Ibu Rahayu's Talk to the Basara Youth Camp
and members of Subud Palangka Raya

Rungansari Latihan Hall Tengkiling, Kalimantan

Talk Ref:99 TKL 1

Approved Translation

Ladies and Gentlemen, whom I respect, tomorrow I will return to Jakarta, but I won't feel right if I don't leave something behind, especially for the brothers and sisters in Kalimantan whom I seldom meet. So I have made time tonight to give you a few words, even though it won't be long. I ask for your forgiveness if I cannot meet your expectations.

As we all know, the latihan or training of the soul that we practise is a worship of Almighty God. Why do we say this training is a form of worship? Because what we practise and what we receive in the latihan arises from the guidance and direction of Almighty God. What guides us is due to a contact between the power of God and what we have within us that is like a nature of God; a nature of God that has the form of a human being.

In addition, apart from being a form of worship, the latihan also constitutes a breaking down and cleaning out for the person concerned. For we are aware that we live in this world, so even though we have the essence of God within us, because of the influences of this world as well as other influences, we need this breaking down and cleansing in order to return to our true nature.

This cleansing takes the form of tests in our life, which are an integral part of our daily lives. So don't get the impression that once we follow the latihan we will always have a nice time. Because if we remember the nature of the influences that have manifested in our being, they cannot be dealt with or cleaned out unless God does it directly.

However, brothers and sisters, this does not mean that during your life in this world you can do without your desires or that you are not allowed to use your self will. Your self will and desires, which are part of a human being's accessories, are the equipment you need to live in this world.

So don't claim that you don't need to use your desires in this life. Through the latihan you are trained to find your true self; the nature that is truly your own. So given the presence of your self will and desires within you, it is God's will that you use them properly, so that they do not harm or interfere with your journey, the journey of your soul to build its own life - the life that is eternal.

This is why, apart from going through a process of cleansing and clearing out, we also experience in the latihan a preparation, a preparation of our true self, so that we can receive with the parts of us that grow, that come to life within us. With this preparation - a preparation that takes place when you make your being available - each of you will be able to receive what you need for your development.

Although you may not realise how far your latihan has progressed, you will notice that there are changes within you, and it is these changes that reflect the development taking place within you. It may seem that your latihan is not making progress, but if you are attentive, then what happens within you will proceed in accordance with God's will.

And once this development reaches your understanding and awareness, you will be able to understand everything you receive in your latihan and you will be aware of what you need for your life. Because once understanding reaches your brain or your mind, your understanding of the meaning of what you receive will be as willed by God. On the other hand, if you are not yet able to comprehend the meaning or have understanding from your soul, then you will only become confused if you try to understand what you receive using your heart and mind. And this can lead you into a feeling of confusion and self doubt.

This is the reason why, during this training of our soul, we need to be with others, so that we can share the experiences of our friends' - pupils of the same teacher, who, in our case, is God Himself. Then you will not feel that you are left behind or cut off from developments in Subud.

This is because the scope of the latihan is very broad and encompasses every aspect of human life. So it may happen that one person receives something out of a particular need and someone else has an experience in another field. If you don't resolve these experiences together, it can sometimes lead to you feeling like someone on a journey who doesn't know their direction or where they are going. …[inaudible] This is why helpers' groups are really necessary, so that they can meet your needs on this spiritual path. So don't be embarrassed or shy to ask the helpers questions.

And because there are many young people here, I need to say that in the realm of the soul there is no difference between old and young. So don't feel that in the realm of the soul you are separate or segregated. Because the aim of a young person and an old person is the same: to worship God. And their worship is the same; there is no difference in the way an old person and a young person worships. The reason for separating you as young people is so that you can express and do things that are in accordance with your needs. This is the only reason.

So on this spiritual path, don't feel that the young people have no need to relate to old people. Don't. Everything is connected. You are the next link in the chain that runs from the older members. In this way the chain is unbroken and takes us in the direction Subud members need.

So don't start making your own rules for the latihan. Just as an example, you decide to hold latihans with young men and young women together. Don't do that! Why not? All the advice is there, and naturally there is a reason why we separate men and women in the latihan.

In addition - and I know that you don't do this, but I look on you who are here for this youth camp as representatives of your friends in your countries - I have heard that in an endeavour to improve their latihan some say that they receive more if they first drink alcohol. I hope that this will not go on.

It may be true that if you drink before latihan you feel more energetic or feel that there is something more guiding you. But maybe you don't realise that what guides you after you drink is not God, but the passion; the passion from the drink. It is simply that that you feel awakening within you. But the result is that it will damage your awareness and understanding. So when you feel you are close to God, you are in fact moving further away from the power of God.

But if, for example, you experience in your latihan that whereas you used to enjoy alcohol but now, through the working of the latihan, you reduce or stop altogether this undesirable habit, then this is a role for you as young people in Subud; that is, to help your friends who don't do latihan. Because at this time a number of undesirable tendencies are evident, not only abroad but here in Indonesia too. There is a general concern that these habits will ruin the next generation. So here is a role for Subud Youth to demonstrate and bring to others a way of freeing themselves from these feelings. For these habits usually come as a result of aimless enjoyment or a sense of emptiness within them.

And how can we help them? This is a worthwhile effort, if young people in Subud are able to help others of the same age who are not in Subud. Well, there are many ways to do this. That's why Subud has various wings - for enterprise, culture and social work - so that you can set a good example. Please don't instead be the ones who encourage these habits that are out of place.

And of course human failings don't just take the form of drinking. There are also habits that are considered to be part of a person's character. This character may not in fact be their true character or really their own. It might be their grandfather's, or their father's character, or from any of their ancestors. With this latihan, once you are aware of and understand your own latihan, you will feel which traits are good and which are not. And if a trait is bad, don't hold onto it.

This is the reason why in the latihan we need to be able to surrender or let go. Then traits we don't need do not become a block in our being.

Take, for example, someone with an aggressive or stubborn nature, who remains like that even though they have done the latihan. Then of course people ask, 'That person does latihan so why don't they change their character or their attitude? Why? Why doesn't God improve them?'

The reason God doesn't improve them is because that person still enjoys holding onto these traits they have inherited, or is unaware that they do not need them. But if you make an effort, if in your latihan you ask God, 'Guide me according to my true nature so that I can return to God,' then God will.

So it is not because God does not know. It is because you don't offer yourself or make yourself available. Although God can change you, if you don't make yourself available to be changed, God won't change you.

So, brothers and sisters, this is all very much connected with our everyday lives as human beings. Your behaviour or your habits that are not good - reduce them, so that your time here is really what is needed for the life of your soul.

Brothers and sisters, even though I cannot cover everything in this explanation about the training of the soul, I think it is enough for this evening. It will serve to reawaken you, particularly those of you who live here in Kalimantan and feel isolated from all of us, from Subud activities. I hope you will be motivated to prepare Palangkaraya for later when you will be the host for the next world congress. Perhaps it hasn't been an easy task to accommodate this small group, so imagine what it will be like when you have to receive many more visitors.

So I ask you to be united in your work and prepare yourselves to make the next Subud World Congress a success. Because that is the responsibility of all of us. Its success or failure is in our hands. We in Subud want to show to the outside world that we who are from every religion and every race, are united in our worship of God and also in our community. We must be able to demonstrate what we aim for in Subud.

Thank you and Good Night.