What is the latihan of Subud?

Subud is neither a religion nor a teaching. The essence of Subud exists in the experience called the "latihan kejiwaan." "Latihan" means "training" or "exercise" in Indonesian. "Kejiwaan" is a adjective meaning "spiritual."
Human beings have long forgotten the perception of God and Spirit. An Indonesian, Muhammad Subuh, received this experience and brought the method to contact with this great force to human beings and now we can contact this power again. Through the latihan, human beings can be released from their thoughts and emotions and the path to receive the power of God, which cannot be known in the normal way, is opened.
One of the characteristics of the "latihan kejiwaan of Subud" is to be able to receive it easily and simply. We don't have to do anything during the latihan. The latihan itself is a human worship of God free from the mind and emotions. The first latihan which awakens human spirit is called the "Opening." When you are opened, you just submit and surrender to God.

The Process of the Latihan

What is received and what is experienced during the latihan is different for each person, and depends on his or her content, condition and strength. It is meaningless to compare one's experiences with those of others. Each person follows his/her own path guided by God. Thus the process of purification based on the power of God begins. The inner self of human beings has become stained with anger, jealousy, pride, feelings of superiority or inferiority and so on. The latihan cleanses us, bit by bit, of the dirt that has built up within us from our previous actions, as well as that inherited from our parents and ancestors. The basic working of the latihan is to restore us to the life of our true inner self.
Although it depends on person, generally speaking, purification starts from the body level and you feel some unknown energy arising from your inner self independently of your will. Some people moves their hand, walk or utter a voice. However, other people wonder wonder what is happened to them because nothing happens and they cannot feel anything, actually they are already opened. You do not have to worry about it. The important thing is that you have to be patient to experience the grace of Subud. Because the latihan itself is very simple, it is not necessarily easy. You cannot patiently continue latihan without surrender to God. The process of the latihan start from the purification of the body and go on profound level afterwards.

Important Points when You Continue the Latihan

You should not expect something for latihan whatever it is. It is not a measure to achieve your desire but to just worship God and follow and receive What God gives you. Although Subud is not incompatible with existing religions, you should take care of the trainings such as meditation and channeling. You need take care to mix such kinds of trainings with latihan. If you try to strengthen the effect of latihan by adding such techniques, it will only bring about a contrary effect.　In addition, if you do latihan in order to get supernatural power or strengthen the power through Subud, you will lose it on the contrary.
As the result of purification through the latihan, your living, economic and health aspects could be improved. For example, doing the latihan may lead to healing serious diseases. However, because a disease is caused by various reasons, doing the latihan cannot be guarantee of the healing. On the contrary, the disease hidden so far may even come to the surface or you may temporarily feel sick through the process of purification. Therefore, joining Subud in order to heal the diseases or get the worldly benefits is inconsistent with the original purpose of Subud. The latihan rather strengthen the inner self to deal with any difficult situations. The experiences of Subud are given by God if necessary and it cannot be got even if you desire.

About "Opening"

Subud is a group of people who should like to recover the inherent connection between God the Almighty and our souls. There are variety of people who follow the various religions and do not have any religion.
Before you become a member and do the latihan, you have to be opened. Anybody who is older than 17 years, should like to believe in the great power of God the Almighty, surrender to God and sincerely receive latihan can be a member. There is a 3 month waiting period before you join Subud. You should talk with Subud members, ask questions of them till you are satisfied and thoroughly understand Subud during the waiting period. (Note: those who are older than 63 years or seriously sick, or Subud member's wife and children do not have to wait for 3 months, in general.)
"Opening" is done through the people who have a role as helpers. Helpers are people who have been experiencing latihan more than 7 years and act in the hope that they should like to sincerey serve Subud. All of them are volunteers and play an important role in the spiritual area.
It is important for you to relax yourself and follow the power of God working in you inner self without any resistance. The same thing can be said to helpers and they only do their latihan without any attention toward the person who is opened. The point is that the flow of the "Power of God" is conveyed to the person who is opened through the existence of the opener (helper) by God. Your mind and emotion is calm through this power. As the result you are opened.
Thus, newly opened member should join group latihan regularly twice a week if possible. The group latihan is done for men and women separately.