Medicine for the Heart: As much as possible, think and communicate the positive.

We welcome your reflections on this theme.

~ Shaikh Kabir Helminski

An Invitation to participate in the transformative process of an esoteric school.

The key to human transformation is found through a “knowing heart”—the capacity we have to know our true situation from a cosmic perspective. The heart is our essential faculty for knowing reality. Much more than the thinking mind, the knowing heart becomes the guide to living life as a true human being.

Let me explain why The Knowing Heart (the book we focus on this year) is important in the unfolding of Sufism in our time. An earlier book, Living Presence, explored how conscious awareness is essential to a truly human life. It is the most universal of the books I’ve written. The Knowing Heart, however, explores the essentials of classical Sufism and how this tradition can be adapted and practiced in the 21st century. It considers how the culture and practices of Sufism can be adapted to our contemporary world, and especially to the West.

The Knowing Heart contains much that we have learned from our teachers and from direct experience, teachings rarely found in the classic works of Sufism, about how the “work” is realized through relationships, through community, and through a sensitive heart.

The concept of an esoteric school is unfamiliar to our culture. A true esoteric school is based in the objective knowledge and practice of a living tradition. Such a school serves as a “container “ in which the energies of spiritual transformation can be concentrated. In the Mysterion School, we are laying the foundations for a contemporary esoteric school that can function internationally, presently accessed by sincere seekers from California to New York to London to Berlin, all the way to Pakistan and Indonesia. Approximately 14 time zones.

One of the most important things that can be “learned“ and developed within an intentional situation like this is your own soul’s stable commitment and aspiration to awaken. The intention is to shift from the unconscious human condition, and become more continually aware of our relationship with the Divine. In our contemporary world, most human beings are living and functioning through the unstable, ever-changing parade of false I’s, random desires and attractions, interminable inner dialogues. Hence, the necessity of a systematic and coherent approach to spiritual development. Few people recognize the seriousness of our situation and have a strong enough yearning to begin the true work of transforming our limited selves through the awakening of a knowing heart.

The offering is this: whatever the difficulties may be, this is a joyful journey, a true pleasure, for as the Quran tells us: Those who keep faith and whose hearts find tranquility in the remembrance of God—surely, in the remembrance of God, hearts find peace (Surah ar-Ra'd, ayah 28).

The Qur’an: Volume V offered by Camille, forthcoming by March 1st, Inshallah. This Volume V, the central volume of eleven, contains fresh English translations of surahs 16 through 19 (“The Bee”, “The Night Journey,” “The Cave,” and “Mary”). These surahs reveal moments of inspiration received by some of the smallest but most beneficial creatures, bees, as well as human beings; we meet moments with a number of Prophets of God, including beloved Maryam, whose devoted heart in utmost purity was exemplary in receptivity. The stories of all these sensitive beings bring into greater awareness the possibility implanted within the heart of the human being to listen and respond to the compassionate guidance continually arriving from Divine Reality.

~ Ismail Guler [Minnesota, USA]

At breakfast tea a beloved asked her lover,
“Who do you love more, yourself or me?”
[Mathnawi V, 2020, The Pocket Rumi, trans. Helminski]

According to our Pir, Hz. Mevlana, God teaches us using opposites (Mathnawi II:1552). And Kabir Dede describes openness as the opposite of being self-centered, being preoccupied with “me.” When we are absorbed in ourselves and the material world (dunya) we live in, we forget God, our Beloved. This forgetfulness, this heedlessness (ghaflah) is the state most of us are in most of the time.

O child of Adam, I have created you for My sake, and I have created things for your sake. So do not disgrace that which I created for Myself with that which I created for you.
[Hadith Qudsi]

God has created us for Herself. This is how precious we are in the eyes of the Beloved. And God has created worldly things for us as a gift. However, we often let the gift distract us from the Bestower of the gift and forget our Beloved. To address the situation, the Sufis remind us that gratitude is to see the Bestower of the gift, not the gift itself. In the Qur’an, the Beloved calls us to:

…keep in remembrance the name of your Sustainer
and devote yourself to Him wholeheartedly.
[Qur’an 73:8, The Light of Dawn, trans. Camille Helminski]

And again, in the Qur’an, Hz. Ibrahim exemplifies how to respond to this call:

Behold, unto Him who brought into being the heavens and the earth have I turned my face, having turned away from all that is false…
[Qur’an 6:79, The Message of the Qur’an, trans. Muhammad Asad]

We are guided to surrender our whole being to our Beloved, turning away from all that is other than Her (ma siwa Allah), including our own existence. The Sufis say that our self-existence is a sin to which no sin can be compared. When asked about repentance (tawba), Dhul-Nun al-Misri answered:

The repentance of the common folk is from their sins, whereas the repentance of elect is from forgetfulness.
[Risala, Qushayri]

Sin is anything that makes us forget our Beloved, and we often forget Her in our self-centeredness, in our self-existence. The Sufis also say that we see (shuhud) the Beloved by experiencing Her existence in our non-existence (fana).

Who does not reach non-existence has not reached the Beloved.
[Fakir Sozleri, Shushud]

How can we attain non-existence? Our Pir, Hz. Mevlana, gives us a hint:

Remember God so much that you are forgotten.
[Divani Shamsi Tabriz IV, Love is a Stranger, trans. Helminski]

Our openness is our doorway to the Beloved. I was blessed with the opportunity to join Kabir Dede and a group of friends for a transformative journey in Turkey last summer. During a sohbet (spiritual conversation) in Fethiye, Dede spoke about creating space for the Beloved in our lives and deepening our experience of the Divine Qualities (Names). He called us to remember the context, our relationship with the Divine, that adds meaning (ma’na) to our lives. He advised us to embrace life and always be open to Divine Guidance. A few days later, we visited Suleyman Dede’s grave in Konya. Dervish friends had brought a rose to plant to honor him. They first removed some existing plants to open space. They then used a garden pick to dig over the soil to create a hole. The soil was hard, and the pick was flimsy. So it took quite an effort to deepen the hole and plant the rose. The entire act reminded me of Kabir Dede's teaching: on this journey, we are to open space for the Beloved and deepen our experience. And Suleyman Dede was present with us to help with the teaching, guiding us toward Divine Love and union with the Beloved—hand in hand, hand to God (el ele, el Hakk’a), alhamdulillah.

The Beloved is the Opener (Al-Fattah). She is the One whose Names open an infinite number of doors. She is the One who opens our eyes, so we start seeing (Al-Basir). She is the One who opens our ears, so we start hearing (As-Sami). She is the One who opens our hearts, so we start loving (Al-Wadud). She is the One who holds the keys to our hearts because that is Her own house (Beytullah). Our hearts are the Mirror of the All-Merciful (Mir’aat Al-Rahman), where we reflect Her Divine Qualities.

A person is with the one he loves.
[Hadith]

The Sufis say, “God is with you wherever you are” [Qur’an 57:4]—where are you?' True adab (spiritual courtesy) is remembering that we are always in the Presence of the Beloved (Huzur-u Ilahi, al-Hadrat al-IIahiyya).

After returning from the Turkey trip, I have been reflecting on what to keep and what to let go in my life to create space for the Beloved. Letting go is never easy, especially for someone who has struggled with lifelong anxiety, but She is always there to support us, alhamdulillah. May we always remain open to Her Guidance, inshallah.

Is not God enough for His servant?
[Qur’an 39:36, The Message of the Qur’an, trans. Muhammad Asad]

There is nothing else in existence other than the Beloved.
Don’t put your hope and trust in anything other than Her.
Open your eyes, dare to look and see.
Sufficient for us is God, the rest are whims and desires (Allah bes baki heves).
[Divan, 159, Aziz Mahmud Hudayi, Tatci and Yildiz]

~ Ismail is a seeker on the Sufi Path of Love, striving to “remain conscious of the Beloved, and be among those who are true to their word” (Qur’an 9:119).

Top image: Standing by a Sufi calligraphy at the Mevlana Cultural Center in Konya. Written in Arabic, “Adab Ya Hu (O Beloved, render us with beautiful manners and qualities).”

~ Norma McOmber

From a weekend retreat offered in Washington, D.C., a few years ago

The Threshold DC Circle has been gathering for several decades. We offer frequent opportunities for time in community. There is time to visit over tea and snacks after our events.  

We have gathered during Ramadan for iftar, and also hosted our teachers when they visited the area for national and international speaking events, spiritual retreat and to gather Threshold travelers before an Umrah journey.

Our Study Circle meets on the second Saturday of most months at 2pm EST in the home of Valerie Graff, Elif Gokcigdem, Aliya Kocamis, or Norma McOmber.  We begin with a 20-minute silent meditation. Next, we read guidance from Kabir Dede and Camille Ana to practice presence while sharing in the gathering. We then take turns reading aloud a short passage from our Tradition. We are currently reading The Knowing Heart. Participants have the opportunity to choose to share reflections on the passage. After that, we recite the Mevlevi zhikr. We also meet on some Sundays at 4pm for community zhikr.

Participation in the study circle and community zhikr is possible in person and through Zoom. Notices and invitations are sent out shortly before an event. If you would like to get Threshold DC Circle gathering notices, please email norma at  n_mcomber@yahoo.com

~ Hanieh Shokrani [St Louis, USA]

My name is Hanieh.

A year ago, I arrived in the United States, and perhaps this was the most serious decision of my life. Immigration is a beautiful choice, but it’s filled with ups and downs. Sometimes, you feel so lonely and miss the smell of your childhood home and the genuine friends of the past so much that even hearing a single word in your mother tongue feels like finding a few sips of water in an endless desert. Although the entire earth belongs to God, and wherever there is love for God, it can be considered home.

I am a 26-year-old girl, alone. My closest companion is God, and my mother, who is two continents apart from me. Last month, when I fell ill, I had only Shakira and Mark as friends, but they were out of the city taking care of Mark’s grandchildren. That morning, like always, I woke up and, after taking two steps from my bed, I collapsed with full force. The whole world was spinning around me, and I had no balance at all. I couldn’t stay upright and even sitting for a few seconds caused severe vomiting. I endured it until the evening, but I threw up six times on an empty stomach. I couldn’t even walk to the fridge to get water; I was helpless and without support.

There was no one to hold my hand. My body’s balance was so disrupted. I decided that, somehow, I would make it to the front of the building and take an Uber to urgent care. I was so unwell that when I reached the front of the building, I lost my strength, dropped to my knees, and thought to myself: If the Uber doesn’t find my location, who will take me to the hospital? Perhaps no one. Maybe they’d think I was a drug addict!

My heart burned with a deep sense of loneliness and helplessness. As I sat there, I began to cry and said, "God, my vision is fading. If I lose consciousness, my mother will die of heartbreak."

It was mid-December, and I was shivering from the cold. I vomited again by the roadside and couldn’t muster the strength to stand up. Finally, the Uber arrived. The driver was a man in his mid-thirties who, upon seeing me, acted as if he was meeting a long-lost friend. With his help, I lay down in the back seat, and we reached the urgent care. I thanked God that someone was with me, even if it was a stranger. But I kept thinking about the cost of reception and the medications. I’m a student and don’t have much money. Even the Uber fare was a significant expense for me.

We arrived at urgent care. When I got out of the car, I vomited again, and I cried hard. The driver gently pushed my hair back, massaged my shoulders, and kept saying, “I’m here. I’m with you.” My face and nose were messy. With great kindness, he cleaned my face and nose. He caressed my forehead and kept saying, “I’m here.” He even cleaned all the vomit off the ground.

During the reception process, I felt unwell again and collapsed. Over and over, he washed my face, cleaned my eyes, and even the mess on the ground. He handled all the paperwork. When I entered the patient room, after the blood tests and IV fluids were administered, I noticed that the driver had left but returned 20 minutes later with several bags. He had bought all sorts of fruits, juices, soup, cakes, and snacks—all for me.

When he returned, he gently wiped my tears off my cheeks and placed his hand on my forehead to comfort me.

I missed home.

I longed to hear the sound of Persian words to feel that everything was safe like it used to be. At that moment, my mother called, and I started speaking to her in Persian. After I hung up, the driver said in English, “I know Persian!” I told him, “Say ‘Hello’ in Persian!” and cried again. He said, “SALAM!”

I asked in Persian, “How do you know Persian?” He replied, “I worked in Iran for three years.” We started talking in Persian, and my heart grew warmer. When all the tests and medications were done, he paid for everything and took me home. He never let me pay him back. Two days later, when I was still unwell, he quickly came to help again, bringing me new medications along with soup and food.

I recovered and never met him again.

And he, who truly felt like an angel, moved on and disappeared.

~ Hanieh came to the US from Iran in 2024 to earn her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at St. Louis University. She is part of the St Louis Threshold circle.

Feb 2nd

Join us for a monthly online meditation and sohbet with Shaikh Kabir and special guests from the Threshold community. Held on the 1st Sunday of every month at 12pm Eastern Time (5pm UK).

Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/435138208
Zoom passcode: threshold

Watch last month's meeting below and see all our videos here.

The Threshold Society, rooted within the traditions of Sufism and inspired by the life and work of Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi, is a non-profit educational foundation with the purpose of facilitating the experience of Divine Unity, Love, and Truth in the world. Sufism is a living tradition of human transformation through love and higher consciousness. Our fundamental framework is classical Sufism and the Qur’an as it has been understood over the centuries by the great Sufis. The Society is affiliated with the Mevlevi Order, and offers training programs, seminars and retreats around the world.

Each month we intend to highlight an article about our lineage and its principles. You can find our core articles here. We encourage our community to read and reread these regularly.

Each month we intend to highlight an article about our lineage and its principles. This month we offer: Responsibilities of Dervishhood.

***

Mevlevi Dervishhood

This paper is intended both for people who are considering an affiliation with The Threshold Society, as well as for those who are already committed to this path. To be a Mevlevi dervish is to enter into a web of relationships designed to maximize spiritual possibilities through creating an atmosphere of solidarity, loyalty, service, trust, and affection. It involves “taking hand” with a shaikh and committing oneself to the program of training and service offered by the Mevlevi spiritual community. Some of the details of this relationship and its adab are described both online (1) and in The Knowing Heart (2). If people aren’t clear about the principles of these relationships, it weakens the bonds with the shaikh and with the community as a whole.

[Continue reading...]

Sep 26-29, 2025: UK Annual Retreat at The Vedanta, Lincolnshire

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