Vol.18N.1
an inquiry
Security & Being
If you ask me, what do I recommend? The best is to leave everything and just follow the one. - Hafiz
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Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
Steve Uzzell photography
Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
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Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
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The world's longest running journal on Sufism 30 years of service toward cultivating peace and understanding in the world Since its founding in 1983, the International Association of Sufism has been proud to be a home for Sufis, spiritual seekers, and people of all kinds devoted to uplifting the quality of humanity around the globe. Over the last three decades, the IAS has been blessed with phenomenal growth and has worked hard to be a leader in a wide range of areas. Among the longest running of its traditions of service is our journal, Sufism, An Inquiry, which we first published in 1987. Since that time, Sufism, An Inquiry has been a living reflection of the dynamic energy and growing global community of Sufis and searchers who are deeply engaged in the work of the IAS. Over 60 volumes, the pages of Sufism, An Inquiry have championed women’s rights and the work of the Sufi Women Organization; published scientific inquiries ranging from the physiology of heart math to the latest findings of astronomers; shared new translations of classic works of Sufi literature previously unavailable in English; offered works by leading psychologists on human development and the spiritual path, reported on human rights and other diplomatic movements ranging from the work of the United Nations to interfaith organizations such as the United Religions Initiative; explored the cultural gifts of world religions diversely embodied around the planet; and provided insight into a wide variety of effective practices for spiritual development. As a whole, the tradition at Sufism, An Inquiry of featuring the work of great teachers, scholars and scientists from a wide variety of global perspectives, historical contexts and fields of specialization runs deep and strong throughout our journal’s history and shall continue to grow far into the future. Since the time the IAS first began publishing Sufism, An Inquiry, the world has also gone through an amazing transformation full of new opportunities and new challenges. One notable dimension in which the world has changed completely is the world of media under the influence of the internet and high technology. Just as the IAS has been at the forefront of leadership efforts for peace, human rights and equality, religious freedom and international cooperation, critical to meeting the opportunities and challenges of our changing world, today the IAS is proud to announce that it is relaunching Sufism, An Inquiry in a new online, digital format that will make it more dynamic and more accessible than ever to a worldwide population. We look forward to developing video content, mp3 audio files, social interactivity, links to websites with related content, and a beautiful full-color layout. At the same time, we plan to offer the journal, not just online, but in print, in downloadable pdf format, and in other formats readable on e-readers. To all our readers who have added so much to our community over these many years, we wish to extend our great appreciation for making us part of your life and we extend to you and to all our enthusiastic invitation to journey with us into this new and exciting period of growth for our journal. We hope you will enjoy this, our inaugural issue in our new online, digital format! Let us know what you think in an email to: sufismjournal@gmail.com.
Peace to you and yours,
Sufism, An Inquiry Editorial Staff, The International Association of Sufism Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
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Publisher: International Association of Sufism a nonprofit corporation.
Editor-in-Chief: Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D. Executive Editor: Nahid Angha, Ph.D. Journal Board: Matthew Davis, Ph.D., Munir Hedges, Elizabeth Miller, Ph.D., Sarah Hastings Mullin, Ph.D., Hamed Ross, Taher Roybal. Photography:
Susan W. Lambert
www.SusanWLambert.com
Steve Uzzell
www.SteveUzzell.com
Inside Cover Photo: Steve Uzzell
The various articles in SUFISM: an inquiry represent the individual views of their authors. SUFISM: an inquiry does not imply any gender bias by the use of feminine or masculine terms, nouns and/or pronouns. SUFISM: an inquiry is a quarterly journal (ISSN: 0898-3380) published by the International Association of Sufism. Address all correspondence regarding editorials and advertising to: SUFISM, P.O. Box 2382, San Rafael, California 94912 Phone: (415) 472-6959 email ias@ias.org All material Copyright © 2017 by International Association of Sufism. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication (including art) may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The publication is published by the International Association of Sufism, a California nonprofit corporation. The publication of any article, essay, story, or other material herein constitutes neither an endorsement of, agreement with, or validation of the contents of the author’s views expressed therein. Although the Publisher has made all reasonable efforts in its editing of such material to verify its accuracy, the Publisher takes no responsibility for any innacurate or tortious statement by the author set forth therein.
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Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
Editorial Advisors:
Dr. Shahid Athar, MD The awardee of “Dr. Ahmed El-Kadi Award for distinguished service to the Islamic Medical Association of America Dr. Arthur Beuhler Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi Sufi Lineage Scholar in the field of Islamic Studies Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz (Saadi Shakur Chishti) Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning www.eial.org Dr. Aliaa R. Rafea Ain Shams University, Women’s College, Egypt The Human Foundation: Chair and Founder
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editors’ desk
09. A Letter from the Desk of the Editor
Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D.
11. Principles of Sufism:It is Upon US
Nahid Angha, Ph.D.
13. Essential Practices: Tubeh, Repentence Nahid Angha, Ph.D.
15. Selected Teachings: Perception & Freedom Hazrat Moulana Shah Maghsoud
history and inquiry
29. Roots of Security & Our Physical System
Amineh Amelia Pryor, Ph.D.
39. Principles of Sufism: A New Study Group Hamed Ross
41. Faith as a Direct Experience
Sarah Hastings Mullin, Ph.D.
55. Adab: Etiquette and Code of Conduct
Jalal Brian Heery, Ph.D.
68. 99 Most Beautiful Names: Al-Hafiz
Sarah Hastings Mullin, Ph.D.
reports
25. 40 Days Alchemy of Tranquility Retreat
January 2018: On Security Katherine Preston, MFT
33. Songs of the Soul Festival
Music, Poetry & Sacred Music Leili First, Ph.D.
36. Sufi Women: Women’s Leadership with Police Chief Diane Bishop
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healing and the world 37. Accessing Transformative Balance
Community Healing Centers
64. UN Report
poetry
19. Ray of sunlight flies back... Rumi
47. A Transformed Tomorrow
Reverend Charles P. Gibbs
49. The Embrace
Arife Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D.
53. In these days and times... Hafiz
sufi biography
54. Khvaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafiz
Nahid Angha, Ph.D.
59. Annual Community Award
honoring Munir Hedges & Safa Ali Michael Newman Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
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Letter from the Editor
Security & the Seed of Human Being
Human being seeks security, freedom from potential harm. Security can be bodily, mental, and psychological. The desire for security motivates human actions at all levels, yet the root of security is not well understood by humanity, leaving the pursuit of security to become misguided, and very often harmful. If security is truly a goal, it cannot be correlated with temporary conditions, but needs to be addressed at its root, and cultivated in the direction of Wisdom for the best possible result. At this time, the energy of the whole world, everywhere, is insecure. The cause of this insecurity can come from the environment, society, nature, and most of all, the human mind, which locates the source of security outside of the self, or in that which is temporary – physical security, finances, the body. Human beings put a door and a lock on a house for limited entrance, but the mind most often is left to operate without a filter. When there is disagreement between the nature of two elements, that disagreement always is insecure for one or the other. Such disagreement resides within the human being because of differences in the nature of the soul and body. The soul is from the root of unity, harmony, peace, and balance, whereas the body is rooted through the field of diversity, involvement, distraction, and a war to survive in the physical world. What holds soul and body together is Intellect, or Wisdom, the first creation of God. Wrapped within the soul of human being is the mystery of living. However, Intellect in human nature has become the hidden sun behind a heavy smokescreen image of body and mind, reduced from the
Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D., the
Editor in Chief of the journal, is the Co-Director of the International Association of Sufism. He is an acclaimed Sufi Master with students around the world, an international lecturer and the author of numerous books including An Introduction to Religion.
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highest potential to the lowest of the low. And the mysWhen a seed is planted, the opportunity is created for tery of living stays wrapped within, like an unopened that seed to practice. The kind of environment chosen for seed. the seed is very important. Always, this seed has to deal Suggestions of the human intellect for security inwith two environments – inside and outside – as a rule for clude building borders around countries, installing every being. It needs water, light, and soil, but within the walls and locks on homes, investigation, interfering in body of the seed already is the knowledge for how to use the privacy of each other, and amassing the greatest this energy until it can extend its networking system into material wealth and the most advanced arms. These the universe. The seed already is prepared to survive. actions are taken in the name of “security,” but in reality Without instruction or interference a seed divides are for destroying others. They are actions taken in fear – one section of the seed grows down, one goes up as and greed, and only increase more cause for insecurity. “root” and “stem,” with no mistake. In the same way it Intellect has not approved any of these ways for seneeds no instruction from outside, it is not possible only curity, and human being has experienced that this is to speak over the seed and make it open. A seed must be not the right way to provide security. But still humanplanted and allowed to grow according to the rules of the ity cannot stop these behaviors. Within the nafs of huuniverse. The two environments a seed must deal with man being are so many insecure images and memories, – inside and outside – are both rooted to unity. Yet, it is playing again and again in the mind. from the inside that a seed must become activated. Along the history of human being, since cavemen To find security, a human being first has to find up to this time, there always and remove all the causes of have been individuals rising Security only can be found at the horizon insecurity, then move toward among every society whose security, the city of knowledge, of justice, by trust in God, the only power. intellect, love, and peace. The hearts were illuminated by It can only be found by trust in the Creator the light of Intellect. These mind creates idols, ignores the of the whole, who by His own breath, the self and relies on illusions of individuals have invited people to listen to the voice security promoted within the energy of life, made sure every being has a of Intellect from the horizon culture. It is the responsibility right to be alive and embraced in the majesty of justice, and to stop their of each human being to release of life equally. rebellion. Yet, human being the self from any cultural form cannot hear that. or obligation and to find wisSecurity only can be found at the horizon of justice, dom about self. When cultural format becomes the first by trust in God, the only power. It can only be found and primary investment or standard, and the quality of a by trust in the Creator of the whole, who by His own human being comes second, security cannot be realized. breath, the energy of life, made sure every being has Human being should search for security in the longa right to be alive and embraced in the majesty of life term, rooted to Wisdom, and to the soul. First practice equally. and discover to be a human being, invest in the soul. ReNo man or nation has been given any right to govern turn to self, respect self, honor self, that is the suggestion or lead anyone, or any other nation. As long as human of Wisdom. Capacity for security depends on one’s expecbeing depends or relies on something outside of the tations of his or her own self. The ego holds the idea of self for security, human being is not secure. Motivation, one’s potential, but it motivates pretense, while Wisdom searching, for the root of security is wisdom, and it is can convert that energy into positive action. Wisdom that knows how to do right, at the right time, in Wisdom is wrapped within the heart of human being. the right place, with the best possible outcome. By focusing on the heart, human being has the opportuSecurity has been entrusted to the heart of the benity to close the door of distraction and receive the light lievers, and they will remain secure along their journey, of awakening. The heart of human being is in connection within the domain of time, and beyond. Insecure is the with the mystery and motion of life. Put your heart in time when we lose our wisdom. The whole of creation charge. Turn toward and become unified with, that which is a practice. To make this practice for the best result, gives, and is, Life. This is the way of security. we need Wisdom.
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Principles of Sufism
It is Upon Us Nahid Angha, Ph.D.
Throughout history, humans have marked each century and era with special characteristics, and the products of those characteristics are defined by the later generations, whose lives unfold in their wake. The second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century are marked as the age of global technology. New technology has dominated our societies, provided us with many useful and beneficial products – especially in the fields of medicine and global information sharing – and given us the opportunity to relate to the corners of our world. Technology is a product of the human mind, so it is entitled to its light side and shadow side – technology has taken steps for the sake of humanity, and, at the same time, it has also taken steps toward the destruction of civilizations and human lives at an unprecedented pace. The human family is at a crossroads of decision-making, and needs to evaluate both the benefits and destructive power of our age. Advancement of technology, bankruptcy of morality, concerns for universal health, disregard for human life, excess of the individual’s monetary wealth, failure in global economy, unprecedented economical distance between the haves and have nots in every corner of the world, an unfair and imbalanced condition that spreads to every aspect of human life – all of this is a part of the story of the 21st century. Human being is a complex creature. We possess compassion and kindness, and we mourn loss of life. We fall in love and we give up everything for the one we love – just a glance, just a smile, is all we ask. Our romantic love stories saturate our music, poetry and storytelling, and we honor and revere our heroes, building monuments to glorify them. We are beautiful and intelligent. At the same time, this beautiful creature is greedy, revengeful, deceitful, self-serving, and prejudiced. On the one hand, he devotes his entire life to develop ways to cure the most devastating illnesses for the sake of human life, and, at the same time, he creates the most advanced weapons of mass destruction. Both outcomes are the results of the advancement of his technology, and the direction of his mind.
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It is here that we need to reexamine the responsibility and accountability of every individual human being, and answer these questions: For whose sake the machine is being developed? And, who is controlling the machine? It is here that our goodness, and our dignity, play an important role in controlling the speed, direction, and nobility of technology. Otherwise, the shadow side of the human mind will lead our destiny. If the discoveries of science do not benefit all humanity, whether wealthy or poor nations, and if our laws of humanity do not apply to all people regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, or social status, and do not honor our rights and give all of us opportunity, then we need to rethink our virtue and morality. It is us who create classes and levels to prevent the poor man from receiving his whole potentiality to benefit from the laws of the universe. And it is from here that trouble begins. Political systems give us fancy words, and poetic talks may make us feel better, but they will lead us nowhere. We are at a crossroads of decision-making. Any decision we make now will effect and lead our human family toward its advancement or its destruction. Embracing human dignity and a new frontier of science, being free in the society dominated by technology, and the ultimate question of God, are such important questions, and can be addressed in many different ways. As the stories tell and history confirms, any given period of history faces the best and worst of times. But now, rather than reading the significance and effects of these stories in the books of history, and wondering if they relate to us or not, we are at the receiving end of history, creating the road ahead. We are experiencing what our past generations experienced through time – we now receive, we host, we embrace, and we offer these stories to the next generations. This present time is history in its finest creation and in its truest form. This is what leads our human family to its misfortune or fortune, to its war or peace, to its mourning or celebration. It is from this point of view that we have to review the responsibility of humankind, and understand the scope of our accountability in every step we take. Dignity by definition means nobility, decency and goodness. Our
focus now is how human dignity, our decency, our goodness, may be preserved and honored in the 21st century. For many people, for the last few years, individuals rather than masses (governments) stand for what is right for all humanity. We see movements emerging and individual human beings initiating change. As individuals, each of us will either take responsibility to lead humanity to a favorable destination, or will ignore such responsibility and remain passive observers, blaming human failings or the masses – blaming governments, leaders, religion, technology, etc. – forgetting that we, as individuals, are passive or active members of a mass. From my own tradition and faith, Sufism, and from what I have learned and practiced in my personal life, I have learned that the door of knowledge is not closed to any human being. It is the right and responsibility of every human being to become knowledgeable, educated and informed of existing and governing laws within the universe as much as one is able to do. And it is also our right and responsibility to become educated and informed of the existing and governing laws within the world – within nations and within one’s greater or smaller society, in order to develop, advance and progress so as to become worthy of serving humanity. It is our right to know what leads humanity, and toward what ends humanity is being led. Time has changed that we can no longer remain passive observers to what is happening in the world, to its inhabitants, to its life. It is not enough to remain secure in a household without any regard to our surroundings, to our neighbors, to the people in the street, to the people around the word. It is not enough to remain content with temporary concerns, and leave our future generations to the hands of disaster, confusion, or unknown destination. There are three steps we can take toward building a bridge over troubled water. The first step is to recognize and acknowledge that there is trouble, there is hardship, there is poverty, there is injustice. Life has lost its value, the wealth of having more is more appreciated than the wealth of being, and our dignity is taken loosely. The second step is to recognize that as a human be-
ing, what is my responsibility and accountability towards humanity who has to pass over this bridge without being drowned into this disturbed and uneasy body of water that has been created not by the hand of an imaginary energy, but by our own hands. Third, and most importantly, we must consider why the world and civil society that was to nourish us, to sustain our lives, to promote and protect our peace and create healthy and moderate living for all humanity, is now becoming the cause of our destruction. Even though you and I may not be the direct agents of those destructions, future generations will judge us as a generation that caused ruin, and accepted brutality as a necessary means for capitalism and human suffering as an acceptable consequence. Who speaks and stands for the unprivileged? Who will stand for the earth that nourishes us, the air that keeps us alive, the water that sustains our life? Will human dignity be preserved and honored within the framework of the new frontier of science and technology? Shouldn’t the discoveries in science benefit all humanity whether wealthy or poor nations, whether wealthy or poor individuals? Don’t the governing laws of the universe apply to all humanity regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, or social status – does the law of gravity apply more to richer than poorer? As individuals, it is upon each of us to take a stand and actively contribute to the betterment of life of the human family. We have to become aware, to understand our role, to understand the meaning of freedom, of rights, of peace, of honor, of global health, of the well being of the earth, the air, the water, nature, and our world – every nation, all human beings. It is us, the people, who create disappointment for ourselves. It is also us, the people, those who care, who will build a bridge over troubled water. Those who care understand that the foundation of the bridge must be strong to hold the bridge, and the foundation is built from the heart of human being, in the heart of trouble.
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Essential Practices Along the Spiritual Path
Tubeh Repentance
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by Nahid Angha, Ph.D. from: Principles of Sufism 31-36
Repentance literally means “to turn away,” and that is the turning back from an inferior state towards a superior state. According to the tenets of religion, repentance is the regret one properly feels after committing a forbidden act. In Sufism it refers to breaking forth from the barriers that hinder the seeker from reaching the ultimate Being. The direction of a Sufi is towards God, the eternal Being. The salek follows the direct and straight path that begins with himself and ends in the Divine. He or she is to turn away from whatever disturbs and distracts his going forward toward Divine knowledge…. The condition for such turning away is awareness, that is, the recognition of the veils and curtains that separate the seeker from his goal, and the penetration of these veils to attain the truth that lies hidden behind them. As the salek becomes more aware he also becomes more capable of learning how to overcome the veils; thus the attraction in his heart turns away from all that is not the essence of Divinity. Repentance consists in seeing the actual shortcomings, limitations in potentiality and faults of the self and consciously and knowingly turning away from them to find the direction towards hagh (truth). It begins with knowledge and ends in the realization of belief.
Awareness, then, is the basic pillar of the spiritual quest, it helps the seeker distinguish the shortcomings in his actions, and to recognize deceits and helplessness in thought, so that the heart regrets such weakness and darkness, and strives for understanding… Repentance is only possible after the enlightenment of the heart and the awakening of the mind. That is when the heart and mind awaken from ignorance and see the rays of knowledge lie within. The easiest repentance is that from an apparent mistake. The corrupt must prevent his eyes, tongue, hands, and feet from corruption if he is to repent. But the repentance of the just is very different. A just person is one who does not ruin the moments of his life wandering about. Instead, he calls upon his heart as a witness to his actions and intentions. He watches his step at all times. He prevents his senses from experiencing that which is not proper or rightful for them to perceive. A salek must restrain his hands from taking what is not proper for them to take. He must break his bad and useless habits and leave the house of limitations to dwell instead in the house of the Divine.
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Selected Teachings
The eyes see, the nose smells, the mouth tastes, ears hear and the sense of touch feels the roughness, softness, warmth and coldness. Senses are for feeling and contact with nature; their mistakes are not questioned, their task is to learn the externality of things, their pleasure is the unknown qualities of perceptions. Sense perceptions and the organs of the senses cannot define the meaning of life.
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The finite manifestations of nature and their qualities are short-lived ripples on the ocean of life; embracing them is painful and parting from them is peace and happiness.
Selected Teachings
Hazrat Moulana Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha A Meditation: Payam-e-del. IAS Publciations, San Rafael, 1991 Translated by Dr. Nahid Angha
The tricks of the agents of senses and perceptions, their natural ways and meanings, are false shadows over your identity. You praise them as “I” and lead yourself to the valley of death under this banner.
Freedom from such an artificial figure is the beginning of finding the reality of “self” in perfect tranquility and freedom.
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New Courses Coming Summer 2018
Through the Holy Qur’an, Bible & Sayings
Over three Sundays Understanding the Qur’an Understanding the Bible Words of Wisdom
5/20, 7/8 & 7/22 1:00 - 2:00 pm 2:15 - 3:15 pm 3:30 - 4:30 pm
These classes provide reflections on holy books by a wise Sufi Master. They will provide a valuable resource for people of all religious and spiritual traditions who are seeking to deepen and enrich their own understanding and spiritual practice. $60 for any one of the three-week series; $175 for all three series Reserve a space, send a check made out to IAS to the address below or call (415) 382-7834 fmi: www.IAS.org
Institute for Sufi Studies 14 Commercial Blvd. #101, Novato
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Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
f ism f Su
rn
Inte
no
al Associatio n o i at
Annual
Dinner
7:00 pm Friday, November 2, 2018 Embassy Suites San Rafael, CA
2018 Annual Inspiration Dinner honoring
Donna Garske Executive Director, Center for Domestic Peace
The International Association of Sufism is proud to celebrate the work and service of Donna Garske as our 2018 Annual Inspiration Dinner Honoree. Our Annual Dinner honors individuals in our Bay Area Community who have made a significant impact on the well-being of humanity. Donna has been a pioneer in the fourdecade long movement to end violence against women, from which so much has been learned about preventing violence in all its forms, cultivating peace, and creating constructive dialog around challenging social issues and dynamics. Donna’s work began forty years ago helping women in the criminal justice system and soon led her to become the Executive Director of Marin Abused Women’s Services (MAWS), which later evolved into the Center for Domestic Peace.
Honorary Committee: Jonathan Granoff, Chair US Congressman Jared Huffman Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold Tenshin Reb Anderson Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Mark Fishkin The Rev. Canon Charles Gibbs Nafisa Haji, Ed.D. Denise Lucy, Ph.D. Paul Paz y Mino Robert L. Reynolds The Rev. Carol Saysette Rita Semel Bahman Shirazi, Ph.D. Jack Shoemaker Atossa Soltani Laura Stivers, Ph.D. Mary Kay Sweeney, Ph.D. Craig Watson
www.IAS.org Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, No. 1
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Rhythms of the Heart: Rumi
Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi (Rumi) 13th century Persian Poet
Ray of sunshine flies back to the light When it hears: Return to me, from the sun. One who sees light to light returns, While the flowers and fields, Must long in vain for light departed
Translations by Dr. Nahid Angha
Ecstasy:; The World of Sufi Poetry and Prayer. San Rafael, CA: International Association of Sufism Publications, 1998.
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IAS PUBLICATIONS
Sufi Wisdom: The Collected Words of Sufi Master Nahid Angha Compiled by Arife Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D. Second Printing
Stations of the Sufi Path: The One Hundred Fields (Sad Maydan) of Abdullah Ansari of Herat by Nahid Angha, Ph.D. Archetype Publishing
Caravan: Biographies from the Sufism Symposia 1994-2014 Introduction by Nahid Angha, Ph.D.
Illumination of the Names: Meditation by Sufi Masters on the Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God Introduction from the Teachings of Sufi Master Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar Compiled by Glenn Pascall
Seasons of the Soul: The Spoken Wisdom of Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar Compiled by Glenn Pascall & Saana Joy Carey, Ph.D.
Inspirations on The Holy Qur’an
Dr. Nahid Angha and Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar, students of Moulana Shah Maghsoud, 20th Century Persian Sufi Master, are Sufi scholars and masters, with many publications. They cofounded the International Association of Sufism in 1983, to introduce and provide practical applications of Sufism, the mysticism of Islam, and open a line of communication amongst Sufi masters and scholars from around the world. To bring the wisdom of Islam to the general public, Dr. Kianfar offered exegesis on Qur’anic text through a series of classes entitled: Love and Wisdom through the Qur’an and Hadiths. His teachings and the students’ reflections are compiled in this book: Inspirations on the Holy Qur’an. Dr. Kianfar emphasized the importance of studying this text as a manual for humanity and as a reflection for a reader on his/her divine essence and of spiritual development. He emphasizes that the key to understanding the Qur’an is in how profoundly and reflectively one studies the teachings provided in the Book: the teachings that become a trusted guide for the practitioner who moves towards the stations of selfunderstanding and spiritual awakening.
International Association of Sufism IAS. PO Box 2382, San Rafael, California 94912, USA
ISBN: 0-918437-20-4
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Inspirations on The Holy Qur’an
Inspirations on The Holy Qur’an Introduction by Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar
Introduction by Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar
A Collection of Essays by Sherri Brown • Sarah Hastings Mullin • Munir Hedges Katherine Preston • Amelia Amineh Pryor Bryan Rich • Hamed Blake Ross
Institute for Sufi Studies Classes
Sufi Gatherings, Uwaiysi School Bi-monthly Novato, CA
S M
MEDITATION GROUPS
READING AND STUDY GROUPS
Sufi Meditation & The Journey Reading Group Every other Sunday, 10:00 – 11:30 am 14 Commercial Blvd. Suite 101, Novato, CA Call in advance: Dr. Arife Hammerle, (415) 389-6448
Amir al-Momenin Imam Ali (a.s.) First Sundays monthly, 1:00 – 2:30 pm Novato, CA Contact Sheikh Salman Baruti
40 Days: Alchemy of Tranquility Every other Sunday evening San Mateo, CA Contact Katherine Preston
Principles of Sufism First Sundays monthly, 3:00-4:00 pm Novato, CA Contact Hamed Ross
Meditation for Mothers Second Mondays monthly, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm 14 Commercial Blvd. Suite 101, Novato, CA Pre-reg. required. Contact Dr. Amineh Pryor, (415) 4382-7834 Alchemy of Heart Sufi Meditation Program Last Mondays monthly, 4:30 – 5:30 pm 616 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941 Call in advance: Dr. Arife Hammerle, (415) 389-6448
W
Sacred Meditation Circle for Women in Santa Rosa First Wednesdays monthly, 11:00 am Santa Rosa, CA Contact Halima Haymaker, (707) 953-2013
Stations of the Sufi Path Third Wednesdays monthly, 7:00 – 8:00 pm San Francisco location, CA. Contact Dr. Amineh Pryor, (415) 4382-7834 Illumination of the Names Monthly on Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:30 pm Novato, CA Contact Dr. Leili First
H S
Heart-based Meditation Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 8:00 pm San Francisco, CA Contact Dr. Amineh Pryor, (415) 4382-7834 Sufi New Student Gathering Every other Saturday & by Appointment 14 Commercial Blvd. Suite 101, Novato, CA Contact Safa Ali Newman, (415) 499-1115
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PUBLICATIONS
Human Self Volume 1: Body by Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, et.al. Human Self VOLUME I : BODY Shah Nazar Ali Kianfar
with Mary Toth Granick, M.Ed., MS Arife Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D. Amineh Amelia Pryor, Ph.D. Katherine Preston, MA
series
Reflections by Arife Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D. New Release
The Book of Self by Sarah Hastings Mullin, Ph.D.
THE
LIGHT of the
HEART
The Light of the Heart: An Introduction to the Principles and Practics of Sufism As taught by Sufi Masters Nahid Angha, Ph.D. and Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D. by Halima Joann Haymaker
HALIMA JOANN HAYMAKER
Sufism: Self, Path and Guide by Amineh Amelia Pryor, Ph.D.
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Report: 40 Days Practice
The Root
of Security
By Katherine Preston, MFT Edited by Elizabeth Miller, Ph.D.
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The 10th Annual Forty Days Alchemy of Tranquility retreat was held January 26-28, 2018 at Santa Sabina retreat center on the Dominican University campus in San Rafael, California. The topic this year’s retreat was The Root of Security. The Forty Days, Alchemy of Tranquility program was established in 2006 by Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar and named 40 Days. Under the guidance of Sufi masters Seyyedeh Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Kianfar, the mission of this program is for the team of Sufi practitioners who are psychotherapists and educators, to offer the wider community an opportunity to access the universal wisdom offered through Sufi teachings. Central to these teachings is the knowledge that the innate essence of being human is the potential for transformation. The weekend retreat has the goal of illuminating the wisdom of the wholeness of human beings sourced in the Unity of Being, and offers a recognizable systematic and practical way for participants to access this principle and begin a practice of self-transformation. On Friday afternoon, forty participants, some traveling across the country, arrived at the beautiful and peaceful grounds of Santa Sabina. The participants gathered for the first of many welcoming meals together with an opportunity to gather and connect. The weekend program began on Friday evening with an introduction to the meaning of alchemy. Alchemy is the process of transmutation of base metals into gold, a process of purification. For human beings this purification process involves aligning one’s whole system, physiological, psychological and spiritual systems in one direction ultimately bringing one to the state of balance and tranquility. Forty days is the length of time for this purification process to take place. Prophets and wise teachers who have gone through this process assure us that if one maintains their practice for 40 days, a transformative healing process will occur. This understanding about the individual’s capacity to access innate inner wisdom is the key to the root of security. It was acknowledged that human beings often develop a false sense of security with a focus entirely on the physical self within a physical world without consideration of the entire system, including the internal and unseen.
Dr. Angha emphasized how we concentrate on our physical security, though it is limited. She offered the metaphor of the seed. In order to grow and transform into a mature flowering plant, fertile ground and a goal are both required. This applies to each of us. We are encouraged to nurture the whole self and have a clear goal in order to actualize our full potential. Dr. Kianfar referred to the title of the retreat and acknowledged that the entire world is insecure and desperately searching for security through any means, knowing that our minds and bodies are fundamentally not secure. He then offered that true security is rooted in wisdom. Wisdom was defined as doing the right action, at the right time in the right place. One of the 99 names of Allah is Wisdom: Al Hakeem - the Wise. The first creation of God was wisdom and that wisdom is rooted in the soul of every human being. Through our attachment to our culture, we are distracted from our inner wisdom – we ignore ourselves and begin to rely on others. As long as we rely on anything outside of our own selves, we will remain insecure. Choices and sacrifices are a part of life, and in order to make them correctly in service of our own security, we must use the light of wisdom to guide them. It follows that our capacity for security depends on our expectations of ourselves. If you expect to achieve your maximum potential, then there must be awareness of what stands in the way of transformation and practices to remove those impediments, as well as having a guardian to protect and nurture that growth. Death of the physical body, therefore, must be considered, and our search for the root of security must look beyond the physical realm to the root of wisdom within the soul. Dr. Kianfar reiterated that alchemy is the process of bringing the totality of the self into balance and harmony and 40 Days is the practice to discover this wisdom within. If this practice ends in eternal life, that is ultimate wisdom. One knows if an action is right when one can see the light of wisdom from the beginning to the end of the action. The recommendation is to be the companion of your goal in every moment, continuously monitoring progress. The lack of confidence that results from a lack of accomplishment is a major cause of insecurity. The practice to discover one’s inner wisdom be-
gins with purification. The first step is to look for the cause of one’s insecurity. Then, bring the light of wisdom inside the problem, being sure to keep one’s goal in view, and practice in the right direction with the guidance of a guardian. The best practice for 40 Days is to find the actual light within your own self. Through this awakening, human beings have the potential to be the messenger of God. However, culture is a distraction for human beings and brings the quality and dignity of human beings down to the lowest or most limited level. The mind creates idols, ignores the self and relies on illusions of security within the culture. The ego holds the idea of one’s potential, but it also motivates pretense, while wisdom converts that energy into positive action. Retreat participants were offered opportunities throughout the evening to write and talk about their insecurities, and to engage in a practice that brought the experience of light to these concerns. The evening concluded with beautiful, peaceful and inspiring music from Taneen, a Sufi music ensemble. Saturday morning began with martial arts practices offered by Dr. Jalal Heery, Salim Matchette and Dr. Jamal Granick. There were opportunities to practice alone and with a partner in ways that highlighted the strength in the principle of focusing within as a stabilizing factor in all of life. There was a focus on breath and balance, bringing awareness to the understanding that all practice is about oneself, even when working with a partner. Dr. Angha reinforced the recognition that the focus on practice is self. We often compare ourselves to others and then lose sight of what is “I.” She offered the Hadith: “I was a hidden treasure, and I loved to be known.” She emphasized that we must refocus inward to recognize the treasure within. Within the whole universe, each of us are the “one and only.” There are no repetitions. She recommended the inquiry, “What does the universe see in me that I do not see in myself that made me the one and only?” Dr. Kianfar continued, pointing out that our current condition is evidence of our expectation of ourselves. The hope is that hearing that this message will encourage us to expect more from ourselves. Human beings must deal with two environments: soul and nature. The mystery of living is wrapped
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within the soul. He returned to the example of the seed. The mystery of the seed is within the seed and is not limited by time or history. The whole universe cooperated to create this seed, and therefore, the mystery of the universe is within the seed. Planting the seed within the ground gives an opportunity for the seed to practice – and for it to grow it must be planted in the same environment from which it came (nature). The seed is equipped with a body and is given what it needs to survive in the universe. The seed needs to be carefully planted – within the earth, at the right depth. Then it divides into two sections, one goes down first to connect with energy for life (root) and one goes up to communicate and receive light from the sun (stem). A deep wisdom remains in the center of the seed that organizes this movement. The seed then grows according to the rule of the universe. It has an inside and an outside, both rooted in Unity. In reality, these are one, and in practice, they are experienced as two. In order to thrive the seed must communicate with the sun for nourishment. The seed must contain the same energy as the sun in order to communicate with it, as energy searches for like energy. In the same way, the soul searches for soul. And human beings also have an inside and an outside, with wisdom is in charge to manage and organize all of this movement. Both have equal purpose and both are rooted in Unity. This wisdom, if cultivated, can be put into service. However, the environment of the mind becomes filled with a collection of images from physical life and becomes distracted and completely separated from the root. Life becomes the life of only mind, which cannot be controlled, leaving the mind wide open to ever-present temptation. The solution is to remove oneself from the activities of the mind and reconnect to the root. This practice converts the energy of every cell of one’s body, as every cell has the potential for transformation. In zekr, one
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converts the energy of the body into the energy of the zekr, and zekr is and must be performed at the presence of the heart. The next presentation by Dr. Jamal Granick focused on an overview of attachment theory in psychology. He emphasized the unconditional nature of the connection with the source of one’s own being. Dr. Kianfar also spoke about attachment being at its core a conditional and emotional experience. The true friendship is with your own self. This requires purifying oneself from whatever is not the self. If this goal is accomplished, you will become a center of peace and security. The Prophet recommends we find a spiritual person and be their companion - that being around that energy can support one’s own transformation. Dr. Arife Hammerle followed this presentation by offering an experiential exercise asking the questions: What do you hold onto? What are you held by? And how does the holding connect you to the root of security? Participants formed groups for discussion and sharing. What followed was a dialogue between Dr. Kianfar and Dr. Granick about memory. Dr. Kianfar explained that there are two types of memory: what you have (fitrat - or primordial nature), and what you think. The mind and heart each are a magnetic center and we attend to one or the other. The mind is in the field of emotion, whereas the heart is in the field of motion, movement toward the fixed and stable center of connection. Focus on this movement will bring mind into alignment with the heart. The heart is the station that is connected to eternal movement which is Life. The heart grants or passes this connection to the body, which is the root of the secure system. Security lies in aligning yourself in a straight line with the source of life – only focus on the heart, and practice according to the rules of light. If you wish to align with the sun, then practice and focus on the heart, which is the center for connection to the universe. This alignment with
the primary source is religion. Dr. Kianfar teaches that religion is a fact born within each human being, and is there to be discovered. The practice is to find this religion within your own self. A Sufi understands that righteousness has the power to change DNA, which impacts generations after and before. This is the opportunity that one has to truly transform one’s energy. In the evening, as the group gathered again, Professor Arthur Scott offered a reflection and examples from his own life and practice about the security found within stillness. Within stillness is an opportunity to surrender to our inner dimension. This process can be enhanced through a focus on breath and listening to the heartbeat. Sheikh Salman Baruti offered a moving Sufi story about a dervish unconcerned with gold and riches, who had learned through painful life experiences the wisdom of being unattached to transient physical life. We are reminded that neither wealth nor pain will remain. Wisdom allows us to make peace with ourselves, and focus our energy and attention on an inner path. Salima Matchette offered an experiential exercise utilizing voice and resonance as a practice of inner focus. The purpose of this exercise was to demonstrate how using one’s own vocal vibrations and resonance coupled with intention and focus can create a conducive and energized environment for deep meditation. Participants explored a range of different tones and the power of internal resonance. The evening ended with Dr. Kianfar referring to the message of stillness. Stillness is the quality of balance – everything must have a point of balance in order to exist. He continued teaching the message of Islam: la ilaha illah Allah. La ilaha is negation, removing the self from distraction, and illa Allaha is the point of stillness. Only God, the Creator, can say, ”Here I am.” You cannot find God when you are looking for something you do not know; God finds you. This is the same for knowledge. Dr. Kianfar taught that before sleep to first sit and meditate on one useful subject and stay with that subject until falling asleep, and catch the moment of falling asleep which is between two frequencies. Sunday morning began with second experience of movement practice led by Dr. Jalal Heery. Dr. Heery, Dr. Granick and Dr. Sarah Hastings Mullin, all Aikido practitioners, demonstrated the power of
centering within one’s own system as a source of protection. Emphasis was placed on the power of focusing on one’s own condition of balance, even in the presence of a partner, or when interacting with multiple other energies. Dr. Sarah Hastings Mullin followed the movement practice with a reflection on faith. She pointed to Qur’an 2:256 and 39:9 as sources of guidance for the process to use to find God, so that faith remains certain. Faith is discovered, and is the gift of light to the practitioner waiting patiently for the divine. She further elaborated on the necessity for the teacher that serves as evidence that the practice is correct. The faith between the Teacher and student is one that is developed through purification and connection to develop guidance to discover iman - faith, the star within the heart. Dr. Kianfar ended the retreat by discussing the Teacher. The Teacher is unseen except within the heart and is the one who organizes and manages energy that comes to you. For the teacher to serve as Vilayat, guardian, is a major responsibility appointed by God. Creation made every being perfect and it is the invitation of life to return to this perfect state of knowledge and wisdom. The secret to practice is to be honest with your own self, put your heart in charge so that any movement or decision comes from one center. Return to your heart and stay with your heart. It is the mercy of God that provides you with a heart. Dr. Kianfar left participants with these concluding words: “Practice honesty, purify and return to your heart.”
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Reflection: 40 Days Practice
Roots of Security
& Our Physical System by Dr. Amineh Amelia Pryor
I
n our daily life and on our spiritual journey it’s helpful to increase our awareness of our physical system as a secure foundation and a reliable base in which we experience our essential nature, the more subtle aspects of being, and our spiritual and metaphysical reality. It’s understood that our body is a temporary vessel, yet an important one. It’s a valuable system and worth respecting and learning more about so that we can use it to its best advantage and take the best care of it. Contained within the confines of our body are interconnected systems. Our physical system is also in communication beyond its perimeter, allowing us to communicate with our environment, in our relationships, and to continually regulate and adjust. The way in which we focus on our body can lead us in opposite directions – to the continuous flux and changeability or to the rooted, grounded, secure aspect of our physical system. We may, at times, focus on the ways that our systems are uncomfortable, in pain, in fluctuation, and the ways in which we feel lack of alignment among aspects of our physical system. To change our perspective and our orientation we may learn ways to concentrate and focus on the unity and wise and systematic guidance, which leads to the experience of security versus incongruence in our physical experience. Focusing on what is constantly in flux leads to insecurity. By focusing on the stable systems that comprise our body we can increase a sense of security. This sense of security comes with knowledge and practice with the following results. o o o o o
The more at ease we become in our system. The more consistent our meditation and practices become. The healthier and more well balanced our choices become. The less we rely on willpower and judgment. The more we rely on the inherent wisdom in a unified system.
We exist in a unified reality, in the greatest sense, beyond time and place. Our body is also unified and guided toward balance and homeostasis – if we can only align and focus on our stability, our root, and on the awareness of the stability within a system and world of flux. Learning about the functioning of our bodies and the makeup of the interconnected systems is helpful in increasing our stability. Some of the subsystems of our physical system include the skeletal, muscular, central and peripheral nervous systems -including the magnetic centers and the fibers that branch out across our body carrying impulses to the organs and interacting with and responding to the environment; and the circulatory system that has the heart as its focal point.
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The nervous system and circulatory system are two interconnected systems that work together and are important in our meditation and life. They work together to stabilize and regulate our system. Other organs and systems that are important for coordination in our physical system are: the brain, which functions to regulate the body and processes input from other systems and our environment; lungs and respiratory system, which cleanses and oxygenates our blood and other systems for optimal functioning; skin and hair, which is the outermost layer of our physical body. What we perceive is that we are a combination of many interconnected yet inherently stable systems. These physical systems function continuously, with and without our conscious awareness. Our goal is to align our systems and build a reliable focal point, first by focusing within the physical system. This stable base remains as an anchor for subtle and spiritual practices and awareness. Information and practices are meant for learning about our physical system. It may also be referred to as our secondary system. What Sufi Master Dr. Ali Kianfar teaches about and guides us to is the primordial root that brings life to our physical system. When our focus is on the physical, it is described in words that create images in our system. However, the goal isn’t to add to our base of information. Increased knowledge and awareness of our physical system is meant for practice and for transformation. Through growing up interacting in the physical world, without any other awareness, many of us learn to rely on our fluctuating moods, our stories, our ruminations and distractions. The mind is a combination of shadows. We quest for the security of the light. Shadows are continually changing and reliant on other sources. Light is stable, beyond the shadows. In any way we can we need to find, increase, and attend to the security of our physical system. Know that it’s built to be alert and aware and is reliable. Through practices, awareness, and meditation we have the opportunity to retreat from our habits and build or uncover a stability, foundation, and base throughout all that we do. We focus on and acknowledge the consistency of our physical system through our lifetime and may practice to increase trust and reliance on the foundation and reliability of our physical system. We learn to make the best use of this system in the time that we have it. Our physical system is ever striving for balance, harmony, stability, and security. Each cell holds wisdom.
The system holds knowledge. From the time of formation it has been wisely guided in development, bringing us here to this point in time. Security exists in every breath and in every moment. We gain benefit by aligning our practice and experience to focus on the point, the essence that is stable and secure so that in any place, in any moment, we remain stable, balanced and secure. We can become familiar with our physical system and use it to our best advantage. We can coordinate our interconnected subsystems as a unified whole, release and remove useless habits, and return to a stable base. Let that base be our foundation for balanced action in the world and a container or vehicle for our spiritual journey.
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A very unique opportunity Space is limited
On Practice Annual Retreat February 1-3, 2019 www.IAS.org 31
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“The instruction was truly transformative and answered lifelong questions” - Retreat Participant
The Alchemy of Tranquility Santa Sabina Center
“I will definitely be in a more centered, stable, empathic place (mentally, emotionally, physically) so I can be of more use to my clients.” - Retreat Participant
This weekend retreat will explore the higher reaches of human development through the lens of spirituality. Drawing on the Sufi tradition, the concept of Unity refers to the absolute essence of Being, the ultimate Reality, of which all manifestation is an expression including our own Self. The teachings and practices this weekend will provide participants with an opportunity to experience knowledge of this Unity within their own being. The retreat will include spoken presentations, experiential exercises, and dialogue, as well as music and movement practices. This retreat is for those interested in exploring their own potential transformation. It will also be of value to therapists who would like to increase their capacity to bring presence to their work.
Facilitator Bios and Program details @
www.IAS.org/programs/fortydays His Holiness, Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, PhD, a world-renowned Sufi Master and teacher of spiritual practice for over forty years developed the 40 Days Program, and continues to guide its public offering. Dr. Kianfar provides spiritual wisdom and deep knowledge of the psychology of the human being in ways that provide participants with the opportunity to gain full awareness of themselves, and to learn to act in ways that reduce conflict and foster love and wisdom. It is the first time that this highly spiritual practice of purification has been combined with psychological training.
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Report
by Leili First, Ph.D. “The Songs of the Soul is a universal longing; it manifests itself in the heart of every nation and culture. It transcends the confines of time and place and expresses itself beyond the ordinary and towards the eternal.” With these words, Hamaseh Kianfar, Ph.D., opened the 2018 Songs of the Soul Festival –a festival of sacred poetry, music and dance, celebrating the desire of the human soul to find tranquility. Related to the beat and aspirations of the human heart, this language surpasses the confinement of mental faculties, traditions and era. Setting the tone for the day, she quoted Rumi, who spoke of the reed’s separation and longing for return: “Listen to the longing of the reed, To melodies of plaintive separation. A listener I need – one with a broken heart.” And so we felt our longing, and with hearts opened, we listened. “Poetry beautifies our world and sacred music brings us to the state of meditation, remembrance and appreciation. Life is a beautiful journey – it deserves to be honored and valued.” The many centuries of enchanting Sufi poetry of love and devotion made their rich presence known through the heartfelt readings of Dr. Nahid Angha in their original Persian and translated into English, alternating with the ethereal music of Taneen Sufi Music Ensemble. Poets such as Khayyam, Rumi, Abul-Khair, Hallaj, and Attar were represented, and within the songs was interwoven chanting of some of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah. In the words of the poets, we were enraptured: our wisdom ran, our intellect fainted, our knowledge disappeared; we were in a state of awe, enraptured by the sight of love. The fire of love burned down everything. Such a beautiful and powerful performance of poetry honoring the Beloved and the majesty of human beings. Marin County’s Poet Laureate, Rebecca Foust, and Reverend Canon Charles Gibbs, shared more sacred poetry with all in attendance, and opened their hearts to us through their reflections and verses.
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Rebecca noted that most of what she writes about feels sacred to her, and she read poetry addressing the sacred world of nature, our sacred selves, and our need to protect the innocent and vulnerable. She closed with a poem from her project as Poet Laureate: Poetry as Sanctuary, designed to raise awareness of immigrants in our community. Rev. Gibbs called attention to the most abused and underused resource on earth: the world’s women, dedicating a poem to the creating of a Motherland. He selected readings to represent a journey he visualized bound to “plunge into Love’s welcoming waters” to be washed away. His poetry reflected wisdom he has gained observing the natural world: “The journey demands preparation: empty your pockets, then empty them again. You will be surprised by riches along the way.” Beginning with drumming and chant, Eddie Madril transported us to a Native American way of life and understanding which does not separate prayer, ceremony, everyday life, games and work. Sharing songs and stories of many Native American Nations throughout the United States, Eddie spoke of the need to look within to find the truth, the need for patience, and the unity of all of creation. He explained some of the special celebrations of different tribes and gave us a grass dance song, flag song and honor song. He offered as a gift to each member of the audience: his mesmerizing hoop dance, sometimes seen in the context of healing, developing coordination, representing the circle of life, or teaching the science of creation. The beauty and energy of the performance were truly transformative, merging rhythm, movement, reverence, and stillness. Heartsongs for Sakina presented song and chant calling us to prayer, peace, gratitude and reflections of love, accompanied by the longing strains of the viola. With their many voices weaving together in harmony, cutting across boundaries of many lan-
guages and many cultures, they opened our hearts with sacred words and teachings, inviting us to sing along with them. One of the songs introduced “om” as the Big Bang – the sound that created everything; another song called to the ocean that “refuses no river.” Throughout their presentation they focused on sending healing energy to loved ones and the world. Qawwali, at the heart of Sufi devotional music and poetry, was masterfully presented by Riffat Sultana, accompanied by guitarist Richard Michos. Their rich, authentic expression of this mesmerizing tradition transported us with songs and chants of love, and honoring Sufi saints revered by Pakistanis of all faith traditions. Riffat’s powerful and expressive voice leaves no doubt of the gift to humanity that she has become the first woman in her distinguished family of eleven generations of master vocalists to publicly perform in the West. By the end of their performance, we felt ourselves surrounded by the love and longing of centuries of devoted Sufis. Avay-i-Janaan closed the day with a presentation based on a cosmic creation story offered and narrated by Rev. Charles Gibbs, and bringing in elements of Attar’s famous Sufi parable, The Conference of the Birds. With a blend of music, poetry, rap, narration and visuals, the journey of the soul emerged, traveling through the cycles of light and darkness with a yearning older than time. The Grandmother, whose “dark eyes were deep wells of spirit light,” told the story, blending scientific and spiritual understanding of the Big Bang, which started perhaps not from a seed, but a tiny heart, which began to beat. In the stillness we can hear the hum from this beginning: “Its echo is calling to us, waiting for a listener.” We closed the day as we began, with the longing of the soul, the message waiting for a listener. The International Association of Sufism is grateful for the wonderfully talented and deeply spiritual poets, musicians, storytellers, and dancers who joined with us to celebrate the magnificence of human being.
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Reverend Jan Heglund, Dr. Nahid Angha, Chief Diane Bishop, and Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar
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Sufi Women
Women’s Leadership with San Rafael Police Chief Diane Bishop The Sufi Women’s Organization hosted a luncheon presentation on April 25, 2018 in San Rafael, California to honor Diane Bishop, the Chief of Police in San Rafael. Sarah Hastings Mullin, a member of the SWO Program Committee, welcomed the audience to the luncheon and spoke about its founder, Dr. Nahid Angha, and the ongoing global and local humanitarian works of SWO. The attendees then enjoyed lunch and conversation with one another. Police Chief Diane Bishop then shared her challenges and triumphs accomplished during her 30-plus years in law enforcement. She told us how things have evolved for women in a male-dominated profession. Diana’s presentation was poignant, inspiring, touching, and at times funny! She shared with us a drawing she discovered from her youth. Written next to her self portrait were the words: “I am going to be a police lady when I grow up.” Diana is the first female Chief of Police for the city of San Rafael, no easy feat for a woman in an environment at times dealing with discrimination. Chief Bishop began her law enforcement career in 1985 when she joined the Santa Clara Police Department as a patrol officer. She rose through the ranks, was promoted to Captain in 2006, and served in a wide variety of assignments. She was appointed as San Rafael’s sixteenth police chief in 2012. Chief Diana Bishop shared with us how it was for her starting as patrol officer moving up the ranks to Chief of Police. Following the presentation, Chief Diana Bishop answered questions from the audience and spoke with attendees.
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Save the date
Women’s Wisdom: Women in Action SWO Luncheon Presentation
Saturday, September 29, 2018 @ 11:30-2:00 The Club @ McInnis Park, San Rafael
Honoring
Lucia Martel-Dow
Director of Immigration Legal Services at San Rafael-based Canal Alliance and named the North Bay’s Woman of the year.
International
Sufi Women Organization Save the date
Women’s Wisdom: Women in Action SWO Luncheon Presentation
Saturday, March 2, 2019 @ 11:30-2:00 The Club @ McInnis Park, San Rafael
Honoring
Linda Graham, MFT
Author of The Resilience Toolkit: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster and Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being 37
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www.IAS.org
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Reflection: Principles of Sufism
A New Study Group: Featuring the Study of Dr. Nahid Angha’s Principles of Sufism led by Hamed Ross
Over many centuries, there have been debates about the origin of Sufism and its establishment as a school of inner knowledge. In the introuction to Principles of Sufism, Dr. Nahid Angha notes that in “seeking the spiritual and intellectual ancestry of Sufism,” some scholars have looked toward Greek philosophy, particularly the Platonic tradition, or to Hermetic Christianity, Buddhism, or Yogism. However, she clarifies that “Sufism, as it has been practiced since its birth, is quite a different school of belief, practice, and goal than any of these pre-existing ways of thinking.” Sufism was born out of Islam. It is “the heir to the treasures of knowledge from the sacred heart of the Prophet Mohammad, and has practiced its way accordingly.” As narrated from Amir-al-Moumenin Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, Sufism, Tasawouf, is an acronym for four letters: “Each letter holds a secret representing one stage or quality of a Sufi. Together the word TSVF makes the twelve principles; one who perfects these principles is a Sufi.” Each of these practices, qualities and qualifications has particular meaning, nuance, and instruction in Sufism. While many of the terms are famliar with other traditions, the meaning is distinct, and attuned specifically to the essence and tradition of Sufism, which aims toward complete self-knowledge and the inward realization of unity.
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T S V F
the first letter stands for three practices in Sufsim: Tark (abandonment), Tubeh (repentance), and Tugha (virtue). stands for another three qualities to be perfected by a salek: Sabr (patience), Sedgh, (truthfulness and honesty), and Safa (purity). stands for these three qualities essential to the salek’s journey: Vud (love), Verd (Zekr and remembrance), and Vafa’a (faithfulness). stands for three further qualifications, which have particular meaning in Sufism: Fard (solitude), Faghr (poverty), and Fana (annihilation). Speaking to her own experience, Dr. Angha writes: “During a life of learning, practicing, and teaching Sufism under the guidance and insturction of one of the greatest Sufi Masters of all time, Moulana Shah Maghsoud, my physical and spiritual father, I came to the realization that the door toward knowledge may open to afford a glimpse or two of reality to a seeker, but without mastering these twelve principles, such understanding will not remain clear for long…It is only through perfecting these stages that the seeker can break the boundary of the limited self and remain not a solitary drop from the ocean of life, but become one with the ocean itself and experience the meaning of the magnificent Message of la illaha illa Allah: there is no limitd self, everythign is the Existience.”
all references from: No. Angha, Sufism: An Inquiry Vol XVIII, 1 Nahid. Principles of Sufism. San Rafael: Phoenix Word Press, 1991.
TSVF In seeking deeper understanding and rightful practice of the twelve principles of Tasawouf, a reading group has formed to review and discuss Principles of Sufism, with careful attention to the specific instructions embedded in each word used to clarify and illuminate the discipine and nature of each principle. The group gathers once per month, and each month covers one chapter together, with time for reading aloud, converstaion, the sharing of expereinces and reflections, and silent meditation. Each participant brings the wealth of their own experience, and there is much to be learned in the time spent to study with others. As an example, the following is a recent passage discussed from Chapter 3, Taghvah: We must note that living the life of limitation is a natural condition for mankind, and not a mistake, forbidden act, or fault; nor is mortification, as a way of surpassing the world of limitation, a practice instructed by Sufis. However, we should not expect to receive from the world of limitation what it cannot deliver. People often foolishly expect the outer world to give them eternal life, infinite peace, tranquility of heart, and inner wealth. The group who gathered – a group that each month includes and spans participants from multiple genera-
tions, professions, backgrounds, countries of origin, and experiences of practice – discussed the difference in Sufism between abstinence and mortification. Taking time with each word, phrase and instruction, together the group reviewed the importance of understanding the principle inwardly, beyond only ideas and words, and discussed the way that releasing one’s self from darkness and attachment is different and more secure than blindly sacrificing pleasures and desires in ignorance and hopes of attaining grace. This is a typical example of the discussion at this meeting. Dr. Angha’s Prinicples of Sufism is a singular guide to the princples of Tasawouf. Each principle holds within it the seed of transformation, and the qualities and disciplines of TSVF stand to help direct a practitioner in directing his or her attention away from what covers and distracts the essence of one’s true being, gathering one’s energy instead toward the ultimate destination: la illaha illa Allah, the Existence, the Eternal, God. “It is then that Existence after complete annihilation of the Sufi remains eternally as it truly is, without cover, without secret.” The Principles of Sufism reading group meets at the Institute for Sufi Studies in Novato, California from 3-4pm on the first Sunday of each month through January, 2019. The group is open to the public and attendance may be arranged by contacting Hamed Ross at hamedross@gmail.com.
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Reflection: Faith
A
sincere spiritual practitioner recognizes that the agreed upon or general understandings within society about many subjects are not entirely or accurately understood. Because attaining knowledge is such an important part of the spiritual quest, every concept and experience the practitioner has becomes a focus of study in the laboratory of her being. As her clarity and perceptiveness increase through proper spiritual practice, she becomes aware of multiple layers of subjects and new understandings that redefine previously understood definitions of various concepts. This process is true as one develops within any domain, what one had known conceptually is replaced with knowledge from self-experience. Compared to more specific studies that focus on only one subject, within the spiritual arena the self acts as a navigation center constantly refining one’s understanding of any presented subject, therefore the subject of spirituality is in fact the self. Because it is the general understanding of a concept that highly influences the definition of it both published within dictionaries and also within typical vernacular, it is important to really consider if an essential meaning exists not captured by the general definition. One who only conceptually engages with a certain subject understands superficially while one who has had direct apprehension accesses an innate wisdom illuminating the person with knowledge as an inner experience. Like a diamond with many facets beaming reflected light, one with directly attained knowledge can answer about any aspect of the subject because he or she is embodied in the essential knowledge of that subject. This knowledge is “that which is apparent to the knower performatively and directly without the intercession of any mental representation or linguistic symbolism.”1 Someone who is on a quest to find reality, to find the purpose of life, might question the assumption that one can never directly experience the divine for why would human beings across time all have an interest in a subject they were never “allowed” to know? When considering this subject, the philosopher Descartes suggested that the idea of God is uniquely original, as it is not made up of smaller previously known parts. He felt it would be impossible for a human to have concocted or imagined the subject without having smaller parts to use to put it together. In this way, every human being could be said to innately have a direct “God” experience. This spark of inner knowing can then be developed to the degree of that person’s interest. It is a
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relationship that can naturally be trusted, as it exists within the self. The term “faith” is commonly used and has several uses but for this article we will focus on the notion of faith within the religious or spiritual arena.2 Because every religion organizes itself around a certain faith or belief system that can be highly influential on the behaviors of many of its followers, it is crucial that the subject is correctly understood as essentially being much more than following ritual or cultural practice. If we pretend that someone with no knowledge of the concept of faith comes to society asking about what this means, and how he or she can have faith, from what source would we draw upon to share what faith means to us? If we search for what faith means from the dictionary, that, as mentioned, is really a source only reflecting the understandings of people within society up to the point it was published, then we recognize we would be actually only accepting the general understanding of the people and potentially be missing some important details. This is true really for any subject. For instance, if we look up the definition of skiing, we would read that it is a snow sport, but for someone who spends his or her day on the mountains rushing through the snow, they would argue that the direct experience of skiing is much more than the reduction of the definition. Therefore, if we want to find the most extensive, honest and accurate description of faith it makes sense to ask those people who have devoted their time to find its essence through direct experience. For these people, faith is an absolutely certain connection with ultimate reality or God. In the interest of making the point that the essence of faith is lost in the conceptualization of it, this article will study one definition as found in the Google dictionary. Faith: fāTH/ noun 1: complete trust or confidence in someone or something. 2: strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. The first part of this definition regards the degree of confidence one has in relation to another person or thing. It says that having faith means one experiences complete trust or confidence in that person or thing. Therefore, trust is noted as a significant component of faith and one that we will discuss throughout this ar-
Faith: Direct Experience by Sarah Hastings Mullin, Ph.D.
ticle. The definition for trust within the same dictionary is the “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” Therefore, the dictionary suggests that to have faith is to have complete trust in someone/ something while then defining trust as having firm belief in various qualities of someone or something. This definition feels somewhat circular, as if there is nothing substantial we can point to in order to understand what exactly faith and trust are, how they are unique and how we would know we have them or are experiencing them. In this way, it seems both terms so far could benefit from more explanation. It has already been stated that faith as understood by those who have reached higher levels of spiritual practice is a direct experience of certainty of ultimate reality or God. For such practitioners trust is also experienced as more than belief but also as an absolute connection that is fixed and unchangeable. Also challenging about the dictionaries definition of faith and trust is that one actually cannot ever completely trust or even fully know something external for we are limited in only being able to completely know ourselves. Many philosophies and studies of thought have confirmed that there naturally is a gap in our ability to fully depend on but our own self. No matter how much we like to hope that we can trust something external, we can never be completely sure of this in the same way that we are capable to track our own inner experience (although this too requires careful self study, discipline and mental health). If we consider how this dictionary definition has been concurrently influenced by and influencing society’s general understanding of faith (think about a new person coming to ask what faith means) we see how often one who proclaims to have faith might actually be engaging with this concept superficially. One who has “faith” only because she “trusts” her pastor or the system of the specific religious order she follows is likely, without knowing, curtailing an expanded awareness. It is common for a practitioner to focus one’s “faith” on a physical structure known as a place of God (church, mosque, etc.) as well as on self-appointed teachers/leaders who suggest themselves as the voice of God. It is very relevant that uninformed ideas about faith have permeated the culture of religious practice since its origin and have habitually obstructed people from understanding the reality or essence of religion. The various injustices and problems that have and continue to come from blind belief and trust in
“authority” figures who do not actually deserve people’s trust seems relevant to this style of defining faith. If we are congratulated amongst our spiritual communities as being “faithful” in this way it seems likely one could be distracted by this style of relating instead of focused on one’s own spiritual questions. The second part of the dictionary definition creates a category within the definition regarding religion and God and describes it within this context as “belief”. Compared to the first part of the definition requiring faith to include trust, here the writers of the dictionary have exchanged trust with belief. The dictionary defines belief as “trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something”. This explanation again presents what feels an obscure roundabout where faith is trust, trust is belief and belief is trust and faith. It seems difficult within this calculation to mark a stable and certain point of clarity that helps us know if we have any of these or not. Also, what seems implied in this part of the definition is that belief is even more subjective than trust and naturally without proof. It is also implied that a human being cannot directly engage with God and therefore the idea that one can believe what one cannot see or engage with seems difficult. Therefore, this definition suggests that one should reduce expectation to experience a direct or personal relationship or experience of trust with God. When we consider how this understanding of faith manifests within society we can see how generally, religious traditions have often communicated it is not possible to have a direct relationship with the divine. Instead, figureheads are positioned as intermediaries and the practitioner is instructed to follow their teachings. Certain groups have often been told they are not able to relate with God based on man-made reasons that is the exact opposite of the all-inclusive messages of divine messengers. Recent generations have been less open to organized religion, sensitive to any possibility for leadership to be either uneducated or potentially harmful with what they preach. Perhaps they feel that they cannot believe in something they have not actually directly experienced and/or that the subject of divinity or ultimate reality is not to be sold or disrespected. What we have directly learned from the messages of the Messengers of God is that faith is a divine light that by divine will illuminates the pure hearted and makes one’s heart certain with belief in God. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6 He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Quran S.58, V. 23
1. Yazdi, M. H. (1992). The principles of epistemology in Islamic philosophy: Knowledge by presence. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, p. 2). 2. “God” in this article as interchanged with “divine”, “ultimate knowledge”, “absolute knowledge”.
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Reflection: Adab
Adab:
Etiquette and Code of Conduct by Jalal Brian Heery, Ph.D.
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In my own experience adab is rooted to the quest to be alive and the connection with the teachers and their teaching is essential to realizing this quest. The development and cultivation of this relationship with the teachers involves listening and acting on the teaching and guidance of the teachers. Adab refers to the rules of behavior, the seen and the unseen codes of conduct, helping students navigate and strengthen their relationship with the teaching and the path. “These disciplinary rules of the sufis are known under the technical terms of adab as-sufiyya or adab al-muridin, i.e., the proper ways of behavior of the sufis or novices, sometimes separated into adab az-zahir (external conduct) and adab al-batin (inner attitudes)” Böwering (1984). Under the power and influence of the field of knowledge provided by the teachers and the teaching, the process by which my behavior and my inner attitudes begin to change, establishing a deeper and more aligned relationship with both the teachers and their teaching, and the quest within my heart, is what I understand as the core practice of adab. In my experience this requires an immense effort on the part of the student to focus and concentrate the mind and energies of the body to engage actively and fully with the teachers and the teachings. In my own experience being in the presence of my sufi teachers raises the energetic state of each cell in my body and helps me to remember the quest to become fully alive that lives within my own heart. There is a field of knowledge that extends out from the teachers and their teaching that has the capacity to resonate with each cell of my body and awaken the potential for these cells to exist in a higher state of being. When I am in my teachers presence this resonance increases and in this state I find it easier to recognize and begin to become more aware of, and aligned to, the quest within my heart. During a ‘40 Days: The Alchemy of Tranquility’ retreat Moulana Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar invited me to sit cross legged in front of him on the floor. I gathered myself into the moment to the best of my ability, straightening and lengthening my spine and focusing my mind on the flow of energy rising through a central column within my body. It felt as though he brought his hands near my spine and I became aware of a increased resonance at the base of my spine and flowing up through my heart. It was as if there was a communication occurring between the energy flowing through his hands and the current flowing in my own body. It was a blessing that has continued to resonate within my meditation practice, and the sense I have is that I don’t yet comprehend the full nature of the communication that occurred in that moment as it continues to unfold through time.
A number of years ago I was practicing the martial art of Aikido in Japan and I was seated in a kneeling posture called seiza facing another student when my Aikido Master Hiroshi Kato Sensei walked up behind me and placed his thumb nail on the crown of my head and pressed down strongly both physically and energetically. My spine immediately straightened and I had to center myself around this column of pressure and energy, all of my attention centered around this vertical column of energy from the base of my spine to the crown of my head. I maintained this attention and focus as I gathered my partner toward this center and as I rotated about this center column my partner took a fall to one side. Over time I continued to practice this seated technique with this image and memory living within my mind and body. At regular intervals after this experience my teacher would sit down opposite me and gently grasp my wrists. He would indicate for me to try my best to unseat him, and holding nothing back I would gather and focus my whole body and mind and begin to try and gather and rotate around my center in an effort to unseat him. Every time I attempted this my efforts had absolutely no impact on his body. It became clear to me in those moments that physical strength, structural alignment, breath and proficiency with internal energies within the body were not at the root of this practice for him. These experiences led me to continue to seek a connection to something beyond the physical, psychological, emotional and energetic centers in the body, to seek and establish a connection to a dimension of experience that is outside of our own personal experience of space and time. In conversation with my Aikido Master when he was in his early seventies he described his experience as that of feeling a divine wind blowing through his body and that in his experience everything in Aikido flowed from this source. For me preparing the body and mind to be open and receptive to this divine dimension is a central component of ‘adab’. On the surface this can take the outer form of dressing respectfully according to the tradition and culture of the teacher and the teaching. Inwardly we can strive to listen not just “to the teachings” but also to the unspoken communication, reflected by the teacher, in essence not simply relying on information being processed by our bodies auditory system and brain but actively processing the resonances we may be able to discern within the intelligence center of the heart. There have been times when in the moment Seyyedeh Dr. Nahid Angha or Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar have called my name that I have felt a jolt of energy entering into my heart bringing me immediately into a state of higher awareness. In my expe-
rience the energy that is transmitted by the teacher travels directly and instantaneously to the heart of the student. Listening and striving to be alert for any communication in this dimension is a good way of improving my practice of adab. In the martial arts practice of Aikido there is a term for the quality of receiving a technique or a fall called ukemi. In my practice with my teacher Kato Sensei he never broadcast with words or physical indication what movement he was going to do once I attacked him. Once he called for an attack he expected me to respond whether he expressed that call verbally, physically or energetically. I had to remain in an active and receptive state to be ready for this moment. I was expected to concentrate my mind, body and energy system and attack with all of the concentration and power I was capable of generating, and remain centered in my heart and open to his teaching wrapped within his movements and energy field. It was impossible for me to predict how he was going to move so it was absolutely critical for me to be completely in the present moment without any hesitation. One day he motioned for me to grab his dogi (Aikido uniform) near the shoulder. I grabbed his dogi strongly and suddenly I was airborne and flying through the air over his body. He had drawn away from me while dropping into a backward roll launching me into the air and sending me over and beyond his body into a flying forward roll. It was like being caught up by a tidal wave of ki (energy) and as I soared up and over I felt my whole body filled and surrounded by this wave of ki. I had never seen him do this before and if I had hesitated or had an idea in my head that I would be thrown in a another direction I might have missed the opportunity to experience this moment of awakening. It is my understanding and experience that knowledge flows from the heart of the teachers to the heart of the student and that is one reason why such emphasis is placed on cultivating adab in Sufism. The quality of my ‘adab’ both the seen and the unseen, toward the teachers and the teaching can significantly impact the realization of my quest to be alive. I believe the practice of actively concentrating on meditation, study, reflection and movement to awaken the awareness in each cell of the body helps us prepare for a deeper more transformative relationship with our teachers and the teaching. This in turn provides us with the knowledge and wisdom required to realize the potential for life that lies within each of our hearts. Bowering, G. (1984). The Adab Literature of Classical Sufism: Ansari’s Code of Conduct. In Moral Conduct and Authority: The Place of Adab in South Asian Islam (pp.66-67). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
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Susan W Lambert photography
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Love’s ocean has no shore to swim for, The only relief is to give up your life. The moment of love’s rapture is the moment of joy - Hafiz
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Poetry
As all around us torrents of tears from suffering sisters and brothers, from infants to elders, drench the Earth we are despoiling, and old forms like parched plants wither away, or hover at the edge of surrender, caterpillars entrusting all to an intuited chrysalis, or rage with the destructive fury of a galaxy of exploding stars – humanity inhabits a present suspended between promise and menace, echoing an urgent cry –
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Come, you who would be the womb to guard and grow a transformed tomorrow. The hour is late; shadows lengthen –
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Come, you lost and forgotten! Come, you lonely and careworn! Come, you secure-seeming in vaults of power! Come, you who sail seas of change! Come, you who awaken with the sun! Come, you from all faiths and you from none! Come, elders and infants! Come, wise women and humble men!
A Transformed Tomorrow Reverend Charles P. Gibbs
Come, red, yellow, black, brown, white! Come from the east! Come from the south! Come from the west! Come from the north! Led by light and love, you are the kindled spark, called to conceive, in co-creative goodness, the already-emerging future.
Yes, the gestation will be long and often weary, but also overflowing with joy; so, trust what grows in the nurturing dark. Yes, the hour is late and the shadows lengthen; yes, the labor will be long and the pain fierce; but on the far side of advancing night; the sun will rise, new life will emerge –
under a pleasant sky, verdant fields revived, fluttering with rainbows of butterflies sipping nectar from bursting bright blossoms; the hoop of the nations healed, the circle of life restored to wholeness. May we awaken and, in light and love, labor as one until that dawn of promise is delivered.
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Poetry
The Embrace
Arife Ellen Hammerle, Ph.D.
Last night I received The pure light of Divine Wisdom Intoxicated by Your Light Wrapped within the elixir of Your love Last night I received A sweet embrace For the first time All there was was You The mercy and grace of Your illumination Revealing peace, stillness, Reverence for Oneness My heart opened Receiving Love A gift revealed once in 40 years A treasure only You know Opening my heart to Appreciate witnessing Your Love
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International
Sufi Women Organization
SWO
The essence of the human being, regardless of gender or color, time or place, has been regarded as reverent, dignified, and respectful by teachers of humanity. Such magnificence is the gift of Being to humankind, the art of recognizing such magnificence is learned. The foundation of civilization is based on teachings and learning, and the first teacher of any human being, male or female, from any social position or illumination, is a mother. To direct the civilization to a favorable station, one has to rely on the power of a mother, providing that she knows the value of her position. A mother, in fact, is the teacher of all. Underestimating such power and strength, overlooking such magnificence is most unfortunate.
- Dr. Nahid Angha, founder
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In these days and times, a truthful friend is like pure wine, and The heart of a love poem, hard to find. Be cautious, for life’s path is narrow, Now take a cup of Wine, for life is beyond comparing. I tire of words stripped of deeds; The vice of the learned who do nothing. To the eyes of wisdom this path of distractions The world and its destiny, ever changing, remain not long. Caress the hair of the Beloved, do not recite the old story Of fortune or misfortune, the signs of Venus or Mars. My Heart hoped to see the beauty of your face, But death remained the highway robber on the path of life. I am not sober, and no where to be found! As Hafiz is so drunken with the Wine of the Eternal. - Hafiz translated by Dr. Nahid Angha
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Sufi Biographies
Hafiz
Sufi poets have brought an extraordinary contribution to both the world of religion and the world of literature. To many, these worlds may seem very different – the one, universal, the other, highly personal. Yet, in their love poems for Allah, these two worlds come together in the unity of divine love. In the beauty of their words and the system of mutual, referential symbols, imagery is formed, creating a language of understanding that both expresses and explains the principles of Sufism, as a state of divine rapture and ecstasy, brought into the heart of their listeners.1 One of the best-known of the Sufi poets is Hafiz, whose work is read in places, communities, and languages across the world. While little is known about Hafiz’s family and early life, his poems are renown for their quality and beauty.
Khvaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafiz of Shiraz, a fourteenth century Persian Sufi poet, was born in Shiraz, in central Persia. Shamsuddin, his first name, means the sun of religion, while his title, Hafiz means the memorizer, for he had memorized the Qur’an at a very early age. He dedicated his youth to literary pursuit and mystical learning: he was called lisan ul ghaib – the language of mystery, the hidden, for the fact that his poems are saturated by the mystical journey and the knowledge of inner traveling… Hafiz is the master of ghazal, the sonnet… Hafiz speaks of love, the eternal attraction, that takes the traveler to the house of the Beloved, where Divine is the Beloved and the lover is the Sufi. There is love in the longing night of the moth circling around the light of the candle, there is love in the tears of the candle, there is love wherever the person of sight looks. Hafiz’s book of poetry: Divan has received deserving recognition not only in Persia but also beyond Persian boundaries. For example, Goethe, the German writer of the eighteenth century, dedicated his collection, the WestEastern Divan, to him. Hafiz’s mastery is to weave the verses of the Qur’an into poetic imagery, inspiring the lovers of poetry, while revealing the state of the eternal lovers, Sufis. His poems may appear to be simple and smooth, but there is a complex meaning behind each verse.2
1. Excerpted from Dr. Nahid Angha, Ecstasy:; The World of Sufi Poetry and Prayer, San Rafael, CA: International Association of Sufism Publications, 1998, pgs. 7-8. Ecstasy features discussion of Persian and Sufi poetry and Dr. Angha’s original translations of poems by Khvaja ‘Abudullah Ansari, Hakim Omar Khayyam, Khvaja Shamsuddin Muhammad Hafiz, Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi (Rumi), Maulana Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, and Ezzeddin Nasafi. 2. Ibid., 48-9.
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Healing Practice
Accessing Transformative Balance Healing is established through practicing transformative balance. In order to practice transformative balance we develop the skill of concentration of our energy. Balance and inner harmony developed through concentration are fundamental aspects of our practice. Establishing balance in the moment necessitates finding the inner point of stability within the center of the heart in which there is no longer an I/you duality. Once you settle into your heart, every moment is the beginning of your practice toward balance. To practice, we begin by gathering all of our energy into one point from the scattered dimensions of emotions and life. This begins to cultivate the practice of remaining present within the heart, which takes great concentration and focus of our energy. Balance and stability are qualities the individual cultivates in order to heal and transform. Cultivating presence based within intention guides each of us to discover the essence of the heart as the source of wisdom. What is your intention in your practice? Inquire deeply within yourself. The goal of healing and transformation guides the individual to become a witness within her heart in order to receive inspiration, healing and transformation. It seems that every human being could be inspired by this practice, because then we can heal and transform to discover the depth of meaning in our lives. The healing and transformation practice guides our balance. This leads to healing of body, mind and spirit through deep inner wisdom. Remember to be loving, and generous with self-compassion directed toward our selves to magnify our healing transformative balance practice. Practices 1. Concentrate your awareness by listening for the silence that resides beyond any sound. Bring all of your scattered energy within. 2. Consider or reflect on a specific physical, mental, or other experience of imbalance in your system. Then bring your awareness to your concentrated energy and allow it to heal the pain and imbalance. Notice how this process can allow for a transformative healing to arise within yourself. Write about what you learned about balance. 3. Inquire of yourself about your healing and transformation. Listen and wait for a clear answer. Sustain your healing and transformative practice. 4. Allow your breath to guide your awareness of your self, freeing yourself of attachments to stories about your illness or imbalance.
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Community Healing Centers is a non-profit counseling organization, serving our communities since 1997. Through our counseling services, trainings, and workshops we build understanding, increase insight, stabilize emotions, change dysfunctional habits and patterns, and increase creativity and productivity by restoring balance to the whole person. CHC integrative psychotherapy, with its foundation in Sufi psychology, helps clients understand the rule of unity which shows that there is no separation between emotions, physiology, and spiritual experience and that each being is part of the greater unity with access to unchanging wisdom. Licensed psychotherapists, with many years of clinical experience and spiritual practice in the ancient wisdom of Sufism, help bridge spiritual teachings with the contemporary language and practice of psychology. They present this wisdom in a way that is accessible and very practical. This group of therapists and researchers is offering Sufi Psychotherapy to open a door for human beings to find the jewel of humanity within the heart. CHC offers trainings and workshops at a broad range of agencies and organizations in the Bay Area and beyond, has established a training program for interns, and serves hundreds of clients. Our staff provide clinical consultation, facilitate groups, publish articles and books, offer a monthly on-line newsletter, and are available to speak on panels and give presentations. CHC is a Continuing Education provider for therapists. Our clinical team and community affiliates offer psychological and spiritually informed services to adults, adolescents, couples, and families in our seven main and satellite locations from Novato to Palo Alto.
Healing
www.communityhealingcenters.org (415) 499-1115
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A journey of spiritual awakening awaits in Charles P. Gibbs’s insightful new collection of poems, Light Reading. Always on a pilgrimage of remembrance, even during the brief time in which he tried to run away from his own understanding of God, Gibbs has learned to embrace and thrive in his spiritual understanding. Whether you are a seasoned pilgrim, have just set off on a spiritual journey of your own, or merely possess a vague feeling that something significant is missing in your life, Light Reading will support and challenge you on your own sojourn into the heart. Charles P. Gibbs is an internationally respected spiritual leader, interfaith activist, speaker, and writer who has committed his life to serving the world through interreligious and intercultural engagement. An Episcopal priest, he served for seventeen years as the founding executive director of the United Religions Initiative, a global network of people from diverse religious and spiritual traditions united in service to the Earth community. He recently became senior partner and poet-in-residence for Catalyst for Peace. A prolific writer, Gibbs’s published works include coauthoring Birth of a Global Community; contributing a chapter to Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding; “Opening the Dream: Beyond the Limits of Otherness,” an essay publishd in Deepening the American Dream. Charles cherishes and is inspired by his family. He is blessed with dear friends and colleagues of diverse faiths from around the world.
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San Francisco s Mill Valley sNovato
Community Healing Centers
Healing
Psychotheraphy & Counseling 40 Days: Alchemy of Tranquility Program Total Focus Stress Management Workshops Therapy Groups Increase awareness Facilitate pyschological growth Promote balance in all stages of life www.communityhealingcenters.org
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rocky valley AIKIDO DOJO We are a traditional Japanese martial arts school. We have a comprehensive approach to teaching open handed, sword and staff techniques. We practice to develop balance, strength, flexibility and power by unifying our body and mind. We explore the way of reconciling conflict by encouraging balance and harmony. This is why Aikido is often called ‘The Art of Peace’.
Instructor: Jalal Brian Heery, PhD Fifth Degree Black Belt 190 S. Whisman Rd. Bldg. B Mountain View, CA 94041 www.rvdojo.org rvdojo1@gmail.com
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Under the guidance of Seyyedeh Dr. Nahid Angha and Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar, the International Association of Sufism offers its appreciation to members of the community who have shown exceptional dedication to the mission of IAS through its Community Award. The first two honorees and recipients of this honor continue to demonstrate a spirit of generosity, kindness and dedication, and are profiled here: Munir Hedges and Safa Ali Michael Newman.
Safa Ali Michael Newman Since the late 1980s, Safa Ali has been a practitioner in the study of Sufism under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Angha and Dr. Kianfar. He is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Sufism and Chairperson of the IAS Excutive Committee at the Institute for Sufi Studies. Safa Ali has given lectures on Sufism, Islam and interfaith issues throughout the world, and is the author of The Gift of the Robe – Uwaiysieh, a book on Uwaiysi Sufism and Islam, and coauthor of Sufi Grace – Sacred Wisdom – Heart to Heart. In reflection on his journey, Safa Ali recalls: “I grew up in a family that had a strong cultural and ethnic sense of the religion to which it belonged, enjoying the religious holidays and traditions that throughout the years were woven into the fabric of family life. But little was spoken of the meaning of the traditions, or of the holidays and their various ceremonies… “Greatly enjoying nature, I also spent many nights camping in the wilderness, looking up at the stars above me, in awe of the magnitude of the universe. Within myself, during my studies or these nights, I experienced a strong sense of the divine and an attraction to a Divinity that I neither knew nor could comprehend or explain.” Safi Ali notes that upon meeting Dr. Angha and Dr. Kianfar, “I now sensed that I was standing before a door behind which was the answer to my quest.”
Details adapted from Safa Ali’s biography in Caravan, 209-210.
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Annual Community Award
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Under the guidance of Seyyedeh Dr. Nahid Angha and Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar, the International Association of Sufism offers its appreciation to members of the community who have shown exceptional dedication to the mission of IAS through its Community Award. The first two honorees and recipients of this honor continue to demonstrate a spirit of generosity, kindness and dedication, and are profiled here: Munir Hedges and Safa Ali Michael Newman.
Munir Hedges
Of her journey along the path of Sufism, Munir writes: “With profound and heartfelt love I recall moments of awakening. As it is customary to be introduced to a Sufi Master by way of a deserving, entrusted student, when I was invited to attend a gathering to study Sufism, the term Sufism seemed unfamiliar. As truth unfolded, the essence of the gift of light was planted in my heart before the stage of thought and my search for a way to be close, to become closer to myself, I was shown, had been a steady and driving thirst with no name. “When Beloved Sufi Masters, Seyyedeh Dr. Nahid Angha and Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar opened the door of Sufism to my heart, each one readied my being and graciously adjusted my first steps onto the divine pathway of Uwaiysi Tariqat.” Munir is a founding member of the Sufism: An Inquiry Journal Board, and has been dedicated to its publication since the very first issue was published in 1983. Regarding her commitment to this project, Munir says: “Since the publication of Volume I, Issue 1 was presented to the world, this endeavor has been a great teacher for me as a way of understanding Sufi discipline, divine ethics and the integrity of writing and publishing.” She has also been a devoted member of the Sufi Women Organization and IAS Literacy Program, both established and directed by Dr. Angha. Munir expresses: “Under the guidance of Beloved Sufi Masters, my heart is grateful for the countless ways in which I am granted and afforded the gift of loving service.” Details adapted from Munir’s biography in Caravan, 193-194.
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United Nations: Recent News
The International Association of Sufism is a non-profit organization, and a DPI/NGO associated with the United Nations. As an active human rights advocate, IAS disseminates information focused on Human Rights, Social Justice, Education, Women’s Rights offered and organized by the United Nations. For the most up to date information visit: http://ias.org/service/unitednations/
DPI s NGO
Department of Public Information Non-Governmental Organizations
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Commission on the Status of Women
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99 Names
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Al-Hafiz the Proctector As the preserver of all things, the Divine protects each unique existence with extreme detail according to each existence’s need. It infuses all that exists with the will to live, sustaining each one with the intricate resources needed to survive. Fortifier of order against chaos, the divine watches and protects as everything moves in the dance of eternity. God, please protect my mind that like a webbed mass infiltrates my vision leaving me white blind to your love. Please, do not let me forget my servitude, and do not pay me for anything not for you. Getting older I see more of my childish weakness, the want for things that do not matter. The striving for wrong attention. Everything I lean upon as a handhold falls away as your face appears. Layer upon layer, like paper floating into water, this is how you protect me I laugh as you break me down, I am falling into your hands I thank you and thank you and thank you for this Grace.
prepared from the teachings of Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D. by Sarah Hastings Mullin, Ph.D. Illumination of the Names: Meditation by Sufi Masters on the NinetyNine Beautiful Names of God. Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar. 2011: International Association of Sufism Publications.
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In the heart of a pure seeker of truth, by the pure help of soul, your “heart’s knots” will be untied gradually and you will attain the real dignity of freedom. - Moulana Shah Maghsoud
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