March 2024 Message

Beloved Family,

In the US we have changed to Daylight Savings time and feel the advent of Spring around the corner.

We are just home from leading the 19th Annual Sufi Sesshin and I leave Thursday to teach in Guadalajara, Mexico.

We had a lovely retreat at The Bishops Ranch in Healdsburg, CA with a beautiful meeting room, excellent meals, and abundant nature all around. It was a delight leading with Murshida Darvesha, Murshid Rahmat and Sheikh Gayan, along with a plethora of accomplished Dance leaders. Welcome new mureed, Salman Alawadi, from Kuwait, living in Miami with his physician wife and son working on his PhD in Psychology.

As we feel the insanity of our US politics and politics around the world, of the many wars raging with so much suffering, all the mind created divisions of nationality, religion, gender, income inequality ..., it feels all the more important to share with the world what is second nature to our family, the “Universality of human ideals”!

Here is a short text by Hazrat Inayat Khan, which is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it:

The Message is Not for One Nation

The Sufi message is a reminder to humanity--not to any one nation, but to all; not to one, but to every creed--of the truth taught by all the great teachers of humanity. God, truth, and religion are one; duality is only a delusion of human nature. Think then what a great service lies before this message. At this time, nation is against nation, race against race; the followers of one religion are constantly working against the followers of another religion; class works against class. Competition, hate, and prejudice prevail everywhere. What will be the outcome? What can poison produce? Not nectar, only poison.

The message is not for one nation, race, or community; it is for the whole of humanity. Its one and only object is to bring about a better understanding between the divided sections of humanity by awakening consciousness to the fact that humanity is one family. If one person in the family be ill or unhappy, certainly he must cause unhappiness to the whole family. Even this is not the most appropriate simile. Humanity is one body, the whole of life being one in its source and in its goal and in its beginning and its end. No scientist can deny this! If part of the body is in pain, sooner or later the whole body is affected. If your finger aches, your body is not free from pain.

No nation, race, or section can be considered a separate part of humanity. Today education, politics, and all directions in life seem to work from an individualistic view, but where must such a tendency end and where will it lead humanity? If each says, "I must get the better of another," where will be the harmony and peace for which all are longing, no matter what race or religion they belong to?

For our next wazifa practice lets combine YA AWWAL YA AKHIR YA ZAHIR YA BATIN Allah is the first without a Beginning and the Last without an End, Allah is everything which is manifest and hidden, finding the still point in the middle.

Much love,

Shabda

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Wazifa Practice

Recite 101x

YA AWWAL ~ YA AKHIR ~ YA ZAHIR ~YA BATIN

72. Ya 'Awwal (yaa OW-wal)

Al-'Awwal is the first, without a second. It is the first, without a before. Al-'Awwal never was born and never initiated anything. It is pure potentiality. In meditative practice, it may be discovered in the perfectly still point, the kamal point that you briefly experience at the apex of each inhalation of breath. Al-'Awwal is the primary source from which all things arise. It is different from al-Mubdi' (58), which is the one who begins things in the finite sphere. Al-'Awwal's sacred quality should be considered in conjunction with the three divine Names that follow on the list. See Ya Akhir (73), Ya Zahir (74), and Ya Batin (75).

73. Ya Akhir (yaa AA-ḳḥir)

Al-Akhir is the last, without a penultimate. In other words, there is no next-to-last, or anything previous to it. And al-Akhir is the last without an after. Nothing can possibly follow it. Al-Akhir is the one fully manifest in time. In meditative practice, it may be discovered in the perfectly still point that you briefly experience at the end of the exhalation of the breath. Al-Akhir is the final destination of the ultimate return of all things. It is different from Al-Mu'id (59), who is the one who brings all things in the finite realm to closure. See Ya 'Awwal (72), Ya Zahir (74), and Ya Batin (75).

74. Ya Zahir (yaa ḌḤAA-hir)

Az-Zahir means completely present in space. It is fully materialized, fully visible. Az-Zahir is the most outward and the most manifest. There is no otherness with which it could be in relationship. Like the Sun at its height, it is so evident, so bright, that you may not even notice its existence. Allah's quality of being most manifest is hidden in plain view. Az-Zahir should be considered along with Ya 'Awwal (72), Ya Akhir (73), and Ya Batin (75).

75. Ya Batin (yaa BAA-ṭin)

Al-Batin is the most hidden treasure, the secret of secrets. The essence of God is utterly hidden, but it is not hidden inside of something else. There is nothing for it to be hidden within. The four corners of the transcendental throne of God, as described by 'ibn 'Arabi, are four beautiful Names: al-'Awwal (72), al-Akhir (73), az-Zahir (74), and al-Batin. Sometimes they are described as four angels. In the center is stillness. This is the throne of God, the 'arsh, or Heart Throne. These four divine qualities seem to revolve about the 'arsh, like spheres.

In meditative practice, as you consider these four divine attributes together you become aware of the eternal still point in the center that is not first or last, not manifest or unmanifest, and has no beginning or end. Invocation of Ya 'Awwal, Ya Akhir, Ya Zahir, and Ya Batin together is recommended, along with contemplation of the 'arsh.

To hear the pronunciation: YA AWWAL ~ YA AKHIR ~ YA ZAHIR ~YA BATIN

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Text and Commentary to Study

This month we will read the very powerful and insightful text “Teaching on the Sou l," part of the published 12 Volumes of the Sufi Message

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Upcoming Events and Teachings

Sufi Retreat Guadalajara Mexico March 15-18

Jamiat Am in Madison April 25-28

Lama Sufi Sesshin June 26-30

Ongoing Local Monthly Gathering

Zikr in San Rafael One Thursday a month

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