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 [...]
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 [...]
Letter from Shaikha Camille In the Name of God, the Infinitely Compassionate and Infinitely Merciful Beloved, Beloved friends, Thank you, Thank you so much for all your love and support and healing prayers and good wishes, nourishing food and flowers, and so many offers of assistance. “In the hands of this Love,” as Yunus says, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
On a recent trip to Turkey led by Shaikh Kabir and Camille Helminski, our group was lucky enough to be invited to the Sefik Can Foundation, under the direction of Nur Artiran, one of Turkey's most respected spiritual teachers. It gave us a valuable insight into Sufism as practised by modern Mevlevis in Turkey.
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.
The Soul is a work of art. The child of the marriage of self and Spirit. In this new video talk on Threshold Society's YouTube channel, Shaikh Kabir reflects on the development of soul in daily life.