From Auckland to the Zone 1&2 meeting… with much of Area 1 in the Southern Hemisphere, we are always very busy at the start of the year.

First stop was New Zealand – our first trip this term to Kiwiland! One of us went to Auckland and two to Wellington and Nelson on the North Island.  

We met up in Christchurch, down south. This group is finishing their new Subud Centre – which will house their National Archives and serve as a Centerprise.  Subud New Zealand may not have many members, but they are very devoted Subud members and care for their Subud houses.

Heading Down Under

We were then off to Australia; the first stop was Canberra, where we were invited to tour the new WSA archives. Rashida Pope and Amaliyah Thompson gave us a fascinating tour. We donned gloves to look at the original materials. One document was a report from the first Subud World Congress in the UK in 1959. Although the yellowed typed pages were nearly 70 years old, they felt very much alive, with information about Subud we had never read before. 

We also met up with WSA Chair Rifka Several who also went to the congress and Indonesia.

In both countries, we were warmly welcomed wherever we went, and we thank all the brothers and sisters who opened their homes to us. It was a wonderful way to get to know you all! 

Next stop was the Australian Congress, which was held just outside Sydney at a beautiful Catholic Retreat centre – perhaps preparing us a bit for Fatima!

Australia National Congress, 120+ members gathered at the retreat

We reunited with the National Helpers, four men and four women. There was a lovely feeling of harmony among us. We tested about the needs of Subud Australia and what we could each contribute. Testing with members included topics such as harmony, courage, and surrender. We also did some awakening testing and listened to Bapak and Ibu Siti Rahayu’s talks. The meeting itself ran smoothly, and we were treated to a night of music and Australia’s traditional fundraising auction.

Then it was off to Perth, Australia’s largest group, with about 60 people and a large number of young people, mainly children of Subud members.

Perth group

Halo Indonesia

Next stop was Indonesia and Wisma Subud, where we attended the national meeting. We met with the six men and six women of the National Helper Dewan and again, a real feeling of harmony was felt by all. IH Isti da Silva from Area 2 was also present and Ibu Ismana spoke very warmly with the ladies – sharing her experiences. 

We had been discussing organising a helper gathering in Indonesia for some time, and the idea became a reality! Indonesia has more than 400 helpers across the country, so we hope for a good turnout. God willing, it will happen later this year, and helpers from the Zones can also join us.

An evening of music, dance, comedy and a traditional fashion show created by very talented Subud members brought us all together.

Zoning In

Then the four-day Zone 1 & 2 meeting began, led by Rep. Sandra Egege from Australia. The first day was a kejiwaan day, so we did Latihan and testing about the Zones. This was the first time everyone met in person. The purpose of the Zones is to facilitate communication and democratic representation, with each zone electing a representative to the World Council. KC’s, CCs, and National Chairs also take part. Countries gave updates on the situation in each country, and through testing, many felt an opportunity to support each other – to overcome challenges by sharing  success stories from each country.

And so our 28-day tour ended – we learned much along the way and felt closer to members in our Area. Thank you, Bapak.