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A Visit to Singapore
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2301
Reads
)
Posted by
ManuelOliver
Sunday, January 27, 2002
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I recently had the pleasure of visiting Subud Singapore with my fellow SYAI co-chair Harfijah Chung. I was struck by the quality of the latihan there and by how wonderful it is to drop in on other groups. It seems obvious, but I sometimes forget that there are many people out there who are not plugged into the world of international gatherings yet are absolutely sincere in their latihans and creative in their Subud lives.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Subud Singapore with my fellow SYAI co-chair Harfijah Chung. We were already to be in Singapore to arrange our visas for our longer stay in Indonesia and decided to make effort to connect with the Subud group. Harfijah and I were able to attend the Kejiwaan gathering in Cilandak, Jakarta last December, two of a handful of foreign visitors. Through IH Murray Clapham, we had the chance to eat and mingle with the eight or so men from Singapore who made the trip. It was through these dinner conversations that we realized that we knew nothing about Subud Singapore, had never met anyone from there, and didnít even know if there were any youth there for us to contact.
Harfijah and I therefore resolved to follow through when we had the chance, got a few email addresses and phone numbers, and told them tentatively that we would be there sometime in late January. So last week it happened, we went to Singapore to take care of our visas. On Friday morning we followed in the foot steps of so many other Subud ex-pats looking to stay a while Indonesia. I hate paperwork anyway, more so when it involves unofficial payments to officials. My experience at the Indonesian Embassy was therefore a stressful endeavor, a confusing and frustrating process, made even more so by the torrential rain that greeted us as we walked from bus stop to back street, searching for the embassy. Our reward for running this gauntlet was a Friday night latihan at the Singapore Subud House.
We arranged to be picked up from our hotel by Mr. Fong, the famous Mr. Fong whom everyone seems to know and associate with Subud Singapore. He drove us to the Subud House, a two-story residence not far from Orchard Street, and as we walked from the car towards the front door, that feeling arose in me of excitement and peace I get in the good moments of my Subud life. The funny thing about the Singapore Subud House is that the women have to walk through the front room and up a stair case to get to their latihan, walking right through where all the men are quietly sitting on couches with shoes off and pockets emptied. There isn't really a sound barrier between the upstairs and the downstairs either. There were times during my latihan when the women were quite audible, and I'm sure this sound mingling between women and men is even more pronounced for the women, men having the strength of numbers in Subud Singapore.
But the latihan there was quite wonderful, helped shake something loose that I needed shaken. I truly felt among brothers and was impressed by the way they did it, were quiet together, stood when each felt ready and moved to stand, did a full long latihan with some members going for well over a half-an-hour. A couple of days ago I read an article in Newsweek magazine about the most ìglobalî countries in the world, and Singapore was near the top of that list. I felt that in the latihan there, how easy it is to be from your own culture while interacting with people of other cultures. Subud Singapore is not homogenous, but it was easy both in latihan and while chatting together to feel brotherhood there. It even strikes me that I donít always feel this when I visit other Subud groups.
After latihan we had the chance to chat with some of the members as their committee met. We even connected with the few young people who came despite it being a Friday night in a city that thrives on its weekend nightlife. People were warm and friendly and from a variety of backgrounds, and happily chatted with we strangers.
Finally a group of us went out to a lively Indian vegetarian restaurant as Harfijah and I were treated to a feast of cipati, puri, chana masala, and spiced tea. The food was delicious, the company wonderful, the feeling welcoming, our earlier embassy experience was washed away. We spoke of the culture of Singapore, the things to visit, the foods to eat. We spoke of hotels in a typically Asian way (Where are you staying? How much does it Cost? Oh no. You could stay here instead for only this much money. Here, Iíll give you my number so that the next you come hereÖ). And we promised weíd be back sometime.
It was a visit to feed my faith in Subud, in how good it feels to when a group is able to extend some courtesy towards visitors (as with new members). And it showed me yet again that there are many people in Subud still unknown to me who are truly following the latihan and living their lives outside the radar of the international publications, gatherings, and the internet.
Thank You Subud Singapore.
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| A Visit to Singapore | Log-in or register a new user account | 1 Comment |
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Re: A Visit to Singapore
(Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Jan 29, 2002 - 12:33 AM
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Hey, Manuel...
Great to hear good news about you guys in Singapore! Please be informed that we have arrived well home(!) Take care. Elias
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