Week 1: Returning-Taking Responsibility of Self Mahmoud Mostafa Taking Responsibility of Self from a Sufi perspective In Sufism, the concept

of repentance is different from our conventional understanding of it. Repentance is not based on guilt, shame, or fear of punishment. Repentance is a process of returning from forgetfulness to remembrance of our true self. When we are born, we enter into the world and begin our amazing journey bac to our source. With every moment we are getting closer to our destiny and with each breath we are returning. Repentance is the process of actively surrendering to the !ivine Will and of opening to the ocean of mercy and compassion that we are immersed in. "ne of the results of living in the world is that we accumulate things. We accumulate objects, we accumulate habits, we accumulate biases, we accumulate assumptions and we accumulate beliefs. #hese things sprout deep roots within us and they form our structure of interpreting the world and our relationship to it. #hese things define us, and we are gradually owned by them. We become increasingly attached to the world and to worldly concerns and we e$perience separation from the truth that is at the core of our being. We become enslaved to our egos, trapped in an endless cycle of avoiding pain and see ing pleasure. We become dominated by doubt, fear, greed, and wishful thin ing only occasionally relieved by fleeting moments of beauty, peace, and love. #hese brief moments of truthfulness cause longing in our hearts to return but in the absence of understanding, we imagine that the way to happiness is to pursue more accumulation. #his condition is dominant in the world. #his is the condition that Sufis call heedlessness. Repentance is the active process of returning from this heedless sleep. It is the process of our gradual emancipation from the chains of our egos. We must ta e responsibility for ourselves in order to e$perience repentance. It ta es courageous honesty and humble sincerity to be able to truly repent. Repentance brings understanding and understanding transforms us and enables our return. %onesty and sincerity are the two wings that carry us on our journey bac to our Sustainer. With honesty we come to now ourselves as we truly are without denial, without rationalizations, without wishful thin ing.

%onesty melts away our sense of self&importance and opens us up to receive wisdom and guidance. With sincerity we come to now the real meaning of service and unconditional love. With sincerity we learn how to genuinely relate to the world. Sincerity ta es away our pretending and game&playing and enriches our lives with meaningfulness. ' great teacher once said, ()ou will now that you are honest when your opinion of yourself no longer matters to you. 'nd you will now that you are sincere when the opinion of others about you no longer matters to you.* +. ,y the mercy of -od, .aradise has eight doors/ one of those is the door of repentance, child. 'll the others are sometimes open, sometimes shut0 but the door of repentance is never closed. 1ome seize the opportunity2 the door is open0 carry your baggage there at once. 3I4, 5678&5679:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 1: ,reathe out all tension, an$iety, fear, negativity, and psychological idols0 breathe in -od<s presence. ,reathe out (=a illaha* >there is no god?0 breathe in (il 'llah* >but -od? Sufis view this as the @uintessential proposition of the 'brahamic tradition.

5. #hough your life has almost passed, this present moment is its root2 if it lac s moisture, water it with repentance. -ive the =iving Water to the root of your life, so that the tree of your life may flourish. ,y this Water past mista es are redeemed. ,y this Water last yearAs poison is made sweet. 34, 5555&555B:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2

Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. ' thorn in the foot is hard to find. What about a thorn in the heartD If everyone saw the thorn in his heart, when would sorrow gain the upper handD 3I, +65&C:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. ,ewareE !onAt allow yourself to do what you now is wrong, relying on the thought, F=ater I will repent and as -odAs forgiveness.F #rue repentance flashes inside and rains tears. Such lightning and clouds are needed. Without the lightning of the heart and the rain storms of the eyes, how shall the fire of !ivine wrath be calmedD %ow shall the greenery grow and fountains of clear water pour forthD 3II, +865&68:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Personal Account about Taking Responsibility of Self I didnAt thin of myself as a racist. I held a self&image of one who accepts people for who they are and being of Muslim faith and 'rab heritage, I saw myself as a committed supporter of e@uality and acceptance for minorities in 'merica. I held on to this self&image for years until I met Sidi 'hmad. I loved him immediately and was fond of visiting him and spending time in his company listening to his wisdom and delighting in his beautiful voice. "ne night shortly after spending a wee end retreat with him I was suddenly awa ened from my sleep with the vivid recollection of a long& buried memory from my childhood. His name was Muhammad and he was our servant. He came twice a week to clean our house. My mother always spoke highly of him she admired his honesty! conscientiousness and dependability. Muhammad was a "ubian from the #gyptian South. He was as dark as the night and $ hated him. $ hated him because he was black. $ was repulsed by his full lips! and by the rawness of his pink palms and soles against his smooth! dark skin. $ was also afraid of him. $t was the first time we had a man working in our home before he came we always had maids. Gow after so many years the memory of my feelings about Muhammad poured out of me as if they had just happened. I ept up the zhi r and went deeper into this opening. I didnAt now how these negative feelings and prejudices came to me at such a tender age. I couldnAt recall hearing any racist tal at home or at school or anywhere when I was a child. %ow did I form this perception, I wonderedD %owever I ac@uired it there could be no doubt and no turning away from it now. I had to face it. I was being shown something important about myself that I needed to understand. I as ed forgiveness and prayed for courage and continued. 's the reflections about my childhood deepened I started to see how this prejudice was connected to something much deeper within me. 's the memories moved to my adolescent and adult life a pattern emerged. I was shown how there was a firmly rooted arrogance in me. I had contempt for people. #his contempt was manifest in different ways. I ridiculed those I thought were not as smart as I, I found fault with those I thought were better than me, I harbored negative thoughts about many people. #his was my way of feeling special and important, by ma ing others smaller in my mind.

#he tears flowed down my chee s as I continued to go deeper. I saw the faces of people I had hurt with my thoughts, with my tongue, and with my hands. My arrogance had made a petty tyrant of me, although my tyranny was hidden from public view, living mostly in my thoughts and feelings and only occasionally flaring out in abusive behavior. I saw my hypocrisy in the facade I presented to the world of a devout and humble person. I as ed -od to forgive me and to ta e away from me this arrogance. I as ed for true humility and for purity of intention. I as ed %im to ma e me small in my eyes and to ma e me see the good and beauty in others. I longed so much to feel that everyone was my brother and sister. #hen the voice resonated in my heart, F %o you see how your arrogance violates the sacredness of your brothers and sisters& Muhammad is your brother. %o you see how you transgressed against him& %o you see how your arrogance erodes your humanness! how it defiles your own sacredness&F the voice in my heart was overwhelming in its decisiveness, in its truthfulness. I felt the compelling, irresistible power of -od as it opened me up and bro e down my defenses. F 'ou imagine yourself to be (ust and compassionate. How can you be so when you are oppressing yourself and others! how& F I was weeping, sha en to my core, feeling my utter helplessness and at the same time my intense longing to be freed from my chains, to be cleansed of the dross covering my heart. F$t is love that frees you. %o you see how your love for Ahmad revealed to you your internal contradiction! your hidden hypocrisy& )pen yourself to love for it is the surest of footholds! the firmest of hands! and the best of guides. *hoose love and it will be your way of return to +s, -e are the Rahman! the Rahim! the -adud and the .ahhar! and you are for +s and unto +s is your return,F 's my tears subsided, a stillness descended upon me and I felt engulfed in light. I felt safe and protected. I was grateful for the understanding that was given to me and secure in nowing that -od<s compassion is greater than anything that we are carrying inside of us. Seeing my own faults humbled me and from then on, much of my inner criticisms and self&righteous responses to the prejudice of others left me. 'nd my love and respect for Sidi 'hmad has e$panded and I have ever since regarded him as one of my teachers and spiritual masters. 6. =ife without repentance is spiritual agony0 to be absent from -od is immediate death. =ife and death both are sweet with -odAs presence2

without -od even the Water of =ife is fire. 34, HH7&HH+:

We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

8. If you want a customer who will pay in gold, could there be a better customer than -od, " my heartD %e buys our dirty bag of goods, and in return gives us an inner light that borrows from %is splendor. %e receives the dissolving ice of this mortal body and gives a ingdom beyond imagining. %e ta es a few tear drops, and gives a spiritual spring so delicious sugar is jealous of its sweetness. If any doubt waylays you, rely upon the spiritual traders, the prophets. #he !ivine Ruler increased their fortune so greatly, no mountain could bear what they<ve been given. 34I, 9HI&9950 998&99H:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

H.
#he idol of your self is the mother of all idols. #he material idol is only a sna e0 while this inner idol is a dragon. It is easy to brea an idol, but to regard the self as easy to subdue is a mista e.

3I, HH50 HH9:

We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 2: Forbearance !arrin J Sophia Schultz /orbearance from a Sufi perspective What does forbearance mean from the Sufi perspectiveD .atient endurance. #he meaning here is not intended to imply a passive resignation to all the troubles of life or of the world. In fact, the opposite is re@uired. ;orbearance is an active process with the nowledge that the spiritual trials and pains we suffer will help us to mature. We forbear in our internal struggles, the struggle with our egos whims and desires. .atiently enduring the hardships we place on ourselves as a result of our conditioning, of our ignorance and arrogance. We show forbearance in the destruction of ideas we hold precious0 precious ideas that hold us bac from attaining our humanity. We have patience in the nowledge that this process can be painful but if we are committed to the wor we persist. 01heartache for 23od4s5 sake brings happiness* >Masnavi ,oo I0 9+9?, trusting this is the essence of forbearance. When we trust, when we surrender to the process, our endurance becomes the wor we use to polish the rust of selfishness and pride from the mirror of our hearts. Mevlana Kelaluddin Rumi teaches us this endurance is one of the eys to maturity. We cannot e$pect to merely feel joy all of the time. #here is a price to pay for the Koy and .eace -od graces us with0 the payment is patient endurance in adversity. (Sometimes! in order to help. 23od5 makes us miserable .F >Masnavi ,oo I0 9+H? #o the degree that we trust and are humble, our pain lessens, our suffering decreases and forbearance becomes a gift, not a torment. "ur longing for union, for an e$perience of the !ivine, propels us forward. (%on4t pay attention to your weakness but rather to the intensity of your longing.* >Masnavi ,oo 40 +HCB? It is the intensity of the longing that is the fuel, the force0 the grace that carries us during times of tribulation. It is the longing that allows us to remember where we are going and why we suffer0 we forbear. When we live from a place of (I do not see reward, I only see being closer to -od* we gain an increased awareness, humility and an open heart that is able to see -od<s -race upon us at all times . When we become an active participant in our forbearance, when we persist and patiently endure, we become

stronger, more courageous in body, spirit and mind and =ove matures in our hearts. ~Darrin Schultz

+. If continually you eep your hope @uivering li e the willow in longing for %eaven, Spiritual water and fire will continually arrive and increase your subsistence. 'nd if your longing carries you there, it will be no wonder. !onAt pay attention to your wea ness, but to the intensity of your longing. ;or this search is -odAs promise within you, because every see er deserves to find something of which she see s. Increase this search, that your heart may escape from this bodily prison. If your spirit shall not live without the body, for whom is the blessing promised in the words2 in Heaven is your provisionD+ 34, +HC+&+HC60 +HB5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 2: ,reathe out all tension, an$iety, fear, negativity, and psychological idols0 breathe in -od<s presence. ,reathe out (=a illaha* >there is no god?0 breathe in (il 'llah* >but -od? Sufis view this as the @uintessential proposition of the 'brahamic tradition.

5. %ow should Spring bring forth a garden on hard stoneD ,ecome earth, that you may grow flowers of many colors. ;or you have been a heart&brea ing roc .
1

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"nce, for the sa e of e$periment, be earthE 3I, +I++&5:

We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. #o practice patience is the soul of praise2 have patience, for that is true glorification. Go glorification is worth as much. %ave patience2 patience is the remedy for pain. 3II, C+B8:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. Sometimes, in order to help. %e ma es us miserable0 but heartache for %is sa e brings happiness. =aughter will come after tears. Whoever foresees this is a servant blessed by -od. Wherever water flows, life flourishes2 wherever tears fall. !ivine mercy is shown. 3I, 9+H&57:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself.

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;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Thursday6 Personal Account about /orbearance My practice of forbearance is a continual process ever evolving. )ears ago, when I first stepped on this Sufi path and heard the phrase from the LurAan, (#ruly with every difficulty comes ease. #ruly with every difficulty comes ease. >Surah IB 6&8 >#he M$pansion? I thought, (%ow can this beD Surely now that I<ve been guided to this Way my heart will e$pand with love, beauty and joy. Gow my life will reflect deep peace and tran@uility.* Np to that point in time life<s noc s and hardships had brought only pain and suffering. %ow could difficulty possibly bring easeD ,ut it has been through difficulty that forbearance has emerged as my source and the constant guide of my spiritual life. I have found that the wor of the heart is a demanding, formidable, arduous labor of love re@uiring great strength. #his spiritual journey has re@uired the very best from me. I have discovered that this is not wor for the wea . I am in a continual fierce struggle with my ego &&that self&important one loo ing for the easy way out, master of disguises loo ing to tric and distract me at every turn. 's one e$ample, day after day since embracing Sufism I<ve struggled with doing my morning practice of remembrance and meditation. 't times I e$perience the ritual prayer as a rigorous and demanding tas rather than the precious opportunity to be present to -od. Gumberless are the days that begin and end with my procrastinating about my practices. FI must finish an important document for wor *. Read the LurAanD (Go, not right now I thin I feel a headache coming on&I should rest my eyes.* My meditation practice and zi rD (I just can<t right now I have too many errands today and the sooner I get going the better&no time now.* #omorrowO yes tomorrow I will begin in earnest. #his is the ongoing inner battle. 't some point these thoughts and my inaction cause me a great deal of pain. #hen when finally I wa e up and have had enough agitation and pain, in my e$haustion I relin@uish the battle and I turn towards %im2 =ove and longing call to me. 's it says in the LurAan, ('nd when you have been emptied strive onward, and to your Sustainer turn with longing* >Surah 'sh Sharh H&9?.

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'llah gives me first the pain and then the remedy, in the form of forbearance& patient perseverance. ;orbearance is self&discipline and the force behind it is ardor. 'gainst my unrelenting Mgo, despite setbac s li e my e$cuses, I use resolve and restraint to ( ic butt.F My husband says you have to use self discipline and e$ercise it li e a muscle. Nse it every day and it will become stronger. If not, it will atrophy and be of little use. It hurts to be tough on myself, but I have found that truly the remedy is in the pain. ;orbearance has helped me create a resolve from deep within, thereby helping me be self&disciplined. ;rom the footing of this patience and this sternness with myself, my daily struggles are less burdensome. It is really true that Fafter difficulty comes ease.F 'nd so, to ;orbear has become the foundation of my life. P Sophia Schultz 6. When a feeling of spiritual contraction comes over you, " traveler, itAs for your own good. !onAt burn with grief, for in the state of e$pansion and delight you are spending. #hat enthusiasm re@uires an income of pain to balance it. If it were always summer, the sunAs blazing heat would burn the garden to the roots and depths of the soil. #he withered plants never again would become fresh. If !ecember is sour&faced, yet it is ind. Summer is laughing, but yet it destroys. When spiritual contraction comes, behold e$pansion within it0 be cheerful and let your face rela$. 3III, CHCB&CHCI:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

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8. Qnow that this troublesome body is li e a coat of armor2 comfortable neither in winter nor in summer. )et still this bad associate is good for you because of the patience you must show in overcoming its desires, for the e$ercise of patience e$pands the heart with spiritual peace. #he patience shown by the moon to the dar night eeps it illumined0 the patience shown by the rose to the thorn eeps it fragrant. 34I, +B78&+B79:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

H. %ow many victories are won without spiritual struggle and patienceD #o show patience for the sa e of the cup of !ivine Qnowledge is no hardship2 show patience, for patience is the ey to joy.
3III, 5++&5+5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 3: Single-minded Remembrance Ra iuddin McGulty Single7Minded Remembrance from a Sufi perspective

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#he Sufi saints, and Rumi in particular, continually point us bac to -od. It is a constant theme in the Sufi writings to emphasize -od<s omnipresence and our dependence upon the favor of -od for every manner of sustenance. In the %oly LurAan, -od says (Remember me, I will remember you.* 352+65:. %ow are we to understand this advice and the reciprocity impliedD We all now how easy it is to be led astray by our outer circumstances and thoughts, living our days in what appears to be a benign state of preoccupation or in the grip of reactive, unhelpful patterns. Such thin ing and behavior is governed by what Sufis call our lower self, in a .haraoh&li e desire to control and manipulate. -rowing up in an affluent society, moreover, we may have grown complacent through the e$cessive consumption of -od<s bounty, or dim in our awareness of the relationship we have with our 1reator. Remembrance is calling out to -od. It ta es us bac to our original covenant of ac nowledgement, and re&establishes and affirms our primordial, intimate relationship with -od. Rumi often cites e$amples from the LurAan and from the lives of .rophets to show how -od is always watching out for us, and how paying attention is rewarded. #he nature of this reward is not just in the hereafter, but in our immediate apprehension of reciprocity, that is, our potential nowing of -od as %e remembers us. -od<s remembrance, unli e ours, is ongoing. Such single&minded Remembrance is a central practice of the sufis, nown as dhikr >or 8ikr! in the #ur ish pronunciation?. =i e ritual prayer, it is practiced both privately and in community. ( 9a illaha il Allah: is typically translated (there is no god, but -od.F We can e$pand this e$planation by affirming that our world of manifestation and multiplicity has a Single Source of ,eing, upon which it is utterly dependent. In the practice of dhi r, all of our concerns become a single concern as we endeavor to stay aware of our connection to our Source. Remembering -od can eep us attuned to %is benevolence and other Lualities, seen and unseen, and can purify our motives and our deeds. Remembering -od single&mindedly implies abandoning every agenda for the sa e of this return to our primary relationship, meeting with our Source face&to&face during our busy, short lives. In so doing, we resume our special relationship as a most beloved creature, participating in the concert of .raise that all of creation continually sings to its 1reator. #his is perpetual communion, reciprocity, sustenance, and guidance of the

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created by a most&loving 1reator2 ;ace.* 359299:.

(Mverything perishes e$cept %is

Remembrance can bring us face to face with our 1reator, as in our beginning, and as in our end. +. #he ,eloved is all, the lover just a veil #he ,eloved is living, the lover with no life of its own. If =ove withholds its strengthening care, #he lover is left li e a bird without wings. %ow will I be awa e and aware If the light of the ,eloved is absentD =ove wills that this Word be brought forth. If you find the mirror of the heart is dull, #he rust has not been cleared from its face. 3I, CB:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 3: ,reathe out all tension, an$iety, fear, negativity, and psychological idols0 breathe in -od<s presence. ,reathe out (=a illaha* >there is no god?0 breathe in (il 'llah* >but -od? Sufis view this as the @uintessential proposition of the 'brahamic tradition.

5. #he Kesus of your spirit is within you2 as his aid, for he is a good helper. !onAt see from your Kesus the comforts of the body. !onAt as from your Moses the wish of a .haroah. !onAt burden your heart with thoughts of livelihood0 livelihood will not fail. ,e constant in attendance at the !ivine court. 3II, B670 B6C&+:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2

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Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. If your thought is frozen practice remembrance of -od. Recollection of -od brings thought into movement2 ma e remembrance the sun for this congealed thought. 34I, +BH6&+BH8:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. )ou who are ept in pawn to food, you can be free if you suffer yourself to be weaned. #ruly in hunger there is abundant nourishment2 search after it diligently and cherish the hope of finding it. ;eed on the =ight, be li e the eye, be in harmony with the angels, " best of human ind. =i e the 'ngel, ma e glorification of -od your sustenance.
34, 5I6&5I9:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Personal Account about Single7Minded Remembrance I used to ta e a coo boo approach to Remembrance, adding it li e seasoning to my day in the hope that my e$perience in life would be more tasty. ;or a while, I was pleased with the results but over time I realized my selfishness. Mssentially I was grasping for something2 an

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Soceanic< feeling, a whiff of the presence of the !ivine, a validation of my efforts. In the good times, what I was as ing for was gratification0 in the hard times, I wanted assurances. #here came the occasional brea through here and there. I believe this was a taste of the reciprocity mentioned in the introduction to this theme/call it a glimpse into -od<s Mercy and 1ompassion, %is .atience and -enerosity. Sufi teaching is filled with guidance on the training and ultimately the transforming of ego. ,ut this is where having a teacher and ma ing the journey with some spiritually mature companions can ma e all the difference. 's my practice of Remembrance has begun to deepen, I find that often there is general less effort is re@uired in finding my way bac into that flow that is the ongoing concert of .raise ta ing place throughout creation. In other words, forgetfulness and heedlessness haves less of a firm grip. 'nd then there are those cherished moments with the ,eloved, so personal and intimate and life changingE #his may happen at any time, but a time of crisis may hasten such a visit. (Remember Me, I will remember you* ta es on specific meaning if and when we are given a chance to hear beyond the echo of our call. -od<s signs may be often veiled, but they are all around. Remembrance attunes us to them and the direction to which they point. 6. #he real wor belongs to someone who desires -od and has severed himself from every other wor . #he rest are li e children who play together until it gets dar for these few short days. "r li e someone who awa es and springs up, still drowsy, and then is lulled bac to sleep by the suggestion of an evil nurse2 F-o to sleep, my darling, I wonAt let anyone disturb your slumber.* If you are wise, you, yourself, will tear up your slumber by the roots, li e the thirsty man who heard the noise of the water. -od says to you, (I am the noise of the water in the ears of the thirsty0 I am rain falling from heaven. Spring up, lover, show some e$citementE %ow can you hear the sound of water and then fall bac asleepE* 34I, 698&6I5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2

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Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

8. ,y -od, donAt linger in any spiritual benefit you have gained, but yearn for more/li e one suffering from illness whose thirst for water is never @uenched. #his !ivine 1ourt is the .lane of the Infinite. =eave the seat of honor behind0 let the Way be your seat of honor. 3III, +I87&+I8+:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

=isten, open a window to -od and begin to delight yourself by gazing upon %im through the opening. #he business of love is to ma e that window in the heart, for the breast is illumined by the beauty of the ,eloved. -aze incessantly on the face of the ,elovedE =isten, this is in your power, my friendE

H.

34I, C7I6&C7IH:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

19

dab: !"aracter # !ourtesy Sip o den ,oer Adab6 *haracter ; *ourtesy! from a Sufi perspective Adab in Sufism is a code of conduct and a discipline practiced by dervishes in relationship with their teachers, fellow travellers, and the community as a whole. "ur relationships are part of the spiritual journey, and in our search for the living waters of spirituality, practicing adab T which could be translated as spiritual courtesy T is a great help as we wor to assimilate and integrate life<s teachings. We can learn a lot from each other. In our isolated modern society, everyone hungers for community. Sufism emphasizes the transformative effects of spiritual companionship, of community. ,eing together in a group can teach us much if we open ourselves to the intention to learn from each other. Rather than hiding behind our defensive nature or covering up vulnerabilities, we can learn to accept our differences and see the underlying unity behind that. .erhaps what is most important in our world today, where people tend towards rugged individualism, is to cultivate awareness and s ills that contribute to building and restoring community as a place where we can learn and grow in love. In modern times, some people misunderstand adab, imagining that it represents religious rigidity, or that it is too hierarchically structured. 's we all now, both religion and hierarchy can be used either for change or to eep things the way they are. ,ut in adab, people are loo ing for a humanness that inspires them in their way of being in this world and through which they can discover the deeper meaning of their lives. #he @uestion that we are faced with now, is how we communicate respect in our times and cultures. "f course there are different levels of adab T respect for elders, the gentleness of brotherUsisterhood, friendship, awe and humility. 'wareness, humility and selflessness have always been clear signs of inner connectedness and faith in the Nnseen. #hese @ualities, which also include an attitude of than fulness for what is given to us from the seen and the Nnseen, seem to bring out the deeper aspects of adab. It is being accountable for our actions, feelings, speech and thoughts.

Week 4:

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#he words of Rumi only become really meaningful if they find their way into the story of our own lives. If we want to integrate spirituality into our daily life, we have to as ourselves the @uestion of how we bring up the pearls from the deep to the surface. Rumi says in his didactic poem, the Mathnawi2 (,read wrapped in a cloth is but a lump, but it becomes the joyful spirit in the human body. #here is no transformation in the cloth0 the soul is transformed by the Waters of =ife.* >M. I, +BHB&H6? +. Qnow, son, that everything in the universe is a pitcher brimming with wisdom and beauty. #he universe is a drop of the #igris of %is ,eauty, this ,eauty not contained by any s in. %is ,eauty was a %idden #reasure so full it burst open and made the earth more radiant than the heavens. 3I, 5987&5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 4: ,reathe out all tension, an$iety, fear, negativity, and psychological idols0 breathe in -od<s presence. ,reathe out (=a illaha* >there is no god?0 breathe in (il 'llah* >but -od? Sufis view this as the @uintessential proposition of the 'brahamic tradition.

5. Since in order to spea , one must first listen, learn to spea by listening. 3I, +85H:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself.

21

;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. #he companion of the .rophet said, (Whenever the .rophet recited verses of the LurAan to us, at the moment of abundance that chosen Messenger would as attentiveness and reverence.* ItAs as when a bird perches on your head, and your soul trembles for fear of its flitting, so you donAt dare to stir lest that beautiful bird ta e to the air0 )ou dare not breathe, you suppress a cough, lest that huma5 should fly away0 and should anyone spea sweet or sour words to you, you lay a finger to your lips, meaning, (%ushE* ,ewilderment is li e that bird2 it ma es you silent0 it puts the lid on the ettle and fills you with the boiling of love. 34, C5BB&C567:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. 4ain, boastful tal repels acts of indness and tears the branch of mercy from the trun of the tree. Spea honestly or else be silent, and then behold grace and delight in it. 3III, H6+&H65:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

' mythical bird whose shadow brings blessings.

22

Personal Account about Adab .racticing adab for me means adhering to principles of awareness, humility and service, within myself and also when I am interacting with my brothers and sisters on the Sufi path. 's I attempt to apply and live by these principles of the Sufi path, I find many things to wrestle with. ;or e$ample, I value discernment T but I notice that my love for others @uite often becomes covered or obscured by my being too critical. %ow many times have I noticed that my judgments, opinions are colored by a critical attitudeD If I don<t want to get stuc in the contracted universe of my mind, I have to first sort out my feelings and see what the condition of my heart is. #he ideal of adab is showing me how e$panded the universe of love could actually become. When I am in tune with this ideal, I can trust and be grateful that we all sit at the ban@uet table where all needs are truly ta en care of. My criticisms and judgments feel less important. In community I am dependent on others, but it is good to realize that I am free to decide what to notice and what my reactions will be. ;rom the perspective of oneness there is much to learn if I could have enough humility and intention to share and serve others. #he @uestion of what adab in community means to me brings up deeper in@uiry. 'm I able to deal with my fears for the un nown, when dealing with others, or do I slide bac into operating from my conditioned, limited self&imageD 'm I willing to e$pand my perspective and loo with the eyes of another or do I rigidly hold on to my own point of viewD What is true humility for me, and when am I hiding behind false humilityD 'm I serving from selflessness or am I trying to gain something from servingD #rue respect >;rom the =atin respecere? means that I am willing to reflect and as myself these @uestions. It is li e seeing the bigger picture and wanting to find ways to relate and reach peoples hearts. 'dab ultimately is grounded in the capacity to trust the !ivine, and to be humbly open to what each moment brings. ,y my own willingness to remain open, defenseless, alert and vulnerable it becomes easier and more natural to relate to others from a place of deep respect and caring. 6.

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=oving& indness is drawn to the saint, as medicine goes to the pain it must cure. Where there is pain, the remedy follows2 wherever the lowlands are, the water goes. If you want the water of mercy, ma e yourself low0 then drin the wine of mercy and be drun . Mercy upon mercy rises to your head li e a flood. !onAt settle on a single mercy, " son. ,ring the s y beneath your feet and listen to celestial music everywhere. 3II, +IC9&B5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

8. #he servant for whom the world lovingly wept the world now rejects2 what did he do wrongD %is crime was that he put on borrowed clothes and pretended he owned them. We ta e them bac , in order that he may now for sure that the stoc is "urs and the well&dressed are only borrowers0 that he may now that those robes were a loan, a ray from the Sun of ,eing. 'll that beauty, power, virtue, and e$cellence have arrived here from the Sun of M$cellence. #hey, the light of that Sun, turn bac again, li e the stars, from these bodily walls. When the Sunbeam has returned home, every wall is left dar ened and blac . #hat which amazed you in the faces of the fair is the =ight of the Sun reflected in the three&colored glass. #he glasses of diverse hue cause the =ight to appear colored to us. When the many&colored glasses are no more, then the colorless =ight amazes you. Ma e it your habit to behold the =ight without the glass, so that when the glass is shattered you may not be left blind.

24

34, I9+&II+:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

H. What is soulD Soul is conscious of good and evil, rejoicing over indness, weeping over injury. Since consciousness is the inmost nature and essence of the soul, the more aware you are the more spiritual you are. 'wareness is the effect of the spirit2 anyone who has this in abundance is a man or woman of -od. 34I, +B9&+67:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week $: %e&otion Rahima Mc1ullough %evotion from a Sufi perspective #his wee our theme is devotion. #he Sufi path is a path of devotion. 't first glance this seems li e a simple concept. We hear that someone is (devoted to their family,* or (devoted to their sport.F .erhaps we have listened to >and even sung along with? "livia Gewton Kohn singing (hopelessly devoted to you.* ,ut what does it mean to practice devotionD "ne dictionary defines devotion as 0the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal. In another, to be

25

devoted is to give all of something, especially your time, effort or love, or yourself, to something you believe in or to a person* So devotion means giving, giving deeply, loyally and ardently, from the heart. ' Sufi wishes to give herself to the Infinite, to -od, to her or his highest human potentialities. We may believe we are devoted to the path and to -od, do our daily priorities support this beliefD #o what or to whom are we actually devoted, at this time in our lifeD When we loo at how we spend our time, and how our priorities manifest during our day, what can we see about the actual objects of our devotionD We are also inundated the demands of family, wor and the distractions of life in our society. !evotion is not only measured by the amount of time we spend in prayer and meditation or studying sacred scripture and the writings of the masters, it also manifests itself in how we fulfill our obligations. "ur tradition does not call for forsa ing the world, rather that we integrate our spirituality, our devotion into our everyday activities. 1an I remember my Sustainer as I clean the bathroom or change a dirty diaperD 1an I manifest compassion and forgiveness while dealing with an angry co&wor er or difficult relationshipD !o I perform my wor beautifully and with attention regardless of how mundaneD "ne step toward true spiritual devotion is simply ta ing inventory to see where our devotion currently lies and if it manifests in all aspects of our lives. ;or some of us that answer may be yes. ,ut even for the most devoted among us, we need be constantly wor ing to purify our devotion. #he ego can love and be devoted to something outside itself but this is a conditional love and devotion. #he ego can consciously or unconsciously become the real object of devotion T cloa ed in devotion to -od. .erhaps we become attached to our spiritual wor because of how it feeds our ego. We feel pious, we e$perience a spiritual high, we receive attention or we satisfy a sense of duty. If our ego is not gratified with the results of our spiritual wor , we give up. #he capacity for the deepest level of devotion is given to us by -race. #he wor on this path is to transform our ego, to purify our love and devotion. #he only motivation in true devotion is love, and =ove ultimately comes to us from the !ivine. May we be able to grow in the capacity to give ourselves completely in love, to =ove, in true devotion. +. Mven though youAre not e@uipped, eep searching2

26

e@uipment isnAt necessary on the way to the =ord. Whoever you see engaged in search, become her friend and cast your head in front of her, for choosing to be a neighbor of see ers, you become one yourself0 protected by con@uerors, you will yourself learn to con@uer. If an ant see s the ran of Solomon, donAt smile contemptuously upon its @uest. Mverything you possess of s ill, and wealth and handicraft, wasnAt it first merely a thought and a @uestD 3III, +BB6&+BBI:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 5: ,reathe in ()a* >"?0 breathe out (%u* >the (pronoun of !ivine .resence*, one of the most sacred (Games* in Sufi tradition?. #his simple but e$tremely powerful practice should only be engaged in with the greatest respect and humility.

5. Whatever it is you wish to marry, go, absorb yourself in that beloved, assume its shape and @ualities. If you wish for the light, prepare yourself to receive it0 if you wish to be far from -od, nourish your egoism and drive yourself away. If you wish to find a way out of this ruined prison, donAt turn your head away from the ,eloved, but bow in worship and draw near.
3I, C876&H:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself.

27

;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. If a spiritual e$planation alone were sufficient, the creation of the world would have been vain and pointless. If love were only spiritual, the practices of fasting and prayer would not e$ist. #he gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect to love, nothing but forms0 yet, they testify to an invisible love. 3I, 5856&5H:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. Mveryone who delights in some act of devotion canAt bear to miss it, even for a short while. #hat disappointment and grief are as a hundred prayers2 what is ritual prayer compared with the glow of humble longingD 3II, 5H8I&H7:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Personal Account about %evotion

28

My e$perience with devotion has been difficult. While I no longer @uestion my devotion to -od and the path to which I was led, I struggle with manifesting that devotion in my life. I many ways it is similar to my e$perience with diet and e$ercise. I have read many boo s on diet and e$ercise and could teach on class on all the information I have ac@uired. I feel committed to doing my part to be healthy and strong for as long as possible. I want so badly to fit into a particular pair of jeans. ,ut I<m not going to get there if my nowledge and devotion to the goal is not put into action&does not affect the choices I ma e every day. I have been so blessed to have a spiritual community that I love and that has given me so much. I have also been blessed with time spent with amazing teachers from our #radition and others. )et I now that I have not used the gifts I have been given. %owever, I also now that that -od is ar&Rahman, ar&Rahim, the Merciful, the 1ompassionate, al&-haffar, the ;orgiving. #hese too are gifts. 'ccepting these gifts when I become aware that I am not living up to my aspirations has helped me to ma e changes and move on rather than get stuc in a cycle of recrimination and feelings of unworthiness. #his is important to remember in all aspects of our journey. I also try to remember something I was told my teacher<s teacher often said, (May my imitation become real.* We often consciously or unconsciously imitate Spiritual wor . #his is not necessarily a negative thing. It can be part of our learning process. It can also be in my e$perience a period in which I do not feel li e doing my practices andUor the wor feels li e just another chore. When I have ac nowledged it and done it anyway, -od<s -race has brought me bac to a place of love and longing. "ur Spiritual journey, our devotion is a constant series of choices and reactions. If we as , -od forgives us and ma es our imitation real. 6. Serve -od, so by chance you may become a lover2 devoted service is a means toward =ove. #he servant desires to be freed from fate, but -odAs lover wishes never to be free again. Some servants see benefits and robes of honor0 the loverAs robe of honor is vision of the ,eloved. Got contained by speech or hearing, =ove is an ocean whose depth cannot be seen. #he drops of this Sea are innumerable2

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in comparison all Seven Seas disappear. 34, 5H59&5HC5:

We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

8. !onAt strive so much to complete your worldly affairs0 donAt strive in any affair thatAs not sacred. "therwise at the end, youAll leave incomplete, your spiritual affairs damaged and your bread unba ed. #he beautifying of your grave isnAt done by means of wood and stone and plaster0 no, but by digging your grave in spiritual purity and burying your own selfhood in %is, and by becoming %is dust, buried in love of %im, so that from %is breath, yours may be replenished. 3III, +59&+C5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

H. ;or lovers, the only lecturer is the beauty of the ,eloved2 their only boo and lecture and lesson is the ;ace. "utwardly they are silent, but their penetrating remembrance rises to the high throne of their ;riend. #heir only lesson is enthusiasm, whirling, and trembling, not the precise points of law. 3III, C9BH&C9BI:

30

We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week ': Transformation .aul =eger Transformation from a Sufi perspective $n the name of 3od! the infinitely compassionate and infinitely merciful. ;rom what I have learned from my teachers, transformation is a process whereby our being becomes more reflective of the divine. #he process is made possible by a combination of nowledge, effort, sacrifice, and grace0 with the catalyst of love. ' catalyst is something by which a process is made hundreds or thousands of time easier. Much can be said about love and the types of love that we can now, but we are told that there is a love that emanates to, and supports all of creation. ;or Sufis, employing this catalyst is largely achieved through remembrance0 and often Mevlevis describe remembranceU zi hr as (polishing the mirror of the heart*. #he heart is polished in distinctive ways in the world<s religions0 one way that Sufis polish the heart is through zi r, which is the repetition of divine names or divine attributes. #hrough this process our being becomes more resonant with love. 'nother way to loo at transformation is to try and identify what it is in us that wishes for transformation, and as ing how we can facilitate the process of transformation for ourselves in our day to day lives. 'nother often useful @uestion is to as 0 what is it in us that resists transformationD We do not as these @uestions to create a negative image of ourselves, but to become self nowledgeable, and to learn how to apply our efforts. 'nother sometimes useful @uestion is to as is0 what it is that we aspire to be transformed intoD %ave we met individuals who demonstrate through their being that they are transformedD We might as what would it ta e for us to reach their station. I have been fortunate to

31

have met a few individuals whose being was transformed such that they radiated something that was from a deeper connection with the divine. #heir e$ample has provided unending inspiration for me to continue my efforts on the path of transformation. In the wee that we loo at transformation, e$amine a @uestion about transformation that is meaningful to you. "r see to at least momentarily be free of a particular attitude or behavior, using remembrance as an inner polishing. It may be that you can see something of what is possible in you for the transformational process. May all our efforts on the path of love be blessed. +. 1ome, arise from the depths of your heartE )ou are alive and born of the living. " lovely one, arenAt you suffocated by this narrow tombD )ou are the Koseph of the time, the bright sun2 arise from this prison and show your faceE )our Konah has been coo ed and absorbed in the belly of the fish2 to deliver him there is no way but glorification of -od. 3II, C+C5&6:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 6: ,reathe in ()a* >"?0 breathe out (%u* >the (pronoun of !ivine .resence*, one of the most sacred (Games* in Sufi tradition?. #his simple but e$tremely powerful practice should only be engaged in with the greatest respect and humility.

5.

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#he potter wor s at the pot to fashion it2 how could the pot become wide or long by itselfD #he wood is ept constantly in the carpenterAs hand2 how else could it be hewn and shaped properlyD #he water s in is with the water carrier, s illful one, for how else could it be filled or emptiedD Mvery moment you are being filled and emptied2 now then, that you are in the hand of %is wor ing. "n the day when the blindfold falls from your eye, how madly will the wor be enamored of the Ma erE 34I, CCCH&CCB+:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. #here are worldly senses to ascend in the world 'nd spiritual senses for a heavenly ascent. =et the doctor care for the former0 'nd the health of the latter is the specialty of the ,eloved. ' robust body gives health to the senses0 but the spiritual sense awa ens with ruination. #he spiritual path wrec s the body and afterwards restores it to health. It demolishes the house to unearth the treasure, and with that treasure rebuilds it better than before. It cuts off the water supply and cleanses the river bed, then causes fresh tasting waters to flow. It cuts open the wound and removes the metal, so the flesh can heal. Who shall describe how the Ineffable actsD I<m doing the best I can for the moment. Sometimes its li e this, 'nd sometimes just the opposite. #he wor of religion is astonishment. 3I, C7C&C+5:

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We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. #he mystery of (die before death*C is this, that the prizes come after dying and not before. M$cept for dying, no other s ill avails with -od, " artful schemer. "ne !ivine favor is better than a hundred inds of personal effort2 such e$ertion is in danger from a hundred inds of mischief. 'nd the !ivine favor depends on dying2 the trustworthy authorities have put this way to the test. Go, not even the mysticAs death is possible without !ivine favor2 listen, listen, donAt linger anywhere without !ivine graceE #hat grace is li e an emerald, and this bodily self is an old viper2 without the emerald how should the viper be made blindD 34I, C9CH&C9B5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Personal Account about Transformation "ur vision of transformation for ourselves can be somewhat grandiose and distant. We may picture that when we are transformed we will have disciples at our feet and every word we utter is golden. We also might thin that it will happen some day in the future, when circumstances are more conducive, and then all of a sudden we will discover that we are transformed. I have learned that it is the small steps that are built on. I have also e$perienced that transformation is not an achievement but rather an
3

Hadith, a saying of the .rophet Muhammad.

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engagement in a deeper process. We do not own this process0 rather, it engages us. #his process re@uires that I set an intention, but it is the deeper relationship with our sustainer that accomplishes changes in my ego, heart and soul. 'n e$ample that I might choose for my self is the intention to not e$press my anger in certain circumstances, such as in the wor place with other staff. ;rom my wor on this I have come to see that many times my anger comes from an inner judgment by my ego that other people do not measure up to standards that I have created for them. I have also seen that the only healthy way for me to approach this type of wor is to engage inner prayer. My inner connection for the last several years has been through the inner prayer of (<ismillahi Rahmani Rahim*. #o be engaged with an inner resource so as to not e$press anger when life conditions lead us into a challenging situation may indicate that a step has been ta en on the path of transformation. I have e$perienced that anger can melt and an inner space opens where there is acceptance of myself and the other person as we are. I thin it important to add there are other potential aspects to wor with anger. #o not e$press anger can cause inner disarray if there is not a way to dissolve the anger and the inner response caused by not e$pressing it. #o not e$press anger is the wor I have seen as important for myself at this time. ;or others, or even for myself at another time, it may be important to learn how to e$press anger. So when I have held bac an angry response, or when I recognize that I am in the middle of an angry response, or when I am chewing on my emotional response at not e$pressing anger0 what I have seen is that the path of love can engage me if I open with inner prayer. I thin it is li ely that simply the ability to recognize the possibility of this engagement with our inner source is part of the transformation process. I fail many times to open that inward door0 but it seems that something is still deepened in me at the recognition of my failures. When I see what in me gives rise to anger, my ego<s grasp on my inner life is lessened in the conte$t of opening to the divine. May we always see the doors love opens for us.

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6. If you put on the armor of a warrior, yet are unable to defend yourself, youAll die. Ma e your soul a shield, bear what -od sends you, put down the sword. Whoever is headless saves his head0 the selfless cannot be struc . #hose weapons are your selfish strategy0 a defense that wounds your own soul Since you have not for one moment enjoyed any fruit from those strategies, abandon them and see always the =ord of bounties. 3II, C+8I&H+, C+HC:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

8. #he water says to those who are dirty, (=isten, come here, for my nature has parta en of the nature of -od. I can accept all your foulness and render even a demon as pure as an angel. When I become filthy, I return to the Source of the source of purity. #here I pull the filthy shirt off my head, and %e bestows upon me a clean one once again. Such is %is wor , and my wor is the same2 the Sustainer of all created beings= beautifies the world.* 34, 57B&579:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2
4

Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself.

Lur<an2 Surah 'n&Gas >Man ind?, ++B2+.

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;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

H. #hat which -od said to the rose, and caused it to laugh in full&blown beauty, %e said to my heart, and made it a hundred times more beautiful. 3III, B+5I:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week (: )nity Qhadim 1hishti +nity from a Sufi perspective <ismillahi Rahmani Rahim In Sufism, the word for Nnity is (tawhid* which means (to ma e one* or (to declare or ac nowledge oneness*. #his is to ac nowledge that -od is indivisible, the 'bsolute, the sole Real which has no e@ual or partner. Mverything is held within this Nnity. Rumi tells us that (there is no place that -od cannot be found.* #o now this Nnity is to e$perience nearness to the ,eloved. "ut of Nnity the !ivine .resence reveals %isU%er @ualities0 they are nown through %isU %er Games and through the contrasting @ualities revealed through the created world. Some of these Games are Mercy, =ove, 1ompassion, #ruth, .ower, =ight and ;orgiveness. We can now -od by these names and call upon %imU%er.

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"ur tendency is to be caught in the duality. #he ego insists on seeing the world through its preferences, opinions, and assertions0 it insists it is the creator of that reality. #his condition of the ego cultivates divisions, alienation and separation. We ma e gods of our professions, our possessions, our children, or our self image. 'ttar, the +5th&+Cth century .ersian poet, invented a story of the s@uint& eyed person who saw two moons and could not imagine that there was just one. We may be s@uint&eyed, seeing only duality, if we do not see the way to see that there is one Reality. What is the way to seeD It is Remembrance. (. . . for truly, in the remembrance of -od hearts find rest.* 3Lur<an, +C*59: #he practice of dhi r, (=a illaha il 'llah,* means (there is no god but -od.* #his affirms the "neness and !ivine Nnity. 1alling upon our Sustainer by doing dhi r and repetition of the Games draws us into our own uni@ue relationship with our Sustainer. It polishes the mirror of our hearts. It ac nowledges that there is a Single Source of ,eing0 within the multiplicity is hidden the !ivine Mssence >Nnity?. "ur deepest longing is to now this Nnity. %ere we are utterly unfolded, and no words are needed, no action is re@uired. In Nnity, all possibilities are united. It is impossible for language to e$press this nearness, for in the end every thought is an act of distance. Mven words li e (intimacy, nearness, closeness or love* indicate separation. "nly the language of parado$, poetry and sacred scripture can suggest this awesome nearness. #his language spea s to our nowing hearts. ;or instance, we may, when touched by beauty and love, perceive a .resence beyond our separate selves. "ur nowing hearts are the bridge between ego and Spirit, between the seen and unseen. It is through the heart that we sense Nnity. Rumi tells us (If ten lamps are present in one place, each differs in form from another0 yet you can<t distinguish whose radiance is who<s when you focus on the light.* 3Mathnawi, I, 8H9&9C: +. If ten lamps are present in one place, each differs in form from another0 yet you canAt distinguish whose radiance is whose when you focus on the light. In the field of spirit there is no division0 no individuals e$ist.

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Sweet is the oneness of the ;riend with %is friends. 1atch hold of spirit. %elp this headstrong self disintegrate0 that beneath it you may discover unity, li e a buried treasure. 3I, 8H9&9C:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Week 7: ,reathe in ()a* >"?0 breathe out (%u* >the (pronoun of !ivine .resence*, one of the most sacred (Games* in Sufi tradition?. #his simple but e$tremely powerful practice should only be engaged in with the greatest respect and humility.

5. -od has scattered %is light over all souls0 happy are they who have held up their s irts to receive it. #hose luc y ones donAt loo to anything but -od0 without that s irt of love, we miss our share. 3I, H87&5:
We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

C. 'bundance is see ing the beggars and the poor, just as beauty see s a mirror. ,eggars, then, are the mirrors of -odAs bounty, and they that are with -od are united with

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'bsolute 'bundance.
3I, 5HB6, 5H67: We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

B. If there are a hundred religious boo s, they are but one chapter2 a hundred different religions see but one place of worship. 'll these roads end in one %ouse2 all these thousand ears of corn are from one Seed. 'll the hundred thousand sorts of food and drin are but one thing if one loo s to their final cause. When you are entirely satiated with one ind of food, fifty other inds of food become displeasing to your heart. In hunger, then, you are seeing double, for you have regarded as more than a hundred thousand that which is but "ne.
34I, C88H&C8H+: We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

Personal Account about +nity I feel shy about sharing these e$periences. #hey are deeply personal and tender. When such e$periences happen they come as a surprise. #hrough the practices of purification, receptivity, remembrance and 'llah<s -race my heart is polished and -od willing awa ened to notice the nearness of the !ivine .resence. !ivine -iving is continuous. I was present for the birth of 'bigail, my first granddaughter. When I held her for the first time she loo ed directly into my eyes and we (saw*

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each other. It was a moment of astonishment. She and I were enveloped in -od<s =ove without conditions or boundaries. In -od<s attribute of =ove 'bby and I e$perienced nearness to the %imU%er. #his gift continues to unfold in my relationship with 'bby and has increased the capacity of this heart to love beyond my own preferences and opinions. In March I was blessed to be In Medina and Mecca with some of my spiritual family. In Mecca we circumambulated the Qaaba >the sacred stone?. #his is done seven times. 's we were moving with thousands of other pilgrims I felt time drop away. 'gain I was astonished. In that moment I had no past and no future. I was held in an energy field that was eternal. It was empty yet brimming with 'llah 'ttributes. I new 'llah<s Mercy and it filled every cell of my being.

#hese e$periences were perceived by the heart and in those moments there was no separate self. Mach of us has our own e$perience of nearness to -od and it is not to be judged by anyone else. May 'llah bless us with %isU%er nearness and may we be awa e to what is continuously available to the heart. 6. )our intelligence is spread over a hundred (important* affairs, over thousands of desires and concerns great and small. )ou must unite the scattered parts by means of love, so that you may become as sweet as !amascus and Samar and. When you have become united, particle by particle, from out of perple$ity, then it is possible to stamp the QingAs seal upon you.
3I4, C599&C5I7: We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

8. Qnow that between the ;aithful is an ancient union.

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#he ;aithful are numerous, but the ;aith is one2 their bodies are numerous, but their soul is one. ,esides the understanding which is in the o$ and the ass, the human being has another intelligence and soul. 'gain, in the saint, the owner of !ivine breath, there is a soul and intelligence other than human. #he souls of wolves and dogs are separate, every one, but the souls of the =ions of -od are in union.
3I4, B7H&B+70 B+B: We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

H. #he beauty of the heart is the lasting beauty2 its lips give to drin of the water of life. #ruly it is the water, that which pours, and the one who drin s/all three become one when your talisman is shattered. #hat oneness you canAt now by reasoning.
3II, H+8&9: We suggest this four step approach to wor ing with this selection2 Read this selection, out loud if possible, seven times. !well upon the phrase or sentence that touches you. 's yourself what relevance or application this has to yourself. ;inally, sit in the afterglow of these reflections and open yourself to whatever new insight or message the !ivine might have for you.

A /inal -ord from *amille Helminski

!ear readers, friends of the Way,

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We have e$perienced a journey together, through the lines of Rumi<s poetry and the opening of our hearts as they have responded to the resonances awa ened by these words. We are grateful for this journey and e$press that gratitude freely, for as Mevlana >Rumi? says, (-ratitude is one of the eys to joy.* -od willing, we have come to be better ac@uainted with =ove<s Nniverse, where every difficulty is but a reminder to go deeper, to recognize strengths we may have been given that we may not yet be utilizing fully, where all that is needed is provided, though sometimes in ways we might not have anticipated, and where we are continually being taught how to love by =ove. #hese selections have come to you as tools, as an offering, as a possible source of insight and refreshment, support and encouragement. .erhaps you might wish to revisit them, deepening in a further cycle of concentration. "r, at special moments, opening randomly to a particular selection for inspiration. 's when one wal s along the shore of the ocean, one finds treasures in the sand, so here, too, within the selections of this course, one may have discovered a particularly precious piece to hold close for a while. May your wor with these daily selections continue to bear fruit through further contemplation. With the encouragement of Rumi, may we open to the whisper of the !ivine in our own hearts, that our own words and actions may become fragrant, more filled with =ight and =ove. In ma ing this arrangement of verses, the elders of #hreshold Society attempted to choose short sections from the Mathnawi that would stand alone to elucidate our lives and the journey of deepening with Spirit. #hose that have been shared with you here are a beginning, and we hope to have opened for you an increased witnessing of the !ivine unfolding in each moment. We wish you blessings on your journey. May we all continue to deepen in our recognition of #he shop of "neness, the "cean that has many harbors, yet where there is no division between man and man, or woman, but only a unity of souls in the process of return to their 1reator, Whose breath lives inside each one and helps to guide us home. With love from all of us . . .