December 2023 Message

Beloved Family,

Holy Days greetings!

It has been a busy time since my last letter. After thoroughly enjoying Washington State, hosted by Khalid and Kim Kramer, and leading a retreat there right after Thanksgiving, Tamam and I traveled to Maui to lead a retreat there, be with our Maui Ohana (sangha) and enjoy the warm climes.

We continue to keep our heart focused on the immense suffering around the world sending loving kindness and compassion to the best of our ability in all directions.

At the same time, we feel enormous gratitude for the opportunity of having human birth and the many gifts that have been bestowed upon us.

The Biography of Murshid Sam - Sunrise in the West - is finally arriving to the distributor Dec 14th, after leaving the port of India more than a month ago. It is our hope that deliveries of the Pre-sale will begin by the end of the year. Also, within a short time it should be delivered to Amazon, etc. for availability to the public!

We are hoping more of you will participate in the Pre-sale to help support the immense expense that went into making this book a reality.

Last month we emphasized Kasab practice and this month let us all practice Shagal daily (instructions attached). I especially like to practice Shagal as the gateway into my daily meditation practice.

After beginning February in Mother India comes the Sufi Sesshin in March 3-8 at The Bishops Ranch in Healdsburg, CA followed by teaching in Guadalajara Mexico March 15-18. April 25-28 will be the Annual Jamiat Aam in Madison WI this year.

During this time of the year it has been my habit to practice YA NUR YA MUNAWIR - invoking the Light which is at the root of all bring and creation and aspiring that the light Manifest.

Much love,

Shabda

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Wazifa Practice

Recite 101x

YA NUR ~ YA MUNAWWIR

93. Ya Nur (yaa NOOR) ~ YA MUNAWWIR (yaa moo-NOW-were)

An-Nur is the essence of light, luminosity itself. A Qur'anic verse says, "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." An-Nur is the light of every soul and an inherent characteristic in every pore of your body. Munawwir is a form of the same root and means the one who illuminates.

It is interesting that the word for "hell" in Arabic is naar, which has the same root as Nur. What makes it hell is that the burning heat there is lacking in light. That kind of burning heat is our inner condition if we don't embody God's loving mercy and compassion (rahma) and instead become full of rage.

Whatever way we may turn, we see the all-pervading light of An-Nur. Even the darkness shines from within it. All the various forms of wisdom and guidance are expressions of An-Nur. For example, Nur-ul-Haqeeqah is the light of truth and guidance on the path. What continues to live on in God when we die is also a legacy of light

To hear the pronunciation: Ya Nur ~ Ya Munawwir

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Text and Commentary to Study

This month we finish reading about Kasab and breath in Githas Series 2, number 7-9 in Ryazat. There are 2 documents, one by Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan, page 30-31 and the other includes Murshid Sam's Commentaries, pages 31- 46

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Upcoming Events and Teachings

Madison, WI Sufi Retreat October 20-22

Seattle Sufi Retreat November 17-19

Maui Sufi Retreat December 1-3

Mother India Pilgrimage February 1-10, 2024

Sufi Sesshin at the Bishops Ranch, CA March 3-8, 2024

Save the date

Sufi Retreat Guadalajara Mexico March 15-18, 2024

Ongoing Local Monthly Gathering

Zikr in San Rafael One Thursday a month

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