The Subud Conversation project continues a tradition of many origins. The format is a discussion panel that follows simple but essential principles of communication. The aim is to provide opportunities for people in Subud to have an open discussion about matters of deeper concern, touching on the nature and evolution of Subud, without fear of judgment. The hope is that it may inspire and further strengthen a culture of open conversation in Subud. This project is currently being managed by Matthew Clark (USA) and Bjorn Vaughn (Indonesia).
There are currently two documented conversations and the intention is to create many more. The first conversation took place during the 2014 Subud World Congress and was well attended by individuals long in Subud. It included a range of topics, revolving mostly around our language and what it means to be and do Subud in the world today. It was organized spontaneously and included around 30 people of different age groups, many nationalities and diverse points of view.
The second conversation was held at the California Regional Congress at the invitation of the congress organizers. It was attended by 30-40 people and was well received. This project is a work in progress and a labor of love. The hope is that the content may be relevant to each of us, that we may create many more conversations at future Subud gatherings and that they may make a positive contribution to our Subud community.
The video of this first conversation (link below) was then shown a few weeks later at the California Regional Congress. As BPI filmmaker, Bjorn Vaughn, explained, “This film served a purpose in California. It stimulated the next conversation that was very positive <and> it touched a number of people who were not present at the conversation. This film represents the continuation of an idea that people can pick up on… being open and courageous. We can continue this practice in our lives and with our groups and replicate magical experiences, or not. For technical and other reasons, the films do not show the conversations in their entirety, but rather give a taste of what is happening… to show what is possible and to inspire others to do the same.”
To view the video, click here. If you’d like to find out more, please contact Matthew at mmclark@ofcounselink.com or Bjorn at bevaughn@gmail.com.