by Laura Paterson
Follow the yellow brick road…Follow the rainbow over the stream…Follow the people who follow a dream…
As with Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, our world is upended by a global tornado. A global disaster has transformed it into a new and strange place, into a world where nothing is as it had been or as it had appeared to be.
And as with Dorothy, everyone has been challenged to discover new and innovative ways of navigating this unprecedented and previously unimaginable environment.
One happy result of this has been that creativity and innovation have abounded. Zoom has entered the room. And the great island continent of Australia beckoned us to her with her 2021 Subud Australia National Congress.
Subud Australia made the bold decision to hold its 2021 National Congress by making full use of the new social paradigm and new technologies, in an innovative blend of zoom virtual reality and pre-recorded, beautifully curated content.
For the first time in the history of Subud Australia, their National Congress became a truly international event, easily accessible to Subud members around the world at the click of a link.
And so, without the cost of travel or accommodation or meals or services, Subud members everywhere had the most up-close and personal contact imaginable with our very warm and loving Australian brothers and sisters.
They extended to all of us the warmest possible welcome into their vibrant and immensely fulfilling group lives. I could not wait to take full advantage of this opportunity, so with the greatest excitement, I sent off for my access link.
I was immediately immersed in the warm bath of Subud love and harmony. As with any momentous Subud occasion, Subud Australia’s 2021 National Congress existed outside of time, showering everyone in the uniquely Subud glow of latihan love and harmony that we all are so blessed to receive.
Beginning Saturday, January 2nd, Subud Australia gave Subud members around the world a full week of an incredibly immersive Subud congress experience. Every day the Congress website overflowed with live virtual meetings and brilliantly curated recorded content.
Subud Australia National Chair, David Ohri, conducted the Opening Ceremony, which was simple, humble, and sincere. He was followed with moving performances by Audrey Longerhan, Frances Madden and Emmanuel Cahill. By the end of the ceremony, I was totally in love with all of my Australian brothers and sisters.
I felt total gratitude for their dedicated, loving and deeply harmonious spirit. For their total warmth and sincerity. For being always so gracious, with such generosity of spirit. For always proceeding with the utmost harmony, and total love and respect for each other.
The abundant offerings of pre-recorded content were presented with the greatest care, skill and competence. Every day, Subud members were treated to a rich smorgasbord of deeply satisfying experiences:
- Tours of all the Australian Subud houses, showcasing beautiful and lovingly cared for properties, and introducing us to vibrant and loving and deeply harmonious Subud members.
- Videos of deeply loved Subud members from the ‘Memories of Bapak’ series produced in the 1990’s by Subud New York member, Jerry Chalem
- Historical, archival videos of past Subud World Congresses, including the unforgettable ‘Bapak’s Congress’ held in Cilandak in 1971.
- Bapak talks. Every day, there was a new Bapak talk, lovingly chosen by Subud Australia National Helpers.
There were informative and inspiring presentations from MSF, Dharma Care, and the WSA Archives project. There was a delightful entertainment from the Northern New South Wales Group Men’s Choir. All of this content was presented on the brand new, gorgeous, shiny Subud Australia website.
The live closing event was on Saturday, January 9th. “A real highlight of recent in-person Australia Congresses has been ‘Culture Couch’, with dynamic duo Harris Smart and Roland Fraval.”
Some huge takeaways from this Congress…
Subud Australia is astonishingly multi-generational! The membership ranges from dedicated youth, to young working families, to mid-life experienced and dedicated members, to true wisdom-keepers, lifetime Subud members. They are our Subud sages. Very often, they also are the parents and grandparents of our young up-and-coming generations.
It was a special joy to witness the warmth and closeness and genuineness of these inter-generational bonds. To see babes-in-arms, with delightful toddlers and energetic children, all intermingling with the adults in their lives, who are at all of the varying life stages.
It also was very exciting to see how live and recorded events were interfaced into one seamless whole experience. What a great model, what a great prototype, for national and zonal and international congresses in the future.
For indeed, the future will be a very different place. Subud will be adapting to that, as will everything else that is going to survive and move into the new paradigm. Virtuality will be a huge underpinning of that new paradigm.
Subud Australia clearly is deeply committed to the emerging values of the new global social paradigm, most notably in the conduct of their outer, material lives. I take these values to be those that we always have cherished and espoused in Subud. That is the values of transparency and accountability, with emphasis always on clear, open, honest and harmonious communication.
The technologies of our new age will drive the necessity for the survival of any organization to be the manifestation of these values. Internet tools and platforms like email, Instagram, Facebook, Zoom, and WhatsApp will ensure that transactions and communications will be subject to awareness, understanding, and evaluation by the public. Increasingly, these technologies will ensure that leaders must adhere to the highest ethical standards.
For seven hours I witnessed Subud Australia’s National Council meeting being conducted with the utmost fiscal and organizational transparency and integrity. Every aspect of Subud Australia’s financial and administrative dealings was on the table.
Every item was examined, considered, and debated upon. Full resolution was achieved with the utmost harmony and respect. All this took place in real time and in full view and witness by every member who wished to attend.
One member who was present for every Council session was Nahum Harlap, Chairman of the World Subud Association. Nahum brought great vision and clarity to the meetings. This provided a very effective illustration of the great importance of there being continuous and ongoing communication and collaboration between the various entities and ‘levels’ of the Subud organization.
These societal and organizational values are being well absorbed into the entire Subud organization, up to and including the Muhammad Subuh Foundation. Subud members can follow the direction of their leadership with the utmost confidence. They can know that at all times the highest values of honesty, integrity, transparency, and accountability are being observed and maintained.
I followed the people who followed a dream. In doing so, I experienced the greatest possible satisfaction and happiness.
THANK YOU, SUBUD AUSTRALIA FOR YOUR 2021 VIRTUAL NATIONAL CONGRESS!!!