Reflection on June’s theme: Beyond desiring attention, become attention. As I sit with these words, receiving them as though they are a personal decree for me from my Lord, I notice His/Her usage of the word ‘beyond’; it seems to me that I have to journey somewhere, from me to the other, from this small [...]
"Sufism: A Hidden Treasure" -- a talk by Shaikh Kabir Helminski at City Circle, London on Friday 14th March, 2014. Many British Muslims today suffer a double alienation: on one side from a dogmatic expression of Islam lacking in love, and on the other side from a materialistic culture that leaves little room for the [...]
In considering how the human being can embody both self and selflessness, let's begin with a metaphysical perspective on the position that human consciousness occupies in cosmic existence. The human consciousness is a presence suspended between the Divine Absolute and a Cosmic-Life-Force that is associated with our intention, thoughts, and feelings. That's a mouthful, I know. It's meaning will become clearer, I hope, through the course of this article.
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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Fearless Tenderness - Huddersfield Circle, Tue 26th Feb, 2013
Sohbet held in the Huddersfield circle, reading is taken from chapter 26 of Living Presence: A Sufi Way to Mindfulness & the Essential Self.
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The States of the Soul - London Circle, Thu 28th Feb, 2013 See also the follow-up Q&A session
The States of the Soul cont - Q&A, London Circle, Thu 28th Feb, 2013 Follow-up to previous sohbet
Conversations with a Saint - Mawlana Asad Ali London gathering, Sat 2nd Mar, 2013 View the transcript of the conversation
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?