Traveling Light: A Sufi Retreat
w/ Amida Cary, Yaqin Aubert & Jacob Miraj Ellenberg
December 9 – 11, 2022
“When we think of our life in the world, in our material strife, in our spiritual struggle –
what do we need?
We need that light, the spark of which is within us, which is our being.
Beautiful qualities come by being light; light in the mind, in the soul and in the body.”
~ Hazrat Inayat Khan (Vol II)
In this retreat we will explore the Sufi perspective of light, the light within, and being a “being of light.” Clouds of limitation, such as confusion, uncertainty, and distress, obscure the natural light within. Heaviness of heart weighs us down. But when heaviness and limitation are removed, joy comes, and we feel light. How might “being light” unburden our bodies, minds, hearts and souls, and more so, inspire us, with the support of clear minds and loving hearts, to build a more beautiful world of beautiful people?
As we journey through the stages of retreat we will draw from our rich heritage of light practices to reconnoiter how light purifies, opens, reveals, inspires and creates. How does “being light” affect our sense of identity? Inform our relationships? Color our individual and collective understanding of and participation in the world? Imagine what it would be like to travel lightly through life!
Faculty for this retreat includes Amida Cary, Yaqin Aubert & Jacob Miraj Ellenberg. Our schedule is as follows:
Friday, December 9th
10:00 – 11:15 am Session One
11:15 – 11:45 am Break
11:45 – 1:00 pm Session Two
1:00 – 3:00 pm Break
3:00 – 4:15 pm Session Three
Saturday, December 10th
10:00 – 11:15 am Session One
11:15 – 11:45 am Break
11:45 – 1:00 pm Session Two
1:00 – 3:00 pm Break
3:00 – 4:15 pm Session Three
Sunday, December 11th
10:00 – 11:15 am Session One
11:15 – 11:45 am Break
11:45 – 1:00 pm Closing
Hosted by the Inayatiyya Inner School of North America.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScl
QUESTIONS
If you have questions in the meantime, please contact us at astana@inayatiyya.org.
BIOGRAPHIES
Jacob Miraj Ellenberg (Z.E. Dominicus) is the founder of The Curious Self where he leads meditation courses, and The Curious Team where he helps organizations and teams reduce burnout, increase performance, and improve relationships. He has been a student of the Inayatiyya since 1995, and a teacher since 2003. Jacob holds an interdisciplinary B.A. in organizational behavior, narrative theory, and comparative mysticism from NYU. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
Yaqin Joseph Aubert is the Vice President of the Inayatiyya and has been studying Sufism for more than 40 years. He is a Senior Teacher within the Inayatiyya and a member of the Inayatiyya’s Esoteric Training Committee. He was a student of Pir Zia’s father, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. Yaqin is a Cherag (minister) in the Universal Worship and has been a teacher within Suluk Academy. He is a founding member and former director of both the Abode of the Message and Mountain Road School, founded on the Abode’s grounds. Yaqin is a storyteller, retreat guide and leads group retreats and seminars in North America.
Amida Cary is Co-Vice President of the Inayatiyya Inner School in North America, as well as Director of the Inayatiyya’s Retreat Concentration. She is a guide to students and retreatants worldwide as well as a mentor to up and coming Inayatiyya leadership. Amida is an experienced spiritual and retreat guide and has worked closely with Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, Aziza Scott, and Pir Zia Inayat Khan. She collaborated with Pir Vilayat for many years editing his curriculum and establishing the website universel.net. She is a founder of Suluk Academy and has served as Suluk faculty.
Speakers
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Amida CaryAmida Cary is Director of the Inayatiyya’s Retreat Concentration in North America and its Retreat Guide Training Program, working in concert with an international network of experienced retreat guides and trainee mentors. Her primary focus is encouraging all involved to enter the transformative depths of the retreat process. Amida is an experienced retreat guide herself and has worked closely with Pir Vilayat, Aziza Scott, and Pir Zia. She is a founder of Suluk Academy and has served as Suluk faculty. Amida lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Jacob Miraj DominicusJacob Miraj Dominicus helps people deepen their meditative practice. Jacob has been a murid of the Inayatiyya since 1997, served on the Inayati Order Board of Trustees under Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan and Pir Zia Inayat Khan, and helped start Suluk Academy serving as its inaugural administrator. In 2007, he graduated from Suluk’s Kafur class. Since 2015 Jacob has co-led retreats with Gulrukh Patel at the Zenith Institute in Switzerland. He currently serves as the co-Madar-ul-Muham of Inayatiyya Inner School (Oceania and North America). Professionally, he consults with corporate teams and teaches meditation. Jacob holds a B.A. from NYU in Organizational Behavior, Narrative Theory, and Mysticism and has been a Visiting Scholar at NYU Tisch’s Interactive Communications Program (ITP). He lives in Los Angeles, where he studies the Chinese martial arts of Xingyi and Bagua and lives with his wife, daughter, and two cats.
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Yaqin AubertYaqin Joseph Aubert has been studying in Sufism for more than 40 years and is a senior teacher in the Inayatiyya Order, as well as past Vice President. He was first initiated by and studied with Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan and now studies with Pir Zia Inayat Khan. Yaqin is a Seraj (senior minister) in the Universal Worship and has been a teacher in the Suluk Academy, a school of contemplative study with students around the world. He is a founding member and former director of the Abode of the Message, a conference and retreat center in upstate New York. He guides seekers to unfold the fullness of their being. Yaqin is a storyteller, and leads individual and group retreats, and seminars in North America.
