SUBUD is an international association of men and women who share a unique spiritual experience known as the latihan (an Indonesian word meaning exercise) – which is a form of worship or religious experience. Subud, however, is not itself a religion but rather brings people from all faiths together.

The Latihan has strong connection with the spiritual essence of religious experience. If you look into any religion, whether it is Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism, you find that people who started the religion had an experience of a direct ‘receiving’; of being ‘moved’ by something that did not come from their own will. It is as if a power or grace was involved, which seems to have an intelligence that is beyond the human. Some people call that power God, Yahweh, Allah, or the Great Life Force. The reality of the Latihan is being connected to this Force.

What is truly unique about SUBUD is that anyone can join and ‘practise’ the Latihan. This means that for the first time, people from all religions and from all cultures are able to worship this Higher Power together. So, Jews, Muslims, Christians etc. can continue to practise their religion as well as being in SUBUD. In fact, this inner experience corresponds to what is taught in religions, and can add a new dimension to the practise – adding the reality behind the words contained in scriptures and teachings.

Subud Properties

Perth Subud Centre is one of 12 Subud properties throughout the UK. Their purpose is to provide special meeting spaces, to strengthen the activities taking place there, for the Subud members as well as for the room hirers. They are a safe and neutral place of worship, for people of all religions and none.

Subud centres usually contain at least two large halls. The Subud group will use the halls for the spiritual practice usually two evenings a week and sometimes once also at the weekend.

Many people who hire Subud centres or visit exhibitions, events or gatherings held within them, comment on the peaceful, light feeling to be found in the Subud centres.

Highland House, now the Perth Subud Centre, was bought by Subud Britain in January 2003. Previously the premises were used as an army communications centre and, before that, was a family home.
For more information about Subud in the UK visit www.subudbritain.org
for Subud International visit www.subud.com

Mirabelle Viviana: Well, what I love about the Centre is that we can offer neutrality.

The hiring groups can make this space completely theirs for the time they are here and feel at home.  We want to keep it personal and professional simultaneously.  Another important aspect is that we aim to keep a pace with all the work that we can maintain peacefully without getting stressed. It does reflect to the atmosphere in the building when we as managers stay calm and are happy with what we do and how we are doing it. Both of us share this perspective, and we feel passionately about maintaining this with the centre over the long-term. An ambition of mine is to increase our work as a social enterprise, being even more of a centre for the community and especially vulnerable people. Our experience is that the building makes people feel safe. We want to continue to share this beautiful building with as many people as we can. 

Harman:  We wish to appease the wishes and needs of our visitors.  The fluidity for change to set up personal touches supports this, and extends to multiple parts of our service offering.  For example, if we manage to maintain as high quality as possible with the food we offer, and through this continue to support local vendors and restaurants, then we’re happily contributing and reinforcing that sense of community we believe in so much.

I discovered the practice of Subud in 1992, and in coming to Perth with Mirabelle Viviana in 2007, I have found time in looking after the Perth Subud building that includes fabric-maintenance and enhancement of the premises.

The centre has now slowly become a part of me.  Like a second home.

Harman: Absolutely.  The change of location is great.  I always lived in big cities and the quieter environment of the village where we now live is very enjoyable.

With the Subud Centre, I get to meet a lot of new people as opposed to working around the clock at a desk for architectural work, and I become very interested in the stories and developments that are made when our customers visit the centre.

Wonderful things are done and discussed after guest visits, and I’m fascinated with the personal engagement side of things.

Mirabelle Viviana:  The feeling of community between the centreprise and Subud as a supporting organisation is fantastic.  The contributions by various Subud members on all aspects of the appearance and structure of the premises, as well with Harman fronting the maintenance of the business, all has been crucial to the success we’ve experienced.

The centre is so easy to promote, I feel privileged to work here.

Harman: In 2003 Subud Britain acquired the Perth Centre, and me being from Glasgow and with Mirabelle Viviana wanting to move to Scotland from Manchester, we felt to live near Perth tied in also with our wish to move away from bigger city regions and to stay close to a Subud Centre in a way.

The Centre required donations and contributions from members to upkeep maintenance costs of the building.  Fairly quickly the Subud group realised it needed an enterprise to meet these targets.  It was a good idea anyway! but, we also really needed the additional income to keep the building alive.  So, another Subud couple started the letting of rooms and catering to the public for business.

When they moved away in 2011, Mirabelle Viviana and I took over the enterprise. This complemented my part-time architectural work.

Mirabelle Viviana:  Harman did most of the leg work at first and I did the invoicing. But over the years I’ve slowly taken on more responsibility.

I spent the first 18 years of my life in Glasgow.  After that, my training and practice as an architect took me to Edinburgh, London, Bournemouth, Hull, Leeds, Cork, Bristol, and then from 1983-2007 in Manchester.

I discovered the practice of Subud in 1992, and in coming to Perth with Mirabelle Viviana in 2007, I have found time in looking after the Perth Subud building that includes fabric-maintenance and enhancement of the premises.

The centre has now slowly become a part of me.  Like a second home.

Mirabelle Viviana: I’m from Germany and I grew up as a child in a Subud family.  I travelled the world a lot throughout my teenager years. Very often I visited Subud houses and met many Subud members on my journeys. Career wise, I trained as a kindergarten teacher in Germany with a Montessori Diploma, and with some friends I ran my own kindergarten, developing the concept on the basis of Rebecca and Mauricio Wild’s experiences of a safe, nurturing environment that motivates the children and brings out their best in them.

After moving to Britain, working as support worker, a referral marketing agent and, soon after becoming a mother, I grew slowly into the role as booking manager for the Perth Subud Centre.