Seekers of Solace
In a world of distractions, West Linn residents Solihin and
Alicia Thom radiate calmness, proving that underneath
deadlines, cell phones and static, one’s life
actually has meaning. Their sense of peacefulness is
reflected in their book “Being Human,” which is
gaining recognition worldwide. In the book, the Thoms do
more than explain their ideals for achieving true harmony
in life; they become supportive friends. Completing each
other’s sentences, the duo says it values their four
children, nearly 28-year marriage, and the ability to help
others explore the inner forces that make each individual
important. On a recent warm and breezy afternoon, the
husband and wife team relax on their Tualatin River
property, reflecting on their world travels and current
book tour. “People from all kinds of different
backgrounds have read it,” Alicia, 49, says about
“Being Human,” the couple’s first book.
“Some people read a little bit each day. It is
fascinating hearing the different ways people have read it
and what happens to them when they read it. Questions are
answered. People read a particular section and have an
experience with it.”
For the past 15 years, the Thoms have been hosting
workshops for people of varying ages, nationalities, and
spiritual paths. The couple are the co-founders of Ad
Humanitas, an organization whose mission is to further
humanity within each individual as members of a single
global human community. The Thoms help people understand
and make sense of the forces in one’s own life.
According to “Being Human,” understanding and
acknowledging the life forces (elements that exist within
and around us that shape who we are) along with the
acknowledgement of a divine force, will help individuals
better understand themselves. Both Solihin and Alicia are
Subud members, a worldwide spiritual community of people
who believe in the possibility of being in touch with
one’s true self and humanity through surrender to
God. Subud embraces all religions, races and cultures.
“God is produced or presented (in) so many nations or
cultures or races. We need to see the homogeneity of
man,” said Solihin, 54, a retired osteopath.
“Looking at what unites us rather than what divides
us whether it’s a personal level or a humanitarian
level, you actually have everything you need,” said
Alicia. “In this culture
we’re so geared up to go outside ourselves instead of
recognizing the resources we contain ourselves.”
After finishing a leg of their Pacific Northwest book tour
last week, the couple will visit Russia next month for a
convention. Meanwhile, their book is being translated into
Russian and German. In October they hit Vienna, where they
teach regularly. Their traveling began long before a book
was in the works, however. Alicia grew up in the English
and Welsh countryside and spent time in Indonesia. Solihin
spent his formative years in Cyprus, Kuwait, Scotland and
the United Kingdom, and later, in Afghanistan.
Solihin’s experience in Afghanistan, where he lived
for two years as a young adult, resulted in a life-changing
experience and it was when he truly learned to accept
himself
for who he was. He later became a Muslim. “What I
recognized is a sort of basic humanity (while in
Afghanistan),” said Solihin. “I
recognized a complete acceptance of who I was. I
didn’t see fundamentals. I saw humans going about
their business. I saw good things, bad things. I saw
ordinary people.”
Living in Kuwait for 18 years also brought lessons learned
from being friends with people who were Indian, Pakistani,
Kuwaiti, and English.
“I had a taste of another life and another set of
people who had different structures and beliefs,”
said Solihin. After visiting Lake Oswego in the late 1980s,
the Thoms decided to set up residency in Lake Oswego in
1991. They lived there for seven years before moving to
West Linn.
“We came on a visit (from England), which was really
in a way like a quest,” said Alicia. “We knew
it was a spiritual journey, a very important
journey.” After returning home, the pair reflected on
their experiences from Oregon and a vision Alicia had of
the couple working together, led them to move to America.
They later used that energy experienced in the move in
their book. “Americans might be more afraid of
what’s out there as opposed to Europeans because
European countries are so close together,” said
Alicia. Their experiences living abroad have taught them
more than they could ever learn in a conventional
classroom. Classroom or not, books apply. “One of the
main points of the book is the idea of living a parallel
life, an inner and outer life together so that you
aren’t just focusing on your outer life and
neglecting your inner life or visa versa,” said
Alicia. “When we can integrate those two together,
our lives are more whole and satisfying and alive and
dynamic.” “Our inner life is the ability to be
guided from our creator, God, and also to be able to
discriminate those elements that we don’t see that
effect us as humans,” said Solihin.
“What we do is we help people begin to see the
different parts of ourselves that make up the whole
self.” “Your outer life is all the ‘doing
things’ that you have to take care of to survive; you
have to go to work, you have to make money, you have to
wash yourself, … habits,” said Alicia.
“An inner life is paying attention to what’s
going on internally; how you feel, noticing your inner
response to things you experience and people around you.
It’s really
your connection with the divine.” A self-published
work, “Being Human” has gained recognition in
many different countries and the couple has been invited to
make presentations at conferences in Russia, Austria, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“It feels good,” said Alicia. “In a way
it is slow but sure, but we’re feeding it and people
are sharing it with their friends and families and passing
it on and telling other people about it. We hope that that
will just continue to grow.” “One of the
reasons for writing the book was (for the people at our
workshops),” said Solihin. “They’ve got a
book as an added dictionary of ideas.” “(Since
the book has come out) we have had times where it feels
very exciting with possibilities and times when it’s
a bit overwhelming… but it’s good,” said
Alicia. “The TV and radio we have done in Oregon and
Washington have been really fun. We both really enjoy doing
radio. We really enjoy being in conversation with
someone.”
Nicole
DeCosta - 08/25/04