Murshida Quan Yin Williams
Spokane, Washington
Quan Yin remembers clearly “seeing the light” in a wedding at a church when she was 3. Her family never went to anything religious, except for that day and that time and the light was pouring in through the stained-glass windows. She never forgot and spent years seeking that Light, seeking it through churches and all manner of alternatives through her growing-up years in Ft. Lauderdale and college in Ann Arbor and beyond. Many things came close to that light, but were not (yet) right. Later, after medical school (Detroit) and training as a pediatrician (New York City) she found comfort in service. Following her training, her beloved older brother died in a car accident and she chose to return “home” to Florida to be with her family in their grief.
Out of that heartbreak she was blessed to meet the first great Teacher of her life while training in Psychiatry in Miami. After a year of study with Robert Ollendorff, he died and in the aftermath of his death she turned to Gestalt Therapy (not The Light, but pretty fun). There she met her husband and moved to his farm outside Asheville (Sandy Mush) and had two children. The life of the farm was very busy and social and she also had a busy life and home in Asheville proper. And a full psychiatric practice!
She and her husband were at that time deeply connected with Swami Muktananda. They were no longer “seekers”. Going off to a workshop on a Bahamian out-island (with John Heider of the Gestalt Therapy Institute) what should she find when not looking but —“the Light“. John Heider announced one evening that there would be “Sufi dancing” that evening. Quan Yin took her 7-month-old firstborn baby and husband with her to the Dances and at the end of the evening they just looked at each other, stunned, and knew something BIG had just happened.
Returning to Coconut Grove (Miami) they met up with old friends and shared the “good news” of the Dances; the friends said they’d just seen a sign on a palm tree that said “Sufi dancing at the Yoga Temple tonight at seven“. So, we all went and met John Johnson (who became Himayat Inayati). That was it. Next visit we were initiated! And Quan Yin was given her name!
That was 50 years ago. We then returned to our farm in Sandy Mush, North Carolina and invited Himayat to come and teach at our “psycho-spiritual“ center we had established. A wonderful Sufi Community (Light of the Mountains) was born from that!
The Light continued being present, even though there were storm clouds. The marriage dissolved and Quan Yin returned to Miami to finish a fellowship in Child Psychiatry, and then relocated to Spokane, Washington, where she went into practice.
Ultimately, she reconnected with “The Sufis” in Spokane after meeting Murshida Khadija at a Women’s Spirituality workshop. Khadija connected her with Northwest Sufi Camp as well and she began not only participating but also serving (teaching, directing, serving on Boards). We all had such a good time traveling to camps and Jamiats and Board meetings! We started a regional camp here on Memorial Day weekend in the Inland Northwest (Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho) some 33 years ago.
Pir Moineddin was her teacher until his death, and she continued the good work with Saadi! And now is blessed with a wonderful check-in!
She was blessed to join the Board of the Hope Project in India and travelled there for 7 years, deeply connecting and bringing the Ruhaniat into this wonderful project.
Mexico Camp has been part of her every year for 30+ years. When Atum O’Kane became a teacher there, she began primary study (and a wonderful friendship) with him. She continues working with his teachings.
When the Covid pandemic arrived, Quan Yin started an on-line Sunday Sufi Class, which continues to this day!
Her sons are fully in their own lives and Quan Yin has three lovely grandchildren.
Murshida Quan Yin Williams
Spokane, Washington
Quan Yin remembers clearly “seeing the light” in a wedding at a church when she was 3. Her family never went to anything religious, except for that day and that time and the light was pouring in through the stained-glass windows. She never forgot and spent years seeking that Light, seeking it through churches and all manner of alternatives through her growing-up years in Ft. Lauderdale and college in Ann Arbor and beyond. Many things came close to that light, but were not (yet) right. Later, after medical school (Detroit) and training as a pediatrician (New York City) she found comfort in service. Following her training, her beloved older brother died in a car accident and she chose to return “home” to Florida to be with her family in their grief.
Out of that heartbreak she was blessed to meet the first great Teacher of her life while training in Psychiatry in Miami. After a year of study with Robert Ollendorff, he died and in the aftermath of his death she turned to Gestalt Therapy (not The Light, but pretty fun). There she met her husband and moved to his farm outside Asheville (Sandy Mush) and had two children. The life of the farm was very busy and social and she also had a busy life and home in Asheville proper. And a full psychiatric practice!
She and her husband were at that time deeply connected with Swami Muktananda. They were no longer “seekers”. Going off to a workshop on a Bahamian out-island (with John Heider of the Gestalt Therapy Institute) what should she find when not looking but —“the Light“. John Heider announced one evening that there would be “Sufi dancing” that evening. Quan Yin took her 7-month-old firstborn baby and husband with her to the Dances and at the end of the evening they just looked at each other, stunned, and knew something BIG had just happened.
Returning to Coconut Grove (Miami) they met up with old friends and shared the “good news” of the Dances; the friends said they’d just seen a sign on a palm tree that said “Sufi dancing at the Yoga Temple tonight at seven“. So, we all went and met John Johnson (who became Himayat Inayati). That was it. Next visit we were initiated! And Quan Yin was given her name!
That was 50 years ago. We then returned to our farm in Sandy Mush, North Carolina and invited Himayat to come and teach at our “psycho-spiritual“ center we had established. A wonderful Sufi Community (Light of the Mountains) was born from that!
The Light continued being present, even though there were storm clouds. The marriage dissolved and Quan Yin returned to Miami to finish a fellowship in Child Psychiatry, and then relocated to Spokane, Washington, where she went into practice.
Ultimately, she reconnected with “The Sufis” in Spokane after meeting Murshida Khadija at a Women’s Spirituality workshop. Khadija connected her with Northwest Sufi Camp as well and she began not only participating but also serving (teaching, directing, serving on Boards). We all had such a good time traveling to camps and Jamiats and Board meetings! We started a regional camp here on Memorial Day weekend in the Inland Northwest (Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho) some 33 years ago.
Pir Moineddin was her teacher until his death, and she continued the good work with Saadi! And now is blessed with a wonderful check-in!
She was blessed to join the Board of the Hope Project in India and travelled there for 7 years, deeply connecting and bringing the Ruhaniat into this wonderful project.
Mexico Camp has been part of her every year for 30+ years. When Atum O’Kane became a teacher there, she began primary study (and a wonderful friendship) with him. She continues working with his teachings.
When the Covid pandemic arrived, Quan Yin started an on-line Sunday Sufi Class, which continues to this day!
Her sons are fully in their own lives and Quan Yin has three lovely grandchildren.