Dear Brothers and sisters,

We have two openings for men and two for women regional helpers for the coming term.

In order to provide some insight into what this experience has been like for two of the regional helper team, here’s a short description from Elizabeth Flanders and Oswald Norton

Two Regional Helpers Speak About Their Experiences

Elizabeth Flanders

I highly recommend serving as a regional helper. This work has been one of my life’s peak experiences. The harmony within our Dewan gave me a glimpse of Bapak’s vision for Subud and I’ve come to love members I did not know previously. When I reflect upon who I was four years ago and who I am now, I am deeply grateful. If you don’t mind traveling 6 – 8 times per year, don’t miss this opportunity!

Oswald Norton

Becoming a regional helper helped me to grow in the latihan and in my love for the members of our Pacific Northwest Subud Community. I was welcomed into this team in the spring of 2016. I was impressed by everyone’s dedication to meeting regularly to share the load and how we enjoyed each other’s company.

After having served as vice chair of the region, I found a whole new type of engagement and trust needed to do this new work.  As I visited regional centers in Boise, Skagit Valley, Portland and Seattle, I noticed a new way of being and thinking becoming a part of who I was becoming. Working with this team and doing this work has provided a deepening of the latihan that I am so grateful for.

Want To Know More?

For more information on the role and it’s responsibilities please contact any of the regional helpers for conversation or testing on doing the roll.

The term starts after the national congress on May 24-28, 2018 Hilton Inn Vancouver Washington.

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Subud PNW Region,

Did you know that if you register for the Subud USA congress and select the box below you will be registered for the Subud PNW Congress for the same price? The PNW Congress is only one day, Friday, May 25th. You will be able to experience general latihans Friday morning and evening. The only additional cost would be for lodging.

I am attending a Regional Congress during this event.

[ ] PNW Regional Congress

We’re at an exciting time for our region.  New members being opened. Members from other areas are moving to our region. We have 3 Subud houses all with committees and helpers serving those communities.  What’s next for our region?  Come to learn about our region and the hopes and plans we all have for our future.

Early registration (15% Discount!) ends March 13^th, so don’t delay.

NOTE  Subud PNW members may also choose to register for Day Use only. If you are not staying in the hotel, day use for 1, 2 or 3 days (Friday,  Saturday,  and / or Sunday) are available. In all cases, meals options are available.

For more information on the Subud PNW Congress, please click this link.

International Helper Report On Their Visit To the Pacific Northwest

The area three international helpers began 2018 with a beautiful outward and inward experience by visiting four groups in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.  We are currently about half way through our visit to 13 groups in California.

We are very grateful for the hospitality and caring we have received. It is very inspiring to do latihan with many members some of whom have been doing latihan regularly for 40 to 50 years. When we receive to do so we often offer general testing after latihan and the test questions arise to fit the group we are visiting. Afterwards we talk, hear the questions and concerns in each group and share something of our experiences traveling as IHs and information about the world congress.  

In general we find that latihans are very strong and our visits draw people to come who have been away from group latihan. They express an appreciation for a renewed experience of strong receiving.

Some common themes and questions that come up during discussion time are:

• How are we living the gifts we have received from the latihan in our lives?  
• How can we talk about Subud in a natural way when we are asked about it?  
• Concerns about attending group latihans when busy lives, heavy traffic, and aging bodies make it very challenging to get there.
• Concerns about how to improve communication between men and women and between helpers and committees so that planning and decision making are coordinated.
• How to support newly opened people so they feel welcomed and cared about.
• How to create a welcoming atmosphere for younger and newer members so that they will feel comfortable to bring their friends who enquire about Subud.

We were impressed with the good condition of most of the Subud houses we visited. We feel we in Subud are learning to run center enterprises using the houses to bring in income. There are many challenges in maintaining and operating houses that create a context in which groups are learning and growing. Committee members play such an important role in providing spaces for latihan and managing finances.

We feel great admiration and gratitude for the generous ways in which people give of their time and talents. In several groups we see new and younger people coming to do the latihan. And we feel very hopeful about the future of Subud.

Often when meeting with Subud members stories are shared of times the latihan touched others or awakened something inside. We would like to share one such story.

Several years ago, during one of the wild fires that strike California the beautiful home of a Subud family was burned to the ground. As they looked through the rubble hoping to find anything that might have survived, they came across a burned down wall. They lifted up the rubble and saw one remaining sculpture turned over on its back.

They flipped it over and there was the face of our dear Bapak looking up at them, undamaged except for the paint having burned away. The sculpture was created by Liana Kelley, a long time Subud member and very gifted artist. This gift created from hands guided by God of our dear Bapak was the only surviving objects in the whole house. Going through the rubble and coming across this face must have felt like Bapak coming down from above, saying it will ok. God is with you always. Below is a photo of this sculpture.

Mahmud, Sjarifuddin, Suzanne and Myriam

Please join us THIS Friday, March 9th, 2018, for our SGS general meeting at our eastside facilities (Bellevue First Congregational United Church of Christ 11061 NE 2nd St Bellevue, WA 98004)

The meeting will happen after Latihan. You can find out what your committee has been up to.

Bring your energy and questions. Bring your love for the work that your committee and helpers are doing to keep the latihan alive in the Seattle area.

I found a good deal through American Airlines for getting to the world congress. After hours of online searching I found flying to Zurich, Switzerland and taking a train from there was the best option for us. The flight has a stop in Dallas or New York then on to Heathrow airport in London and then a short flight to Zurich all for $638.00 round trip! The train station is at the airport and takes less than three hours to get to Freiberg at around $60.00 dollars. There seemed to be good connections with not very long wait times. The return flight was even better with only one stop in the U.S. before returning to Seattle. Most other flights to Frankfurt or Basil were a couple hundred dollars more but still envolved taking a bus or train to Freiburg. If you have not made reservations yet this seems like a very good rate.