How Zoom Brings Us Together

by Halimah Collingwood, Councilor for Subud California at Arcata

As we have become used to a distanced life, seldom meeting with friends and family, we recognize a hole in our lives. You may be using Zoom for work, for school or to speak with family and are really tired of that platform. You have Zoom fatigue! Enough is enough.  

But you have missed those special moments when an inner spark is felt and transmitted from one person to the next during deep communication. You have missed the belly  laugh that arises from a casual comical comment. 

Subud Sisters Zoom

To remedy the situation, in April 2020 some Subud East Coast women started a weekly ‘Subud Sisters’ Zoom chat group. Gradually, as the news got around, they were joined by others from the Midwest and the West Coast. After nine months it is still a regular meeting place to talk about our lives, our feelings and share experiences. If you or another Subud Sister would like to request to be placed on the list of women who receive the zoom invitation to the zoom gathering, please send an email to Alexandra ter Horst at info(at)subudusa.org (editors note: Subud Sisters is on hiatus as of September 20201)

CalChat

In California, we began a similar conversation group called CalChat. Since June, we have met bi-monthly every first and third Sunday in the early evening. Most of the 16-20 members are from California but there are some from Oregon, Washington, Subud South and one brother from Cyprus. Many of the same people come each time with occasional new attendees. But there are no rules for attendance and members can come whenever they want.

Each month we advertise CalChat on our regional Facebook page and in a California email blast along with other announcements. Our content differs from the Sisters group as we usually have a theme, a question, or a suggested topic to begin our conversation. Over time, as we have come to know each other better and our discussions have deepened. 

We encourage people to be considerate, not to monopolize the session, to be attentive and listen to others. It’s challenging, especially remembering to Mute and Raise our Hands, but it is working well, providing a space for us to see each other and become closer. Many feel it is one thing that has been missing in our local Subud groups. 

For most of us, CalChat provides a service. It’s fulfilling, nourishing and wonderful to learn from each other. Want to check it out? Just send an email to the Cal Chat hosts at zoom.subudCA<at>gmail.com to request an invitation to the Zoom meeting.