Gathekas

We may wonder, especially in the Western part of the world, what the path of discipleship really may be. No doubt discipleship has been the path of those who followed Christ and all other Teachers, but the modern trend of thought has, by its new influence, taken away a great deal of the Ideal that … [Read more...] about 21. The Path of Discipleship

What is initiation? Initiation is a sacred trust given by Murshid to the mureed and a trust given by the mureed to Murshid. No wall should exist from the moment of this initiation. For if there is a wall, then the initiation is no more an initiation. When the wall is removed by the mureed and … [Read more...] about 20. Initiation (1)

The Message of the Sufi Movement is a call to humanity in general, to unite in a World Brotherhood/Sisterhood beyond the boundaries of caste, creed, race, nation or religion. The Sufi Movement has no particular creed, dogma or doctrine. Its philosophy teaches tolerance to all. Above all things, it … [Read more...] about 19. The Sufi Message

It happens that often my mureeds who meet with their friends are asked what Sufism is. You know already what human nature is like. It wants to ask you about your whole life in one word, for it is very easy to ask a question; the difficulty is in answering it. Perhaps these words that I will now say … [Read more...] about 18. What is Sufism?

The word Sufi itself is significant in its meaning, since it comes from Sophos or Sophia, which means Wisdom. This is not Wisdom in the sense that everybody understands; for in our everyday language, we confuse intellect with wisdom. Wisdom is not only intellectuality. It is that knowledge that … [Read more...] about 17. The Ideal and Work of the Sufi Movement

The Way Reached by Action—Continued Now let us consider what is meant by action. There are certain actions, such as eating, drinking, sitting, and walking that are not different from those of animals. Therefore, if a person’s actions do not show something not found in animals, then that person … [Read more...] about 16. Sufi Mysticism (6a)

The Fifth Aspect of Human Nature that Leads to the Path of Wisdom—Continued The being of a person is a mechanism of body and mind. When this mechanism is in order there is happiness, fullness of life; when anything is wrong with the mechanism, the body is ill and peace is gone. This mechanism … [Read more...] about 15. Sufi Mysticism (6)

The Fifth Aspect of Human Nature that Leads to the Path of Wisdom—Continued The being of a person is a mechanism of body and mind. When this mechanism is in order there is happiness, fullness of life; when anything is wrong with the mechanism, the body is ill and peace is gone. This mechanism … [Read more...] about 14. Sufi Mysticism (5a)