By Hani’a Abrams, Regional Helper

I am grateful for our 2022 congress. My gratitude goes out to the congress committee. I witnessed that many members were satisfied with how the business of the congress went, and found the kejiwaan content valuable, so give thanks to my fellow regional helpers.

Going forward, there is a real need for members to offer themselves in service to the Subud California/Nevada Region. We have a need for male and female regional helpers, and for important regional and congress committee positions. Hani’a asks that you please take into quiet account this gift of the latihan from Almighty God. Is the latihan for ‘free’? Does this gift from God not require our service to one another and to all humanity?

Obligation can be felt as a heavy thing, yet in my personal experience when inspired from the God awakened jiwa, it is a gift. The latihan is to be ‘put into action’ in every aspect of our lives, so Hani’a asks that members consider from their awakened jiwa, not if, but when and how they can and will step up in service of meeting the needs of our membership and organizational structure regionally and locally.

Big thanks to those members who have and are shouldering the blessed burden, and to those who will lend their shoulders to the future.

Love to all!

By Helena Mertens, Regional Helper

Into the quiet… deepening our surrender… living our guidance.

When we regional helpers were asked to receive the theme of the California Congress we came up with “deepening our surrender together.“ Since that became the theme of the Congress, Leanna and I decided to craft some testing around that. The resulting testing questions were:

1. What is the significance and benefit to getting quiet in my daily life and before my latihan?
2.  What does surrender mean to me as it refers to the latihan?
3.  When we stay in our quiet and deepen our surrender, how does that affect our ability to follow our guidance in our lives?

We offered this testing at the end of the latihan on Saturday morning during Congress. When the third question was asked my receiving was very strong and immediate: “Yes, Helena, that’s what it’s all about!” “ Do it!” Receiving it so clearly and in my face, it felt possible!

I was very grateful and happy to be able to be with my sisters in latihan, receiving together in person. It was delightful working with Leanna and all the other team members. At one point, Rifka commented to all of us, “Harmony is efficient!” That is so true!

Going forward, we are looking for another Regional Helper woman and perhaps two more Regional Helper men. Let us know if you are interested in being part of this Dewan, part of the future of Subud California in a very active way.

And a reminder to all Subud sisters, we continue to offer a Saturday Regional Latihan on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of each month at 10:30 AM, 10:15 quiet. We also offer testing immediately after the latihan on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month if you wish to participate.

And, look for “The Helper Handbook Monthly Meeting” where we’ll go through the book so we can understand more completely Bapak’s guidelines for us. We will be offering that very soon to any members who wish to join us.

With love and gratitude to all!

Leanna Harrison, Regional Helper

After finishing my sushi, avocado feta tartines, and a guilty sliver of chocolate mousse pie, I walk back beside long-known friends for another precious Latihan. Later, as sisters begin to gather for testing, I grab the iPad full of female faces and slink off to a designated Testing Room. One person suggests going off the rail, “Let’s test something other than Awareness.” “OK.” I respond, “Let’s customize together.”

Quickly, deep questions are formed: How do I live and understand my aging process? How would God have it be? What is the purpose of my life in accordance with God‘s will? What steps can I take to achieve God‘s purpose? We discuss, sit quiet, and up arises “What keeps me from openly sharing the importance and meaning of Subud with other people?” It feels this session was just what we all needed.

Another day, as we begin testing about harmony, many sharing their individual receiving on a microphone, we bring the face of each speaker to the virtual members by passing the crowded iPad screen between us. It kinda worked! Rest assured next hybrid Congress, virtual members will join our circle on a large, full screen feeling a part and sharing their ideas more easily. Thank you’s to those so willing to be the first digital devotees.

Again we send out our request for perhaps you to join our Regional Helper team. It can begin simply by testing in your own bedroom “What is my willingness to serve Subud?” As Hani’a asked us all, “…not if, but when…” For me, working with dear Helena and wise Hani’a has been a sweet gift in both my life and my worship. Who knew?

For the election of the new committee, once again we were able to witness one gift we all possess…testing. The perfect duo was chosen after receiving both strengths and weaknesses in their vibrant yet challenging position. I learned to always be honest in my receiving and sometimes, if reluctant to share, ask for the correct words to express it. We would like to welcome Hanafi and Levana Fraval as Chair and Vice Chair of our region! I look forward to our dynamic future together as Subud.

Sending love and thanks to all.

Following opening prayers, our regional helpers offered this report on general state of latihan in the Region. 

Rasjidah Franklin noted that Saturday call-in latihans continue with a fairly constant attendance of 12-16 women and 2-4 men. The women express desire to have these continue indefinitely and report it being especially deep and strong.  Some members attend other call-in latihans from local groups, and of course many members now do latihans at their local centers.  Approximately 50 members attended the latihan in Marin on the day celebrating Isaac’s passing.

Helena Mertens added that when they first began their term as regional helpers, nobody showed up for the call in regional latihan, so it was discontinued. But, when the pandemic appeared, we regularly had between 30 and 40 people attending. There was a wonderful feeling of strength, support and community and how important it was for all of us to stay constant in our latihan even though we could not attend In person with our groups. When we have done testing with our regional members on our call in latihan, it is very reassuring and lovely to hear what our sisters receive and how meaningful it is. This receiving to me  is a confirmation that our latihan is developing and growing.

Hani’a Abrams reviewed visits with groups during the Covid shut down. Virtual meetings were held with the Santa Cruz and with Sacramento groups, and when things opened up for in person meetings, a men’s kejiwaan day was held in Marin, which men from Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Berkeley, and Marin attended along with regional helper Hani’a and international helper, Benedict Herrman.

Rasjidah noted other regional helper activities throughout the year including regular monthly latihans with the Regional Committee, quarterly latihans with the Regional Council, weekly meetings of women RH’s and monthly meetings of RH Dewan.  The RH’s also participate in national latihans and have frequent communication with the national helpers.

Renata closed the report with thoughts in light of the changes related to the pandemic that are happening in groups all over the region. The regional helpers would like to encourage everyone to have patience as we re-enter our centers and to work with a feeling of cooperation and respect for one another. We pray that we can feel our strength and our long standing commitment to our practice and to our brothers and sisters. May this feeling extend out into the whole Subud community.

Our regional helpers opened Annual General Meeting on Saturday, August 7 with heartfelt prayers.

Helena Mertens:

Almighty God, in this time of change and evolution, help us to stay close to you, opening to your grace and guidance as we practice our faith and trust in you. Help us to recognize this moment as a time of opportunity to become even closer to your grace and guidance, and discover within us the potential that God has placed there: kindness and compassion, cooperation and creativity, the capacity to be courageous, calm and open when we face our challenges, and always grateful for the latihan that you have given us to help guide us in this life and the next.

Harlan Gleeson

Dear God- We humbly pray for the continued health of Subud in our region and world wide.  We pray for your love and compassion to work through us in service to our community.  We pray for our inner expansion to continue both individually and collectively.  We ask that the power and miracle of the latihan work in each and every one of us to enable us to truly live in harmony with your will.  Finally, we ask for your love and guidance in our effort to set our own will aside and surrender as best we can to your will full of love and grace. For these and all of thy blessings we pray. 

Hani’a Abrams:

I pray that members who have seemingly irreconcilable issues with one another are soon reconciled by hearts awakened and enjoined to the unity that is our true humanity. And, in love’s courage, find themselves rushing to ask and give forgiveness, and by such noble action are a guiding light for others when they experience the inevitable challenge of the seemingly inexorable forces that tempt us to find naught but fault in the one with whom we disagree.

Rasjidah Franklin:

May we be brought together as one, asking for God’s forgiveness for our shortcomings and praying for God’s blessings for ourselves, for this earth and for all God’s creatures thereon. Amen.

Find the regional helper’s report on the state of the latihan in the Region HERE.