Subud Publications International

Preface to the fourth edition, 1988
Many needs and suggestions have prompted us to re-publish Bapak’s Advice and Guidance for Helpers. This gives us the opportunity to include the separately-published Supplement. Also, since Bapak’s passing, adjustments clearly had to be made to the existing text. These have been done with Ibu Rahayu’s approval.
In visiting many groups, we were often surprised to see helpers confused and resorting to testing matters that are clearly explained in previous editions of this book. We would therefore like to recommend strongly that all helpers allow time during their helpers’ meetings, when discussing a problem – before making a decision – to look up what Bapak says about it. We hope that this way all helpers’ work will be lighter and have more clarity.
Reading Bapak and Ibu Rahayu’s answers to members’ questions, it is clear to us that many questions would not have been necessary had the content of Bapak’s talks been known to the writers – helpers as well as members. Bapak’s saying, well known by now, ‘Stand on your own feet’ surely also implies looking up the answers to our questions in Bapak’s talks ourselves, a task that everyone will find most rewarding, and for which this book may be of great help.
In connection with this it seems right to remind ourselves that Bapak’s words are available to all of us, so there is no objection to this book being read by non-helpers.
Bapak’s advice and guidance are of prime importance to all of us. Being aware that they ought not to be used as rigid rules or dogmas, we would like to add a sentence from a letter in which Ibu Rahayu is quoted, ‘Let common sense decide, not superstition or hearsay. There is no set rule; do things that work well’.

The dewan of international helpers for 1983-1988.
September 1988