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 MASTER, THE SPIRIT OF GUIDANCE. | | |
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ISSUE 27 ~OCTOBER 2024
Ya Amaan, a practice from Pir Shabda Kahn
Things I Learned from Murshid Sam, by Hakim Saul-uddin
Anticipatory Grief, by Bodhi Be
Czech Dance Camp Report; by Rahmana Dziubany
River of Guidance Library
Selections from the Archive, Retreat Reports, and Connections
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Setting Birds Free, by Doyle Wegner |
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A note from Pir Shabda Kahn:
I would like us to recite Ya Amaan 101 times daily. This is a practice that my colleague Pir Zia Inayat Khan gave to the Inayatiyya family a year ago. Our dear Ghulam Rasool in Delhi, India wrote to me on the meaning of Ya Amaan:
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Ya Amaan means "O the One Who gives safety and security". Also generally, Amaan or Al-Amaan is used with Al-Hafeez which means: "We seek refuge in Allah". It also means "O God! have mercy! save us! preserve or protect us!" | | | |
"Reciting Amaan expresses our ardent and urgent prayer for the complete stoppage of the systematic destruction of human lives in these regions, the free flow of vital aid in the form of food, water, and medicine, the expeditious rebuilding of hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods, and the appropriate addressing of the rights of individuals and communities. Please continue to keep the living thought of peace and justice at the forefront of your mind and heart and continue the daily recitation of Amaan until the harrowing bloodshed ends, and it cannot end soon enough.” | | |
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It is wise to remember that no matter what is unfolding; political quagmire, war,
AI abuse, abuse of our body called Mother Earth - the assignment for living beings is the same - to dedicate ourselves to deconstruct the notion of a separate self, awaken to our True Nature - Unity - Union, all the while developing our ability to practice Loving Kindness and Compassion.
Much Love,
Pir Shabda
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Pir Shabda at Fazal Manzil, Hazrat Inayat Khan's home in Suresnes, France | |
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Things I Learned from Murshid SAM
Four Lessons on Loyalty and One on Disloyalty
by Hakim Saul-uddin Barodofsky
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Being in the presence of Murshid SAM was high energy experience. The following are but a few of the lessons on loyalty I absorbed during my two years with him. They impacted my life and I still attempt to make them a reality in my life.
A) Both Basira and Shirin came to Mt. Shasta to "observe" Mother Mary. She passed their tests, and they felt that I needed to be with Murshid SAM. Under their guidance and with Mother Mary's encouragement, I came to the Bay Area to meet him.
My relationship with Shirin felt apart and SAM noticing this, pulled me aside. "Please understand," he said. "When there is a disagreement between a mureed of mine and someone who is not a mureed, I'll stand with my mureed."
B) Prior to my initiation Murshid queried me as to what part I could play within the family. "What can you do?" he asked. I had just met the authoress of a book on Numerology and was very excited "I'm interested in numerology," I replied. "No, no." Murshid said. "Hussain is our numerologist, what else can you do?"
continue reading...
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Saul-uddin Barodofsky, Murshid Samuel Lewis, Helen Fetterman
Crater Lake, Oregon, 1970 - photo courtesy of Mansur Johnson
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Murshid Mariam Baker and Murshida Rahmana Dziubany
Shakti Retreat, September 2024 at Haus Ananda in Golzow, Germany
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Anticipatory Grief
by Sheikh Bodhi Be
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Many of us, and many more, are experiencing states and feelings that are expressions of anticipatory grief.
Anticipatory grief arises when seeing what appears to be approaching includes the ending of what we love and care about. Or who we love and care about…
Sometimes it hurts.
This is not because we’re not spiritual enough, it’s because we are sensitive, deep feeling people who cannot help but feel and respond in some way to what is dying and broken in the world, to the dying of a loved one.
We know that no matter how the US election turns out, there will be massive change, our democracy is faltering. We know that climate change is a real thing that will bring changes to every neighborhood, to the world’s food supply, to how billions of people will or won’t survive.
We know that bombs and guns never bring peace.
continue reading...
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From the Murshid Samuel Lewis Archive
A selection from Murshid Tansen Philip O'Donohoe
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Stand fast by your impressions and they will stand fast by you. | |
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“To develop or awaken one must learn to trust one’s first impressions and not to change at the proposals of others. No matter what one’s ideas or views are sooner or later someone will come along and try to change them. This is nothing but nufs, the ego.” - Murshid Samuel Lewis from Cosmic Language
In his writings Murshid SAM often encouraged us to trust our first impressions. Hazrat Inayat Khan did so too. As Inayat pointed out "When you think, 'Shall I do this or shall I do this?' our first impression about the intention is surely right, if only we can distinguish the first thought which is very difficult. Many times we take the second thought as the first. That is where we fail.”
In the following short paper from the series, Directions for Field Workers, written by Murshid SAM in the 1930s, he explains in some detail how we can begin to master this invaluable skill.
Unsurprisingly for Murshid at the end of the paper he points out that the “Real teacher is one who is the ever alert student.”
Many blessings,
Tansen
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Excerpt from Directions
for Field Workers
by Murshid Samuel Lewis
Githeka Number 3
Whenever you meet anybody, especially a stranger, always trust your first impression but there is a difference between a true impression and an impulsive liking or disliking. The true impression will always come before the first breath is consummated. But if you have been in Darood, the impression and the instinctive feeling will be the same. Do not judge yourself or the other person. Judging is a mental act and requires at least one breath and the second breath is a new concentration.
continue reading...
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Czech Dance Camp Report
July 12-19, 2024
by Murshida Rahmana Dziubany
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In the big dance tent on the last morning of the Czech Dance Camp we began with a gratitude ritual for Murshid SAM and I can hear them sing “Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti Shakur Allah. “
It was the first summer without Ludmila NuraHaq Chrastanska, the mother of the Czech dance community, after her passing (photo at left). Sheikha ZubinNur Westrik from the Netherlands, Sheikha Dakini Warrior from the UK and myself were there to support the vibrant creative dance family. We were at Ludmilla’s place, Centrum Nesměň, which she created from donations, a most amazing incredible house and land in Bohemia surrounded by breathtaking nature.
I have been pioneering and seeding the dances in this region since 1989 shortly after the former writer and dissident Vaclav Havel was elected for president and opened the ways to democracy. Ludmilla was present from the very first birth moment of the dances there and shaped and nourished the growing family there with great dedication, love, wisdom, and never-ending enthusiasm. Her focuses on networking and bringing young and creative people to the community, and to provide a place for people in need made this community so unique and imbued with a great sense of belonging.
continue reading ...
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River of Guidance
Library of Past Courses
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Our River of Guidance online-experiential courses are created for the benefit of Ruhaniat mureeds and friends to deepen into the heart of our lineage wisdom and practice.
Now the River of Guidance Library of Past Courses are available on our website. The Library of Past Courses assists your search with a description of each course, teacher photo, and short bio. Current year courses are available live (or recorded for registered participants) and are not yet listed in the library.
Visit the Library
The archived courses are made up of two or three 90-minute classes, and include all the practices, papers, and resources offered by the course teacher(s). The River of Guidance Library features a broad array of Ruhaniat teachers and guest presenters. You can access courses offered from Colombia, United Kingdom, Germany, USA, Russia, and more.
Take a course on Healing Practices, discover Ziraat or Khilvat, learn about Spiritual Guidance or the Great Mother, find the Wisdom of the Ancient Sufis, approach Love, Death, Grief, and Gratitude, learn breath practices, connect to Murshid SAM, and more. We hope you will explore the Library and find many treasures within, returning to it again and again.
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"You cannot collect
flowers without a basket."
--Hazrat Inayat Khan
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The Value of an Organization on the Path of Awakening
Read the Ruhaniat Flower Basket Fundraising Letter
We need a container, a basket, to serve our purpose.
And we need financial support for the basket itself.
Please join us in strengthening the Ruhaniat
with your prayers, positive representation, and generous donations.
Donate here - thank you!
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The Ruhaniat Fundraising Committee
From left to right, top: Waduda Welsh, Jilani Prescott
bottom: Rahimah Sweeney, Rashida Cullumber
Listen to the Fundraising Committee
as they share about the value of a "basket"
on the recent Ruhaniat Family Zoom Gathering.
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Connections
major camps, recordings and online communities
~ click the calendar link for more listings ~
Calendar of Events
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Sufi Camp: Return, Renew, Reconnect
Charlottesville, Virginia, December 5-8
20th Annual California Sufi Sesshin
Healdsburg, California, January 19-24
Jamiat Aam - Save the Date - Europe
Near Lauterbach, Thuringia, Germany, April 1-6
Jamiat Aam - Save the Date - USA
Murshid Sam's Dargah
Lama Foundation, New Mexico, June 25-29
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Snowy Egret by Pir Shabda Kahn | | |
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