April 2016: A New Era
News from Shaikh Kabir's recent India trip, reflections on Nur, upcoming eCourse on Sufi Stories, and lots of UK events for your diaries...
Nov 2015
Reflection on October’s theme: Begin with contentment (Rida); then follow the Heart. As-Sadiq relates that the Messenger said, 'The world is a series of changes in fortune: such benefit you may draw from it comes to you despite your frailty, and what is to your disadvantage will afflict you without you being able to ward [...]
Jul 2015
Reflection on June’s theme: Patience is consent to the present moment; patience is crowned with faith. One way I have tried to practice consent to the present moment this month is to observe and resist my complaining. The word consent comes from the Latin ‘con’ meaning ‘together with’ and ‘sentire’ meaning ‘feeling’. So consent to [...]
Mar 2015
Reflection on February’s theme: Character is the spiritually infused balance of Love and Intelligence. A thing’s character is its essence, its true nature. Yet we talk about building human character, as if character were something that could develop over time. If our character is our true nature, isn’t it something we were born with? Why [...]
Dec 2014
Reflection on November’s theme: Wash your hands of the cheap metals of existence like the mature, so that you may find the philosopher’s Stone of love and become gold yourself. Reflecting on this month’s theme is quite a painful experience for this one. Though it is my deep longing and aspiration to be in this [...]
Nov 2014
Reflection on October’s theme: The interpretation of a sacred text is true if it stirs you to hope, activity, and awe. ~ Mevlana On a recent trip to Urfa in Turkey, we visited the cave where Job, Hazrati Ayyub, prayed while he was undergoing his trials. The cave was tiny, barely able to contain the [...]
Oct 2014
Reflection on September's theme: Put this vain thinking to sleep, lift up your head into spiritual wakefulness. ~Mevlana Reflecting on this month's theme, the crucial question that arises for this one is "What is vain thinking?" It must firstly be habitual thinking that forms a barrier between us and Reality, Al-Haqq: fears and desires linked [...]
Aug 2014
Prayers for Shaikha Camille Camille Ana has recently had some surgery to help with mobility issues and is currently recovering in hospital. We ask you to remember her in your prayers. May the love of our community carry our beloved Ana through this challenging time, and may the Divine hold her in healing light. Ya [...]