By Ruben Andrews
August 1966: There was a Monday/Thursday evening Latihan in Balboa Park in the House of Friendship which was upstairs from the Cafe Del Rey Morro. The group was composed of several older folks: Herbert and Jeanie Gregg, Patricia Novlan, Anne Blackburn, Richard Simons, Rainer Gartenmen and a growing group of young people.
It was the Summer of Love and Psychedelics. Young men and women, mostly under 25 years old, lined the hallway, waiting outside the Latihan. After the Latihan, Rainer Gartenmen would meet with the men. Rainer would ask in his thick German accent, “Dos anyvone ‘ave any quvestions?” When no one spoke up, Rainer would say, “Vell, if you did ‘ave a quvestion, it might be dis.” And he would proceed to ask and answer his own question.
Soon, the Latihan moved high in an upstairs corner of the House of Hospitality, a huge exhibition hall in Balboa Park where there were often dog shows, flower shows and the occasional Bonzai Plant Show. The Latihan was held in two rooms off a balcony overlooking the exhibit floor. The muffled sounds of the Latihan were audible to the exhibitioners below. We wondered if the Latihan had an influence on the activities below and we joked conversely, that the Bonzai Plant Show might stunt our growth.
The group was growing. Having opened a window of perception to the spiritual, many young people became interested in Subud because of an experience with drugs. Leonard Enos brought many of his circle of friends from the nearby town of Jamul. Mark Frye and Sherill East chanced upon a 33 rpm record in the Thrifty Drugs record bin of Steve Allen’s interview with John Bennett discussing Subud and the 6th dimension. Friends brought friends. There were about a half dozen older members and 50 young, newly opened members.
The Helper in the Men’s group was Herbert Gregg. Then Harris Nelson and Mark Frye were appointed. The women helpers were Rohanna Novlan, Anne Blackburn, Jeanie Gregg and a newly appointed Diana Frye.
Dan Andrews was selected Chairman. An initial meeting was planned and Herb and Jeanie Gregg offered their house in National City. Herb commented that he believed the new members were not serious and would not come. Despite this prediction, the committee mailed postcards and to Herb’s surprise, nearly 60 people crowded into his house.
Misconceptions thrived. Many of us knew that following the path of drugs would lead to darkness. One member, CJ, said that Latihan would save him from any condition and behavior. Another member told him this was an error and he must correct his own behavior to experience any progress. Despite this advice, CJ’s room became filled with his oil paintings – canvases depicting human bodies and skeletons burning in fields of red, orange and yellow flames. He died shortly after.
Though many of us had our own experiences, we were not completely without external guidance. Nurdin Young appeared from Santa Barbara. His calm, quiet manner provided an indication of what authentic progress and receiving might be. Lucas (Latif) Marotti arrived after the 1967 Tokyo World Congress with stories of Subud in Asia and Indonesia. Luqman Glascow came to San Diego during Ramadan in December 1968 and instructed us how to practice the fast. As he was explaining the discipline required, he passed a drinking fountain, bent over and took a drink. “OOOPS! Oh well! One slip-up, first day.” In 1968, Bapak came to the Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica and some, having no idea what to expect, took this opportunity to see Bapak.
The older men members soon left and new members came. Herbert and Jeanie Gregg moved to Ashland, Oregon. Jayana and Laura Emory came from Salt Lake City. Steven Schriber, a professor at San Diego State University, and his friend Herbert and their riend, Carol (Celeste) Serrian, were opened.
After Latihan, some of us would have coffee and chat at the International House of Pancakes on 4th and Washington where Jeanie, the waitress, would take our complicated orders and join the conversation. Occasionally, there would be a picnic on the grass in Balboa Park where families with youngsters would throw the football and aura Emery would lead a sing-a-long on the guitar.
By 1970, the group had moved to a shingle and wood frame cottage on 6th and Pennsylvania. It was built as a small meeting hall – probably in the 1920’s. There was one large room, a small stage, one bathroom and a small kitchen. A soundproof wall was added for simultaneous Latihans. Hernando and Hadjah Garcia came from Mexico City with Halima Jacobs and their one year old, Ricardo. Luquman and Halimah Clark came from Morocco, where he was stationed in the military.
Though not always the case, Subud San Diego generally enjoyed a place apart, where controversy passed by without effect and people came to visit, recover and regenerate. In 1970, Leonard Enos published “Key to the American Psilocybin Mushroom”, a how-to-book on growing hallucinogenic mushrooms. The last chapter took a radical departure as an introduction to Subud. This caused a stir. The National Helpers were concerned that readers would get the wrong idea. The men helpers were asked to intervene. Mark Frye and Ruben Andrews met with Leonard and he readily agreed to refer any inquiries to the National Helpers – and that was the end of that! to be continued….