Leonard Dixon

In December of 2013, long-time Subud member Leonard Dixon, was walking on the street in downtown Portland, OR. He saw people trying to sleep outside on the sidewalks in sub-freezing weather with no shelter. It was a life-changing moment for Leonard and he knew that he wanted to help in some way. Leonard started purchasing vital supplies with his own money and bringing these items to people living in extremely difficult situations in Portland and Vancouver, WA. He continues to make direct deliveries to individuals sleeping on the streets, or to groups gathered under bridges and living in tent cities, as well as people served by various shelters in these cities. Leonard estimates that he has directly served at least 1000 people over the years as he encounters them on the street. He continues to pass out food, sleeping bags, blankets, tarps, etc., to the homeless, as well advocating for the homeless with Portland city government.

Leonard sees a connection between the latihan and his humanitarian work. “Doing the latihan can strip away excess ‘junk’ from one’s being, and also broaden one’s sense of awareness, so that feelings of compassion can develop.” He believes that Susila Dharma has an important function to play in informing our membership about various social needs, and encouraging them to do what they can to help. Fundraising for projects is also a necessary part of Susila Dharma’s work. Leonard believes that helping others has definite spiritual rewards, leading to a strengthening of character and a broadening of one’s vision. Deepest thanks to Leonard for giving us an outstanding example of how to bring the latihan into the world.

Joanna Dokson, San Luis Valley

Reprinted from The Rocky Mountain Region News

The Glorietta

Joanna and volunteers run a community garden at Atalanta where members share in the products of the garden by either buying them or by bartering their work in the garden for the fruits and vegetables. The surplus goes to the needy in the Crestone area. And from Joanna: “We recently were blessed by having student service learning volunteers from Colorado College come to Atalanta to work on the glorietta, designed by Kelly Hart and built during the Vittachi Youth Educators Conference. They were a delight to work with and on the last night they all slept under the stars in the glorietta.  The glorietta is a lovely little storytelling, gathering, entertainment spot. It still needs a finish coat and more willows woven into the roof.

The Glorietta from the inside.

The students also reestablished paths, from the garden to the glorietta and from the garden to the medicine wheel established first by Thomas Banyaquia and then Lorraine Fox-Davis and Orville Looking Horse on the top of the Atalanta hill. Then they made a new trail from the glorietta to the top of the hill.

Our garden is looking great and has new members. We are fundraising on eBay with donated items and are having a garage sale next weekend in Alamosa. Our presentation at the National Congress in Indianapolis was small but the feedback very positive to have Subud build a regional/national facility on the Atalanta land. Also, SES and SICA just sent letters of support also to the regional and the national committees.”