Subud & Gurdjieff

[Bruce Michael]

Hi Friends,

J.G. Bennett in his interesting book "Witness" describes how he came to be involved with Subud.
Bennett, a follower of Gurdijieff said "With Gurdjieff, you do the exercises and God looks on. With Subub, God does the exercises and you look on." It really is the opposite to the Gurdjieff teaching. Some followers of Gurdjieff thought were not deterred- they thought it was the fulfilment of a prophecy he had made.

This "exercise" is the Latihan. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone though, because it doesn't involve being consciously in control of yourself. I've read that people doing the exercise for too long can end up having a psychotic episode.

Here is a site

The movements (and sounds) are quite automatic. There are Muslim influences- men and women are separated for the latihan. Women must be well covered up- not their faces though. It really doesn't matter what religion you are to be involved in the Brotherhood.

The condition is "infectious" you just pick it up off others.

-Br.Bruce