
the position of Chairperson. Please contact Isman
Kanafsky if you are interested in testing for the
SICA-USA Board, via email: isman37@comcast.
net; or via phone: (831) 883-9544.
SES-USA Conclave Report
Lewis Olds and the SES-USA Team
Matthew Clark, Ruahh Utzig, and I are the
three-pronged team that has taken on the role of
leadership for SES, Subud Enterprise Services.
This is a collaborative effort and so far, the best
that can be said is that the latihan does prevail! The
weekend Conclave in Louisville was set up to be
an opportunity for a transition from remembering
our experiences with enterprises in the past, both
good and not so good, to pledging our energies to
the future.
GettingStarted:ThursdayandFridayPreparation
(March 26-27)
I arrived on a Thursday from Tucson to
the town of horses and bourbon, and soon met
with Matthew Clark, who hosted our event at
his magnificent, six-level home which is located
amidst the gentry of this very traditional city.
We spent the time preparing for the big event,
with Heather joining us mid-day on Friday, and
Louisville, Kentucky -
March 28-30, 2015
18. page 17 May 2015Vol 160
Susannah Rosenthal, Mary Wold, and Mark
Vaughn arriving early evening. We had a fine
Kentucky style buffet on Friday, courtesy of
Matthew and his neighbor and new friend Vicki
and adjourned (most of us) to rest for the big day
ahead.
Conclave Day One: Looking Back and Looking
Forward
WebeganourmeetingsonSaturday,March
28, at Matthew’s home, via a videoconferencing
system LifeSizeCloud.com. We set up a screen
on a sun porch, with a very expensive video cam
and microphone, and invited about 30 people
to participate, including Mary Wold, Subud
USA Vice Chair, Muftiah McCartin, Subud
USA Committee Councillor and the National
Committee liaison to SES-USA, Susannah
Rosenthal, former SICA chair, Mark Vaughn,
a tech consultant visiting from Europe, Simon
Curran, an entrepreneur from Ohio, and David
McCormack, helper from Indiana, to join us in
person. Isaac Goff, consummate entrepreneur and
tech stalwart, joined us via video, as did Hanafi
Fraval, former SES USA chair, his brother Hadrian
Fraval, Subud Enterprise Services International
Chair, from Sydney, Australia, Rahman
Connelly, also from Australia, Doug Card and
Lusijah Rott from California, representing Seven
Circles at Badger, Latifah Taormina, former
SICA International Chair, and Simón Cherpitel,
photographer and film-maker, from Santa Rosa,
California.
Here’s a brief synopsis of what we did on
Saturday morning, to look back on our enterprise
experiences:
Isaac and Hadrian made the point that
“business management by committee” rarely
works, especially when the committee members
are amateurs.
The point was noted that sometimes even
the most professional people that Subud has to
offer are not as capable as non-Subud specialists.
Successful businesses by Subud members usually
started with one or a few people with an idea or a
dream working in a very focused way.
Simón Cherpitel made a distinction
between enterprises owned entirely by Subud and
those owned by Subud people donating a part of
their profits.
The issue of motivation was discussed—
making a profit vs. doing good—both are possible.
The current SES team has put together
three concrete projects to get things started:
An Interactive Directory that encompasses
the time-honored concept of a listing of technical
experts, available and willing to be contacted for
their expert assistance.
An Online Marketplace (Subud store) to
facilitate the sale of members’ goods and services
through a website that is capable of receiving
payments as well as taking orders. Our team is
planning to visit Marin County in April to observe
Isaac Goff’s business, Dharma Trading, and how
its Order Fulfillment Center works. We hope to
have our store up and running this summer.
Entrepreneurial U (short for
Entrepreneurial University), an online educational
facility incorporating the following concepts:
That successful Subud enterprisers in both
the business and nonprofit worlds wish to pass
their knowledge to others inside and outside of
Subud.
To this end, the Success Panels from Puebla
(2014 World Subud Congress), all of which were
filmed, provide a rich body of work and people to
drawupon. Theimportantthingistoacknowledge
the idea that guidance (or whatever term might be
used—Latihan, Holy Spirit, etc.) plays an integral
part of a person’s “enterprise.”
We would take clips from the panelists
and film new clips from those and other Subud
experts on particular subjects of interest and make
them available for learning to become better
entrepreneurs. So as not to reinvent the wheel, we
would also bring in other people’s work from Ted
Talks, YouTube and other online universities if it
helps amplify a particular theme.
Possible subjects would include: “How to
identify your true talent and make a livelihood
19. page 18 May 2015Vol 160
from it” or “How to monetize your talent without
compromising your integrity or losing your soul”
or “What are the mistakes that even the most
successful entrepreneurs make?”
The offerings would thus be a combination
of new material from proven successful Subud
members, together with material from other
sources that is carefully selected, well-organized
and thematically consistent. We would also offer
short Practical Life Skills training as a necessary
starting point/platform before embarking on
Entrepreneurialism (e.g., how to balance your
checkbook, hire a contractor, or set up your books
and bank accounts, etc.) Again, these could be
pulled from YouTube and organized into a short
course with Subud people filling in the gaps as
needed.
EU would focus on three main
demographics: Adolescents (ages 8-18), Young
Adults in college or just starting their careers,
and Retirees exploring the second chapter of their
work lives.
The business and legal model is still
being discussed. Most likely it will be set up as a
nonprofit educational organization by interested
Subud members that will donate a percentage to
Subud. SES would provide expertise and support
to set it up. It could be handled as a subscription
service, a certification program or one-shot
offerings. Initially, to get a following, parts would
be offered for free, with a later step-up to a modest
fee.
Conclave Day Two: A Deeper Dive
Susannah Rosenthal gave a presentation
on two of her favorite projects: The Talent Bank
and the Muncie Mansion Project in Indiana that
she proposes would make a great conference center
as well as rental venue. More information will be
provided in subsequent articles.
We also heard from Simon Curran, who
described how he developed an idea for a product
in his free time while working as an engineer in his
day job. His idea has evolved into a growing and
increasingly profitable enterprise. The product is
a battery-lit harness that bike riders, joggers and
Frisbee golf players who go out at night find very
useful. The life of an entrepreneur is never dull!
What a thrill, to see an idea germinate and grow
into a real business!
We also laid out an action plan for
accomplishing a number of short-term projects,
including:
The Directory—getting it to a point of
completion to allow a team of Beta-testers to
review and refine it.
The Marketplace—creating specifications
for its creation as a real application for Subud
vendors, both products and services.
Entrepreneurial U.—planning and
creating a concrete and comprehensive description
of this educational enterprise.
TheSES“RoadShow”—alivepresentation
of SES’s activities, as well as integration of a
presentation with the other Subud “Wings”—
Subud International Cultural Association USA
(SICA), Susila Dharma USA (SD) and Subud
Youth Association USA (SYA). The idea is to
show and tell in an entertaining way how the
wings can work together for the benefit of our
Subud community as well as the general public.
The SES headquarters in the Amani Center
(Subud Washington DC’s new facility where
Subud USA as well as SES are renting space), will
include a reading library, a videoconferencing
facility and hopefully much more.
All in all, it was an exhilarating weekend,
promising much in the near future. The SES-
USA team is extremely grateful for everyone’s
participation, and pledges to move forward with
projects, guidance and expertise.
20. page 19 May 2015Vol 160
YES Quest International 2015
An Adventure That Will Change Your Life…
It may seem that everyone is an expert on
what you should do with your life. The YES Quest
is an inner and outer journey to give you time, space
and support to remember who YOU truly are!
Connect to who you are...
The inner journey takes you into a deep
personal development experience. With skilled
support, you will face your past your fears and the
ways you sabotage yourself. You will explore the
treasures and talents within yourself and develop
the confidence and commitment to fully express
them in your life and work.
Then act on it...
The outer journey gives you the opportunity
to activate your new awareness, honor the inner
change and take that first step!
“Some of you may be interested in
participating in this summer’s YES Quest: an opportunity to learn more about yourself and work on a
plan to put any as yet unexpressed talents into practice. The 10-day camp will take place at the beautiful
Seven Circles Retreat Center in Badger, CA amongst the giant sequoias and will directly precede the
Subud USA National Gathering in Redwood City, CA (September 3-7, 2015), a four-hour drive away.”
— from Mahallia Ward & Dexter Douglass,
SYA-USA Co-Chairs
August 22-31,2015
Seven Circles Retreat Center, Badger, CA
Subud Youth Association-USA is offering
financial support to those who would not be able to
otherwise afford the Quest. The estimated cost of
$980 includes all lodging, meals and the adventures
component.
Email mahalliaward@gmail.com or
dextralphoenix@gmail.com for: the quest ppplication,
fundraising kit, and SYA-USA Grant application
21. page 20 May 2015Vol 160
By now,
most people
know that the
E l d e r b e r r y
Project’s aim
is to find all
the elderly
‘Pioneers’ around the U.S. who may have lost
touch with Subud through illness or an incorrect
address. Elderberry’s next job is to find them a
volunteer with whom they can do Latihan, or who
will take them to a group. We are delighted to say,
more and more members are interested in assisting
with the Project, and for that reason, we have to
be sure we’re all speaking the same language!
The terms we use are very specific to avoid
confusion. Not that they are the best terms, but
they’re the ones we used initially to define what
we mean. For that reason, it’s important not to
interchange them. So to be sure we are all speaking
the same language, let’s go over the vocabulary:
Regional Board Members
These are members who have been willing
to take on the responsibility of finding and
collecting all the information on the Elders in
their Subud Region which they then send to the
database. Also, they are in contact with those who
Do You Speak Elderberry?
Mardiyah Tarantino and
David McCormack have volunteered or who will volunteer to assist
the Elders. They also distribute vouchers when
requested to by a Volunteer.
Database
At present, the Founder (myself, Mardiyah
T.) and Interim Chair (David McCormack) keep
a database of the Elders and Volunteers. The
database is necessarily ongoing and regularly
updated.
Volunteers
Subud members who are willing to do
Latihan at the domicile of an Elder, or transport
the Elder to and from the Latihan hall on a regular
basis. They need not be helpers, but preferably
“seasoned” members.
Caregivers
“Caregivers” are never Subud members.
They are persons hired and paid for by an
organization, such as Social Services or a nursing
facility. It is important not to confuse this term
with Subud Volunteers.
Vouchers
These are applied for by Volunteers who
have gone “above and beyond” their usual service.
They are checked by the Founder, Interim Chair
and Treasurer, Rosetta Narvaez. These Vouchers
may include reimbursements for helping with
paper work, gas and car expenses to a Congress,
computer research, etc., but do not include
caregiver service as described above. Example: the
Volunteer may assist the Elder in applying for
social services, and this may be time consuming,
“above and beyond” their usual duties. But the
Volunteers themselves do not perform social or
medical services.
The Treasurer is Rosetta Narvaez, who
collects the vouchers, records them, and sends
them to the Subud USA treasurer, who cuts
the check and sends it to the Volunteer. These
sums are deducted from the Susila Dharma grant
allotted to Elderberry, as a Susila Dharma Project.
Nursing Homes
When an Elder Pioneer is in a nursing
home, a verbal or written permission needs to be
obtained from the Elder so that the Volunteer
may visit freely and share in medical information
if the Elder so wishes.
Please contact David McCormack for more
information regarding nursing home procedures,
by phone or email.
imdavidmccormack@gmail.com
Phone: (317) 351-1140.
23. page 22 May 2015Vol 160
On the weekend of April 25th and 26th, the entire Subud Midwest Dewan assembled at the Parshall’s home in
Brighton, Michigan for a meeting to work out final details for the Midwest Regional Gathering in Indianapolis
on May 22ntd to the 26th. Additional discussion included finances and helper travel. The Regional Helpers
committed to make a minimum of one visit each month for the rest of the year to visit centers and members who
don’t live near a center.
One of our biggest challenges is the large number of members who do not live near any centers or groups.
Getting to visit these members
involves a lot of travel. For
instance, in Ohio alone there
are around twenty members
scattered around the state but it is
really hard to get them together.
Even getting the whole Dewan
together physically for a meeting
can be a big challenge.
OnSundaytheDewanmet
with the SE Michigan members,
did latihan with them and then
joined in a communal meal,
beautifully prepared by Hannah
Parshall.
Subud Midwest Regional Dewan Meeting
Ahmed Richardson, Subud Midwest Chair
From left to right: Hannah Parshall (with soup ladle), Emmaline Schurwanz, David Waxer,
Ahmed Richardson, Renata Hickey, Simon Curran, Vanessa Nashold, Muhammad Ichlas)
24. page 23 May 2015Vol 160
I attended the Subud Pacific Northwest Regional
Dewan meeting March 28, 2015 at the Portland
Subud House. The day was full of visioning,
reports and a strong sense of community. There
was talk that the region has no mission and some
suggested that we should be operating under
the mission of one of our other organizational
structures. This may true for other regions as well.
Subud USA Chair Daniel Stralberg read the Ten
Aims of Subud, taken from the World Subud
Association Constitution, and it seemed to fit
quite well.
Aims of the Association
1. To facilitate the worship of Almighty
God through the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud
and to provide for the other needs of the Subud
membership.
2. To preserve the practice of the Latihan
Kejiwaan so that it will remain available to people
everywhere in the form in which it was originally
practiced under the guidance of Muhammad
Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo.
3. To protect the good reputation of
Subud.
4. To encourage peace, harmony and
understanding between peoples regardless of their
ethnic origin or religion.
Ten Aims of Subud
Paul Nelson
5. To provide educational and other
facilities for the development of the full potential
of human beings.
6. To relieve poverty and deprivation.
7. To encourage the development of
a healthy and harmonious inner and outer
environment for the well-being of mankind.
8. To encourage cultural activities and the
values which enliven and enrich the human spirit.
9. To encourage the entrepreneurial spirit
which enables people to express their true talents
and develop the capacity to improve the quality of
their lives.
10. To make available information
concerning the Latihan Kejiwaan of Subud.
Here are a couple of Wordclouds I made
taken from language in one of the breakout
groups in which I was a part. They are a visual
encapsulation of what the group shared together.
First published at www.SubudGreaterSeattle.com
26. page 25 May 2015Vol 160
This Gathering is most fully dedicated to our spiritual life:
the kedjiwaan and how we may integrate our
true selves into our everyday life.
Welcome to the 2015 National Gathering
The National Dewan extends a heartfelt invitation
for all Subud USA members
to come to the National Gathering
this September
We recently tested about the significance and purpose
of the 2015 National Gathering. The gifts of this gath-
ering are extraordinary: opportunities for strong pow-
erful latihan experience, a chance to remember the gift
and blessings of the latihan, finding “the courage to
step out into the unknown and for
“Subud to take its place in the world.”
Together we can feel the strength of the spiritual energy within and
sense the dignity and nobility of our true selves. Together we can know
that we are growing as we are meant to grow. At this National
Gathering we stretch as wide as we can. . . .and even wider.
27. page 26 May 2015Vol 160
Our National Gathering is an opportunity to
deepen our Latihan and share the fruits of our
youth, enterprise, cultural, and humanitarian
wing efforts. The 2015 Subud USA National
Gathering will take place from September 3rd
-7th
in Redwood City, California near San Francisco.
It will be a kejiwaan and wings gathering,
emphasizing latihan, testing and workshops with
business at a minimum. The National Helpers
and representatives from each of the wings will be
doing the programming.
Additional information about the congress
is available on our website. If you are registering
a child or youth between the ages of five and
sixteen, we will contact you at a later date with
information about the Family Program. There is
no registration charge for non-Subud members,
nor additional childcare fees for unopened youth.
You may register online at subudusa.org.
Or, if you prefer to use surface mail or fax, a full,
easy-to-print registration form has been attached
at the end of this newsletter.
2015 National Gathering
Sebastian Tedrow,
Executive Director
28. page 27 May 2015Vol 160
Subud USA General Fund
Financial Sunmmary
Subud USA Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2015
Unaudited
Unrestricted*
General
Fund
Archives
Care
Sppt
Elder-
berry
National
Housing
Indian-
apolis
Housing SES SYA
Housing
Endowment
General
Endowment TOTAL
ASSETS (owned)
Bank of America:
Checking 19,064 4,957 24,021
Savings 3,657 5,129 2,695 1,050 146 4 11 12,692
Vanguard Investment Accts:
Money Market Accts 16,415 29,077 3,001 10 25 48,527
S&P 500 Index 3,222 15,017 39,824 105,570 163,633
Short-Term Bond Index Fund 3,210 13,336 39,466 104,622 160,634
Housing Loans Receivable:
Subud Seattle-PNW 14,462 14,462
Subud Washington DC 70,000 70,000
Subud Durham 17,829 17,829
Inventory (Publications) 807 807
Gold Mine Shares 424 424
TOTAL ASSETS 23,952 5,129 2,695 1,050 118,706 6,432 34,180 31,354 79,304 210,228 513,029
LIABILITIES (owed)
Accounts Payable 1,381 - - - - - - - - - 1,381
TOTAL LIABILITIES - - - - - - - - - 1,381
NET ASSETS (ASSETS -
LIABILITIES)
22,570 5,129 2,695 1,050 118,706 6,432 34,180 31,354 79,304 210,228 511,647
* Unrestricted Funds -- may be used for any purpose consistent with the aims and objectives of Subud USA
** Temporarily Restricted Funds -- use is restricted to the specific objectives specified by the donor
FUNDS
Temporarily Restricted** Permanently Restricted***
*** Permanently Restricted Funds -- only investment income may be used for purposes consistent with the aims and objectives of Subud USA. Principle may never be
used.
30. page 29 May 2015Vol 160
The 2015 Subud USA Directory is now available.
There are four ways to obtain the National
Directory:
1. For a free PDF copy, log-on to:
https://subudus.z2systems.com/np/clients/subudus/
login.jsp
OR create an account at https://subudus.
z2systems.com/account.jsp
Once you have logged on to your account, you
will see a drop-down box in the upper right-hand
corner. Open and click “Download 2015 Directory.”
2. Request a paper copy for $20 (for printing,
mailing and processing) from the National Office.
3. Ask the National Office to send a free PDF
to your e-mail.
4. If you donated $300+ to Subud USA, you
can have a free copy.
Contact:
Subud USA National Office
4216 Howard Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
Office: 301-595-0626; Fax: (301) 595-0620
Email: subudusa@subudusa.org
Subud USA Directory
Subud California member, Robert Mertens’ Shell Suite III was selected for
the cover page.
32. page 31 May 2015Vol 160
On the start of a long business/Subud
trip, I had the good fortune to attend
a Sunday latihan in Chicago. It was a
perfect morning: Chicago, usually brutally
cold, actually warmed up. Better yet, the
Margolins provided me door-to-door car
Subud Chicago Visit
Kenneth Clark
service from my hotel and I did not have to
brave the traffic to find the dance hall where
the group meets.
Unfortunately, I did not get to see
Mahallia Ward actually dance. She is a Subud
memberwhoperformswiththeJoffreyBallet,
but at least she and her husband, Hadrian,
joined us on the car ride to the hall. (Mahallia
serves as both the Subud Chicago Chair and
Saubud Youth Association Co-Chair.)
The timing of my visit could not
have been better – I got to attend a helper/
committee meeting (blissfully short) and
also an opening (blissful, period). All this
activity seemed good cause to celebrate – and
the group did, all joining for a sumptuous
lunch at a local Mediterranean restaurant.
The group is warm and welcoming and
invites those passing through to visit.
Kenneth Clark
Subud USA National Helper
33. page 32 May 2015Vol 160
Cartoon by Latifah Taormina
34. page 33 May 2015Vol 160
I attended a gathering of the Subud Boston group on the weekend of April 25-26, 2015.
Saturday evening was set aside to meet with the local helpers and we began with dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant where we enjoyed
good food and had a chance to catch up with one another. Afterwards I joined the men for latihan and testing about helper work which
was really useful and important.
Sunday was planned as a kedjiwaan day for the whole group. We started with a morning latihan and testing followed by lunch and
general mingling and levity. After lunch, we returned to latihan and testing. I think the men and women met after that to share a bit before
saying goodbye but, since I had a long drive back to New York City, I missed that.
From the comments I heard, the gathering was a great success. I’m grateful to the Boston group for being so welcoming (as they
always are).
Click here to check out Subud Boston website.
Subud Boston Weekend Gathering
Michael Barber, National Helper
36. page 35 May 2015Vol 160
Area 3 Council Meeting (March 29-April 1,
2015)
TheArea3Councilisanewlyformedgroup
whose membership consists of the Chairpersons of
Zones 7, 8 and 9; two international helper reps
from Area 3; Elias Coragem Dumit and Ismanah
Schulze-Vorberg representing WSA; as well as
SICA, SD, and SYA representatives. The Council
came into existence in an organic fashion and it has
become a platform for a strong and representative
voice from the Spanish-speaking countries in
Area 3. For this meeting the Council expanded to
include the chairpersons of Subud México, Subud
Colombia and Subud Ecuador, as well as members
who have been working on the Amanecer project.
This time together had great significance.
We heard a positive report from Subud México
whose members were inspired by the World
Congress and the recent visits of the International
Helpers. Young members have assumed
responsibility for many of the committee positions
in Subud México and have organized mini-
Report of the Area 3 Helpers’
Visit to Ecuador
From the Area 3 International Helpers:
Myriam Ramsey, Sarita Rodriguez, Suzanne
Renna, Sjarifuddin Harris, Mahmud Nest-
man, Hoan Toan Phan
gatherings, helper retreats and SICA and Youth
events.
The report of Subud Colombia was
impressive because of its thoroughness and its
honesty about the strengths and challenges
of the Subud groups in Colombia. What was
shared added to our understanding of the effect
the Amanecer situation has had on the Subud
groups in Colombia. The Colombia report led
into a fully committed examination of Amanecer.
This involved many hours of testing, discussion,
information sharing and problem-solving ideas.
This meeting or symposium continued after the
end of the Zone 7 Council meeting and well into
the Zone 8 gathering.
Zone 8 Gathering (April 2-5)
The gathering was well attended with
130 members from Ecuador, Colombia, Chile,
Argentina, México and Venezuela. One of the
highlights was the number of youth (thirty) who
participated with enthusiasm and contributed to
the proceedings in a variety of ways. Most days
began and ended with Latihan followed by whole
group and then personal testing.
On the first day, the international helpers
shared recollections of their meeting with Ibu (who
met with the helpers) informed them about the
new Helper’s Handbook, and asked them for their
input. After lunch, the members came together
and broke into four workshop groupings: SICA/
SYA, SES, SD and Helpers. These groups met for
From left to right, first row : Suzanne Renna (IH), Juan Félix Prieto (SICA rep area 3), Junita Chavez (SYA Mexico), Konrad
Muñoz (SYAI rep area 3), Hammid Carios (Chair, Veracruz group, México), Sjarifuddin Harris (IH), Oliverio Jimenez (CC of
Colombia), Sarita Rodriguez (IH), Elias Dumit (WSA chair), Panoma Muñoz (Zone 8 rep), Ismanah Schulze-Vorberg (WSA
chief executive), Luqman Rivera (MSF Legal rep Colombia), Myriam Ramsey (IH)
From left to right , second row: Hoan Toan Phan (IH), Mahmud Nestman (IH), Mas’ud Arroyo (Chair of Subud México)
37. page 36 May 2015Vol 160
several hours and came up with recommendations
and questions for testing. The Area 3 IHs had
time to meet among themselves and test their
focus and needs for the rest of this year. The Area
3 Council continued to meet about Amanecer. In
the afternoon, the SICA/SYA group was ready to
meet and test with the helpers. They were very
organized and had specific questions about the
direction they should take on the various projects
that had been proposed in their working group.
On the second day, there was testing with
the SD and SES workshop groups on general
questions that had come out of their discussions.
After lunch was the report and related testing
from the helper’s workshop. Lots of input for
the new helper’s book arose from that meeting.
The women spent most of the time on applicant-
related matters.
After Latihan on the third day, there was a
meeting to present the outcomes of the workshops.
Much of this time was spent on helper issues.
The IHs were asked to provide clear candidate
helper guidelines. There was a wonderful spirit of
sharing and an understanding of Bapak’s advice
and guidance.
On the fourth day, the IHs met with the
Ecuadorian helpers to get an understanding of the
state of the groups in Ecuador and the work of the
helpers. Discussion and testing helped to clarify
the needs of the members and helpers and how to
move forward. The gathering ended after lunch.
It really was a heartfelt and inwardly uplifting
gathering. We extend our deep thanks to all of the
Ecuadorian members who organized and planned
this event. The Ecuadorians were wonderful
hosts, the food was healthy and delicious, and
the latihans were strong. Many members showed
courage as they faced longstanding personal issues
with a sincere wish to improve themselves.
As Area 3 helpers, we were approached by
a few countries to assist them with problems in
their groups. We are planning to visit Argentina
when we travel to the Chile meeting and we will
also spend time with the Santiago, Chile groups.
David Schepps in Cuba
Laura Daranas
During the two weeks following the Subud
Cuban National Congress, David Schepps, Subud
Albuquerque member and Associate Professor
at the Arizona State University of New Mexico,
stayed in Havana. David has been a cello teacher
for over 30 years and has made an impressive
curriculum for himself. He speaks little Spanish
but his Subud brothers and sisters helped him
communicate, although David, by means of his
affable nature and his desire to know and to be
useful, soon knew how to make himself understood
and got about pretty well on his own.
He was also able to confirm an old truth:
music is a universal language. David collaborated
with other professional musicians from the
Camerata Romeu (a female-only, renowned
Cubanorchestra),withstudentsfromtheOrquesta
del ISA (the orchestra of the Cuban University
of Arts), from the Lyceum Mozartiano (founded
and supported by the Mozarteum Foundation
in Salzburg) and from the luthier shop in Old
Havana. As the culmination of these experiences,
several Subud members at David’s invitation,
38. page 37 May 2015Vol 160
Often life presents surprises, and what started
as a trip alone to visit Indonesia in my new
role as Muhammad Subuh Foundation Chair,
changed into a deeply moving series of events
that lent invaluable insights on both inner and
outer levels in many areas of my life. Guided
by the kindness of
many individuals,
this two-week journey
unfolded as things
often do when you
freely move about;
the course of events
just seem to arise as if
by magic.
A few days
before I left I was so
ill that I was sure the
trip would need to be
cancelled. However,
a visit to my doctor
revealed that the issue
had cleared up and I could go.
Indonesian Journey with
Unexpected Gifts: March 2015
Marston Gregory, Chair, Muhammad
Subuh Foundation
In retrospect, I am very grateful.
I arrived in Jakarta late via Tokyo due
to a flight delay, which resulted in my having
to spend one night in an airport hotel, a brand
new Ibis. I then enjoyed my first Indonesian
meal in years, which brought back fond
memories of past trips when I was working on
the Spokane World Congress. As luck would
Latihan hall built in 1971 at Wisma Subud, Jakarta Indonesia
which is still in use and good condition
attended a beautiful concert by the Orquesta del
ISA in the old chapel of San Felipe Neri, now a
concert hall.
David also participated in the community
project led by Munirah Riego in the Canal
neighborhood. Hours before catching his flight
back to the States, David played the cello for the
kids of the Hands, Imagination and Movement
workshop, a project led by brother José Eduardo
Yanes in the Retazos Dance Company and
sponsored by Susila Dharma International
through Marini Annets, the Cuban representative.
It was a very beautiful experience for the kids and
for all who attended combining music, dance and
visual arts. David received an invitation during
his stay from the Coordinator of the Havana in
Movement Festival, Eugenio Chávez, to join
the next festival—one of the most colorful and
massively attended arts event in Old Havana,
attracting more than a thousand participants from
twenty countries. David returned to Albuquerque
with a warm feeling in his heart towards Cuba.
Originally published in Alborada, the Cuban
newsletter. Republished in the Subud Rocky
Mountain Region Newsletter. Reprinted here
with permission.
39. page 38 May 2015Vol 160
have it, Amalia Lerrigo, my host who would
care for me during the trip, was arriving in
Jakarta that next morning from a trip and she
picked me up.
We sped on new freeways with
thousands of motorbikes that now populate,
like bees, the overcrowded streets of Jakarta. In
one hour, I saw more motorbikes than in my
entire lifetime. It was reported they sell 8,000
motorbikes a week to the young. It seems to
be the hazard of a growing wealthy middle
class in Jakarta with little to no public transit.
However, a new monorail system is slowly
being built throughout the city to help with
this snarl of traffic; indeed, one line runs in
front of Wisma Subud, the large compound of
buildings built for the 1971 World Congress
and now an International Center for Subud. I
was startled by all the high rise development
since my last visit. Jakarta is now a modern,
international city. Arriving at the Lerrigo
home, I was comfortably settled and treated
to a private air-conditioned room and three
wonderful meals a day. The home is at the far
south end of the Subud compound.
I was greeted by fellow MSF Trustee,
Hannah Baerveldt, who recommended I take
a few days and go with her to Kalimantan
and stay in a guest room adjacent to a brand
new home into which she was moving.
Having always dreamed of seeing this area of
Indonesia, where so many have worked over
the years building a center called Rungan Sari
(a resort center with pool, restaurant and large
latihan hall), home to many Subud members,
of course I said yes. We found a Garuda
Airline office and bought our tickets. The
next morning we flew into Palangkaraya on a
very modern jet. This was a surprise since I
expected a small plane but the development in
this area of Central Kalimantan has been so
fast, that now a number of airlines fly there to
a small, but modern airport.
The City of Palangkaraya was also a
surprise with a well-planned street system and
wide boulevards due to past government plans
to relocate the capitol there. The City has many
government offices and now shopping malls
and modern hotels. We were picked up by a
delightful worker from Yayasan Usaha Mulia
(YUM), a social project started over twenty
years ago by Subud members as part of the
Kalimantan efforts, and is now a major force
in the area. We drove east for forty minutes
to the Rungan Sari area which is across the
highway from the YUM compound. You can
go to the YUM website to learn about its work
of providing holistic and sustainable support in
the areas of health, education and community
development.
My visit was limited to two days as I
needed to get back to Jakarta for meetings with
the World Subud Association Executive team.
I was very impressed at the progress that has
been made in building high quality facilities,
the YUM projects, and also an Ecovillage
which is popular for environmental training of
visitors in traditional rustic.
Back entrance to Adi Puri Conference Center
at Wisma Subud.
40. page 39 May 2015Vol 160
Back in Jakarta, many gathered to
attend the 27th Indonesian National Congress
in West Java that took place at the Marbella
Hotel beach resort, the site of a past congress.
It had large meeting spaces for latihan and
testing. The Congress was attended by a large
contingent of over 800 members from all parts
of Indonesia. Ibu Rahayu came and attended
much of the Congress, gave a talk and did
testing with the men and women. We were
very grateful to experience the great strength
of Ibu Rahayu during
these weeks and many
commented that she had
an unexpected vitality.
It was a tremendous gift
to us all that she was able
to attend many meetings
day after day.
Following the
Congress, it was back
to Wisma Subud
where MSF met with
InternationalHelpersfor
the first time since being
appointed at the 2014
Subud World Congress in Puebla, Mexico,
and with the World Subud Association
Executive team. Together we explored the best
use of our time for the next week. These days
began with an excursion to Bapak’s grave in
the high mountains of Central Java’a deep and
moving experience amidst the refreshing cool
mountain air and the scent of flowers.
I found the trip immensely beneficial in
my role as Chair of MSF. A very important
meeting was held with Ibu Rahayu and many
questions were considered regarding the work
of MSF in the world. I came away with an
essential understanding of the history of MSF
and many good
recommendations.
Several days were
spent with the
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Helpers testing
questions about
how MSF and
WSA should work
together and to
clarifyourindividual
roles. The receiving
regarding how it
was when MSF and
WSA worked in
harmony was extraordinary and strong. MSF’s
meetings with the WSA Executive team has
helped to create important bonds and working
relationships.
The visit culminated with a meeting
with the Yayasan Muhammad Subuh Board
and hearing Ibu Rahayu tell the story of how
Bapak moved to Jakarta and built the first
guest house which he and his family occupied
and then later the larger home was built.
Today it has been transformed to Adi Puri,
a very beautiful conference center run by the
organization Yayasan Muhammad Subuh. It
was an inspiration to meet and do latihan there
in what was Bapak’s home for many years. As
its website states, it truly is “a beautiful place
to meet.”
I feel gratitude to Almighty God that
my health returned just in time to make
this journey and I am also grateful to those
who guided and cared for me throughout
this journey with such warmth. It was all an
unexpected gift.
41. page 40 May 2015Vol 160
Susila Dharma
Human Force Camp
2014
Andrew Hall
The Susila Dharma Human Force
Camp took place in Puebla, Mexico,
just before the World Congress.
If you are viewing the
newsletter electronically, just click
here to view a video by Andrew
Hall, Subud Canada member.
If you have a printed copy,
go to a computer and type in this
address:
https://vimeo.com/126327733
The trustees of the Muhammad Subuh Foundation (the Foundation) had
their Board meeting at the Amani Center in Washington, D.C. on May 1-3,
2015. After their meeting, they traveled to Durham, North Carolina for a
potluck dinner with the Subud Durham group. Subud Washington, DC as
well as Subud Durham were both recipients of grants and loans from the
Foundation in 2014.
Three major decisions were accomplished at the meeting:
The Foundation now has a comprehensive financial strategy to govern
its future investments; tt has retained an international professional planner to
manage its portfolio; the trustees awarded six of seven grant requests.
Since 1991, the Foundation has awarded over 2.5 million dollars in
grants and loans to approximately 43 Subud groups in 24 countries. The
Foundation also supports the travel of International Helpers and International
archives through the World Subud Association.
MSF Goes to Washington
Lucian Parshall,
Executive Director
43. page 42 May 2015Vol 160
We were on the East coast for family reasons
and delighted that we could attend the March
on Climate Change in NYC on September
21st
, 2014. 400,000 people came together
from all walks of life in peace and harmony.
It was a beautiful day.
The group organizing this is called
350.org. 350ppm is parts per million of CO2
that the atmosphere can safely sustain. We
are now over 400ppm and adding to it. The
focus is raising awareness about the reality
of climate change/global warming. Even
Ban Ki-moon, head of the United Nations,
marched with us. Research has shown that
the continued reliance on fossil fuels will be
our downfall and we have the capacity to
change this.
We read a Bapak Talk in July where
Bapak spoke about the material forces and
those people who had made investments in
nuclear weapons at the time. Bapak explained
how difficult it is for these people to listen
Beata and Michael Alexander
on the Climate March
Subud Portland Members
to logic and reason when they have
invested a lot of money. Well 350.
org understands that concept, and
the focus is getting universities,
businesses and individuals to divest
from fossil fuels and invest in green
energy which can now be a profitable
investment.
We marched with hope for
all humanity and all living things.
44. Life Cycles
We are a community. We welcome news of
each other’s births and passings. Forgive us
for any omissions. Please share news of your
loved ones with us at:
communications@subudusa.org.
45. page 44 May 2015Vol 160
Please welcome new member Alexander Starr
to our Subud Chicago group.
He was opened on Sunday, April 26, 2015,
by Nasrudhin Hassani, Magnus Cheifetz, Hadri-
an Pollard, Kenneth Clark (visiting National
Helper), and Suharto Truong.
Subud Chicago Welcomes New Member
Suharto Truong
Welcoming. . . .
Welcome Brooklyn, Renata Reid’s
Granddaughter
Brooklyn Elena Payne was born February 28th at
2:10 am. 5lbs 9oz, happy and healthy.
We would like to recognize and welcome our newly
openedmembersofSubud.Pleaseforgiveusifthislist
is incomplete. We encourage our local and regional
helpers to send news of new member openings to
the National office (subudusa@subudusa.org)
so that our Communications Team can welcome
them, they can receive new member packets, and
they can be included in the membership database
and therefore receive communications.
Welcome to New Members
Jerry Ruhl, 01/18/2014, Houston
Suze Calvo, 02/08/2014, Sacramento
Nelly Garcia, 03/19/2014, Berkeley
Kathy Elliott, 04/05/2014, San Diego
Theo Parfet, 05/07/2014, Sacramento
Anton Baraschi, 05/18/2014, New York
Oscar Garcia, 05/20/2014, Washington DC
Emilia Ripoll, 05/29/2014, Boulder
Stanley Winslow, 05/31/2014, Los Angeles
Fnu Ngadirin, 06/10/2014, Washington DC
Diamond Davis, 06/23/2014, New York
Adel Juneidi, 06/23/2014, Los Angeles
Leandro Marx, 08/09/2014, Portland
Susana Thomson, 08/12/2014, Midwest Region
Christian Wright, 08/12/2014, Hilo
Amanda Marlin, 08/13/2014, Flathead Valley
Nicole Covert, 08/14/2014, San Luis Valley
Hana Kimmelman, 08/28/2014, Portland
Roohy Mirkamalay, 08/31/2014, Houston
Barney Pivnick, 09/08/2014, Los Angeles
Spencer Scruggs, 09/16/2014, Shenandoah Valley
Kristi Hanson, 09/17/2014, Chicago
Drea Howenstein, 09/21/2014, Chicago
Suzanne Davis, 09/26/2014, New York
Damon Castro, 09/27/2014, Ft. Lauderdale
Geoffrey Cottrell, 09/27/2014, Gulf Coast
Laurie Sills, 11/02/2014, SE Michigan
Lala Kapitman, 11/03/2014, New York
Jonathan Lemler, 11/16/2014, Santa Barbara
Daren Mayers, 12/15/2014, New York
William Zban, 12/15/2014, Los Angeles
Tania Pressoir, 01/18/2015, Chicago
Pam Rosen, 02/07/2015, Santa Barbara
Fauziyah Sue Ishak, 02/15/2015, New York
Hanif Bēbers Ishak, 02/15/2015, New York
Nancy Huynh, 02/27/2015, Palo Alto
Dean Legacy, 03/12/2015, Albuquerque
Dana Woodward, 03/18/2015, Portland
Constanza Hege, 03/22/2015, Washington DC
Elaine Smith, 03/31/2015, Los Angeles
Alex Leyva, 04/06/2015, Los Angeles
Dulce Vega, 04/11/2015, Indianapolis.
Life Cycles
Mary Wold,
Subud USA Vice Chair
46. page 45 May 2015Vol 160
To the caregivers and the freedom marchers,
To the teachers and the holders of hands,
To the protectors of the mute, and the small, and the many,
Rest your soul deeply now.
To the mothers of birds who will never fly
And to fathers who have never stopped fathering,
Do not worry.
Someone was born today.
Somewhere in this world, someone was born to carry on for you.
They will spend their precious life re-affirming your life of service
Paying back a debt you did not owe,
And paying it gladly.
They will not look like you.
Their calling has a different face
And they will not be holding a candle for you.
Before You Leave Us
a poem by Renata Reid
They will be busy re-igniting the universal flame
Of love and justice.
So before you leave us,
Do not worry
Because someone has just arrived
To pick up where you left off,
To fight the good fight,
To do the job of saints.
Remembering. . . .
47. page 46 May 2015Vol 160
Henry Herold was born in St. Louis, Missouri,
April 16, 1929 and could possibly have been
the first man opened in the United States, in
February, 1958,
during Bapak’s
first visit to
the USA. He
was one of the
oldest surviving
members of the
first USA Subud
group in San
Francisco. He
was always a
faithful Subud
member and
conscientious helper in both San Francisco and
Marin, the latter of which he was a founding
member.
Henry studied with and worked for Frank
Lloyd Wright, where he learned about Subud
from Mrs. Wright, via Bennett and Gurdjieff.
Professionally, he worked as an architect,
building houses in the “Wright” mold, small
Remembering Henry Herold
Adapted from emails sent by Rasjidah
Franklin and Simón Cherpitel.
offices, and structures like the Water Works at
Los Banos. His drawings were recently archived
at Washington University in St. Louis. He died
Friday, April 11th
at a recovery center in Tiburon,
California.
A memorial service was held Friday,
April 24, in Chapel of the Hills in San Anselmo,
California. Memorial contributions may be given
in Henry’s memory to:
Muhammad Subuh Foundation
c/o Lillian Shulman, Administrator
8408 33rd Ave.
Portland, OR 97222
or to
Subud USA Endowment Fund
4216 Howard Rd
Beltsville, MD 20705
Henry Herold was a distinguished architect,
trained by Frank Lloyd Wright. Many fine
residences in California were designed by
him and he contributed to the world famous
Marin Civic Center. Wright made a rare
comment about Henry: “He’s a good architect.”
Henry was opened in 1958. He had
wonderful stories about Bapak and the early days
of Subud. He was present at my own opening in
1962. In later years when I was a candidate, he was
the helper most present to assist me in learning
my responsibilities. He told me one thing I’ve
never forgotten. That if a situation arose when my
receiving differed from the other helpers’ testing,
not to soften or change anything in the interest of
harmony. Always tell the truth. As those who knew
himwellwillconfirm,hepracticedwhathepreached!
It was a privilege, for those of us who were
able, to be present and do latihan with Henry
after he was hospitalized. During his last days, he
refused nutrition and life support, and faced pain
and approaching death with courage and dignity.
He said, humorously, that he wanted to die when
he was the same age as Bapak. He almost made
it. Henry died on April 10th. He would have
celebrated his 86th birthday on April 16th.
The Passing of a Pioneer
Reynold Weissinger
49. page 48 April 2015Vol 160
Calendar of Events
May June August September
Archives Meeting
Wolfsburg, Germany
May 19-25, 2015
California Regional Congress
Van Nuys, CA
May 22-25, 2015
East Coast Regional Gathering
Beltsville, MD
May 22-25, 2015
Midwest Regional Gathering
Indianapolis, IN
May 22-25, 2015
Canada Western Region
Family Gathering
May 22-25, 2015
Volunteer Project: New Life
for Old Bags
Chicago, IL
June 6, 2015
Rocky Mountains Regional
Gathering
Crestone, CO
June 12-14, 2015
YES Quest 2015 Subud
Youth Activities
Badger, CA
August 22-31, 2015
USA National Gathering
Redwood City, CA
September 3-7, 2015
November
Menucha Retreat
near Portland, OR
November 6-9, 2015
For World
Latihan times
and International
events, visit
The Calendar
Section
of Subud World
News online
50. page 49 May 2015Vol 160
List of Contributors
Isaac Goff —Cover Photograph
Isabel Gates—Photograph for Branchflower Interview
Leanne Seymour—Artwork (two images)
Mahmud Nestman (Canada), Mr. Sjarifuddin Harris (USA), Mr. Hoan Toan Phan (USA)
Shoshanah Margolin—News Contributor
Wilhelmina van Royen—Images, pages 21, 26, 41
Mary Wold—News Contributor
Subud USA News is a quarterly publication
of Subud USA. The opinions expressed in the
newsletter are those of the authors and do not
reflect the views of Subud USA or those of its
membership. Advertising is carried as a service
to readers and does not imply an endorsement
of any product or service. Articles that fit
the stated purpose are published on a space
available basis.
Submissions, comments and questions
about the newsletter or its editorial policy
may be addressed to the communications
coordinator, Paul Nelson, at:
communications@subudusa.org.
SUBUD USA is a tax-exempt non-
profit corporation under section 501(c)3 of
the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are
tax-deductible.
For change of e-mail or postal address,
please notify the Subud USA National Office
at 4216 Howard Road, Beltsville, MD 20705;
subudusa@subudusa.org.
The name Subud® and the Seven Circles Symbol
are registered marks of the World Subud Association, Inc.
Disclaimer
Thank you for all your contributions.
Know that your kindness has
a ripple effect in the universe.
51. page 50 May 2015Vol 160
Bapak’s Talks, Volume 27
now available at
Subud USA’s Vendor
By The Way Books
You may also call or write
James & Elizabeth Evans
at
james@bythewaybooks.com
or
(515) 440-0373
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