carolina, Author at Inayatiyya

Music of the Spheres: Gamaka Commentaries, Gayan

As long as I act upon my own intuition, I succeed, but whenever I follow the advice of others I go astray.

An eel would not do well to ask directions to the Sargasso Sea from a pike or a trout. Deep down in its viscera, it already knows the way. Its best course is to trust its instincts. The same is true of human beings.

A philosophizer asked a dervish what truth was. She pointed to his eyes. He asked what was falsehood. She tweaked his ear. Her point being: seeing is believing, and be wary of what you are told.

Whatever the question, the answer is already present. Only, it’s buried under a mass of fears and fancies. One needs to clear one’s mind to know what one knows.

Is counsel worthless then? Not necessarily. The Prophet Muhammad said, “The believer is a mirror of the believer.” A word or glance that confirms what one knows in one’s innermost core is a kind of light upon light.

For this reason, Guides in the Esoteric School do not give advice. They work instead to empower the murid’s intuition.

Music of the Spheres: Gamaka Commentaries, Saying Four

“Every soul stands before me as a world, and the light of my spirit falling upon it brings clearly to my view all it contains.”

Would there be a world if there were no witnesses? It is the perceiving of the world that makes it a world. And as there are many perceivers, there are, accordingly, many worlds.

Imagine a hermit’s dark cell. Light flashes in through two chinks in the roof. One beam has illumined a curl of smoke. The other transfixes a moth in flight.

Spirit is light. The soul is a portion of divided light. The mind is what is revealed in the beam of that portion.

Two minds may know one another, in some measure, by comparing their perceptions through conversation. But a soul knows another soul silently—by rising up to spirit and then, descending, alighting on it.

When the light of one soul irradiates another, it witnesses what the other’s mind contains. When love unites two souls in spirit, their lights converge in a double flame and two worlds become one.

The Zephyr December 2017
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The Zephyr December 2017

News

The Zephyr December 2017

December 10, 2017

Dear Companions on the Path,
I hope this finds you well. Here at the Astana in Richmond, things are unfolding wonderfully. We now have two weekly gatherings, a Sunday afternoon Universal Worship Service and Gatha Class, and a Wednesday evening Healing Service and Zikr. Do come and join us; the calendar is here.

Last weekend the Inayati Order’s new Young Adults Council visited. We spent our time exploring the Six Activities of the Order and the inspirations and concerns of young people today. It was a generative discussion and one that we all look forward to continuing. (See photos below.)

During the weekend I offered a Universal Worship Service that was live-streamed as part of a 24-hour global vigil called One World Bearing Witness. It is always an honor to take part in endeavors that highlight the unity of the human spirit.

A few weeks ago, I visited Tucson. I spoke about Sufism and Judaism at Temple Emanu-El, after which we had a retreat among the sujuaros. What a pleasure it was to see friends from all over the Southwest. I was especially moved by the community’s initiative to support the care of the little-known tomb of Murshid’s beloved teacher, Sayyid Abu Hashim Madani, in Hyderabad.

In closing, I would like to wish you a luminous Hanukah, Christmas, and Winter Solstice. May glowing hearths and glowing hearts warm your cold December!

Yours ever,

Sarafil Bawa

Gayan Commentary

“I have learned more by my faults than by my merits. If I acted always aright, I could not be human.”

We might have been created as flawless beings in a flawlessworld. But we were not, and for a reason. In a placidly perfect world, there would be no discovery. There is a unique perfection to be found in the unveiling of the Perfect within the imperfect.

Life is a school for the education of the heart. Every day there is a new lesson. Lessons not learned are repeated until understanding comes. Successes teach something, but missteps often teach more.

Of course, it is not faults themselves that are instructive. Awareness is what guides. When vigilance illuminates a dark passage through life, the path comes into view.

Coming to terms with one’s shortcomings brings humility and compassion. Observing that one does not always perceive situations in their entirety, one learns to think twice before making brash pronouncements. Recognizing one’s own capacity for error, one is moved to forbear with others in their fumblings.

See the full commentary on the Inayati Order website, and please check back for updates.

The evening of November 29th, Virginia Commonwealth University Professor Samaneh Oladi Ghadikolaei brought her Introduction to Sufism class to meet Pir Zia. VCU’s campus is two blocks away from the Astana and we were very happy to see that the university has a lively religious studies and mysticism program!

Inayati Order Fall Appeal 2017

Thank you to all of you who regularly and generously give toward our work. As we organizationally move into a phase of greater refinement and expansion, we hope that you will give toward our Inayati Order Fall Appeal 2017. We are deeply appreciative of your support!

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Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism & Christianity 
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Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism & Christianity 

Events

Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism & Christianity 

Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism & Christianity
with Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Sheikha Fariha al-Jerrahi & Pir Zia Inayat-Khan

The Astana, Richmond, Virginia
May 3-6, 2018

Hazrat Inayat Khan tells of how the Light of Unity conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the words “Nothing exists but God” (la ilaha illa’llah) summed up the messages of the preceding prophets of all lands and all times.

In this sixth and final installment of the Wisdom of the Prophets series, “Sufism and Islam,” Sheikha Fariha al-Jerrahi, Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, and Pir Zia will delve into the gnosis of Islam as it has been lived and described by Sufi mystics through the centuries. Subjects of exploration will include The Affirmation of Unity, Prayer, Fasting, Alms, Pilgrimage, Peacemaking, and Divine Remembrance.

Sheikha Fariha, leader of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Order, communicates the light and life of the Path through sacred songs (ilahis) and elevating rituals of remembrance (zikr). Sheikh Ghassan, of the Qadiri Order in the Holy Land, combines esoteric scholarship with a lifelong commitment to the vital work of interreligious peacemaking. Pir Zia, author of Mingled Waters: Sufism and the Mystical Unity of Religions, on which the series is based, will again play host.

Wisdom of the Prophets is a six-part series of courses, offered in-person or online, which offers students the opportunity to study and practice the inner teachings of the prophets as enshrined in the wisdom traditions that derive from their revelations.

Video and materials from the first five courses on Sufism & Hinduism (November 2015), Sufism & Buddhism (May 2016), Sufism & Zoroastrianism (November 2016), Sufism & Judaism (April 2017), and Sufism & Christianity (November 2017; video available in 2018) may be purchased by visiting: www.inayatiorder.org/multimedia/

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 3^rd

2:00 – 7:00 pm – Check-in at the Astana
7:30 – 9:00 pm – Sufism & Islam (Pir Zia & Sheikh Ghassan)

Friday, May 4^th

9:00 – 9:30 am – Silent Meditation
9:30 – 11:00 am – Pir Zia
11:00 – 11:30 am – Tea Break
11:30 – 12:45 pm – Sheikh Ghassan
1:00 – 2:00 pm – Lunch at the Astana
3:00 – 4:15 pm – Special Guest TBD
4:15 – 4:45 pm – Tea Break
4:45 – 6:00 pm – Pir Zia
6:00 – 8:00 pm – Dinner On Your Own
8:00 – 10:00 pm – Zikr & Sweets

Saturday, May 5^th

9:00 – 9:30 am – Silent Meditation
9:30 – 11:00 am – Pir Zia
11:00 – 11:30 am – Tea Break
11:30 – 12:45 pm – Sheikh Ghassan
1:00 – 2:00 pm – Lunch @ the Astana
3:00 – 4:15 pm – Sheikha Fariha
4:15 – 4:45 pm – Tea Break
4:45 – 6:00 pm – Pir Zia
6:00 – 8:00 pm – Dinner On Your Own
8:00 – 10:00 pm – Zikr with Sheikha Fariha

Sunday, May 6^th

9:00 – 9:30 am – Silent Meditation
9:30 – 11:00 am – Sheikha Fariha, Sheikh Ghassan & Pir Zia
11:30 – 12:30 pm – Universal Worship

BIOGRAPHIES

PIR ZIA INAYAT-KHAN, also known as Sarafil Bawa, is a scholar and teacher of Sufism in the lineage of his grandfather, Hazrat Inayat Khan. He received his B.A. (Hons) in Persian Literature from the London School of Oriental and African Studies, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion from Duke University. Pir Zia is president of The Inayati Order and founder of Suluk Academy, a school of contemplative study with branches in the United States and Europe. Now based in Richmond, Virginia, Pir Zia frequently travels. His schedule can be found at www.inayatiorder.org.

Sheikh Ghassan Manasra was trained by Sheikh Muhammad Hashem Al-Baghdadi, Head of the Qadiri Order in the Middle East, and was ordained a Sheikh by him while studying at his side for decades in East Jerusalem. He is both an Arabic and Hebrew Scholar, trained in interpreting the Qur’an, Arabic poetry, Sufi poetry and philosophy, and the teachings of Ibn ‘Arabi. A former board member of the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace, he is the International Executive Director of the Abrahamic Reunion, a nonprofit dedicated to peacebuilding in the Holy Land and the world through interreligious dialogue, prayer, encounter, and solidarity. He currently lives in Sarasota, Florida.

Sheikha Fariha is the spiritual guide of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order in New York City. She was born in 1947 into a socially committed, eclectic Catholic family in Houston, Texas. At the age of 29, she met her teacher, Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak of Istanbul, and received direct transmission from him in 1980. Sheikh Muzaffer also gave direct transmission to Lex Hixon (Sheikh Nur al-Jerrahi), who envisioned a radical and illumined path of the heart which he called “Universal Islam.” After Sheikh Nur’s death, Fariha took on the guidance of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order, with circles around the world. Every Thursday, Sheikha Fariha, with her husband Ali and the dervishes, invite all seekers into the circle of zikr at the Dergah al-Farah in New York City.

PRICING

All pricing includes tuition plus lunch, tea, coffee and snacks each day. Housing and other meals are the responsibility of those attending. Please contact astana@inayatiorder.org for additional details or housing advice.

General Tuition – $350 
Young Adult Tuition (under age 39) – $150
Online Participation Only – $165

Please ask about a special discount for Cherags within the Universal Worship and Canadians. Also please inquire about partial scholarship opportunities.

* Details about how to access the online program will be sent separately, closer to the event. Everyone who signs up for the in-person program will receive credentials to access the online option as well.

Cancellation Policy

We accept cancellations (minus a $50 processing fee) through Friday, April 20^th. After this date, we accept cancellations (50% refund) through Wednesday, May 2^nd. Thank you for understanding the importance of this policy!

Register Now

Jamiat Khas Annual Retreat 2018
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Jamiat Khas Annual Retreat 2018

Events

Jamiat Khas Annual Retreat 2018

Tuesday, March 20 (evening) through Thursday, March 22 (5 pm)

Our annual Inayati Order Spring Leadership Training will follow March 22-25, 2018

Open to all members of the Inayati Order’s Jamiat Khas, comprised of the most experienced teachers and guides within the Order.

The Inayati Order’s Esoteric Training Committee invites you to join us for our annual Jamiat Khas Retreat, Tuesday, March 20 (evening with afternoon arrivals) through Thursday, March 22 (5 pm).

The meeting will be held at the Inayati Order’s new North American Headquarters, called the Astana, in Richmond, Virginia. Details about the Astana, travel to and from, accommodations and recommended restaurants can be found at www.inayatiorder.org/astana.

(Please note that there is a special discount at the Holiday Inn Express and Linden Row with a link below to register and receive the discount.)

As always, the meeting will consist of a combination of spiritual practices in the morning (this year drawing on Pir Vilayat’s Curriculum of the Sufi Order), with focused discussion in the afternoon.

The Jamiat Khas Annual Retreat is a wonderful time for fellowship and to share our collective attunement. There is a great power generated by our being together and meditating with each other.

Following the Jamiat Khas Annual Retreat, there will be leadership training beginning on the evening of Thursday, March 22 and continuing through noon on Sunday, March 25, to be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Downtown Richmond.

During this training, we will be exploring practices and perspectives relating to the soul’s journey through the planes of being, emphasizing the interpenetration in the soul’s experience of the human, djinn, and angelic worlds.

PRICING

All pricing for the Jamiat Khas Annual Retreat, March 20-22, 2018, includes tuition plus tea, coffee and snacks each day. Housing and meals are the responsibility of those attending.

General Tuition – $200

ACCOMMODATIONS

Discounted hotel accommodations are at the Holiday Inn Express and Linden Row by using the following links:

Holiday Inn Express ($119/night) – Please use this link to register and receive the discounted rate for housing at the Holiday Inn Express, our preferred hotel for this event. THE DISCOUNT CODE TO USE IS: IO8.
Linden Row ($99-$120/night)

Go to www.reservations.lindenrowinn.com
Select your Arrival and Departure Dates and Number of Adults
Enter the following Access Code to view your discounted rate:INOMARCH2018

Also, an alternative option is Hosteling International Richmond: https://www.hiusa.org/hostels/virginia/richmond/richmond

CANCELLATION POLICY

We accept cancellations (minus a $50 processing fee) through Friday, March 2^nd.

After this date, we accept cancellations (50% refund) through Friday, March 16^th.

Thank you for understanding the importance of this policy!

Register Now

Inayati Order Leadership Spring Training 2018
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Inayati Order Leadership Spring Training 2018

Events

Inayati Order Leadership Spring Training 2018

Leadership Spring Training 2018

Thursday, March 22 (evening) through Sunday, March 25 (noon)

Open to all leaders and leaders-in-training of the the Inayati Order’s six activities: Esoteric School, Sufi Healing Order, Universal Worship, Ziraat, Kinship and Knighthood of Purity.

We invite you to join us for the Inayati Order’s Leadership Spring Training, Thursday, March 22 (evening with afternoon arrivals) through Sunday, March 25 (noon).

The training will be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Downtown Richmond, right across the street from the Inayati Order’s new North American Headquarters, called the Astana, in Richmond, Virginia. Details about the Astana, travel to and from, accommodations and recommended restaurants can be found at www.inayatiorder.org/astana.

(Please note that there is a special discount at the Holiday Inn Express and Linden Row with a link below to register and receive the discount.)

During this training, we will explore practices and perspectives relating to the soul’s journey through the planes of being, emphasizing the interpenetration in the soul’s experience of the human, djinn, and angelic worlds.

As in past years, Pir Zia will teach mornings, with a variety of teachers presenting in the afternoons.

Additional topics and a schedule will be posted after the new year.

The Inayati Order’s Leadership Spring Training is part of our larger Esoteric School Leadership training effort, which also includes ongoing Mentorship, our new Emergent Leaders Two-Year Training Program, and a variety of Inayati Order Leaders Training Modules on topics such as Guidance, Breath, Concentration and Meditation.

PRICING

All pricing for the Inayati Order’s Leadership Spring Training, March 22-25, 2018, includes tuition plus tea, coffee and snacks each day. Housing and meals are the responsibility of those attending.

General Tuition – $350 

ACCOMMODATIONS

Discounted hotel accommodations are at the Holiday Inn Express and Linden Row by using the following links:

Holiday Inn Express ($119/night)
Please use this link to register and receive the discounted rate for housing at the Holiday Inn Express, our preferred hotel for this event. THE DISCOUNT CODE TO USE IS: IO8.
Linden Row ($99-$120/night)

Go to www.reservations.lindenrowinn.com
Select your Arrival and Departure Dates and Number of Adults
Enter the following Access Code to view your discounted rate: INOMARCH2018

Also, an alternative option is Hosteling International Richmond.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We accept cancellations (minus a $50 processing fee) through Friday, March 2^nd.
After this date, we accept cancellations (50% refund) through Friday, March 16^th.
Thank you for understanding the importance of this policy!
Morning Session w/ Bawa 9-10:15 am
Tea/Practice Break 10:15-10:45 am
Morning Session w/ Bawa 10:45-12 pm
Lunch 12:30-1:30 pm
Departures

*Silence will be observed from the end of the Friday Orientation through to the Morning Tea/Practice Break on Monday.

Register Now

The Alchemy of Happiness
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The Alchemy of Happiness

Events

The Alchemy of Happiness

The Alchemy of Happiness
A Labor Day Retreat w/ Pir Zia Inayat-Khan

The Abode of the Message
New Lebanon, New York

August 31 – September 3, 2018

Amidst the late-summer quietude of Mt. Lebanon, Pir Zia will lead a three-day silent journey through the stations of spiritual alchemy, traversing the interior landscapes that stretch from the obscurity of the unexamined life to the “fragrant gold” of the soul’s self-realization, which is the essence of happiness. Meditation, invocation, and sacred music will interlace to evoke ever subtler and vaster domains of being.

We will gather at the Abode of the Message, on the outskirts of the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. Each day’s teaching will take place in the Abode’s Meditation Hall, with time allowed for walking and contemplation in the Abode gardens, and also down adjacent country roads and wooded trails. Three vegetarian meals will be served each day, further supporting our retreat practice.

Space is limited. Please register today. Partial scholarships are available based on need. Please e-mail astana@inayatiorder.org with any questions, and/or to make scholarship requests.

Naima Brown, Vice President of the Inayati Order’s Esoteric School, and Yaqin Aubert, Vice President of the Inayati Order, will assist Pir Zia, providing additional support to retreatants during the three days of the program.