Have you joined the new world religion yet? Become a relax-a-tarian too! Not to be confused with lawnchair-ism. 🙂 Let’s call it ease-a-tarianism instead: to meet every circumstance in life with ease and acceptance.
“This is how it is right now.”
On Saturday (Sept. 16th, 2017) over forty people gathered in Wageningen (NL) for an all-day event: “The River of Guidance – spiritual liberty in daily life” with Pir Shabda Kahn, spiritual director of the Sufi Ruhaniat International (SRI), organised by Malika for SRI NL.
The morning and afternoon started out with a session of the Dances of Universal Peace, followed by a sharing of teachings from the universal source of mysticism, as practised in the forms of Sufi, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu and other traditions. In the evening, we sang and moved in attunement to the One, chanting zikrs and Dancing with phrases invoking beneficial qualities such as mercy and compassion, strength and steadiness.
‘Says one baby in the womb to the other:
“Mother? Do you believe in Móther? If she exists, then where is she now?”‘
– from the story: “LIFE AFTER delivery“
Both the Dance sessions and the teachings were a meandering stream, flowing from lively, joyful and spirited melodies, uplifting and humorous stories, to the stillness and depth of zikr phrases and contemplations on the nature of life, on the Sufi notion of dying before death, on the universal purpose of all life, and on the paradox between everything and everyone being an undivided portion of the One, ultimate Being, which is unchanged and incorruptable, while on the other hand, in normal life, we experience ourselves as separated, isolated beings, who percieve differences and distinctions between self and other. What happens to our breath, our mood, our health and our strength when we are in different states, from angry, jealous, judgemental or discouraged, to kind and compassionate, patient or grateful?
Our deepest motivation in life is the wish to be happy.
Every action ever taken by anyone, however skillful or unskillful, ultimately is driven by this yearning; from the deepest expression of love, to war and hatred.
How to navigate the paradoxality and adversity we meet in our everyday lives? Pir Shabda suggests a nine-point-plan. Starting out with strength and courage, we add kindness and compassion, then tolerance, forgiveness and patience, gratitude, and finally: to be in tune with the Inifinite.
In his own life, Pir Shabda is involved in many initiatives that further the message of Peace and Harmony in the world. He told us about two current projects:
- the Peace Pledge Project, a pledge that was launched for everyone to join, who commits their lives to loving kindness and compassion. You too can join hands and hearts with religious leaders from a variety of faiths and continents in this auspicious project: read more;
the Dargah (shrine) for Murshid Samuel L. Lewis, in New Mexico, USA. Murshid SAM was Pir Shabda’s teacher. After ten years of visioning and preparing the way, the completion of the construction of the Dargah was celebrated just weeks ago. Read more and see photos and videos…
Gardening the Heart 
Murshid Sam was the teacher of my very first Sufi dance leader, Jocelyn White, who came to a place called The Sanctuary in the very early 1970’s and taught us the dances of Universal Peace. Love and Blessings to The Spirit of Guidance who so pervaded that Wild and Crazy guy and set so many on the path to the One! Your Sister in Lunacy 😜🕴🙏🤙🌴🍷