TOWARD THE ONE, THE PERFECTION OF LOVE, HARMONY AND BEAUTY, THE ONLY BEING, UNITED WITH ALL THE ILLUMINATED SOULS, WHO FORM THE EMBODIMENT OF THE MASTER, THE SPIRIT OF GUIDANCE |
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ISSUE 11 ~ AUGUST 2021
Milaraspa, a poem by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis
Letter from Pir Shabda Kahn, COVID-19 and Vaccination
Bird Photography as Ziraat Practice, an interview
Update on Murshid Wali Ali, GoFundMe fundraiser
New Kinship Ray website and Ruhaniat Events Calendar
Short Videos from our Sangha
plus, Connections
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MILARASPA. 551
by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis
When the ear hears light
And the eye sees sound,
When the self seeks self,
And no self is found,
With the mind at peace,
And the heart awake,
Lost in deep meditation
At the soul’s daybreak;
And the soul’s daybreak
Sees him still at rest,
With Amida’s Boundless Light
Shining through his breast.
Shining through his breast.
Namotasa Bhagavato Arhato
Samma-Sambodasa
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From Murshid Sam's collection of poems Rhapsodiae Coronae Mundi inspired by the paintings of Nicholas Roerich. The poem Milaraspa. 551 was inspired by the painting Milarepa, the One who Harkened, shown above. |
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A Letter from Pir Shabda Kahn on the COVID-19 Pandemic |
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Dear Family, - this is a long letter so please take the time to read it carefully
I have been requested to express my views on the current dialogue going on some of our group listserves about COVID-19 and vaccination.
I am very well aware that this is a charged subject so I aspire to respect each of your choices and ask you make the same aspiration.
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I want to start that my job description as the Pir is to care for and nurture everyone in our Ruhaniat family, not based on conditions. In that sense, even though I may have guidance and preference, I aspire to hold each and every one of you in my Heart and in the Heart of the Lineage stream. Naturally, like all of you, I also aspire to bring that same nurturing to all beings in all realms.
My views may or may not be the view of our Murshids' Circle or other senior teachers, who have not been consulted. Further, I don’t feel it would be wise for me to enter into debate over this, as it is not my field of expertise, but I am happy to share my views.
We have all seen and felt the devastation this pandemic has wrought... continue reading
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A Video Interview with Pir Shabda Kahn
by Murshida Darvesha MacDonald
"...we see how important is affection and nurturing for all beings in all realms...the essence of our being is nurturing and you can see it here in bird life."
Photo of Pir Shabda Kahn photographing birds on the California coast.
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An Update on Murshid Wali Ali Meyer
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Thank you for your love, prayers and support for Murshid Wali Ali Meyer. You can send donations through a GoFundMe fundraiser set up by his family (this is not a donation to the SRI non-profit organization). His family writes:
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Hello Friends,
We hope this finds you all well and flourishing amidst the various restrictions of the current world situation but with growing opportunities for in-person connections with friends and family members. As his family we’re writing to let you know about beloved teacher, guide and friend to so many, Wali Ali Meyer. We’re sad to inform you that Wali Ali was diagnosed with dementia last year. It is a cruel disease with no cure. As his condition continues to decline, we find ourselves searching for how to best care for him. His needs are becoming more complicated and so we’re reaching out to our larger community for your help...continue reading
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"...we are a part of the Only Being...and we have this illusion that the ego self is doing it, but the ego self is really not the Knower, the soul is the Knower which is really the Soul of All..."
Listen to a short excerpt of a talk given by Murshid Wali Ali in December 2016 on "Today's World and the Role of Community and Spiritual Progress". Watch video
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"Have you own authentic voice and dare to stand for it."
Read this remarkable story from Wali Ali's (then Melvin Meyer) college days at the University of Alabama in 1962. He wrote an editorial in the student newspaper that countered the bigotry that was roiling the American south at that time. (Photo left to right: Harve Mossawir, Robbie Roberts, Melvin Meyer)
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New Website for Kinship Ray |
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The Kinship Ray website has been created to provide resources, collaboration opportunities, and communication tools for our community and to function as a reference point and place of contact for all of these efforts. Alhamdulillah!
Soon, you will be able to access a calendar of training opportunities; find discussion groups, book clubs, etc. to participate in; find out about groups that match your specific interest (or create/list a group); learn about events and specific actions that are of interest or are taking place near you. Ya Fattah!
Please use this site to share the social and earth justice work you are doing and to find ways to collaborate with others in our spiritual family. Ya Jami!
Join Us! - Sufi Book Club
Starts up again in September with Rachel Ricketts book:
"Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy"
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Announcing the New Ruhaniat Events Calendar |
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To share and keep us informed about the many events happening in our worldwide community, we have launched a new Ruhaniat Events Calendar.
The calendar is visible to the public on the Ruhaniat website, and there is a link to the calendar on the bottom of every email that you receive from OurSohbet and the other Ruhaniat groups on Groups.io.
To learn how to post events to the Events Calendar, please visit this page:
The calendar is maintained by volunteers, primarily Wakil David Matthews. Your patience and your willingness to work in harmony, as this effort evolves over time are much appreciated.
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Painting by Nicholas Roerich - Lake in the Mountains, Baralacha Pass 1944 |
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Short Videos from Our Sangha |
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Listen to Asha's closing comments to all who gathered to walk with her on that day. Watch video.
In another video clip from the walk, listen to Asha and Shabda sing "Drink with the Beloved" - the beloved song by Allaudin and Yasmin - v ideo courtesy of Sierra Salin. Watch video
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Edited by Shakti Rowen-Lena with music by Maitreya Jon Stevens and Friends
For the first time in more than a year and a half, a group of us gathered together at our home place to generate this year's United in the Heart Retreat. We ate, danced, prayed and zoomed together for all five sessions of the retreat, while some of our team beamed in from around the globe. Shakti Rowan Lena, part of our local heart sangha, with a great for beauty, created a short video of our home time together during the retreat. Please enjoy this "at home during the retreat" visit with us. Watch video
Photo above from left to right: Petaluma Livelli, Dahlia Bartz Cabe, Malika Elena Salazar, Halima Sussman, Abraham Sussman, Maitreya Jon Stevens
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Your donations help us to answer the continuing call of our mission. We are grateful to our donors, volunteers, teachers, the Murshids' Circle and the Board of Trustees, who help us in our work and service. Thank You!
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Connections ~ virtual gatherings, recordings and online communities
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October 8-10, a virtual retreat
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Saturday, September 4, 2021
11:00 am PDT, USA * UTC-7
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Ruhaniat Family Zoom Gatherings
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Content Submissions
Include your name, city and country. Your submission implies permission for us to use now or in the future. We reserve the right to edit content. We may not use all the content that we receive.
Photo of a Clione Limacina, also known as a Sea Angel. Watch video footage here taken in the White Sea on the northwest coast of Russia.
Hu.
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