TOWARD THE ONE, THE PERFECTION OF LOVE, HARMONY AND BEAUTY, THE ONLY BEING, UNITED WITH ALL THE ILLUMINATED SOULS, WHO FORM THE EMBODIMENT OF THE MASTERY, THE SPIRIT OF GUIDANCE
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ISSUE 2
~ A LOOK INSIDE (scroll down)
Video Interview with Murshida Darvesha MacDonald
News from Southwest Sufi Community
The Murshids' Circle Welcomes New Murshids
Mureed Advocate, Daniel Wasserman
Donation Request
plus
Connections, From the Well & Ruhaniat Pets
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Dear Friends,
We are thrilled to receive your contributions to this newsletter! Thanks. Keep it coming. Contact us at
ruhnews@ruhaniat.org
Green Tara at left by Mussawir Doyle Wegner of San Leandro, California
These are unpredictable times. As wildfires, floods, drought, super storms and melting glaciers wreck havoc across our precious planet, pressing questions arise in us -
how can we help preserve life on this planet and reduce suffering?
how can we maintain our our health and happiness in order to serve these greater causes?
In this issue we share a video interview of
Murshida Darvesha MacDonald
where she talks about the condition of our planet, her personal practice and her teaching approaches. We also have a report from the
Southwest Sufi Community
, a spiritual community in Silver City, New Mexico where "
conscious stewardship of the land, informed by a continuing study of the sacred manuscript of nature, is embraced by each member of the community"
.
Both these features point us to the Ziraat concentration. From the Ziraat website:
"We encourage all Sufis to make the embrace of nature central to their practice and message. Together let us all broadcast the Ziraat Message as a common, comprehensive aspect of the Sufi teachings. We invite all earth beings and all Sufis to join in the practice of being earth lovers and earth stewards."
Visit the
Ziraat website
and dive deeper. The tools we learn from Ziraat may help us become more effective healers of our selves and thus, of our planet.
May all beings be well. May all beings be happy. Peace. Peace. Peace.
With Love,
Basira Beardsworth & the Ruh News Editorial Team, Azim Miller and Bryn Morgan
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A Video Interview with Murshida Darvesha MacDonald
The New Story
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"We live by the grace of Gaia, and without Gaia - without this environment - we have nothing."
"...the submission of the Feminine, is, of course, the same story as the submission of Nature."
Two Suggested Daily Practices:
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by Rashad Wilson
Recently the Southwest Sufi Community (SSC) Board agreed to place a majority of the land, including the fragile riparian zone, in a land conservation easement. These easements are designed to protect the integrity of the ecosystem in perpetuity.
As a result of this action, the SSC received a sizable grant that will allow for substantial improvements to the retreat center facilities. When the SSC was founded in 1995, about one-half of the $160,000 down payment for the land came from SRI funds. Along with making those improvements, the SSC Board also voted to make a $25,000 donation to the Ruhaniat in support of sharing the Sufi Message far and wide.
(Photos courtesy of Rashad Wilson)
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This spring we intend to begin a series of structural improvements with the construction of a new Dance Pavilion. Michael Kothrade (
Snowflake, Arizona
), who provided some of his talented work in the beautification of Murshid Sam’s Dargah, has created the design for the new pavilion.
Construction will begin in April 2020. We intend to have the new building ready in time for annual summer camp to be led by Pir Shabda Kahn and Bryn Morgan (
Portland, Oregon
):
August 1-6, 2020 ~ Silver City, New Mexico
We hope you will join us.
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The Murshids' Circle Welcomes New Murshids
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The
Murshids’ Circle
is an advisory body to the Esoteric School of the Ruhaniat who support
Pir Shabda
in overseeing the substantive inner work of our lineage.
Specifically, this includes developing programs for the transmission of the teachings, reviewing all higher initiations, and making decisions that affect the spiritual mission and future of the Ruhaniat. (
Photo from the 2019 Murshids' Circle meeting in Port Townsend, Washington)
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Ya Fattah
upon the works and breath of our Murshidas and Murshids, and for their health and well being. May their service be of great benefit to humanity.
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From the Well:
Contributions from
you
On the Practice & Experience of Zikr
From Murshida Mariam Baker of Fairfax, California:
Blessing of Emptiness
Maqam of Nothingness
Constancy of Remembrance.
From Sabra Zay of Springfield, Missouri:
Zikr is a physical and auditory practice. It is a reminder of what we are. We are together, we are love and, we all belong.
From Khalif Halim Friedman of Fairfax, California:
...
you're not really there to lead, but to help guide toward the experience of the One. Metaphorically, be the last one there, if you do fancy yourself the leader, and always be aware of the Presence of the One
.
From Azim Miller, Ozark, Missouri
Shoulder to shoulder, hands touch hands, hearts ablaze. We are everywhere and nowhere. Empty shells, cloth and a little jewelry, circle like particles in the wind.
My love whispering in my ear. I can't help it if I get goosebumps. Tossed on the fire like cordwood.
Hu Allah Huuuuuu.
thank you, Friends, for your precious sharing!
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Our next "From the Well" topic is:
What is your morning practice?
* write up to 3-4 sentences maximum
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New Service Role: Mureed Advocate
Daniel Wasserman, Mureed Advocate, is available to mureeds who encounter conflicts with others within our SRI community. This service is especially intended to address difficulties that may occur in unequal power positions, where the person in the lesser power position may need support to address a problem at hand. While severe ethical concerns (e.g., boundary violations and abuses of power in teacher-student relationships) are referred to the
Ethics Committee
, the Mureed Advocate is available to help mureeds in situations of lesser, yet real, significance. These might involve issues that arise between those working in volunteer positions - where the parties need assistance in speaking and listening to each other in a safe atmosphere. Contact
Daniel
if you need assistance.
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Thank you.
We depend on your generous donations to operate. We have a few staff members and many volunteers who work very hard to maintain the services we provide -
to name a few
: our website and other online platforms, the mureed database, the esoteric archives and publications, managing our financial and legal duties, the work of the Board of Trustees, property management, the vast work of Pir Shabda which includes serving on numerous boards and committees, organizing retreats, and keeping a pulse on our worldwide activities and the teachers who present those offerings. All of our services ultimately support - either directly or indirectly - the work that happens in the name of Sufi Ruhaniat International all over the world.
Hazrat Inayat Khan wrote:
“There has been no end to my difficulties in the organization. Many I found willing to follow the Message, but not to belong to an organization, and I throughout my life had constantly to answer on that question to every newcomer, agitated against the idea of an organization. It is natural that people who would be attracted to my ideas should not necessarily be attracted to the organization. Besides many organizations have failed and many have brought discredit upon the members and many organizations are in competition with one another, ignorant of the idea for which the organization stood. It is true that in time the idea becomes lost and the organization remains as a body without a
soul. But the consequence is that after seeing dead bodies, many become afraid of
the living body, thinking that it also may be an apparition of the dead.
I had to answer them that an organization is like a ship which is built for a purpose, to carry the people and things from one port to another. If there was no organization, the home could not exist, there would be no defense for the country, in all works of life organizations are necessary to make things easy and life convenient. Many who disapprove of an organization, are ready to take the benefit that comes out of it. For them to say "We do not care for an organization" is like saying, "I like to eat, but I do not think about the kitchen."
While this excerpt is a rather sad commentary on the state of the affairs during the time that Hazrat Inayat Khan functioned as Pir within an organization, it is important for us to know this history so that we do not create the same challenges today. Along with our Pir, we have the
Board of Trustees
the
Murshids' Circle
and the
Ethics Committee
which help us to maintain a healthy organization - a "checks and balance" system, if you will.
We need your support to answer the continuing call of our
mission
.
We thank you so much for your generous contributions and to our volunteers, teachers, and the
Spirit of Guidance
,
who help keep our ship afloat and on course. Amin. May it always be so.
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Connections
~
find a retreat to attend and
join our online communities
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April 30 - May 3 * Chapel Hill, North Carolina
June 24 - July 4 * Proitzer Mühle, Germany
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Jul7 19-26 * Mendocino, California
July 14 - 18 * Mendocino - before main camp
Aug 2-8 * Vernonia, Oregon
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There are many more retreats and activities - we can't list them all. But you can find more here:
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Content Submissions
- include your name, city, state/providence, country - or you may remain anonymous
- From the Well contributions should be no more than 3-4 sentences. We reserve the right to edit longer content down to fit within this parameter
- Ruhaniat Pets - please include your pet's name
- your submission implies permission for us to use now or in the future
- we may not use all the content that we receive
Deadline for submissions for the next newsletter is April 15th
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for delight's sake!
Ruhaniat Pets
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The'o
(rest in Peace)
from Tarana Wesley of Leicester, North Carolina
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Sofie
from Sitara Joyce Collette of Whidbey Island, Washington
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Rumi
from Sabura Perry of Tucson, Arizona
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Reuben
from Sabra Zay of Springfield, Missouri
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"There is one Holy Book, the sacred manuscript of nature, which is the only scripture which can enlighten the reader."
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