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Sufism
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ufism is mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God. It consists of a variety of mystical paths that are designed to ascertain the nature of humanity and of God and to facilitate the experience of the presence of divine love and wisdom in the world. Another name for the Sufi seeker is Dervish.
Dervishes performing the traditional and religious whirling dance
or Sufi whirling in Cyprus. PHOTO: MPALIS Two famous Sufi poets Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi born The second of the three voices is what Sufis refer on 30 September 1207. Known simply as Rumi, to as the voice of Darkness. This is the saboteur he has given the world the most inspiring love that can come from within us, or outside of us. It poems. often comes in the form of others’ voices that live “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change in our subconscious minds. Affecting everything the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing we do, and pressing us toward fear rather than myself.” – Rumi love as we try to heal our wounds. Hafez born 1326. Above all, the poetry of Hafez is The third and final voice is the one that rises characterized by love of humanity, contempt for above the rest and will come to mean the most hypocrisy and mediocrity, and an ability to univerin your life. It is known as the voice of God, and salize everyday experience and to relate it to the it can come to us in the form of Angels or direct mystic’s unending search for union with God. transmissions from behind the veil. This is the “On the neck of a young man sparkles no gem voice that leads you to your highest, holiest, and so gracious as enterprise.” – Hafez healthiest life. Though there will still be trials in order to grow and learn, the voice of God will lead What are The 3 Inner Voices? you to the path of least resistance. To the path In Sufism, there are three main voices that impact that is made for you, not one that simply happens our lives as a whole. The voice that rings the to you. loudest within you – though it may not be the As multifaceted, multidimensional beings, we voice with your highest good behind it – will hold must address the different voices within ourselves the most power over your daily life. Dr. Ibrahim and learn which of them are here to help us exJaffe discusses the differences between the three pand, and which ones keep us in a state of disease. voices, and how to distinguish which of them is Follow Dr. Ibrahim Jaffe as he addresses the differcurrently at the forefront of your life. ent processes and voices in which you can find the The first of the three voices is what Sufism refers answers that you seek, and find healing on God’s to as the voice of the Self. This can be many smallpath for you. er voices of your inner child, the controller, the proKamila Carolyn Shenmen, Ph.D., Dipl.Ac., Dipl.C.H., M.Div., tector, or even the parts of you that feel afraid. All co-president of the University of Sufism, holds a Master’s of these sub-personalities exist to create the voice of Divinity degree from the University of Spiritual of the Self, but one eventually rises above the othHealing and Sufism and a Doctorate in Computer Science ers to create the primary voice of Self within you. and Molecular Biology from the University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France. See more at sufi.net This is often the voice we are most aware of. G
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