SICA-USA: Renewed Commitment & The Cultural Conversation
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Creativity: the Blossom of Culture
All humans are creative by nature. Creativity can be applied to everything humans do and as such, it is the cornerstone of culture. To be creative is to be open, to generate new ideas, to make and express, to broaden perspectives, to add value. The engine of creativity results in a human culture that allows us not only to live but to flourish.
The Subud Dynamic
What is the difference between Subud culture and culture in general? As Subud members, do we benefit from having a unique lens through which to view and understand culture? (See this.) Our spiritual practice grants a deeper dimension to our individual and collective culture – one that is living, changing, and constantly evolving. The influence of the Great Life Force received through our practice of the latihan kedjiwaaan puts us in greater touch with the true content of all that we do, experience, seek, and create. If Subud is a gift, our culture is the cultivation of that gift.
SICA
SICA was established to identify, encourage, and express culture, based on explanations by Bapak that culture is everything humans do, and that true culture originates from the inner content of humankind. Defined this way, there is clear overlap with the structure of the other wings of Subud. Each of the wings – SEA, SIHA, SES, SYA, SDIA – has a focused purpose. Although SICA has typically been associated with the full spectrum of arts, it may also incorporate aspects of other pursuits and provide support for educators, health practitioners, business people, social projects, youth, etc. In the same way that the latihan cannot be compartmentalized, human culture defies boundaries and categories. SICA can collaborate with other wing activities and participate in developing Subud Culture and enriching human culture in general.
SICA-USA: Our Current Project
In 2018 SICA began emerging from a limited perception of itself. Moving away from an identity focused more narrowly on the arts, it embraced a more encompassing view aligned with Bapak’s guidance that culture includes all human activities and is for everybody. As such, SICA can be more proactive in interacting with the other wings to expand and enhance their work.
New Energy
With a view to revitalizing SICA-USA, the Board of Directors has endeavored in recent months to stimulate a “Cultural Conversation”. Like culture itself, we understand it to be a work in progress as new conditions arise and new voices join in. All Subud Members are invited to participate and contribute to this Cultural Conversation. The Board envisions this platform as a tool to inspire and engage new/renewed member participation and intends to use it to activate the fundraising drive, starting in 2021.
New Purpose
What are the primary goals and activities we hope to undertake? This is what the Board, along with member contributions arising from the Conversation, hopes to focus their lens on. In addition to lending support to activities that develop creativity amongst members, fostering inclusiveness, playing a broad role in Subud activities generally, what do we see? The picture includes producing opening and closing ceremonies at congresses, creating entertainment and educational activities at gatherings, providing an internet-based communications platform, assisting in the development of members projects, coordinating training opportunities, planning its own conferences, regular blogging and publishing articles on the website, offering testing and workshops with the help of National Helper SICA liaisons.
What else?
There is much we can do in a disrupted, transforming, beckoning world. We look forward to the collaboration with our membership.