“The sacred river is the sympathy coming out of our own heart” – Hazrat Inayat Khan
11 November 2025
Dear Friends,
There is an old Sufi story about a stream that, after descending from the mountains and crossing valleys and meadows, reaches the edge of a vast desert. There, the stream hesitates. How will it cross? Every effort to surge forward evaporates in the sand.
In its despair, the stream hears a voice carried by the wind:
“The wind crosses the desert, and so can the stream. You must allow yourself to be absorbed by the wind.”
The stream, trembling, surrenders – and becomes a cloud. It travels by wind, and when the time is right, falls again as rain.
In this way, it crosses. Each of us must surrender the form we have known to arrive.
Water is the element of yielding strength – fluid and receptive, yet capable of carving stone.
The river is a symbol of the soul’s journey: ever-changing, yet always connected to the Source. In Sufi teachings, water is associated with purity, mercy, and life itself – rahma, the outpouring of divine compassion that sustains all worlds.
As part of our ongoing spiritual campaign honoring the sacred aspects of landscape, we turn now toward the rivers – those flowing channels of remembrance, transformation, and return.
Whether it is the river of Kawthar in Paradise, the Jordan crossed by prophets, the Ganges where seekers bathe, or the subterranean streams within the soul, rivers remind us that our journey is not linear. It meanders. Sometimes swiftly, sometimes slowly, sometimes underground, but always toward the Ocean of Unity.
Hazrat Inayat Khan teaches:
“The water changes its name to river, lake, sea, stream, or pond; and it is the same with religion: the essential truth is one, but its aspects are different.”
In the Inayatiyya, we strive to create spaces where the river of spiritual life may flow freely—where seekers may immerse themselves in the teachings of love, harmony, and beauty, and be carried gently toward realization. Each gift to the Inayatiyya is a gift to all those who thirst for meaning.
Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’ve already raised $85,043 (42.5%) toward our $200,000 goal. Now, with just $114,957 left to reach the finish line by December 31st, your gift can help us complete this year’s journey together.
Your support allows us to:
Offer teachings and spiritual practices that nourish and renew,
Sustain our teachers, staff, and volunteers who tend this flowing work with devotion,
Keep the waters of our tradition clear, accessible, and alive for all who thirst.
If each member of our community of thousands offered even a small gift, we would easily reach our goal and carry this work forward with strength and stability. Will you add your voice to this chorus of giving and help us reach the goal together?
In the words of Murshid,
“The soul is a current which can only run rightly when it is in the stream of love.”
Let us become the stream that flows from heart to heart, and soul to soul, bringing renewal where the world feels parched, and reminding all who listen that the Source still flows.
Give today, and be part of the living river.
With gratitude and trust in the current,
Josh & Tajalli
on behalf of the Inayatiyya Fall Appeal 2025 Committee
Nazish Riaz, Board Chair | Ambreen Coombs, Treasurer | Nilufar Maryam Hasnaa, Board Member | Mika’il Petin, Executive Director | Tajalli Roselli, Astana Staff | Josh Octaviani, Astana Staff
The Inayatiyya is a non-profit 501(c)3 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 26th to be considered as within 2025. If you would like to make a donation by mail, please send it to Inayatiyya, 112 E Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
