Wisdom of the Prophets: Sufism and Christianity

with Tessa Bielecki, Pastor LuTimothy May, & Pir Zia Inayat-Khan

Richmond, Virginia
November 2-5, 2017

O sweet breeze of Jesus,
I pray that all your days be blessed,
For the heart of Hafiz came alive,
owing to your breath.

— Hafiz

Christianity, according to Hazrat Inayat Khan, is “pure mysticism, a mysticism of love: to judge no one, to forgive everyone . . . to come to that knowledge which instead of making you clever makes you innocent.” Jesus Christ, he says, “was not only innocent in his thought and word and in his atmosphere, but those inspired by him also reached that stage of innocence which is the sign of the saintly spirit.”

In this fifth installment of the Wisdom of the Prophets series on “Sufism & Christianity,” Tessa Bielecki and Pastor LuTimothy May will join Pir Zia Inayat-Khan to explore the connections between Christian spirituality and the universalist Sufi path of Hazrat Inayat Khan. 

During this three-day program, former Carmelite abbess and Christian hermit, Tessa Bielecki will introduce us to the foundations and rhythms of the Christian contemplative life, to celebratory ritual and the joys an “earthy mysticism,” and Pastor LuTimothy May, to the Christian tradition of finding hope and joy through spiritual music and the example of Jesus Christ, all in dialogue with Pir Zia, who will teach from his new book Mingled Waters: Sufism & the Mystical Unity of Religions.

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 four courses on Sufism & Hinduism (November 2015), Sufism & Buddhism (May 2016), Sufism & Zoroastrianism (November 2016), and Sufism & Judaism (April 2017) may be purchased by visiting the Multimedia page.

The final program in this six part series will be Sufism & Islam scheduled for May 3-6, 2018. 

BIOGRAPHIES

Tessa Bielecki is a Christian hermit in the tradition of the desert mothers and fathers. Co-founder of the Spiritual Life Institute, she was a Carmelite monk and Mother Abbess for almost 40 years, establishing radically experimental monastic communities of men and women in Arizona, Colorado, Nova Scotia, and Ireland. Since the 1980s, Bielecki has been actively involved in interspiritual dialogue, being one of the only women to participate in the groundbreaking Buddhist-Christian dialogues at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado. She is the author of Holy Daring: The Earthy Mysticism of St. Teresa, the Wild Woman of Avila (2016), Teresa of Avila: Ecstasy and Common Sense (1996), and co-author of Desert Voices: The Edge Effect and Season of Glad Songs: A Christmas Anthology. Today, she is co-founder of The Desert Foundation (with Father Dave Denny), and, when not traveling and teaching, lives the eremitical life in Crestone, Colorado. (sandandsky.org)

Rev. LuTimothy May, Sr. M. Div., is a 3rd generation Pastor in Pensacola, Florida, where he is also the Executive Director of Dixon School of Arts. His musical talent has been acknowledged with several awards and he has received a Master of Divinity degree from Morehouse School of Religion. He is passionate about working with young people and is respected for his compassion, commitment, and incredible wisdom. Pastor May has been selected to multiple civic and governmental boards throughout the greater Pensacola area.

Pir Zia Inayat-Khan, Ph.D., familiarly known as Sarafil Bawa, is the spiritual leader of The Inayati Order. His books include Saracen Chivalry: Counsels on Valor, Generosity and the Mystical Quest (2012) and Mingled Waters: Sufism & the Mystical Unity of Religions (2017). (pirzia.org)

PRICING

All pricing includes tuition plus lunch, tea, coffee and snacks each day. Housing and other meals are the responsibility of those attending. Please check back for a list of local accommodations to be posted Summer 2017.

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

Please ask about a special discount for Cherags within the Universel Worship.

Please ask about a special discount for Canadians (to help offset the exchange rate).

*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.

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CANCELLATION POLICY

We accept cancellations (minus a $50 processing fee) through Friday, October 27^th.

After this date, we accept cancellations (50% refund) through Wednesday, November 1st.

Thank you for understanding the importance of this policy!