Latihan
Encyclopedia
Latihan is a form of spiritual or psychological practice. It is the principal practice of the Subud
organization. Outwardly the exercise often manifests as physical movement and vocal activity that vary greatly both over time and between individuals. It proceeds spontaneously, involving neither teacher nor method, being unstructured except for basic rules relating to group practice. Personal capacity to engage in latihan is said to be transmitted by the presence of experienced practitioners. It usually entails an attitude of patience and trust, typically with some preparatory relaxation of thoughts and feelings, and involves the whole human being, not just body, emotions, mind or any other single facet.
which gave rise to the names Quakers and Shakers
.
's founder are often cited among its members, the organization officially endorses no doctrine regarding latihan's nature or benefits. Practitioners tend to agree that the exercise is best experienced with minimal theorizing or mental imagery.
Although latihan can be practiced alone, Subud
arranges regular practice in group settings. Normally sessions are held two or three times a week and last up to thirty minutes, with the two sexes segregated. Subud offers formal pragmatic, preliminary advice in relation to commencing the practice. Non-members are not allowed to witness Subud latihan sessions.
, who made use of many spiritual methods. He viewed latihan as potentially beneficial, capable of cleansing the mind, yet incomplete and potentially dangerous to mental health since it involved surrender of self-control. He therefore incorporated it as a stage of longer "active meditations", advocating the maintenance of a "witnessing consciousness", following latihan with a period of complete rest and preceding it with one of several techniques intended to promote an autohypnotic trance, and further recommended that, when practising in groups, both sexes should practise together. Preliminary methods used include listening to quiet music, or else a breathing exercise intended to increase blood carbon dioxide
levels followed by fifteen minutes looking at a strobe light while listening to music, both of these running at seven times the rate of the heart-beat in order to create an entrainment
to alpha wave
brain-state. It may also be followed by a form of wordless prayer. He agreed that it was easiest to learn in the presence of someone already experienced in the method.
Subud
Subud is an international spiritual movement that began in Indonesia in the 1920s as a movement founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo. The basis of Subud is a spiritual exercise commonly referred to as the latihan kejiwaan, which was said by Muhammad Subuh to represent guidance from...
organization. Outwardly the exercise often manifests as physical movement and vocal activity that vary greatly both over time and between individuals. It proceeds spontaneously, involving neither teacher nor method, being unstructured except for basic rules relating to group practice. Personal capacity to engage in latihan is said to be transmitted by the presence of experienced practitioners. It usually entails an attitude of patience and trust, typically with some preparatory relaxation of thoughts and feelings, and involves the whole human being, not just body, emotions, mind or any other single facet.
Origin
The origin of the practice is associated with Javanese "kejawen" and "kebatinan" traditions. Subud's founder speculated that the spontaneous prayer movements which characterise latihan are similar in character to early meetings of the Religious Society of FriendsReligious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
which gave rise to the names Quakers and Shakers
Shakers
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, is a religious sect originally thought to be a development of the Religious Society of Friends...
.
Nature
It is regarded by practitioners as being of spiritual or of psychological benefit, depending on personal interpretation and individual experience, though apparently it does not affect all practitioners and may affect some detrimentally. Many practitioners see latihan as a way of direct access to a mystical experience that is compatible with a busy modern lifestyle.In Subud
While the opinions of SubudSubud
Subud is an international spiritual movement that began in Indonesia in the 1920s as a movement founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo. The basis of Subud is a spiritual exercise commonly referred to as the latihan kejiwaan, which was said by Muhammad Subuh to represent guidance from...
's founder are often cited among its members, the organization officially endorses no doctrine regarding latihan's nature or benefits. Practitioners tend to agree that the exercise is best experienced with minimal theorizing or mental imagery.
Although latihan can be practiced alone, Subud
Subud
Subud is an international spiritual movement that began in Indonesia in the 1920s as a movement founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo. The basis of Subud is a spiritual exercise commonly referred to as the latihan kejiwaan, which was said by Muhammad Subuh to represent guidance from...
arranges regular practice in group settings. Normally sessions are held two or three times a week and last up to thirty minutes, with the two sexes segregated. Subud offers formal pragmatic, preliminary advice in relation to commencing the practice. Non-members are not allowed to witness Subud latihan sessions.
Active meditation
The method was later adopted by Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)
Osho , born Chandra Mohan Jain , and also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the 1960s onwards, as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during the 1970s and 1980s and as Osho from 1989, was an Indian mystic, guru, and spiritual teacher who garnered an international following.A professor of philosophy, he travelled...
, who made use of many spiritual methods. He viewed latihan as potentially beneficial, capable of cleansing the mind, yet incomplete and potentially dangerous to mental health since it involved surrender of self-control. He therefore incorporated it as a stage of longer "active meditations", advocating the maintenance of a "witnessing consciousness", following latihan with a period of complete rest and preceding it with one of several techniques intended to promote an autohypnotic trance, and further recommended that, when practising in groups, both sexes should practise together. Preliminary methods used include listening to quiet music, or else a breathing exercise intended to increase blood carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
levels followed by fifteen minutes looking at a strobe light while listening to music, both of these running at seven times the rate of the heart-beat in order to create an entrainment
Entrainment
Entrainment may refer to:* Air entrainment, the intentional creation of tiny air bubbles in concrete* Brainwave entrainment, the practice of entraining one's brainwaves to a desired frequency...
to alpha wave
Alpha wave
Alpha waves are neural oscillations in the frequency range of 8–12 Hz arising from synchronous and coherent electrical activity of thalamic pacemaker cells in humans...
brain-state. It may also be followed by a form of wordless prayer. He agreed that it was easiest to learn in the presence of someone already experienced in the method.