THE MEANING OF SUBUD - II GOD AND THE SOUL (Concluded)

THE MEANING OF SUBUD -  II  GOD AND THE SOUL... Concluded today Monday 10/11/10...


Long ago, in the times of the Prophets, they wore the long shapeless robes that were customary in those days because there were no tailors;  they allowed their beards to grow because there were no barbers. 


But nowadays there are barbers and there are excellent tailors who make well-cut suits and dresses, which, for instance, you can see at Harrods. 


Why, then, should people choose and wear tasteless clothes?  That Is Not The Will of God. 


They are not the means by which a person can be near to God.  No. 


Those Means Are Purity Of Heart And Mind. 


A man may be well dressed, but if his heart is not good he cannot be near to God, whereas a person who may not be outwardly impressive but who is pure in heart - That Is The Person Who Can Be Near To God.


The black clothes and the white clothes that are traditionally worn when people want to show that they are good, are really symbols. 


The color black represents sincerity that is not affected by anything.  Black contains no beauty, but contains seriousness.  


That is why black garments are usually worn when attending a funeral or a marriage.  It signifies that, since the dead person is no longer influenced by anything, the minds of those who attend and accompany them should not be preoccupied with a lot of thoughts but should be worshipping God, so that the soul of the one who has died may return directly to God.


Similarly, when people go to a wedding dressed in black, their garments signify a sincerity untouched except by the hope that the couple will lead a harmonious life and be protected from the influences assailing them on every side. 


For the effect of such influences would be to break the bonds that unite the two people.  


Apart from that, it also implies the wish that in coming together, the husband and wife may not be disturbed by outer or worldly influences, so that they may give birth to a child who is not affected by these influences, and whose Inner Content is a pure and noble soul.


All these things are symbols for human life, which you will be able to understand through doing the SUBUD Latihan. 


Eventually, you will not merely conform to custom without seeing and being certain of what is true and what is false, Because You Will Be Taught About Everything By God Himself, Through God's Power Working Within Each One Of You;  The Power That Will Bring About All Necessary Changes Within You, Putting Right All That Is Wrong, And Making Whole And Perfect Whatever Is Still Defective.


For the faults we have and suffer from pervade not only our flesh and blood but also our understanding and awareness;  one could say they penetrate even into our Inner Self. 


Therefore putting them right cannot be accomplished quickly;  it is certain to take a lot of time. 


You, of course, would like to know and understand how to solve the problems you have within you as soon as possible. 


But God Knows Better Than You, So God Will Work Within You And Grant This No Slower Or Faster Than Your Individual Strength Will Allow. 


And if you follow the efforts of your heart and mind to try to speed up What You Receive, this may instead bring you an undesirable Experience, known as a Crisis.


It is like when you want to be rich but don't do any work; that is to say, your wish remains only in your head, and as you sit and dream, you begin to imagine what it will be like when you are rich and how you will invest your money when you have plenty of it. 


Or it is like when you buy a lottery ticket - which is, of course, not certain to win - and you begin to calculate, 'If I win it, I shall buy ten houses near the road and let them, and with the income from this I won't need to work;  I'll be able to travel around, go to the opera from time to time, and so on.'


That is the way the thinking mind works; if we give it free rein it will occupy itself with all sorts of nonsense.  So don't do that. 


Just do your Latihan - as long as you do it diligently and without getting bored.  


Simply Accept What You Receive and don't have any feeling of being in a hurry or wanting to speed up the Process so as to Receive a lot. 


For God's Work In The Human Self Is Like Opening A Way Through A Series Of Walls:  The Wall Of The Feelings, The Wall Of The Understanding And The Wall Of Consciousness;  all of which have been formed and come into being entirely through the influences of this world. 


So Bapak hopes that you will not be in a hurry to understand the Meaning of What You Receive.  Simply Accept It, Because When You Have Reached The Required Stage You Will Understand It Spontaneously.


So, All This Means That God Comes Before Everything That Is Beginning. 


The qualities of the Prophets of old may serve as an example.  


The Feeling Of Their Hearts Was Opened, Their Understanding And The Awareness Of Their Soul Was Opened, but not because they wished for it or studied it.  It Came As A Result Of God's Grace, Based On The Purity And Cleanness Of Their Hearts And The Sincerity Of Their Worship And Faith In God's Greatness.


In This Way You Too Will Eventually Reach The Required State. 


And Hopefully, You Will Be Able To Bring It Into This World, Resulting In A World Filled With General Well-Being And Harmony Between Human Beings Who Truly Worship Their God.


This is the end of Bapak's Talk this evening;  he will continue it next Saturday.  He hopes that his short explanation will have given you some satisfaction.  Thank you.


To be Continued Thursday 10/14/10... with the Beginning of... "THE MEANING OF SUBUD" -  III  THE DEFECTS OF THE SOUL... on Muftiah's Facebook Notes Page... as well as on her Blogs... "JIWA TO JIWA"... and "MUFTIAH"... Insha Allah... God Willing... where via the free Google Translate Service... set up on your Browser... it can be read in many other languages... and in much easier... and larger to 
read print...)