spirit matters summer 2011-2012

What’s in the Summer issue

Letter from the editor

Spirit Matters - Summer 2011-12

Dear friendsI hope you enjoy this Summer issue of Spirit Matters

now that we are well and truly into an Australian summer. I also hope that you enjoyed a peaceful Christmas and very happy new year celebrations.

As mentioned in the editorial last issue, this issue is late because I have been travelling. I had an amazing and spiritually beneficial time at the retreat in India, and then an exciting time exploring some small part of Europe and celebrating Christmas with family. I loved the places I visited, and got used to dressing in four layers for European winter, but alas, did not see snow except for a brief and light drifting in Stockholm. Oh well, it just means another delight (or desire) to look forward to.

I have tried to encapsulate my experiences at the dargah in an article, and you will also find our usual wonderful sacred reading of the words of Hazrat Inayat Khan, poems, articles, and Nuria’s

continued fairy tale. Don’t forget we are always looking for new items for this newsletter, so please think about how you can contribute in the future.

Although we don’t have a theme for issues, I try to choose a front cover quote inspired by the topic from the sacred reading. For some reason I kept thinking of ‘love, harmony and beauty’ when I was reading this issue’s reading, so looked for a quote about these three wondrous ideals – ideals that would be nice to keep in mind for the coming year. Because I had seen many sights that encompass love, harmony and beauty on my travels, I also thought I would use one of my photos of the Taj Mahal to accompany the quote as that lovely structure is a symbol of these ideals.

Blessings on you for 2012. May this ‘dragon’ year bring you much love, harmony and beauty.

Love, Sakina

Page

3 Letter from Nuria, SMiA’s national representative

4-5 Poetry - Call from the Shadows - by Chaman-Afroz

6-7 Sufi teaching - The Vision of God and Man

- by Hazrat Inayat Khan

8-9 Embracing Silence & the Gift of the Path

- personal story by Rashida Murray

9 Poetry - The Guest House - by Rumi

10-13 Hidden Desires at the Dargah Retreat

- personal story by Sakina Jacob

14-16 Article - The Fairy of the Dawn Part III - by Nuria Daly

17 Upcoming event - Winter Retreat in Melbourne

18 Upcoming event - International Summer School

12 SMiA membership for 2012

20 Contacts

Phot

o: R

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da M

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Letter from Nuria, SMiA’s national representative


Beloved Sisters and Brothers

Well the Christmas and New Year festivities are over once again, and I am left with a feeling of relief that 2011 is over. It has been a difficult year for many of us, but I feel very positive and optimistic for this year which is now before us. For all the possibilities that lie ahead of us, at the very least it can be the start of a new cycle.

It is interesting how distracting the festive season can be and how really difficult it is to hold to our Sufi perspective in the face of materialism and greed. The sizes of gifts were assessed with respect to how much love and respect was being given. It is understandable with children: when they see a large gift wrapped and under the tree, they believe it is wonderful and that they are much loved, even if its cost was relatively small, but I was startled to find that this held for the elderly as well. A relative of mine, in her eighties complained to me that the gift from her daughter was too small and she was waiting and expecting her ‘real’ gift. Her ‘small’ gift was a very small jade carving found in China and probably 1200 years old and valuable. It made me ponder what it is we really wish for in a gift.

This Christmas I have found myself startled by things like this and I had to really try to hold on to the sense of receiving with gratitude, and giving with love and all this without any expectations at all. It made me think / remember how much our Murshid gave in his teachings and the personal cost of this to him.

Remembrance of the Divine One and the Unity of all are so important and the nafs feel threatened by this experience of the Oneness, because it is such a negation of them (the nafs or small self), that they make life difficult for us. I think that this happens most, but especially during times like Christmas.

I must not forget the beauty, wonder and love in the faces of the young children at this time and this is so clearly what it should all about! Sacred music played an important part in Christmas this year. Azad found some wonderful music for us to absorb, so that I found myself singing along or just singing Handel’s Messiah.

2012 is what I call a dark year as Murshid Nawab will not be in Australia this year. This means that our two retreats will be:

The winter retreat in Melbourne at Amberley for four days: 21st June – 24th June.

Hejirat Retreat in Sydney at Chevalier resource centre for four days: 14th – 18th September.

All are welcome at these retreats, indeed we encourage as many to come as can, as this meeting of our Sufi family is very important to our practice and our well-being – it takes us into a sacred space within ourselves and allows us some repose from the world outside!

We wish you all a very happy, peaceful and blessed 2012 and a new beginning!

With love,Nuria and Azad

Father Christmas with his letters. Christmas display in Stockholm.

Photo: Sakina Jacob


Poem by Chaman-Afroz

CALL FROM FROM THE SHADOWS

Here in my silent darkness like nightfall after day; I can not see the garden blooming in my heart’s clay.

Such is the name I have been given: Chaman-Afroz When we made our promise, our vow. To keep it, mind it, let it grow, feed it weed it and let the clear

stream through it flow.

Chaman-Afroz; bringing light in the garden of my heart and soul. But the bars of mind and nafs make it hard

to see Allah’s radiant shine and glow.

Yet, It is here, whether I am aware of it or not. It is closer to me than my neck vein, You remind me in the holy Script

1 Have you, o human, forgot?

Self pity, the great blinder, burn it to cinders! Spread the ashes of “I” in Your garden to make the blossoms grow! Rumi says that the chick pea must cook,

Khusro awaited Your searing embrace!

Let it’s heat burst open my heart and break it. So that Your everlasting Light, the light behind every light may find a way in, regardless how many curtains my ego pulls close, blow them apart and let me breathe! In that illuminated

spot I will find ease.

What kind of lover am I, if I am afraid of hurt and pain? Khusro says “Oh heart, oh restless heart: don’t you know, the bargain you must strike is hard? Let go of self, taste pain; Come back for more. Then heart and soul will gladly sweep your

floor.”2

What is this floor? Is it the mirror inside me, that reflects Thy Beauty? The mirror of the soul, my soul, which You gave me through Your Grace; I gave

myself the bars outside the window.

1 Sura 50 Qaf verse 16: “Now, Verily, it is We who have created man, and We know that his innermost Self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein.

2 Amir Khusro “The Bliss of Soul” Translation by Fazila Tasmin.


Your Beauty is outside, Your Beauty is within, This prison could turn into a rose garden. If I just trust Your Love and Will and let go of my foolish illusions.

To break the sharpness of the thorn, I follow Murshid’s advice and try to clear the mind of dunja’s burden: Turn the prison warden friendly and not grim. Through courage, faith, Love and gain freedom.

If I trusted the power within me! We have the choice. What do we cast our eyes upon: the world’s distraction and noise or Your exalting Grace? I can be thorn

but also the flower of the rose.

Thou guidest who You will. You opened up my heart. Blessed the day when my soul answered Your Call! How long was I deaf? Blessed the first steps on the Path to Thee, not the impostor’s way. With advertising boards in garish neon

lights: Stop! Consume, forget and pay!

Your voice is sweeter than this, most sublime; Oh heart be careful not to miss it! When Thy light illuminates the path in front, every step is joy. But I am human

and I fall. Like an infant learning to walk, blind when the Nafs ambush me unawares. How horrible when the Self becomes the ego’s toy!

Have Mercy on me! Give me Courage, Inner Peace and Bliss. Give me also Tenderness: Hold me in Your loving Embrace and Kiss. With this, the world is a wondrous garden,

3but without it a dark and barren Hell. Oh my Dearest One!

Take me by the hand; Thine is the Spirit of Guidance.

Chaman-Afroz, September 2011

3 Qu’ran Sura 55 Ar Rahman verse 29: “On Him depend all creatures in the heavens and on earth; and every day He manifests himself in yet another [wondrous] way.”

Photo: Lhoti Garden, N

ew D

elhi

The Vision of God and Man - Mastery Hazrat Inayat Khan Taken from Volume VII - The Divinity of the Human Soul


GHAZALI has said in his Alchemy of Happiness that the spiritual path is like shooting an arrow into the dark. You cannot know where it will fall or what it will strike. You are going along blindly, not knowing what you really seek or what you have achieved so far. There is only one commendable procedure; and so if your walk along the spiritual path makes you better able to manage your thoughts, and makes you stronger on your feet, you will be able to realize all that can be accomplished by patience and by hope. If you only paid attention to this all your life long and watched what you did, you would see your own progress, and what an encouragement it would be!

There are people who keep complaining that nothing is ever manifested to them on their spiritual path – no forms, no ghosts, no colors, no voices, no word. But even if such a person had experienced manifestations of this kind they would have been no help to him; however, he is discouraged because he has not received any. The teacher he would like to have might easily lead him astray from the path, simply because he is aiming at things that do not matter, and a real teacher will not encourage him to seek such things.

The words, ‘no, it does not matter’ form a sort

of principle to adopt in life. Of course there are things which obviously do matter. It matters a great deal if you do not follow your ideal, if you have made a slip of the tongue, or any other shortcoming. But it does not matter if somebody else is not following the same ideal as you; you cannot alter his plan of life, nor his opinions, and so they cannot matter to you. The Sufi’s way is to seek unity and not get lost in variety. People can take up philosophy, theosophy, and all the rest if they wish, but these are not the concern of the Sufi. He will let those people be. His path is the direct path towards unity, and his is the path of balance. If a person compares two pictures

and calls the one good and the other poor, let him be. It does not help if the fire in his ego-faculty is aroused. Some day he will see.

The spiritual path may be natural, and it may be unnatural. When man attaches his thought and mind to the external world he comes to partake of earth rather than heaven, of matter rather than of spirit. By partaking of the qualities and habits and limitations of matter he forgets all the qualities of spirit. Whatever qualities he partakes of, those qualities draw man to the substance to which they belong, and such a man is therefore drawn more to earth than to heaven as he proceeds.

Such people would rather not go to heaven but would prefer to stay on earth in spite of all the struggles, difficulties and illnesses that belong to life on earth. Man is so attached to it! He does not know the joy and peace and pleasure and happiness and comfort of the other side, for he has had no experience of spirit whatsoever.

All the same there are people who feel a kind of a call from the spirit, and yet they are attached to the objective world in so many ways. It is as if they are so intimately woven into the web of this world that it is very difficult for them to get away from it. For every step that a man takes towards heaven he is drawn backward ten steps to the earth.

Whoever sets out on this path is therefore in constant warfare. He has to encounter opposition from his relatives, from his friends and acquaintances; he gets into trouble with those who misunderstand his aims; they misuse him; they misjudge him and blame him for doing things and thinking in a manner which they believe to be unjustified.

Think of Christ, whose thoughts were so contrary to the religious thoughts of his time. How difficult to pass from the thought of an ordinary person to the thought of Christ! What difficulties there are to face! But once you fight these difficulties, and the further you advance, the more you are drawn to the spirit by the spirit. This goes on up to a certain limit, and all this time the difficulties are very great, but once you reach the limit everything becomes easy. If only the will power is in control it will overcome the inertia.

Dervishes sometimes do humorous things. There is a story about a certain dervish sitting in the shade of a tree, who was always very kind and helpful to those who came to see him. But one day a young man, a soldier, was passing by, and he said something to the dervish, which made him very cross. So they had a few words. Thereupon the soldier began to bully him and give him blows on his back and neck, without the dervish making any protest. The soldier then went on his way.

A wise man sitting near by was thinking to himself, ‘What a funny thing, for this dervish is always good and kind and hospitable, so why

should this soldier be so angry as to punch him and hit him all over?’ So he watched attentively and noticed the dervish saying, ‘ Is it enough, or do you want some more?’ The man wondered why the dervish said this, but the explanation is that the ego always wants feeding, and the more you feed it the more energy it has. What are you feeding it with? You feed it with your inclinations, by getting praise from people or attentions, benefits, help, or love. Whether these come justly or through injustice, rightfully or not, this ego is never satisfied; it keeps on wanting attention. As a result it begins to rule over the higher faculties of inspirational and spiritual power, of wisdom, reason, and justice – all the beautiful qualities. This Nafs or ego or Satan (for the ego is Satan) governs all these faculties, and a man cannot become saintly until he has crushed it; there is no other way whatever than this. The saintly personality cannot come into being until all this is achieved.

But how can you walk along this path in the course of your practical life, with all the responsibilities inherent in the life of the world? The servants take advantage of a saintly person; selfish people and those who are blind to justice take every advantage of a person who behaves kindly and considerately and helpfully towards others! Well, the answer is simple. This development is really for yourself, and once you have attained it the course of action is in your hands. For example, suppose you are taking the part of a king on the stage and your part calls on you to become angry with a servant, you do not really become angry. You just play the part of a king who is cross. Thus you can be cross without being actually angry.

This is what happens in the development of a saintly personality. When once the Nafs is crushed you will never find it necessary to be angry any more, though you can act the part of one who is angry and pretend to be angry. So if it is necessary to show anger this does not mean the fire of hell for you as it would be for others, for you are only using an instrument, and that instrument is not your master. In the same way you are justified in whatever course you find before you in life, as long as you really have freed yourself from control by the Nafs.



Embracing Silence and the Gift of the Pathby Rashida Murray

It seems many years ago when my son as a child asked me: “Mummy, what is your favourite thing in the whole world?” My reply: “Silence.”

To embrace Silence and to be embraced by Silence; a deep pull of late. Our Sustainer provides limitless gifts when surrendered willingly to this call.

In recent months the TV died; then the computer. Simultaneously I had been feeling a strong pull towards embracing more Silence. I made some c o n s c i o u s effort and then suddenly Allah had the final say; the way for this to Be. Those things which were keeping me preoccupied were taken from me albeit t e m p o r a r i l y .

When I was a child I lived in a small sized home with my parents and three siblings. The s u r r o u n d i n g rose garden was expansive in contrast to the inside of our home and certainly much more enjoyable to be in. There was always a lot of coming and going, a great deal of noise and much discord in our home. There never seemed to be a silent space which I craved and longed for. I am by nature a person who requires a lot of my own space and solitude. During my childhood I would make considerable effort to seek out suitable places to be alone and embrace Silence. I treasured these times which were short lived; this luxury was rarely available. As the eldest child there were many demands on my time and energy. I would discover in later years that being a contemplative would become my

way of survival and being in relationship with God. As a child I was a creative writer; I wrote stories and poetry. Unfortunately these were not nurtured or developed. Recently however, these creative pursuits have been reawakening.

About 7 years ago I lost everything that shaped who I thought I was. In the words of Hazrat Inayat Khan: “It always means that you must sacrifice something very dear to you when His call comes.”

There is no end to His call and it comes at d i f f e r e n t times in our life for His p u r p o s e s and all that is required of us is to s u r r e n d e r to His will; easier said than done. S u f i s m found me at that time and a few years later my teacher H a z r a t

Inayat Khan came, took my hand and brought me along the path home. The gift of this Sufi path inherent with prayers, practices, the inner experiences as well as the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan assist in awakening my real self. Those creative pursuits that previously did not have the opportunity to be developed are also now assuming precious space. These are now being nurtured, and are developing in surprisingly new ways. In the words of our beloved teacher Murshid Inayat Khan, “Use us for the purpose that Thy wisdom chooses”. Often this can be very different to what we envision or first thought. I have also given birth to new creative

Photo: Rashida Murray

gifts that I could never have dreamed possible.

Recent technological losses have provided me insight to realise that Silence was not as prominent in my life as I had thought. When there is nothing to distract or escape into there is only the One; the One who waits patiently and gives unconditionally. There was nowhere for me to go but in. I have been able to embrace the process and have discovered some of the rare gifts that this opportunity provides. It has been extraordinary. That which is real for me has been cooking inside, and is birthing in new ways with unexpected surprises. The quality of these surprising gifts to be nurtured must be attributed to Allah’s presence within and around me. Life is enriched, much purer and more solid than was previously experienced or possible.

The Sufi path is not an easy one; surrendering to the will of Allah means total commitment and total trust in the One to take us beyond the threshold into the unknown. Stepping on the Path is just the beginning. To receive Initiation is to step on the Path. To have a Guide on the Path is essential. For another to be available to us as we struggle, meet

challenges and try to understand the process that is taking place within us, is a most precious gift. The Guide is one who listens with an open heart and mind and shares in open dialogue within the gift of friendship. We also learn in the silent spaces that this friendship provides. This is Allah’s way of Being for us. In Murshid Inayat Khan’s words: “Accept whatever is given.” Layers peel away and what we have outgrown no longer applies to who we are and who we are becoming. We often find our self on shaky ground until momentum finds its way. The ego will find any excuse to resist that which is unfolding and of course tries to hold on tightly to what it knows. To resist is futile and causes disharmony with our spirit. At times when nothing seems to be happening, we are cooking within until eventually the breakthrough comes, the transformation occurs, and so we continue the journey. We need to be silent enough to hear and to learn so that we can grow and move towards the goal. Our part is to walk with care and mindfulness; with respect and gratitude and to be patient, for as long as it takes.

The Guest Houseby Jelaluddin Rumi

This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice. meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes. because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

translation by Coleman Barks

Poem offered by Rashida Murray.


Photo: Rashida Murray


Hidden Desires at the Dargah Retreatby Sakina Jacob

This November just past, I had the good fortune to attend the retreat led by Murshid Nawab Pasnak at Hazrat Inayat Khan’s Dargah in New Delhi. It was an experience that I, like many of us, had desired for many years.

It is probably impossible to come to any experience without expectations. I went with a vague idea of India created from pictures, television, movies and other people’s recollections. I also went with some fear of how I would cope with the poverty of India. These expectations were met to a large extent, both in positive and negative ways. There were many aspects that I could not have imagined in a million years. Just the traffic of Delhi itself is an experience: a din of cars, motor bikes, motorised rickshaw taxis, bicycles, beggars, hawkers and animals (goats, cows, and on some occasions, camels and elephants) – all battling for their own pathways through the melee. Confusing and strange, but oddly, not frightening.

I also had expectations of a spiritual nature. These were hard to define even to myself, but I had hoped for an invigoration of my spiritual life, and a closeness to Hazrat Inayat Khan. I feel that these expectations were satisfied, but of course, not in the way I could have imagined and not

without some soul-searching and difficult feelings.

The Dargah

We were asked not to take photos of the dargah itself, so I will do my best to describe it for those of you who have not been there. The dargah – or the tomb of Hazrat Inayat Khan – is situated in a white latticed pagoda within the walls of a small compound of buildings, which itself is located in an old Muslim part of New Delhi, the Basti Nizamuddin. The tomb is a rectangular block, covered with a beautifully embroidered and colourful cloth (changed each week) and small red roses and petals. There is a headstone and a canopy. The area around the tomb is clear for the most part, with lots of space for sitting. There is a tree growing within the confines of one corner of the pagoda, with a small barrier around it that one can sit on. The prayers of Confraternity are written in marble along the back wall. The atmosphere is peaceful and reverent. Each Friday evening, local Qawali singers and musicians take over the space and sing for Murshid and for any other listeners who come along. This is a real treat, and despite the young performers’ enslavement to their mobile phones, the atmosphere remains reverent (if not quite so peaceful).

The other buildings of the compound are the work areas for the staff, a music room, a library, dining room, kitchen, the manager Dr Farida’s home, Nawab’s room, and guest rooms. There is also a lovely peaceful courtyard with trees and flowers. It is kept clean and inviting by the Dargah staff. A chowkidar sits at the entrance of the Dargah, guarding it from unwanted visitors and welcoming the rest of us. The dargah compound felt like a small oasis of tranquility to me, because outside the walls there is so much more noise, dirt, poverty and movement.

One last aspect about the dargah is the cats. I had been missing my furry boy, Zak, and took a lot of pleasure from watching the antics of four kittens who lived in the dargah. They were too wild to touch, but over the time I was there, they inched closer.

New Delhi (all photos by Sakina Jacob)

The People

In terms of people, the main attraction of the dargah retreat for me was the tutelage of Murshid Nawab. I haven’t seen him for a few years, so it was wonderful to catch up with him again and spend so much time together. Unfortunately, he was sick with a cold/flu; but he struggled on valiantly. As always, it was a pleasure to have him lead practices and listen to his wisdom.

The retreat group was very small, which has its advantages. There was cohesion, each of us had opportunities to speak within the discussion sessions, and we got to know each other. I think we were a lovely group of women: Johara and Zebunissa from Holland, Shanti from New Delhi, Roshin-Dil from Israel via Macedonia, and me from Australia. Johara, Zebunissa and Shanti were old hands at retreat life in Delhi so were wonderful sources of information for us newcomers, Roshin-Dil and I.

The other people at the retreat were the dargah staff: Dr Farida who so ably runs the facility (and with whom I had fascinating and thought-provoking chats); office staff Mr Mehdi and Dr Sharif, who helped with travel and money needs; groundsmen and cleaners; and the marvellous Nazim, who cooked and served all our tasty meals, always with a beaming smile.

The teachings

The retreat focused on “hidden desires” this year, and as such, we were invited to explore the roots of our desires, seeking the divine impulse within. On the first day Nawab gave each of us

an envelope with eight pages, our individual practices for the eight days of the retreat.

Each morning began with buying flowers to place on Murshid’s tomb. I was given the responsibility for the flowers, although I had to be taught how to find them through the maze of the Basti. Johara or Roshin-Dil and I usually went, and we learnt to get a good deal from the flower-sellers, who also quickly learnt we were not going to buy the roses that had been strung into a necklace. We would only buy the whole roses; so when we approached, the sellers would point to the person who had them that morning. Sometimes we would be directed toward the dargah of the Sufi saint Nizamuddin, but we received nods of understanding when we explained we were taking our flowers to Sufi Inayat Khan’s dargah, the ‘westerners’ dargah’.

We began the program at the tomb, reciting the prayers Saum and Salat, then reverently, each of us placed flowers on the tomb. From this ceremony, we went to the music room where the rest of our activities were held. We began with breathing practices – does this surprise anyone? Morning tea and then sacred reading and discussion. After lunch we did our individual practices (or if we were slightly naughty, shopped or did a little sight-seeing). Before dinner we had a wazifa and discussion, and a couple of hours after dinner, zikr. So, a similar format to the retreats in Australia, but with the added advantage of being so close to Hazrat Inayat Khan’s atmosphere. Needless to say, the practices and discussions evoked much reflection and, I hope, some spiritual growth.


A Dargah kitten who thought she was a koala

Johara, Sakina, Shanti, Roshin-Dil, Nawab & Zebunissa

The Basti

As mentioned above, the dargah is located in the Basti Nizamuddin. This old ‘village’ is built around the dargah of the Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin, who lived in the 13th century. The homes and shops are old and crumbly in places, and the streets narrow, winding and numerous. It’s easy to get lost in the Basti. Johara and Zebunissa took Roshin-Dil and I on a walk through it on our first day. It was an eye-opener. One of the sights that confronted us was a river of blood from a bull that was being dissected in the laneway. There are lots of happy sights too – flowers and laughing children, and many beautiful goats (not yet made into dinner). I was never entirely comfortable walking through the Basti alone, but I also didn’t feel afraid. The Basti was rarely silent. There was the call to prayer five times a day from various muezzin; the shouts of hawkers and children; the bleating of goats; music; and a few times, wedding processions and celebrations.

I hadn’t gone into Nizamuddin’s dargah during the retreat because I had thought I couldn’t; I’d been told women couldn’t go in. However, after the retreat I was with a new friend, Zaida, who lives in Delhi, and she took me in. I couldn’t believe that this small world existed in the Basti and I hadn’t been aware of it.

First we had to buy flowers, discard shoes, and borrow me a scarf (I hadn’t planned to go into a dargah). On entering a stone archway we were confronted by an enormous pool of green

water, the size of a western public swimming pool, within the stone walls. Boys were swimming, overseen by (presumably) their mothers. We walked along the side of the pool and then through a dark maze of stone alleyways. We came to a small hall of sellers of flowers and religious paraphernalia before entering the dargah.

The outer courtyard of the dargah was filled with people, chatting or chanting or meditating. Qawali musicians were singing praises. The whole space was filled with colour and movement and noise. The tomb of Jahanara Begum Sahib, the daughter of Shah Jehan (the king who had built the Taj Mahal), was located in one corner so we visited her. The spiritual ambience of the tomb was deeply compromised by a motorcycle helmet and evidence of a family camping on it. Nevertheless it was interesting to see such a piece of history.

Nizamuddin’s tomb was swarming with men and boys, many lined up to shuffle around the inner sanctum wherein lay the tomb itself. The pagoda was painted with bright colours and very cheerful and lively. Zaida called a male friend, who took our flowers to the tomb and offered prayers on our behalf. All this happened in a frenzy of confusing activity. I felt quite shocked by it all because I had erroneously thought a dargah was like Hazrat Inayat Khan’s – peaceful and silent. Later Dr Farida told me that Indian people ask ‘what kind of dargah is this?’. Too quiet!

New Delhi and India

After the retreat, I stayed on at the dargah for two weeks. It was a precious time to spend at


Kites over the Basti

Fatehpur Sikri

Hazrat Inayat Khan’s tomb, and to see a little more of Delhi and even of India. Roshin-Dil and I had explored a few places in Delhi together during the retreat – Dili Haat market, Central market and the Lhoti Garden. After the retreat, Shanti put me in touch with her friend Zaida, and we had a four day trip to Agra (the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Akbar’s tomb), Fatehpur Sikri (the dargah of the Sufi saint, Salim Chisti; pic above), Jaipur (the Palace of the Winds and the Amber Fort), and Ajmer, the home of Moinuddin Chisti’s dargah.

The visits to these sites were magical because of the grandeur of the buildings, the spectacular and often intricate designs, and their history. The Taj Mahal is packed with people, but still as elegant as one always imagined. I enjoyed seeing the monkeys at Agra Fort especially, and the atmosphere in Akbar’s tomb was full of intense energy. Jaipur is just lovely. Fatehpur Sikri was a little marred for me because of the spirit of commercialism. As a westerner, it is difficult to overlook this because you are constantly harrassed to buy or give money. The splendour of the site is still overpowering, though, and there is a small tomb for the granddaughter of the saint which is very special.

Ajmer was an experience that is hard to describe. Nothing could prepare me for seeing it for the first time. The whole town is based around Hazrat Moinuddin Chisti’s dargah. The place swarmed with people – visitors and sellers and beggars. Flickers of colour and movement. The streets were narrow and cobbled. The outer courtyard to the dargah was filled with stalls and people. You could buy flower necklaces, flower baskets or flower platters to offer to the saint. It was difficult to move and the noise and confusion was disconcerting.

I had been warned not to give more than small amounts of money at a time, to keep these notes separate and easily assessible, and to keep all other money tucked away. Still, by the time we had crept into the sardine-packed tomb and had our flowers tossed onto the tomb in a blind frenzy by a ‘helper’, all these ‘small’ notes had

been given away. The area was so full of people and jostling; flowers were flung everywhere.

We decided to line up and go around the inner tomb again, as we hadn’t yet done a complete circumnavigation of it This time, as we shuffled around, pressed on all sides by people, flowers trampled under our feet, I was beckoned by a man

very close to the tomb. He threw a cloth over my head, recited prayers, and tied a piece of string around my neck. Then he demanded a rather large sum of money. I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t have any more easily obtainable money. As the man started to get angry, our trusty driver rescued me and got me away.

I found the visit to Ajmer to be confusing and confronting. I was badgered excessively by beggars and sellers, much more so than my Indian co-travellers. Because of this, I can’t say I enjoyed the experience, but it was incredible and I wouldn’t have missed it. Zaida, who is much more atune to the Indian experience, said the dargah had vibrant and inspiring energy. I was glad I had her to tell me this and and I look forward to one day experiencing it for myself.

Final words

I left India after three and a half weeks, and I was ready to go. It is a wondrous place, but challenging because of the poverty and relentless harassment to buy. I hope next time I may be a little better prepared so won’t feel so ‘assaulted’. Nevertheless, I don’t regret going for a minute. The retreat itself was a blessing for its program for spiritual reflection and growth. I feel I have a new sense of acceptance and understanding of myself and the Sufi path, and I find the gentle ‘unpacking’ of my

desires to be a useful method of further self-understanding. I also made new friends whom I hope to keep in contact with in future. I certainly long to be back in the gentle atmosphere of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s dargah, this little oasis of peace. I am so very thankful for this very precious opportunity.


Jal M

ahal

in Ja

ipur

.


The Fairy of the DawnNuria DalyPart 3 of a Roumanian fairy tale with a Sufi/Jungian interpretation

THIS ARTICLE IS CONTINUED FROM PART 2 IN THE SPRING 2011 ISSUE OF SPIRIT MATTERS.

Just as they are about to start their journey, the horse offers Petru different speeds to choose from: The speed of the wind, of thought, of desire or like a curse. Petru says ‘not too fast as to grow tired, and not too slow as to waste time: to go at different speeds as required. I think there is a hint here of where and what this journey is, i.e. inner space, when the horse talks about the speed of thought, which I think is the quickest, as it is instantaneous, to desire which is slower. Interestingly he includes ‘like a curse’ here and wonder what this is – does it mean that a curse is slowest. In the mind world thought is the only reality. He sees a desert before him, and they ride on for one day at the speed of thought, one at the speed of desire and one like a curse, till they reached the borders of the desert. Perhaps when we first go into the unconscious, in dreams or meditation, it feels like there is nothing there, just a barren desert.

Petru wants to walk around a see this new realm – before him lay a wood made of copper, with copper trees and copper leaves, with bushes and flowers made of copper.

Murshid talks of a Copper Age - this is middle age: the age of cares, of worries, of anxieties and of responsibilities. There are even Copper Rules:

COPPER RULES My conscientious self: Consider your responsibility sacred. Be polite to all. Do nothing which will make your conscience feel guilty. Extend your help willingly to those in need. Do not look down upon the one who looks up to you. Judge not another by your own law. Bear no malice against your worst enemy. Influence no one to do wrong. Be prejudiced against no one. Prove trustworthy in all your dealings.

Petru has never seen anything like this wood before, and of which he has never heard. Then he rode right into the copper wood – on each side the flowers began to praise Petru and to try and persuade him to pick some of them and make himself a wreath. Each flower offers something else – to give strength, to make him loved by beautiful women – they all tempted him. Just as he is about to pick one the horse sprung to one side. The horse tells him not to pick the flowers as it will bring him bad luck. I think this is about not getting attached to phenomena and fascinated by the beauty of this realm, and not get stuck in that place where we are impressed by such things. For instance, we can discover that we have the ability of seeing, or hearing, or healing, or telepathy, but we must just move on, and not set ourselves up in the nearest market place.

The horse tells him he will have to fight the Welwa of the woods if he picks a flower, but Petru in spite of making a huge effort not to be tempted, becomes weaker and weaker and in the end picks some flowers, which he weaves into a wreath or crown. Now he must prepare to battle the Welwa, which is really an aspect of the ego, perhaps the spiritual ego! When we first encounter the realm which we enter in meditation, or even when we begin on our practice, the temptation to use what we have learned for gain of our ego, is so strong. The mind or ego chatter to us and want to distract us – then of course we have to do battle with yet another monster within us.

Out of a gentle breeze arose a great storm and darkness. The earth swayed and shook under their feet. The horse tells Petru not to be afraid and to use his bridle to try and catch the Welwa with it. The Welwa is indescribable, very horrible. Petru lays about him with his sword but can’t actually feel anything. Sometimes we have to keep fighting even when we don’t realise or even feel what we are fighting – we must not stop until it is done. The fight goes on for days and nights. Both the Welwa and Petru become tired but the horse tells Petru not to give up or stop. The story says that Petru planted himself firmly in his stirrups, which surely

means that he steadies himself so he can make a stand using his horse as a base from which to fight. After three days, again a long time, Petru manages to throw the bridle over the head of the tired Welwa. As soon as he does this a beautiful horse stands before him – he has released the horse from enchantment and now the horse rubs noses with his brother horse. When we overcome the inner monster demon by catching it using our mastery (bridle), the monster transformed releases energy which is added to that intuition which becomes that spirit of guidance. In other words our inner voice or intuition becomes stronger. As Dr. David Tacey quoted the other day – intuition can be understood as inner tuition. Petru ties Welwa to his own horse and rides out of the copper wood. When we enter a new realm, we often have to release an archetype or inner figure which has been enchanted – in other words an aspect of our life which we fear and which prevents us from being our true selves. This aspect when released becomes a helpful friend or attitude or instinct. A complex is really a bundle of energy which distorts our sense of the world around us – it is like seeing the world through a distorting prism, so when that complex is released or transformed, we have that energy to use in our life. It is very freeing.

Now they come to the silver wood, and Petru again dismounts the horse and looks around to see what he has never seen before.

SILVER RULES My conscientious self: Consider duty as sacred as religion. Use tact on all occasions. Place people rightly in your estimation. Be no more to anyone than you are expected to be. Have regard for the feelings of every soul. Do not challenge anyone who is not your equal. Do not make a show of your generosity. Do not ask a favour of those who will not grant it you. Meet your shortcomings with a sword of self-respect. Let not your spirit be humbled in adversity.

The silver age of the Hindus is like youth with a

spring and delicacy and with its own responsibility. It is the age of treasures but with its own trials.

As before flowers beg the young man to gather them, and as before Petru cannot resist them. The copper Welwa / horse now tells Petru not to pluck the flowers and although he knows by experience what this means he cannot help himself and he gathers flowers and fashions himself a wreath. Then the storm wind howled louder, the earth trembled more violently and the Welwa of the Silver wood came rushing on seven times as strong as the Welwa of the Copper wood. Note that this time the silver Welwa is seven times as strong as his brother (seven being the number of the cosmos and completeness as we have seen before). Again after three days and nights Petru overcomes this Welwa by throwing the bridle over his head. Again the second Welwa thanks Petru for saving him from enchantment, and they journeyed on as before. So from this we learn that having overcome our first inner demon and released it, we have a second one to overcome and this one is even more powerful than the first. Petru is still unable to resist the temptations of the flowers and has to fight the Welwa each time.

Now they come to the golden wood, even lovelier than the other two.

GOLDEN RULES My conscientious self: Keep to your principles in prosperity as well as in adversity. Be firm in faith through life’s tests and trials. Guard the secrets of friends as your most sacred trust. Observe constancy in love. Break not your word of honour whatever may befall. Meet the world with smiles in all conditions of life. When you possess something, think of the one who does not possess it. Uphold your honour at any cost. Hold your ideal high in all circumstances. Do not neglect those who depend upon you.

The Golden age of the Hindus is like infancy – although dependent, the infant is sovereign, happy in the arms of mother, in the care of father, nothing to worry him, nothing to trouble him, no attachment, no enmity – happy as the angels in heaven.


Again Petru is warned not to stop and pick the flowers and again he cannot resist and weaves himself a golden crown. As soon as he has done that he feels something terrible, which he could not see coming near him out of the earth. A thick fog wrapped itself around him so that he could not see his own hand or hear his own voice. He fought this with his sword but could not see what it was that he was fighting. On the dawn of the second day it vanished altogether. The horse told him it was the Welwa turned into a fog, but now she comes again. What does it mean that the Welwa appears as a fog? Fog is made up of the elements of air and water but fog prevents one seeing anything and also muffles sound. It is frightening and is everywhere. After fighting all day and all night the fog suddenly vanishes. Notice the Welwa is a female this time. Now the Welwa comes at him again – it seems to be water and yet not a river – a strange watery element. He is told not to stand still. The battle began again. He was totally exhausted but grasped his sword and waited. The brown horse tells him to take a breath – and I wonder if this means literally a breathing practice? What attacks him is again indescribable and spoken of as a sort of paradox e.g. ‘a creature which has what it has not got, and has not got what it has. It reminds me a bit of a Zen Koan, or perhaps an indirect method of self hypnosis – to make the mind tired and to let go. Petru feels fear for the first time, but fights on. He was past fighting on his feet and was now on his knees. He settled himself in his saddle, grasped his sword and waited for the final battle. The water had gone with the dawn but still he has to fight. The horse urges him to make one last effort and it will soon be over. Strike the Welwa on the mouth with the bridle, horse tells him. What does this mean to strike the Welwa on the mouth with his bridle? The mouth is a symbol of the devouring aspect of the Great Mother. To strike her with the bridle is actually to strike her with his increasing mastery of himself. When he does this The Welwa utters a neigh so loud that Petru thought he would be deaf for life. It is interesting that there is a great and powerful, deafening sound that accompanies the release of the Welwa. Perhaps a release at this depth is accompanied with a sound or a great vibration which can overcome us and make us deaf.

Murshid says ‘There is one thing in the whole creation which is like an alarm clock, set for a certain time to make a sound so that one may awaken. That clock sounds through all the activity of evolution, and when this is touched, man is awakened by the alarm.’

Soon the horse was also trotting by his side. May your wife be the most beautiful of women she says, for you have delivered me from enchantment. I find it interesting that the horse is a mare and that she talks about a wife for Petru – so this confirms that this story is about the integration of the feminine principle.

Petru now thinks about the crowns that he has woven from the flowers along the way, and what it has cost him. He decides to only keep the best and throws away the copper and silver crowns. The horse tells him not to throw them away, and that they may be useful, so he stops and retrieves the crowns. This really means that all the lessons along the way, everything we have gained, should be held on to, not put aside or discarded.

The second part of Petru’s quest is now complete – he has journeyed through the Copper realm, the Silver realm and the Golden realm and gained in mastery and ‘hearing that inner voice’, having gained three more horses in addition to his original brown one. Four is symbolic of the spatial scheme or order of manifestation. It has a sense of wholeness and completion on earth – the four cardinal points, the seasons. The stage takes him through the unconscious mind from the Copper realm which is closest to our consciousness and the complexes which we overcome there, to the Silver realm which is further away and contains the issues and complexes from our youth, to the Golden realm which is preconscious, pre memory but is in us at a very cellular level. The next stage takes him into the archetypal Collective Unconscious, in other words into the realm that we all share and are part of but which is the realm of the Gods and Goddesses which are archetypal, not human. This is where we are all one at the depth of our being.

THIS ARTICLE WILL CONTINUE WITH PART 4 IN THE AUTUMN 2012 ISSUE OF SPIRIT MATTERS.



The Sufi Movement in Melbourne

Presents our Winter Retreat 2012

Thursday 21st June at 4pm – Sunday 24th June 2012 at 4pm

Balance‘One will ask: What is balance; and how can we achieve it? First there is the balance of activity

and repose, of sleeping and waking.’

‘By control of the self a person experiences the higher plane in which all beings are one.’

‘The Sufis therefore, have found a key to it, and that key is to isolate oneself within and thereby, to gain a complete balance within oneself. I have already said that perfect balance means destruction of action, but when we think that from morning till evening our life is nothing but action, we naturally cannot keep that balance. By keeping a few minutes for a process of meditation, of silence, we can touch that complete bal-ance for a moment, and then, naturally, in our active life a balance is maintained.

Registration will take place on Thursday 21st June at 4pm.

Contact Nuria 9561 4861 to book

Cost is $350 includes 3 nights accommodation - all meals fully catered.

Please provide your own linen and bedding.

Venue: Edmund Rice Centre – Amberley

7 Amberley Way, Lower Plenty, Melway map ref. Page 21 B1


International Sufi Movement

International Summer SchoolUniversel Murad Hassil

July 8 – 18, 2012

THE HOLY BOOK OF NATUREThere is no greater scripture than nature, for nature is life itself.

The international Summer School prgram is now available. You can access it from the organisation’s website – www.sufimovement.org/summerschool – and you can also register to attend via this website.

For overseas attendees (and that’s us Australians), prices range from 270 euros for the full 11 days, or 130 euros for 8 – 11 July, and 162.50 euros for 14 -18 July. There are prices for children to attend, and also for the artistic evening on 12 July. Please check the website for full details, and instructions on how to register.

Participants are kindly encouraged to register before June 1st.


MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership to the Sufi Movement in Australia

is open to all.

If you find yourself drawn to the ideals of universal spiritual brother-and-sisterhood,

you may be interested in becoming a member.

The Sufi Movement in Australia offers an annual Sufi summer retreat, classes in centres around Australia, and a quarterly newsletter. In addition, members are affiliated with

the International Sufi Movement, its teachers and activities.

Annual Membership FeesSingle-$75

Family-$100

Please contact the treasurer for more details(see the back page for contact details)

SMiA Memberships are due!

SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE DUE, SO PLEASE PAY UP AS SOON AS YOU CAN!

Please renew my subscription for the year 2012.

Name: __________________________________________

Sufi Name: _____________________________________

Address: _______________________________________

_________________________________________________

State: ______________ Postcode: ______________

Email: __________________________________________

Type of membership (please indicate):

Single ($75)/Family ($100)

Please make cheques payable to SMIA or transfer funds to:

SMIA Bank A/C No: 06 3587 1052994

If paying by cheque, post this page with the information on the left with your cheque. If paying straight into the bank account, you can advise Azad Daly via email, but please ensure you provide him with these details. Azad’s email address is: [email protected]

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVENuria DalyPhone: 03 9561 4861Email: [email protected]

VICE-PRESIDENTCelia GennPhone: 07 5494 0724Email: [email protected]

SECRETARYSabura AllenPhone: 08 9533 4658Email: [email protected]

TREASURERAzad DalyPhone: 03 9561 4861Email: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL SUFI MOVEMENT CONTACTS

GENERAL REPRESENTATIVES24 Banstraat, 2517 GJ The Hague, NetherlandsPhone: +31 70 3657 664Email: [email protected]

GENERAL SECRETARIAT78 Anna Pulownastraat, 2518 BJ The Hague, NetherlandsPhone: +31 70 346 1594Email: [email protected]

SUFI MOVEMENT WEB SITESInternational: www.sufimovement.orgAustralia: www.smia.com.au

REGIONAL CONTACTS AND REPRESENTATIVES

ACTTalibah Josephine LolicatoPhone: 02 6297 5107Email: [email protected]

NSW – GRAY’S POINTKafia AireyPhone: 02 9525 0137Email: [email protected]

NSW – NEW ENGLANDKarim and Bahkti ParkhurstPhone: 02 6778 4701Email: [email protected]

NSW – SYDNEY Hamida JanicePhone: 02 9387 5263Email: [email protected]

QLD – GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINSCelia GennPhone: 07 5494 0724Email: [email protected]

TASMANIAHabiba AubertPhone: 03 6223 6085

VICTORIA – MELBOURNENuria Daly (details above)

EDITOR, Spirit MattersSakina Kara JacobPhone: 0448 839641Email: [email protected]

spirit matters summer 2011-2012

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