That night... after group Latihan... to embellish on the letter... BAPAK had written to us... he gave a hilarious... physical demonstration... of how a woman behaved... when she was wearing slacks... under the influence... of male forces... and how she behaved... when she was wearing slacks... under the influence... of her own female forces... What a difference!
Then it was the turn of the SUBUD Men... about thirty of them... who were split up into fifteen... and asked to demonstrate... through the Movement of their Latihan... how masculine they were... before they were "Opened"... then how masculine... they had become... since becoming "Opened"...
And there was this particular man there... wearing a turban... his skin dark and swarthy... either from India... or Pakistan...
And all he seemed to be able to say... in a very loud voice... was...:
"Paa...pap-p-a...pap-p-a... pap-p-a...pap-p-a...!" ...
And he was furiously gesturing... with his hands... and behaving... as if he was issuing orders... and there was an extremely serious expression... on his face...
Then... to everybody's astonishment... He Put His Own Hands... Around His Own Throat... as if to choke himself...!
And to this demonstration of his... BAPAK imitated him... by putting his own hands... around his own throat... and gesturing... saying in English...:
"Aargh... he does not like himself very much... he wants to kill himself...!" ...
...making everybody laugh... nervously... to relieve the tension... of a moment before...
But for Grazia... she knew... somehow... that the poor man... was full of self loathing... and felt sad... her heart full of compassion... and sympathy for him...
Then BAPAK... regaled us further... with a demonstration... surprising everybody... with his perfect flair for comedy... of how man is not easily satisfied... with what he has...
Using just his own body... BAPAK demonstrated a man and a woman embracing... using his own arms... to slowly caress himself...!
And he was so skillful... that it really looked... as if there were two people... embracing each other...!
For a few moments... BAPAK showed how the lovers... were quite happy... with each other... until the man... happened to look... over the woman's shoulder... and saw a more beautiful woman... behind her...!
And... his immediate attraction to her... overpowering him... he began to strangle... the woman... already in his arms...!
The next day... being Saturday... after group Latihan... everybody was assembled in a large... airy... sunny room... and experienced being tested by BAPAK... beginning with the SUBUD Ladies...
There were about thirty Ladies present... from all over South Africa... and BAPAK asked half of them... to come up... and stand in front of him... close their eyes... and show him... through their Latihan... for instance... how they Walked... and then said...:
"Begin..."... in English!
And to Grazia's delight... she Was Being Raised... up on her toes... just like the ballerina... she used to be... her feet barely touching the floor... all six feet of her... Feeling As Light As A Feather...!
A short time later... all too soon... BAPAK said...:
"Ja ja... finish..."... again in English...!
And then BAPAK asked them... to show him... how an Angel Walked... and said:
"Begin..." like before...
And again... Grazia Was On Her Toes... Dancing Away...!
Then how they danced... and how an Angel Danced... and Grazia Was Still Dancing On Her Toes...!
And she realized... that her Walking... and Dancing... from the Latihan... were exactly the same... as an Angel... Walking and Dancing...!!!
And she was thrilled down to her toes... which tingled with Joy...
Feeling wonderful... she would have loved to have gone on Dancing... forever and ever... but to her dismay... all too soon... BAPAK again said...
"Ja ja... finish..."
But then... BAPAK asked the Ladies to demonstrate to him... how they cried... and how an Angel Cried... and for the life of her... Grazia... who could hear the other Ladies Crying... And Sobbing... around her... could not Receive either... simply because... she was feeling a continuous... Bubbling Fountain of Joy... deep inside her...!
Then... after a while... BAPAK said... again in English...:
"Ja ja... Finish...!"
Then... the Ladies were asked to show BAPAK... how they laughed... then how an Angel Laughed... and this time... a Silvery Knd of Trill... Issued from Grazia's mouth... delighting her no end... for now... she was able to Receive... for BAPAK... and thrills chased up and down her spine...
But all too soon... BAPAK again said...:
"Ja ja... Finish...!"
Then... looking straight at Grazia... with a penetrating look... BAPAK asked the Ladies to Receive... how they sang... and her Voice Burst Forth... from a very deep place inside her... and as it Soared... Higher... And Higher... she heard one of the seated Ladies exclaim...:
"Why... she sings like an Angel...!"
And BAPAK... beaming... agreed with her... saying...:
"Ja Ja... voice like Angel...!"
Then he whispered something to Usman... who turned to Grazia... smiling... and said...:
"BAPAK says you do not need to show BAPAK... how Angels Sing...!"... making everybody laugh... and making her blush... to the roots of her hair...
It was one of the happiest moments... of Grazia's life... thrilled to be showing BAPAK that... indeed... she was able to Receive... so she must have been making some Spiritual progress... over the past five years...
And the Bubbling Fountain of Joy... kept Bubbling away... inside her... and she couldn't stop smiling... and her jaw began to ache...
Then BAPAK asked to be shown... through the movement of their Latihan... how it was in Hell... and although Grazia heard some Wailing... and Groaning... around her... she was still so full of the Blissful Feeling... that all she could do was... lift up her arms... Praising GOD... in joyful song...!
And BAPAK laughed... quickly switching to be shown... how it was in Heaven... and her voice Soared... in Spiritual Ecstasy... as never before...
Then it was the turn of the SUBUD Men... now numbering about a hundred... from all over South Africa... who would be going on to Johannesburg... to hear BAPAK's Talk... the following night...
Splitting them up in sections of twenty at a time... BAPAK had them demonstrate... through the Movement of their Latihan... how they walked... then how men of different nationalities walked... and it was quite hilarious...
When Grazia finally went to bed... in the wee hours of the morning... ecstatically fulfilled... and on an exhilarating... Spiritual High... she considered herself extremely Blessed... and fortunate... to have had the privilege... of being in the same room... with this Holy Man of GOD... the very holy man... that the pope... in the Vatican... had been told about... who was "outside the church..."!
The next morning... being Sunday... and sadly... the last day for Grazia... after group Latihan... BAPAK gave another Talk... about the importance... of being diligent... sincere and patient... in the SUBUD Way of Life...
And then... alas... it was time... for her to leave...
(THE WONDERFUL VISIT OF BELOVED BAPAK... TO SOUTH AFRICA... AFTER SIX LONG YEARS... OF WAITING FOR HIM... To be Continued with Part V ... GRAZIA IS SUMMONED BY
BAPAK... FOR A PRIVATE AUDIENCE...! ... Insha Allah... God Willing... Thursday 2/3/11...)
THE WONDERFUL VISIT OF BELOVED BAPAK... TO SOUTH AFRICA... AFTER SIX LONG YEARS... OF WAITING FOR HIM... Part III ... Thursday 1/27/11...)
Lying in her bed... wide awake... and feeling much too euphoric to sleep... Grazia found herself reliving everything... that had brought her to the Assembly Hall of Wilgespruit... a conclave of beautiful modern buildings... situated half way between Pretoria and Johannesburg... for the momentous weekend...
When she heard... that the founder of SUBUD... the Holy Man of God... her Spiritual SUBUD Father... BAPAK... would finally... actually be coming to South Africa... for the very first time... she... newly divorced from the hotelier Rene Heere... was ecstatic...
The prospect... of finally seeing this Great Holy Man of God... in person... filled her being... with that by now very familiar feeling... of a Bubbling Fountain of Joy... Experienced so many times... during her Latihans... of now six years in SUBUD...
She was most fortunate indeed... for her kindly employer... Mr. Withoff... the Manager of the Ambassador Hotel... had very graciously... given her the weekend off... to go to Wilgespruit... to attend the very special occasion...
During the past six years... at least since Grazia was Gloriously Inwardly "Opened..."... and "Awakened..." ... into the Miracle of SUBUD... the only contact with Beloved BAPAK... had been through correspondence with him... alone...
But SUBUD came to South Africa... three years earlier... in 1957... through BAPAK commissioning one of his SUBUD sons... Richard Lacey... Grazia's soul mate... to spread SUBUD throughout South Africa... having personally "Opened" him... at Coombe Springs in England...
And Grazia had heard all about the puzzling problems... experienced by the fledgling SUBUD groups... such as the dire consequences... that resulted... when the ignorant Men and Ladies... did Latihan... in the same room... together...!
... or whether it was appropriate... for the Ladies... to be wearing mens' slacks to Latihan... or not... (Muftiah wrote about her own uniquely individual experience... about that subject... as Grazia... in her "To Wear Pants To Latihan... Or Not ... That Is The Question"... featured on her Facebook Notes Page...)
... or whether the SUBUD Ladies... should attend Latihan... if they had their period... or after surgery... or during pregnancy... and on and on...
And perplexed... they would write to their Spiritual Father... BAPAK... seeking his advice... and back would come BAPAK's reply... always starting with: "Bapak Recommends..." ... followed by a beautiful Spiritual explanation... that would satisfy everybody...
BAPAK's Supreme Greatness... was evidenced by the fact... that... he never... ever... volunteered any advice... in advance... always only responding to the problems... as they arose... and were presented to him...
And now... here... at long last... BAPAK... which is the Indonesian term used... for an elderly gentleman... was amongst us... his South African SUBUD Children... larger than life... and Grazia... for one... could not quite believe... that for a whole evening... she had been in the Holy Presence... sitting just a few yards... below this Holy Man of God... who was "outside the church"...
Sent down to earth... on a Special Mission... by Allah Almighty God... to bring mankind... out of the darkness... into the Light... once more... by "Touching" the Inner Self of mankind... by passing on to mankind... the CONTACT WITH THE GREAT HOLY LIFE FORCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD... throughout this very troubled world...
Her heart soaring... with joy... she and Esme had driven together... to Wilgespruit... in Esme's car... in great anticipation... to hear what this great... Supreme Human Being... would have to say... to the South African SUBUD Men ... and Ladies... gathered together... in the great Assembly Hall...
They had quickly settled into their room... and made their way to the appointed auditorium... and Grazia could not quite fathom... how she had landed... sitting in the very front row... when she had intended to sit... at the very back... because of her great height of six feet...!
Now snug in her bed... she was pleased... that both she and Esme... had instinctively known... to sit quietly... next to each other... with a feeling of calm... reverent anticipation... inside them...
And she recalled... how behind them... the Assembly Hall had soon begun to fill up with people... from all over South Africa... and the more it filled... the louder their excited voices became... until it seemed... as if there was a great roaring... in the thick... incense scented atmosphere...
Now she was feeling sympathy... for the hapless Welcoming Committee... who... out of respect... and deference to BAPAK... as a man from the Orient... had placed large... beautiful urns of lit joss sticks... on each side of the stage...
And she realized... that in just those few hours... she and BAPAK's other SUBUD children... had learned so very much...
Being taught real PATIENCE... as they were all kept waiting... and waiting... and waiting... without really knowing why...!
And then had come some enlightenment... when... after what seemed to be an eternity... of waiting... with everybody still jabbering away... tall... dignified... silver-hired Usman... had suddenly appeared... coming into the auditorium... from a side door... next to the stage... and quietly announced... that BAPAK would not enter the Hall... until the urns of incense... had been removed...!
And Grazia recalled... how after the offending urns... had been removed from the stage... everyone anticipated... that now their Beloved BAPAK... would appear before them...
But no... there had been another long... long... wait... until finally... when it seemed as if a century... had passed by... Usman had once again appeared... and announced that BAPAK... would not be coming into the auditorium... until there was absolute quiet...!
Grazia... sitting quietly with Esme... had been aware... that there was a lot of embarrassed rustling... and fidgeting... and clearing of throats... then mercifully... complete quiet... utter silence... so quiet... you could have heard a pin drop...
The auditorium now absolutely still... there was to be another long... long... wait... and still BAPAK had not yet made an appearance...!
BAPAK was teaching his SUBUD Children... their first lesson... of "PATIENCE"...!
And still BAPAK did not appear... and then... after what seemed an eternity... It Was As If The Whole Atmosphere... In The Auditorium... Was Filled... With An Exquisite Sense... Of Utterly Peaceful... Heavenly Calm...
And just as BAPAK... finally made an appearance... striding briskly on to the stage... full of youthful energy... together with Usman... his translator... Grazia became aware... of a Heavenly Scent of Roses... and she knew that there was an Angel of God... Present with them...!
Just as on that Magical night... in Bulawayo... when she and Dimitri... had been Miraculously inroduced... to the Holy Word of SUBUD... via a materialized little book catalog... with the quaint title of... "The Mystic Book Shop Of London..." ... which she always carried around with her... nestled snugly... in her roomy tote bag... propped up next to her... on the hard wooden bench...
And there BAPAK and Usman sat... serenely... side by side... so regal of bearing... like royalty... on those two... hideous looking... enormous... high-backed... throne-like... unpadded... chairs... that were grotesque monstrosities... of hard oak...
And Grazia recalled... yet... as uncomfortable as they looked... BAPAK's enormous presence... as he looked down fondly... upon his South African SUBUD Children... for the first time... had completely dwarfed the ugly Dutch chair...!
Then the Committee Chairman... extremely nervous... upon finding himself... in such close proximity... to the great Holy Man of God... BAPAK... had walked up onto the stage... and given a short... stuttering welcome speech...
BAPAK had smiled... graciously thanking him...
And then bowed his head... as if waiting for an Inner Voice...
And then said the two words... that were to become universally known... as his introductory prelude... to Spiritual Talks of Truth... that would help his SUBUD Children... all over the world... to remain steadfast... and patient... in their Latihan Kejiwaan Worship... of their Creator... their Heavenly Father... Allah Almighty God... the SUBUD Way... his voice soft... and gentle...:-
"Sudara Sudara..."
And lying in her bed... Grazia recalled the very first time... she had heard BAPAK... utter those very words... on a taped Talk... given by him... and her extremely unexpected... embarrassing emotional reaction... in public... to his gentle voice... (her story also featured... on her Facebook Notes Page...)
And as BAPAK's mouth opened... and God's Holy Words... flowed out... into the vast auditorium... he had given them their very first Spiritual lesson... about the power... that man... over the centuries... had given to incense... by using it... to evoke spirits... in their practice of black magic rituals... and how dangerous a power incense was... when lit... by anyone... anywhere... even for social purposes... for they had the power to actually attract evil spirits...!
And that we... all his SUBUD Children... should refrain from using any incense... in future...! And then BAPAK had spoken about the danger of deliberately clapping one's hands... during one's Latihan...!
And she wondered about all the clapping going on... by appreciative audiences... at plays... concerts... and the opera...!
Were they too attracting evil spirits towards them...?
So many Spiritually enlightening Words "Received"... on the spot... by Beloved BAPAK... sitting nobly erect... like a king... immaculately dressed in a dark tailored business suit... God's Infinite Words of Wisdom... Issuing from his "Receiving" mouth... spoken in his native tongue of Bahasa Indonesia... with dignified Usman... sitting quietly... and serenely... beside him... translating BAPAK's precious Words... in his rich cultured voice... whenever BAPAK paused... nodding at him...
Then something disturbing... entered Grazia's thoughts... recalling how It wasn't long... before she sensed... that BAPAK seemed to be casting long stares... at her never ending long legs...!
Endowed with wide hips... the sheath type of form fitting dresses... in vogue then... would invariably ride up her thighs... whenever she sat down...
And... mortified... suddenly in anguish... that she was giving BAPAK... an absolutely wrong impression... about herself... she had tried to cover up her legs... with the light... white summer coat... she was wearing... imploring him... with her eyes... not to think... that she was what she appeared to be... a cheap exhibitionist... a woman of loose morals... although she looked like a young teenager... much younger than her actual age of now thirty-six...!
But then she had soon been caught up in BAPAK's eloquent explanation... about the Aims and Purposes of SUBUD... listening raptly... forgetting all about her exposed legs and thighs...
And when BAPAK talked... about the choice we had... to either continue... using our hearts and minds... to direct our actions... as we had been doing... prior to being "Opened"... or taking the very beneficial advantage... of Susila Budi Darma... being especially privileged... to "Put Into Practice"... That... which we were Receiving... through the Grace of the Latihan... which was Training us... to be Guided... by our Inner selves... her spirits had soared...
For BAPAK's Holy Words... had struck a chord... deep inside her... and she had vowed... then and there... that she would concentrate... from then on... to listen to her Inner Voice... exclusively...
And since she didn't have any brains... to speak of... anyway... that part would be easy for her... all she really had to contend with... would be to curb... the emotions of her heart... which she knew... ruled her... now truly wanting to be... as SUBUD... as BAPAK was now "Recommending"... that we should all be...
And feeling a sense of utter contentment... at her firm resolve... with a smile... as she recalled her earliest Latihans... when she felt like an elephant... when she Was Made To Bend Way Down... from her great height... and Swing her long monkey arms... To and Fro... To and Fo... and how interesting it was... that BAPAK had chosen an elephant... ... she finally felt drowsy... and closed her eyes... and knew no more... gently drifting off... into the comforting arms of Morpheus...
(To be Continued with... THE WONDERFUL VISIT OF BELOVED BAPAK... TO SOUTH AFRICA... AFTER SIX LONG YEARS... OF WAITING FOR HIM... Part IV ... Insha Allah... God Willing... Monday 1/31/11...)
BAPAK.. so handsome... and so regal of bearing... was on the stage... above his SUBUD children... who had been so eagerly awaiting his arrival... and for so many years... sitting serenely on a huge... heavily ornate... grotesque monstrosity of a hard... high-backed... unpadded... Dutch throne-like oaken chair... that he... with his enormous presence... completely dwarfed...
Until now... BAPAK's SUBUD children... had had to be content... only with BAPAK's precious letters of "recommendation"... and rely on them... to solve their problems...
Sitting nobly erect... like a king... immaculately dressed in a dark business suit... God's Infinite Words of Wisdom... Issuing Forth... from BAPAK's "Receiving" mouth... with dignified Usman... sitting quietly beside him... on an equally ugly-looking... hard... cushionless chair... calmly translating...
And watching them... Grazia found herself wondering... why the Committee had not thought to put any soft cushions... down on the ugly... forbidding-looking thrones... and that it must be terribly uncomfortable... for BAPAK and Usman... to be sitting on such hard surfaces...
After BAPAK finished explaining the dangers of incense... and deliberate clapping of hands... in the Latihan Kejiwaan... he explained the difference... between belonging to a club... and the SUBUD Brotherhood...
He said... that of course... if we wished... we could just be members of a club... like so many others... but the difference in SUBUD... was that we had the opportunity... to put into practice... what most of us had already been experiencing... Inner Direction... from our Jiwas...
And how... if we kept practicing... following the Guidance... coming from our Jiwas... instead of following the usual influence... of the cleverness... of our minds... and the emotions of our hearts... being our impure lower forces... which we used to do... before we were Opened into SUBUD... then we would eventually be leading lives... of Inner Peace... Grace... and Harmony... with all those around us...
Grazia listened very carefully to BAPAK's Holy Words... and firmly decided... that she wanted a life of Inner Peace... Grace... and Harmony... with all those around her...
And since she did'nt have any brains anyway... her adored/feared Papa... always having called her a useless... brainless "dumb cluck"... she was going to put into practice... following her Inner Guidance... exclusively...
And she was going to stop listening... to what little brains she had... and to the dictates of her heart... which BAPAK was saying... was fickle... and never truly satisfied... for long...
Then BAPAK suggested... before ending his Talk... we all put into practice... right then and there... the evidence of our progress... in the Latihan Kejiwaan... by closing our eyes... getting quiet... for a few moments... then concentrating on our noses... demonstrating Receiving the Reality... of an elephant's trunk...!
And Grazia closed her eyes... got quiet... and when BAPAK quietly said... speaking in English...:
"Begin..."
after a few moments... she actually Felt Her Nose... Becoming Longer And Longer... Then Becoming An Elephant's Trunk...! And There Was The Sensation... Of The
Trunk... Becoming Heavy... And Swaying Back And Forth...!
And then suddenly... there was a loud.. genuine elephant's trumpet sound... coming from somewhere towards the back of the hall... behind her...!
And for a moment... there was a gasp of silence...
Then BAPAK... roared with laughter... beaming and saying...:
"Ja ja... very good...!"
And everyone else... following BAPAK's lead... roared with laughter... also...
When Grazia finally went to bed... in the wee wee hours of the morning... ecstatically fulfilled... and on an exhilarated Spiritual High... she considered herself so extremely Blessed... and fortunate... to have had the privilege... of being in the same room... with this Holy Man of God...
The very Holy Man... that the pope had been told about... by the dying nun... who had seen the Lady of Fatima... as a young girl... and Told by her... that there was a Holy Man of God... living on earth... but that he was "outside the church"...!
(To be Continued with... THE WONDERFUL VISIT OF BELOVED BAPAK... TO SOUTH AFRICA... AFTER SIX LONG YEARS... OF WAITING FOR HIM... Part III Insha Allah... God Willing... Thursday 1/27/11...)
Not long after Mrs. Henrietta Ellison's Miraculous Encounter... with the South African Minister of Foreign Affairs... we were finally Blessed... by the presence... in our midst... of our Beloved SUBUD Father... BAPAK...
It was May 1966... around Grazia's official fifth SUBUD birthday... being 19th May 1961... although she Was Miraculously Touched... already in 1960... in Bulawayo Southern Rhodesia...
And again in February 1961... when her Heavenly Father... Commanded her Beloved soul mate Richard... to be the channel... to Gloriously "Open..." ... and "Awaken..." ... her Inner Self...
She had drowned herself... for him... in her previous Japanese incarnation... having lost face... because he... as her Englishman betrothed... had betrayed her... the daughter of a prominent... ruling Shogun... with her younger... beautiful "chiisai Itoko" (little cousin)... Isnaini... then Ismana... in this lifetime... with whom she was reunited... at the SUBUD House... in San Francisco... in 1982...
(Read about Nadia and Dimitri... featured on Muftiah's Notes Page... or under Muftiah's free legacy... to all of mankind... in her first book... "From The Shadow... Of The Rising Sun..." ... Part III Chapter 22... "How Two Devoted Children Of God..." etc...
and about the poignant memory... of her Japanese incarnation... born in this lifetime... already speaking fluent Hiragana... the language of the upper classes... as a tiny tot... whilst living in Peking China...! ... under Part I-A Chapter 11... via link: subudstories.info )
Our long-awaited... SUBUD Father... Beloved BAPAK... finally arrived... being invited to stay at the lovely home of the Baervelts... with his translator Usman...
The spacious Wilgespruit Hall... was rented for a whole week... for the momentous occasion...
What a delight...
But at the very outset... even before BAPAK's actual presence... amongst some 200... of his assembled SUBUD children... from all over South Africa... we were already learning... some very important lessons...
In our ignorance... out of respect... and deference... to BAPAK... and as an extra token... of SUBUD South Africa... welcoming him... as a man from the Orient... the organizing committee... from Cape Town... had arranged for lit incense sticks... to be put into two beautiful... large urns... set up on each side of the stage... which BAPAK... and his translator Usman... would be occupying...
But to our consternation... we were kept waiting... and waiting... as a half hour went by... with the air... filled with the excited voices of South Africans...
Then another half hour or so... with the pungent aroma of the Joss sticks... filling the air... reminding Grazia... of her ten years... of living... and growing up... in Japan... in the 1930's...
Because of her great height of now six feet... out of consideration of others... she always sat in the back row of theaters... but somehow found herself sitting... in the very front first row...! ...
The audience getting restless... they were BEING TAUGHT... THE VERY VALUABLE LESSON... OF HOW TO BE PATIENT... one of the most important requirements... for the SUBUD Way of Life...
Grazia and her Dutch South African friend... Esme... whom she had brought into SUBUD... and who had driven them to Wilgespruit... in her car... were sitting next to each other... feeling calm and quiet... and not talking to each other at all...
Then a tall... elegant... grey-haired figure of a man... being Usman... BAPAK's translator... suddenly appeared at the side door of the Hall...
And he announced quietly... speaking excellent English... that BAPAK would not enter the Hall... until the incense sticks were removed...!
Once again... the committee was embarrassed... as red-faced... four men... immediately scrambled up onto the stage... and heaving and grunting... sweating profusely... making quite a comical spectacle... between them... they finally managed to haul the offensive to BAPAK... heavy large urns... with the lit incense sticks... off the stage...
And flustered... and shame-faced... and totally undone... they forgot to turn the tape recorder on...! So that BAPAK's most memorable Talk... given by him... at the Wilgespruit Hall... in 1966... was never recorded...!
BAPAK's request... having been carried out... his children waited... but still BAPAK... did not appear...
And another hour went by... with the audience... becoming more and more restless... and somewhat annoyed...
Then Usman appeared once again... and announed that BAPAK would not enter the Hall... because there was too much noise going on...!
So everybody forced themselves... to stop talking... not an easy task... because everyone was so excited... to see their Beloved BAPAK... at long... long last...
Finally... it was so quiet in the Hall... that you could hear a pin drop...
And still BAPAK did not appear... and another long... long passage of time went by... until the atmosphere was filled... with a beautiful sense... of utterly peaceful calm...
And only then... did almost sixty-six year old BAPAK... whose birthday was June 22nd... followed by dignified Usman... finally enter the Hall... with BAPAK striding forward briskly... with a youthful cadence... in his step...
And the very first thing BAPAK did... after thanking the Committee Chairman... for his welcoming speech... was give an explanation about incense...!
All about how the lighting of incense "Joss" sticks... because for many centuries... man had used them... as a way to invoke spirits... in their practices... of black magic rituals... had ultimately given any incense sticks... whenever lit by anyone... anywhere... even for social purposes... the power to actually attract evil spirits...!
And as an example... he mentioned the Americn Hippie... and their fondness... of following the Oriental custom... of lighting Joss sticks...
And how crazy some of them behaved... when befuddled by drugs... they were even being possessed... by evil spirits... which they had attracted to themselves...!
And BAPAK "recommended"... that all SUBUD Members... throughout South Africa... refrain from such a practice... from then on...
And then BAPAK said... that he would reveal... another Spiritual Secret...
Whenever a Member... deliberately clapped his or her hands... during their Latihan Kejiwaan... because it added a certain... pleasant rhythm... to their Movements... Received from ALMIGHTY GOD... they should refrain... from such a practice... because they were actually attracting evil spirits towards them...!
Of course... if Clapping of their Hands... Arose in them... by the POWER OF GOD... then such Movements... Were Willed by Him... for Spiritual Reasons... Known only to Him... and they should not resist them...
BAPAK went on to say... that we should never ever resist... any Movements... that Arose in us... by the POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD.. as we stood sincerely... and patiently... surrendered to Him... in our Latihan... for all Received Movements... were very important... as ALMIGHTY GOD... Was Gradually Bringing to Spiritual Life... the counterpart... of our physical bodies...
So that we could exist... in our Afterlife... being able to move our Spiritually Awakened Arms... and Legs... and use our Spiritually Awakened Voices... in Speech and in Song...
(To be Continued with... THE WONDERFUL VISIT OF BELOVED BAPAK... TO SOUTH AFRICA... AFTER SIX LONG YEARS... OF WAITING FOR HIM... Part II Insha Allah... God Willing... Monday 1/24/11...)
When we finally managed to get our Beloved BAPAK... to come for a visit to South Africa... it was through a Miracle of Divine Intervention...!
After the SUBUD Committee had failed... after months and months... of trying to get BAPAK an Entry Visa... ALMIGHTY GOD Decided... To Use One Of His Devoted Daughters... To Make It Come About...!
One morning... bright and early... this little old lady... sat bolt upright in her bed... nodded her head vigorously... firmly pronounced the word...:
"Yes...!"
And then she promptly got up... got washed and dressed... put on her favorite hat... the one with the purple rose on it... left a note on her pillow... for her sleeping husband... saying...:
"Going on a Holy Mission for GOD to Pretoria...!"...
and resolutely left her house...
And when she got to Pretoria... having had to take a long... long train ride... for she lived in the middle of the Transvaal... with the POWER OF GOD... inside her... she easily commandeered a taxi... the cowed driver of which... at her Imperious Command... in short shrift... deposited her in front of the imposing Union Buildings... the seat of the South African government...
Not in the least bit fazed... by the austerity of the large... circular... slate grey stone buildings... in front of her... ignoring the vast... beautiful gardens... with their profusion of colorful blooms... surrounding her... she marched straight up the wide steps of the balustrade... and entered the huge... forbidding portals... of the central main building...
Then she purposefully headed towards the destination... that GOD Was Directing Her To...
And when she was curtly... and dismissively asked... by an overbearing Dutch South African uniformed official... speaking to her in Afrikaans... what she was doing there... and whether she had lost her way... pointing that the gardens were that way... obviously thinking to himself... that the little old lady... could easily be intimidated... to his astonishment... she seemed to undergo an amazing Transformation...!
Growing Taller And Taller... Until She Seemed To Be Towering Above Him... With The POWER OF GOD... Blazing Forth From Her Being... speaking in the most cultured English... she demanded to see the Minister of Foreign Affairs... himself... and immediately...!
At her Regal... Righteous Bearing... the poor official... totally overcome and flustered... stammered and stuttered...:
"Y-yes madam... r-right away!"
And instead of phoning the Minister first... to announce the little old lady... and to ascertain... whether he would see her... he shot straight to his feet...
Bowing obsequiously... he quickly ushered her into the important South African government official's office... with barely a knock on his door...!
And when the Minister... half rose to his feet... startled by the sudden... unannounced intrusion... and saw nothing but a harmless diminutive elderly female... standing in front of his large... ornate desk... he thought he had the situation well under hand...
However... when he... in turn... bowing politely... asked whether he could be of assistance to her... expecting a timid... frail answer... he had the wind... taken out of his sails... when she... Rising To Her Full Height... looked him straight in the eye... and with the POWER OF GOD... Still Blazing Forth From Her Being... proceeded to give him a verbal... scathing tongue-lashing...!
Railing at him... she scolded him and his department... for their delaying tactics... their bureaucratic red tape... in taking such a long... long time... to grant a most urgently needed Entry Visa... for one Indonesian gentleman... named Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo...
The upshot of their momentous encounter was that... when the Minister politely asked... when she wanted the Entry Visa for her... ahem..."Oriental friend"... she nearly blasted him out of his chair... by Imperiously Pronouncing...:
"Immediately...!"
adding that the "Oriental friend"... he was referring to... was none other than the founder of the Spiritual Movement... SUBUD... of which the Minister... himself... was... no doubt... very well aware of... since he was the very one... who had ordered the Secret Police... to investigate it so thoroughly...!
And the poor man... totally overwhelmed... and overcome... by the Divine Force... Brightly Radiating from her... found himself deferentially acceding to her Majestic Command... bending over backwards... to please her...
And he promptly saw to it... that an Entry Visa for Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo... was issued... then and there...!
Needless to say... when Mrs. Henrietta Ellison... the little old lady in question... presented the precious Entry Visa... for BAPAK... in person... to the SUBUD Committee... they were red with embarrassment...
Yours truly... as Grazia... was also extremely embarrassed... for she... newly divorced from French/Dutch hotelier... Rene Heere... actually lived in Pretoria... at the time... and not only in Pretoria... the capital of South Africa... but working... and living... at The Ambassador... a prestigious hotel... just ten minutes away... from the Union Buildings...!
Furthermore... since the hotel... was a favorite of the government officials... to come to for their lunch... and as the hotel's Assistant Manager-come-Public Relations Officer... because of her many languages... she had even met the Minister of Foreign Affairs... himself...!
So why did it NEVER EVER occur to her... to speak to him about the elusive Entry Visa... for BAPAK... which she knew all about... whenever she rubbed shoulders with him... exchanging inconsequential pleasantries...???!!!
Truly only ALMIGHTY GOD... in His infinite Wisdom... Knows Why Not...
(To be Continued with... THE WONDERFUL VISIT OF BELOVED BAPAK... TO SOUTH AFRICA... AFTER SIX LONG YEARS... OF WAITING FOR HIM... Insha Allah... God Willing... Thursday 1/20/11...)
During an unusually bitterly cold winter's Latihan night... in May l96l... in Johannesburg South Africa... this soul... as Graziella... newly "Opened"... in hospital... with only two Helpers... attending her... was sitting in the bathtub... washing her body and hair... in preparation for her very first Group Latihan... at the Johannesburg SUBUD Center... and was very much looking forward... to the Wondrous... Holy Event...
And as she sat there... with a feeling of reverence... towards her Beloved HEAVENLY FATHER... and that she was cleansing herself... out of respect for HIM... she was overjoyed... full of delight and awe... from the very top of her head... to the very tips of her toes... when she suddenly heard His Voice... Speaking outside herself...!
She was quite used...to hearing His Voice... Speaking inside herself... ever since she could remember... always feeling a close Inner Bond with Him... but this was the very first time... that she heard His Voice... Speaking outside herself...!
And what He Said... in a Measured... Calm Voice of Command... Was...:
"You Are No Longer... To Be Called Graziella... (meaning Little Grace Of God) ... You Are Now To Be Called Grazia...!"
And as now 31 year old Grazia... sat in her bathtub... with the water getting cold... she recalled the Inner Bond... Created... ever since... three months earlier... her Beloved soul Mate Richard... Was Commanded by GOD... to be the channel... to Gloriously... and Miraculously "Open..." .. and "Awaken..." ... her Inner self...
And how... during those three months... with her HEAVENLY FATHER... Having Added another inch... to her height... so that she now stood at six feet... had caused her peculiar heart condition... of no name... to worsen... landing her in hospital...
Then she heard His Voice again... Saying...:
"You Are Also To Always Cleanse Yourself... Body And Hair... Before Going To Stand... In The Presence Of Your Creator... The One Almighty God... Submitting Yourself To Him... In Sincere... Patient... Unconditional Surrender... In Worship Of Him..."
Sitting there... stark naked... feeling foolishly overcome with Bliss... blushing... she was now more than ever convinced... that the Latihan of SUBUD... truly was a Miraculous Happening... when one could hear the very Voice of God... Speaking to you... while taking a bath... no less... and without being a saint...!!!
Glowing all over... looking forward to her very first Group Latihan... eager to share her new name... with her new SUBUD Men and Ladies... from whom she had felt such a wonderful... instantly accepting... and loving affinity... when she had met them three months ago... she decided that... since it was so bitterly cold outside... she would wear her nice and warm... woolen slacks to Latihan... instead of the usual dress...
Still glowing all over... with her new name inside her... with her new SUBUD friends... all easily delighted... to call her by her new name... "Grazia" ... when Richard picked her up in the carpool... that night... she expected to feel that particular... gentle feeling of femininity... that wonderful affirmation... that she was indeed a female... through and through... as she had... during her previous "Opening" Latihan... in hospital...
There happened to be more Men than Ladies... in the Johannessburg SUBUD Center... at the time... and they exercised together... at the same time... with the Men... in one room... and the Ladies in another... right next door to each other...
Grazia's second Latihan... of her life...in a room together with some twelve Ladies began... just like her first Miraculous Happening...
She felt the same feeling of Blissful... and Peaceful Femininity... and was delighted... when her mouth Was Made to Open... by THE POWER OF GOD... and she Felt her voice Coming Up And Out... from a very deep place inside her...
And with her eyes closed... she heard her own Spiritually Awakened Voice... very much more Richly Bell-like... and Pure... than when she sang in operas... operettas... nightclubs... musicals... concerts... ballrooms... and even on the radio...
The velvet Tones... were Issuing Forth... from the very depths of her being... in worshipful Praise... of her HEAVENLY FATHER... ALMIGHTY GOD... Whom she had loved... with all her heart and soul... always seeking His Approval of her... wanting only to be... as He Would Have her Be... ever since she could remember...
Standing and Swaying... Joyfully Singing her heart out... Grazia was filled with Spiritual Bliss...
Then all of a sudden... she became very much aware... of the thundering noise... of the Men next door... a lot of feet Stomping... a lot of Shouting... a lot of Wailing... and even Screaming...
And she felt the walls shaking alarmingly around her... with the intensity of their activity...
At the same time... she felt as if somehow... her Cocoon of Peaceful Bliss... Was Being Pierced... Invaded in a most intrusive... and uncomfortable way...!
And then... to her dsmay... SHE HERSELF BEGAN TO MAKE HORRIBLE NOISES... Wailing Like A Banshee... chokingly Uttering The Most Awful... Guttural Sounds... Grunting like a wild animal... just like the Men... through the one and a half inches of flimsy... sliding wooden door... that separated them from the Ladies...!!!
Her first official "Opening" Latihan... had been set up especially for her... not during a general Latihan Night... but in hospital... so that there were only two lady Helpers present with her... as witnesses and participants... to the Wonderful Divine Event...
Reborn... into a True Spiritual Path... where her Creator... Would Make her feel even more Cherished... as she continuously Felt... the gentle Vibration... of the Great Holy Life Force of Almighty God... inside her being... as Proof of their unique... One-on-one Bond... with each other...
So that this was her very first experience... of simultaneous Latihan... with her new SUBUD men...
Then... as she was filled with confusion... and deeper and deeper discomfort... her eyes Were Made To Open... and she was Made To Take A Very Good Look Around Her...
And she Was Made To Notice... that the four other ladies... who were also wearing slacks... were all beginning to Howl like wild animals... as well...! ... and that the rest of the Ladies... who were wearing dresses... were Making Graceful... very feminine Movements... Dancing... with a few of them Singing Softly...
Instantly... Grazia "knew"... that some Momentous Truth... had just been Revealed to her... and that she had committed some Spiritual faux-pas... of great Magnitude... and Importance...
And she was Made to feel Foolish... Empty... and also distressingly Off Balance... which were to become future Spiritual Indications for her... whenever she was defiantly disobedient... wrong... or too slow to obey... the Perfect Will... of her HEAVENLY FATHER...!
Grazia had been told by her Helpers... that she was to accept... whatever happened in the Latihan... even the unpleasant... for it was all necessary Purification... and in the long run... most Beneficial... to her Spiritual Growth and Development...
So she tried very hard... to accept the fact... that she was now Being Made... BY THE POWER OF GOD... to behave in a most unladylike manner... Howling and Wailing her head off...
At the same time... she was Being Made... to Make quite the most abrupt... Distinctly Male Movements... and - HORROR OF HORRORS - actually Felt herself... becoming more and more disturbingly MASCULINE... as the Latihan went on...!!!???
At long last... to Grazia's great relief... the most unpleasant Latihan... seeming to last for hours... was finally over...
And it wasn't long... before she found herself... sitting in a corner... with the other huddled Ladies... dressed in slacks... who were all totally unnerved... expressing their alarm... at how abruptly their Latihan... had changed that night... from their usual peaceful ones... and agreeing at how UNCOMFORTABLE... AND STRANGELY DIFFERENT... they had felt...
Grazia listened to her SUBUD Ladies... very closely... for they were far more experienced in the Latihan... than she was...
As they were all expressing their concerns... their Helper of the evening... having joined them... Grazia... to her dismay... found herself being Made to Open her mouth... and very shyly... Being Made to speak up...
And she haltingly told them... of her own experience that night... and her feeling... that was growing more and more inside her... that it was... perhaps... somehow... Spiritually wrong... for SUBUD ladies... to be wearing... what is traditionally considered men's clothing... to Latihan...!
And that perhaps it might be a good idea... maybe... to write to their Spiritual SUBUD Father... BAPAK... about what had obviously greatly Altered... five SUBUD Ladies' Latihans... so drastically that night...
By this time... Grazia's heart was pounding... at her own audacity... for after all... she was the baby of the Group...
But... to her enormous relief... her shy... tentative suggestion... was immediately accepted... for all four SUBUD Ladies... and their Helper agreed... that they needed to have some clarification from BAPAK... their Spiritual father on earth... of their odd experience that night... adding that they had never worn slacks to Latihan before... and had done so... only because it was such a bitterly cold night...
And they wonderied... amongst themselves... whether there was some Truth... to what their new SUBUD Lady... Grazia... seemed to be aware of...
In a very short time... a perfect answer of explanation... was received from BAPAK... confirming that what the Ladies had experienced... that was so unusual... in their Latihan... that particular night... was indeed owing to the fact... that they were wearing slacks...
Exercising right next door... and at the same time... as the Men... caused the male forces... to travel through the door... and enter those Ladies who... in wearing men's clothing... became a source of attraction... and influence... for the male forces.
BAPAK further explained... that the male force... was so strong... and powerful... that it influenced a woman's behavior... even harming her feminine nature... whenever she wore trousers... so that she acted more like a man... than a woman... when she walked... or sat around in them...
But that in time... as we progressed in the Latihan... the day would come... when our whole beings... would be sufficiently Purified... into becoming fully feminine... that wearing men's clothing... would no longer be able to influence... and negatively harm... our feminine nature... and behavior... in a masculine way...
Adding that... since we had been Created and born... as female souls... by the Will of ALMIGHTY GOD... it was indeed His Will... that we become true... noble women... of excellent character... as He Would Have us be...
BAPAK closed his letter... by recommending... that ALL the SUBUD ladies... refrain from wearing trousers to Latihan... in future... and that the Helpers... should advise their Lady Members... not to do so... giving them BAPAK's Spiritual Explanation...
All the Ladies of the SUBUD Groups... and Centers... throughout South Africa... immediately followed... BAPAK's perfect recommendation... without question... WHICH... THROUGH THE RAPID SUBUD GRAPEVINE... ALSO FILTERED OVERSEAS... TO THE USA... AND OTHER COUNTRIES...!
They knew full well... that BAPAK's wise words of counsel... for his SUBUD children... had been "Received"... from ALMIGHTY GOD... and could... therefore... be trusted implicitly...
Especially when they heard... about the five hapless SUBUD Ladies' personal... unpleasant experience... of wearing slacks to Latihan... not wanting to have a similar occurence... happen to them... when they happened to find themselves... in a similar situation... where simultaneous Latihan... might be going on...
As events turned out... it wasn't long before Grazia came to know... all about being invaded... and unpleasantly disturbed... by male forces... when she ACCIDENTALLY... "OPENED" A MAN...!
And she had such violent Latihans... immediately thereafter... that she frightened her SUBUD Ladies... to such an extent... that the Helpers... some of them grumbling... that she had spoiled their plans for the evening... had to drive her off... to the isolated beaches... of Durban... very late at night... where she could Howl... and Yowl her head off... in intense Latihan Purification... with the crashing waves... muffling the awful Sounds... to get rid of the extra baggage... the unwelcome male forces... that had invaded her being...
This unpleasant period... which also included... her unable to bear the sound of his voice... which grated on her nerves... like fingernails scratching glass... lasted for six months...!
But that's another one of her million-and-one... personally unique... SUBUD stories... of her now 33 years in SUBUD... (No bragging intended... just promoting her Spiritual Odyssey... "From "Seven Hells... To Seventh Heaven... SUBUD...")
Muftiah "Received" to write this little SUBUD story... for the SUBUD SOUTH QUARTERLY... and since she has been Trained... these many years... to obey the Perfect Will of ALMIGHTY ALLAH... whenever He Commands her... "Now Write...!" ... she has done so... sitting up in her bed... typing on her lap-top Altima 420 computer... no longer able to... for ten hours a day... like she used to... but lucky... if she can get in... at least... five hours a day...
Furthermore... she is still not Permitted to write... unless "Commanded" by Him... with gaps sometimes lasting... even a whole year...!
And... as stated in her "Open Letter" ... to her SUBUD Brothers and Sisters... all over the world... some seven and a half years ago... (featured today... on her JIWA TO JIWA Blog... via link...:
jiwatojiwa.blogspot.com
she is still Not Permitted... to refer to herself as "I"... whenever she communicates with the general SUBUD public... in writing... and feels very wrong... whenever she does...!
Furthermore... she is still mostly bed-ridden... owing to her many GOD-Willed Strokes... which have now affected her heart severely... diagnosed as "mitral valve prolapse"... for which she is daily taking beta blockers...
So that... on the rare occasion... when AlLMIGHTY ALLAH... Permits her to go out... she has to be moved about... in a wheelchair... for she can no longer stand up on her feet... for longer than twenty minutes at a time... without collapsing in pain and weakness...
One affliction seems to be Miraculously... finally over with - after fifty-two years - the dreaded fortnightly Migraine Attacks... of Ancestral Purification - Praise Allah... which began for her... already when she was almost twelve years old... with her very first period... in New York... en route from Japan to Switzerland... in 1942...!
(To be Continued with... HOW THE POWER OF GOD... IN A LITTLE OLD LADY... GOT BAPAK'S ENTRY VISA... FOR SOUTH AFRICA... WHEN THE SUBUD COMMITTEE'S REPEATED EFFORTS... HAD FAILED...! ... Insha Allah... God Willing... Monday 1/17/11...)
