⭐ Inayatiyya Fall Appeal 2024 – The Lion 🦁

If you have ever wondered how you can help support your fellow ashiqs and murids and enhance the presence and reach of the Message, please consider donating today. No contribution is too small. Together, we can fill valleys with our roar.

Our goal this year is to raise $160,000 by the end of the year. So far we have raised $107,527.34 (67.2%) toward this amount.

Travel and fear not; stay, dwell with me!
Die, live, and hear, that you may stay alive. – al-Shustarī

17 December 2024

As we continue on our path through the Forest of Memory, we next encounter the lion dressed in resplendent majesty.

The lion possesses an indomitable and overwhelming presence, which commands respect and can inspire fear and awe in equal measure. It commonly represents overwhelming strength, self-assurance, and courage; however, in some Sufi traditions, the lion holds an even more eminent position as the symbol of human fulfillment.

We are reminded of Rumi’s account of Hazrat Ali in his Masnavi, who sheathed his sword after a defeated opponent spat on his face. The opponent, puzzled, inquired why Hazrat Ali did not slay him. His response was:

I use my sword the way God’s planned
Not for my body but by God’s command;
I am God’s lion, not the one of passion
— My actions testify to my religion

The lion of God does not lack the virtues commonly ascribed to the lion; rather, it aligns them with the spirit of guidance and thus perfects them. This connection and alignment is the source of the lion’s great power, confidence, and fearlessness.

To be lion-hearted is to be courageous in the face of a momentary manifestation of a never-ending reality. It does not shrink from striving, from action, but instead acts in a manner that aligns the physical, mental, and spiritual towards the furtherance of its sacred purpose.

As Pir Zia notes, the heart is calibrated to the Nizām al-qulūb when we are in this state of alignment. It reveals the harmony in which all hearts are associated in a web of reciprocity and mutual empowerment. This reciprocity at the very root of creation is an ineluctable – indeed, essential – part of the web of truth. Rumi has Hazrat Ali reflect on this essential truth in his dialogue with his fallen opponent-turned-friend:

Illustrious one, I am you and you are I
Ali, how could I cause Ali to die!

The Inayatiyya aspires to draw inspiration from the lion and strives to be lion-hearted in the pursuance of our mission, purpose, and core values. Perhaps nowhere is this better expressed than in our commitment to inclusion and accessibility, which is one of the core pillars of our path.

We support this commitment and work to uphold (and expand) the wonderful diversity of our community through various efforts to ensure the Message is accessible to all on our caravan, not just a privileged few. Every year, we offer limited-income ticket options and award need-based scholarships. We offer different national and regional discounts to friends around the world in recognition of different economic situations.

About 16% of all program registrants received a scholarship or discount in 2024, representing a monetary value of $145,900.75. This does not include the number of people who register using the limited-income ticket option.

As a non-profit organization, we always need to balance this against the financial reality of operational costs, which are rarely completely covered by our program revenue. Your contributions are a key ingredient in our annual operating budget and efforts to meet our twin goals of financial accessibility and sustainability. It’s a difficult needle to thread, but we have faith it can be done!

For those who are in a position to make a contribution (no matter how small), we hope you will consider it. If you have never contributed to the Inayatiyya before and are on the fence, there is no better time than now!

With love,
Josh & Tajalli for the Inayatiyya Fall Appeal 2024 Campaign Committee
Noor Amina Peterson, Board Chair, Ambreen Coombs, Treasurer, Nilufar Hasnaa, Board Member, Jennifer Alia Wittman, Executive Director, Tajalli Roselli, Astana Staff, & Josh Octaviani, Astana Staff

PS—Interested in exploring the symbolism of the lion within the Forest of Memory practice further? As our gift to you, here is the link to Bawa’s teaching:

The Lion Meditation Recording

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The Inayatiyya is a non-profit 501c3 organization, Tax ID #23-7159641. Your donation may be fully deductible for tax purposes per United States IRS guidelines. Please note that donations made by check must be received by Friday, December 27th to be considered as within 2024. If you would like to make a donation by mail, please send it to Inayatiyya, 112 E Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Thank you!