Wandering around the Subud Village at the 2018 World Congress in Freiburg provided something new to discover and enjoy at every turn. One of my favorite things to ponder each time I passed was a set of related displays about the “Subud Compass,” which came in several formats. The first component of this was a series of posters prominently placed along the main walkway, which highlighted this Bapak quote about the four stages Zat, Sifat, Asma and Af’al which together comprise “a sort of compass” for life.
However, if one wandered over to the adjacent section of the Subud Village devoted to activities of SICA, these four stages were presented in a different format which used the acronym IDEA, short for the four stages of Intention, Direction, Effort, and Achievement:
The view of the four key elements was then further expanded and specifically identified as a CULTURE COMPASS, as below. What I found to be most intriguing (and indeed illuminating) about this version is that this compass incorporates the Subud Wings and shows a way of thinking of them as integral parts of a whole:
This view of the compass suggested that by first knowing and appreciating your intention, then identifying your direction of service, using that direction to establish your creative effort or work, and achieving outcomes and results, each of us can attain well-being and balance in the world.
To me, this was a profound expression that the purposes of all four Subud wings can be manifested by each of us in a meaningful, essential and personal way. Creativity is found in every area of endeavor and culture is expressed through all kinds of work.
Sadly, I missed a presentation about the Culture Compass by SICA Chair Sebastian Flynn. I hope to read a summary or notes about his session to learn more about this view of the world and of Subud.
— Elizabeth Trudell