Bradford Subud Hall
in Shipley
About Subud - a Spiritual Path for All
Subud means to follow the will of God / Allah / the Creator / the life force with the help of the Divine Power that works both inside and outside us. It is a way to renew contact with the Power of God, an individual experience which arises from within. Subud can be described as the reality behind all religions or the life within a life.
Subud is not a religion but a spiritual practice. It enables people of different religious backgrounds and beliefs to worship together in a free form where our bodies and voices are moved.
Subud has spread to about 80 countries.
In Britain 39 Subud groups meet in 58 places,
see www.subudbritain.org/groups
The meaning of 'Subud'
Subud is a contraction of the Sanskrit-derived words Susila (the behaviour and character of a person following the will of God), Budhi (the essence of the Divine Power within a human being) and Dharma (complete submission, trust and sincerity towards God).
The Latihan - our spiritual exercise
In our latihan we empty our minds, surrender and receive the spirit of God. It is a practice which allows us to follow God's will in thought, word and action.
"In the beginning was the void. And the void was full of energy, which manifested as a vibration which became light. And out of the light came earth, water, air and fire; which therefore were the content of the vibration.
And so is our latihan which begins as a vibration, becomes movement, and, after some travail, eventually becomes useful activity." (Bapak, 11 August 1983)
The benefit of allowing God to work with us is a process of healing, balancing and transformation.
Bapak - the founder of Subud
Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo (born 22 June 1901, died 23 June 1987), also called Bapak (Indonesian for respected father), came from Java in Indonesia. He unexpectedly received a series of spiritual experiences in 1924. Later he was able to pass his receiving on to anyone who asked for it.
Religion in Subud
Subud is multi-faith and is available for members from all religions or beliefs and anyone who sincerely wishes to worship God. You can follow your religion and beliefs while practicing the latihan.
Subud Organisation
Subud has democratic structures on local, regional, national and international levels. The International Subud Council moves country every four years so as to reduce the likelihood of being attached to one culture or country in particular.
There are several wings, or associated activities, within Subud: social welfare (Susila Dharma International*), culture (SICA), health (SIHA), publications (SPI), youth (SYA) and enterprises (SES).
* in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC] and the International Children's Fund [UNICEF]
Joining Subud / membership
Anyone from the age of 17 can join Subud. Since the latihan may cause changes in your life, it is usual to have a preparation time of up to three months before you join Subud. We call the first latihan your "opening". There is no membership fee - members give voluntary contributions for overheads.
Personal Experiences:
"I didn't expect my opening to be so spectacular and so profound. It was such an enlightening experience. It felt so uplifting and such a beautiful experience. It was like nothing I had experienced before. I felt so much happiness, joy and I felt connected to an inner energy that guided me throughout the latihan,
I quietly sang whilst this energy moved around my body causing parts of my body to move. It resulted in a release of tears which aligned my internal state of being back into balance into a state of overwhelming peace. After I felt so much lighter, calmer and my mind was so still." Michaela B, 2024
"I found my way to the Subud group Cambridge in September 1997. At my first meeting I sensed a kind of soul connection with some members. Half of the group members were involved in music, singing and creativity. My first latihan was quite overwhelming and left me in tears. I got a glimpse of complete freedom, which was exciting and scary at the same time.
I realised that I do not have to practice a certain mantra, or do special postures.
I don't have to do anything at all. I am free." Raphael Nimmann
Do you want to know more?
Find more on wikipedia.org/wiki/Subud and on www.SubudBritain.org
Here is a detailed personal introduction to Subud and the practice called latihan:
"My Personal Introduction to a Spiritual Path - Subud" by Sharif Horthy
Contact us on bradfordsubudhall@gmail.com
or call Loretta 07960 572012 - Howerd 07868 052367 - Raphael 07909 488272
for a chat or to arrange a meeting.
The Bradford Subud group meets Monday evenings & Thursdays lunchtime in the Subud Hall.
Other Subud groups around Bradford meet in
Hull, Leeds, Manchester South, Sheffield, Thirsk & York.
See all Subud groups in Britain: www.subudbritain.org/groups
Subud Britain is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.
Registered Office: Waugh & Co, 1st floor, 51 High St, Arundel, BN18 9AJ
Tel/Fax: 0870 444 2604, email: enquiries@subudbritain.org
Charity Reg. No. 233282. Company No. 678027
The name "Subud" and the seven circles symbol are registered marks
of the World Subud Association. © Subud Britain, 2007
