Sufism is not only the sublime poetry of a Rumi; it is also how we relate to others, how we receive a guest. The work of Sufism is not primarily acquiring information; it is more about clearing the mirror of consciousness. As rich as the treasure of Sufi knowledge is (an immense intellectual heritage), most of us would not have been drawn to this path if we had not encountered its love embodied in human relationships.
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The elect of the elect fast by examining their thoughts and preventing their innermost consciousness from paying attention to anything other than God. These are the people of poverty, and their capital and provisions for wayfaring on the path to God are nothingness. . . .
My father [Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi] said, “O Bahauddin, when the seed of my teaching has taken root in your heart, you will understand—reflect deeply on my teaching and really try to absorb it and if you do, felicity will be yours. Know that the body of the prophets, the saints, and their friends will never perish. A seed thrown into the earth may appear to die and disappear, however, at the end of a few days it comes to life and grows into a flourishing tree. In a similar way the body of the prophets and the saints will also come to life again.”
From the very beginning of my own training I was led to ask the question: If Mevlana were alive today, would he teach in the same way that he taught in Konya in the 13th century? So many aspects of his teaching and thought seem strikingly contemporary and this is not merely the result of translations that try to make him appear contemporary. His transcendence of his immediate culture is intrinsic to his message.
The most beloved of people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to His servants. And I see no better benefit for His servants in our times than the goodly word that reminds the human being of his humanness and reminds everyone of their brotherhood in the abode of Adam. This is the message from the East, from the summertime in the winter of Damascus, so what do you have for us?
Kabir has been invited to write for Speaking Tree, The Times of India (over 4 million downloads/month). What is it to be truly human? Just to hold this question is the beginning of transformation. When I first began to ask this question, I assembled a list of attributes that seemed essential: a certain capacity for [...]
Some reflections on relationships within a community of seekers by Kabir Helminski Sufis live contrary to “the world” in many ways. Their calculations are different from the calculations based exclusively on the ego’s self-interest. They return hostility with kindness; they meet immaturity with patience; in a world of role-playing, they are guileless. The Dergah is a refuge from the world of hypocrisy, manipulation, and conflict. The relationships that are built in the Dergah of Love endure in a way the relationships of the Dunya (“The World”) never can.
The Urs of Sultan Veled is 11/11 (1312 CE). The era of Casa Paloma as our main center has come to completion and 11/11 is the day Kabir and Camille depart from California and inshallah arrive in Louisville, Kentucky to dwell in the new tekkye there. Here is the talk Camille gave at the Sultan Veled Symposium in Konya last year for Mevlana's Urs. Thanks be to God for this beautiful tradition.
Having been invited to speak about “World Peace and Harmony,” I ask myself: What is the cause and nature of conflict in today's world? Does religion contribute to conflict as so many people assert? And can the idealistic calls for world peace by religious leaders produce any real effect? How can I speak anything more than truisms, sentimental clichés, and ideas we’ve all heard before? Can the teachings of the world’s great mystics effect any real change on the societal level or are these teachings meant only for personal transformation?