This is a field guide for living spiritually in the world. It is learning about how to stay connected to the Divine. It’s about opening your heart. It is about serving. But it’s not about you. It’s about learning how to get out of the way so you can learn that wherever you are at the moment is The Classroom – and there is always more to learn.
Sufism is an ancient spiritual path that helps you:
Integrate everything that happens in your life
Learn the lesson and move on
How to get out of the way for the Divine within you
A way to find your place in the universe
A means of discovering who you are
The path of Rumi
Connecting the dots of life.
Sufism adapts to one’s understanding and capacity therefore it cannot be nailed down to a specific shape. With that in mind, we offer this book as an indicator of where the heart might find solace. Through essays, dialogues, commentaries, poems and stories you may catch a glimpse of the Beloved and learn how to use your spiritual net to capture the evanescent Presence.
Excerpt
Part 1 – Awakening Spiritual Intelligence
Introduction
It’s Not About You
This is a book about applying the teachings of Sufism wherever you are. What is Sufism? Depending on who you are and what you have experienced:
It’s a way of integrating everything that happens in your life so you can learn and move on
Learning how to get out of the way for the Divine within you
A way to find your place in the universe
A means of discovering who you are
The path of Rumi
Connecting the dots of life.
There will be more definitions about Sufism and you’ll come up with your own at some point.
This is not a scholarly treatise, an academic research project nor a historical tome. It is not intended to be linear, nor is everything going to make sense immediately. It is about learning and applying tools to make your life coherent and fulfilling.
All essays were written in response to either a student’s question, a specific and timely situation or a publication. The article differed according to the needs of the audience.
We will arrive at Sufi ideas from various angles because there are many ‘yeses’, various conflicting viewpoints and they can all be true. We’ll be developing lateral thinking: sideways on a sphere is sometimes straighter than straight forward.
My students refer to me as ‘Shaykh’ which is their option. My Shaykh, Es-Seyyid Es-Shaykh Taner Ansari, is my teacher and to whom I refer to when I don’t know something. If you ask him and he’s not sure, he will refer to his Shaykh, Muhyiddin Ansari who will refer to his Shaykh, Mohammed Ansari, and so on. This is called the silsillah, or teaching lineage of our Sufi school. Our order’s lineage traces its teachings back to the Prophet Mohammed1 (peace be upon him) and before him to all the prophets and saints. These are serious and deep teachings. The intention of these teachings is to bring the human race forward and evolve into what the Sufi calls ‘human beings’.
You won’t be alone on this journey. Other students will accompany you to ask relevant questions, comment on their own experiences as well as sidetrack us; they may anticipate the questions you would ask if you were here with us.
There are essays and transcriptions of online discussions. We will also provide you access to real time questions and answers with website and email information.
Please see the Glossary of Sufi Terminology in the Appendix for definitions. Most words in italics are defined.
Sufism acknowledges that the human mind and heart are multifaceted, exist on countless levels and that there are scores of intelligences. And, there are distractions. Sufism is a continuous practice that only works if you are developing and practicing your skills every day with every choice. It is not available through books, CDs, weekend seminars or the web. It is not about turning, dancing, singing or chanting. It is a personal practice with a living teacher who has been assigned to bring these teachings to those seeking answers.
Be smart, wary, test out the ideas and see if they work. Be empirical. Empty your opinion cup. This is a field guide for living spiritually in the world. It is learning about how to stay connected to the Divine. It’s about opening your heart. It’s about serving. But it’s not about you. It’s about learning how to get out of the way so you can learn that wherever you are at the moment is The Classroom – and there is always more to learn.
This book is constructed in the same organic manner as a flower. It may not feel logical or linear because that is not what is important. What is important is that you learn how to get out of the way so that the heart can direct you. You can read it from cover to cover, or just pop into one of the sohbets (spiritual discussion of the teachings) with the other students. Suleiman has adapted some of the sohbets creatively to give you a sense of the feeling and method.
This is about thinking, learning, and understanding (gnosis) that what lies before you is your teaching and is divine and has a purpose. Your job is to distill the purpose and get to the meaning and lesson.
We use material from students, discussions, and essays. Whatever you think God is, He/She/It is much greater than that. It cannot be put into a book. We can, through various methods of sharing, bring a lamp to guide us a little closer to knowing the Divine.
We look forward to your comments and questions (info@ansarisufiorder.org).
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