Reb Zalman in the San Francisco Bay Area

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Beloveds,

Please see the article at http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/66104/reb-zalman-87-coming-to-east-bay-for-rare-visit/

I have had a few questions about how to know whether venues have changes for the various sessions of the Symposium where Zalman will be honored.

All changes will be posted on the website at http://www.sksmstudents.com/symposium-2012—public-events.html.

If you will be attending, you may want to check the website each day in case the crowd continues to grow beyond the capacity of the present location.

Shabbat shalom,
Pam Frydman

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Dear one,

Many thanks for the alert. Please pass on my love.

As a short remembrance:

One day in the middle 70’s – I walked into the San Francisco house of Hallelujah The Three Rings. In the front room, I found a large bearded man sitting comfortably on the floor with a Sufi message book in his hands. He looked up at me with a smile on his face and said, “This is amazing. I’m reading ‘The Soul Whence and Wither‘ and Inayat Khan’s description of the soul’s journey is right out of the Midrash.”

Thus I had my first (although not the last) meeting with Zalman.

Mashallah! May he live healthy and clear minded until the next century.

all blessings,
hakim sauluddin

Opening to a Deeper Understanding of Judaism

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Dear Ones on the Path,

I want to call your attention to a book written by Rabbi Pamela Frydman entitled Calling on God: Sacred Jewish Teachings for Seekers of All Faiths — published by Wild Earth Press.

It is a unique reference work for spiritual seekers who wish to better understand and incorporate the wisdom of the Jewish faith into their lives.

Rabbi Pam teaches the history of the Jewish Bible, the meaning of its sacred phrases and much more while interweaving the threads of Judaism, Universal Sufism and mysticism. She offers a wide array of Hebrew zikrs, mantras, walks and breath practices complete with links to the book’s website for their related text and audio files.

The book contains prefaces by Wali Ali and myself, and works by Reb Zalman and Netanel Miles-Yepes. It is accompanied by a full glossary of Hebrew and Jewish Aramaic terms in simple English – by itself an incredible gift to the reader.

Rabbi Pam was a teacher in the Ruhaniat before being called back to Judaism and studying for the rabbinate. She has taught at Mendocino Sufi Camps in the 1980s and at Dervish Healing Order gatherings most recently.

I recommend this book highly as it opens wide the door to the mysteries of the Jewish faith for Jews and non-Jews alike.

Love,
Aslan

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Beloveds,

Wild Earth Press has requested that we place our orders for Calling on God directly from them at http://www.wildearthpress.com/calling-on-god/.

With love,
Pam Frydman

Today Is Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan’s 95th Birthday

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Dear Family,

Murshid Hidayat was born on this day in 1917 in London, and survives as the only living child of Hazrat Inayat Khan and Pirani Ameena Begum Ora Ray Baker. He currently serves as Co-General Representative of the Sufi Movement International’s Pir-O-Murshid Council and oversees the Movement’s summer school each year in Katwijk, Netherlands.

He and his wife Murshida Aziza are our Dervish Healing Order’s God-Parents. He continues to write prolifically on aspects of the Sufi Message, and as an internationally recognized composer he continues his work of setting many of the 99 Names of God to music so that they may be sung as spiritual practices. Murshid Hidayat and Murshida Aziza currently divide their time between Holland and Germany.

The planet is blessed to still have him with us! May we all be as bright, clear and energetic as he, as we journey through our ‘chronologically gifted’ years. If you have a moment today, you might pause and send a deep breath of love in his direction. Like all of us, he could use the ‘juice.’

Together in the One,
Love,
Aslan

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Alhamdulliah!

Many thanks for the reminder.

May they have another 100 years of health, clarity, and happiness.

all blessings,
sauluddin

 

Report: DHO Portland – June 2012

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Dear family,

Mashallah! We’ve been having yearly gathering since 1973, and this one was spectacular.

So many thanks to all those who helped make it all possible. Especially to Jude & Murad for their exceptional organizing skills, and dedicated loving service.

Camp was full: with a fantastic staff, great food, great practices, and a great setting.  All this plus cool weather, and tall trees.  What a joy.

Our theme was “Honoring the Great Mother – from the Goddess to the Crone”, and all of our practices, dances, walks, and zikrs were  dedicated to Her:

From tonal invocations to Mother Kali & Ashura, to walks & dances in Her honor, to ‘home-work’ working with Kwan Yin, to Ananda offering Zuleika’s zikr of the Feminine Divine Attributes and a Bon meditation, to Farida Fox sharing her “Charge of the Goddess,” to Akshura’s acupressure training, to Sarfaraz’s practice on the intuitition, to Aziza’s dream work, to Mariam Baker’s million bead tashbi zikr, to Fadhilla’s meta meditation, to Michael Endlich’s gift of 100 super high energy crystals, to Najat’s beginning our day with a special  ‘retreat’ concentration, to Aslan’s choir and dances, to Nasruddin’s laugh-a-thon, to Mansur Johnson’s walk of Murshid doing Mian Mir, to Siddiq & Sakina holding our formal tea space and doing an early morning sit, to Richard Mann’s morning yoga and Murad’s Sufi Qigong, to Heather Hoppe’s offering of the original breathing practices of Hazrat Inayat Khan, to Noel’s bringing forth the presence of Hanuman.  And so much more.

What a non-stop offering of so many hearts, with so much love and blessings to share.  Please forgive me if I have forgotten to mention anyone

We even celebrated the Sabbath. Rabbi Pam led us in the celebration of Shabbos, which was an invocation and celebration of the Shechina (the Divine Feminine in Judaism).

What a rush!  What a joyous presentation of Divinity.  So many different zikrs.   And, we even raised $1,300 for the Lama Dome.

Alhamdullilah!

{Remember June 17 – 23, 2013 – Lama DHO – start your green drinks now.}

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The Divine Feminine Energy will next be manifested this September in our East Coast DHO gathering: DHO Charlottesville, September 6th to 9th.

“Honoring The Great Mother:  Aspects of The Goddess, from the Maiden to the Crone.”

Once again we shall open ourselves to Her Grace and attempt to channel Her Beneficence, and Loving Compassion.

This September our crew shall include Asha von Briesen (Tea), Ananda Cronin (Zikr), Farrunnissa Rosa (Invocation of the Goddess), Murad Finkelstein (Sufi Chi Gung), Latifa Till (Dance), Saul Barodofsky (Healing Ritual & Walks), Shariffa Oppenheimer, plus Hadi Hunter (Camp Manager) – and others not yet confirmed.

Please contact Jude Sargent

Our setting will be the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  Location is Serenity Ridge, a Bon Retreat Center.

The local community welcomes ya’ll.

And, Heather Hoppe is almost ready to ‘unveil’ our all new and improved DHO web site.  More on this soon.

All blessings,

hakim sauluddin for the DHO
July 11, 2012
Charlottesville Virginia

East Coast DHO Gathering 2012

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Honoring the Great Mother – from the Goddess to the Crone

“The veil of Isis is this same sky of Malakut, and when once that is penetrated, the Goddess is beheld in all Her glory.”

— Murshid Sam, commentaries on the Bowl of Saki – January 3rd

Dates: Sept. 6 (Thursday dinner) to Sept. 9 (Sunday lunch)

Place: Serenity Ridge Retreat Center – near Charlottesville, Virginia.
Visit their website for site information, including transportation.

Ground transportation: Hadi

Costs: Total Camp – $210-465/per person, including meals.
Pricing Details (click here)

Total cost for those who will be staying elsewhere, but joining us for meetings and meals, is $150.

However, $100 will hold your place. As usual, checks can be made out to Jude.

Teaching Crew: Saul Barodofsky, Ananda Cronin, Asha Greer, Farrunnissa Lila Rosa, Latifa Jennifer Till, Murad Finkelstein

Registration: Jude
Camp organizer: Murad
Camp manager: Hadi

Program: We shall offer both formal and informal teachings, practices and transmissions. There will be sohbet, the healing ritual, breath practice, meditation, presentation of the Goddess work, formal tea, dances & walks, dream work, Sufi qi gong, stories, zikr, bed time stories and our usual frolicking amongst the trees.

Please note: Staff receives neither reimbursement nor honorarium, and pays full fees.

Looking forwards to our east coast gathering.

Sending all my blessings and prayers.

yours in Service to the Real

hakim sauluddin
charlottesville, virginia
may 2012

 

West Coast DHO Gathering 2012

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Dear family,

A most Happy New Year.

May we all be blessed with Peace, Joy, Good Health, and the Prosperity of Spirit.

I leave for our German meeting at Haus Shneda this Monday, and wanted this sent before I depart. Please do light a candle for me.

Our June gathering is upcoming, so, here are the details:

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“The veil of Isis is this same sky of Malakut, and when once that is penetrated, the Goddess is beheld in all Her glory.”

— Murshid Sam, commentaries on the Bowl of Saki – January 3rd

Theme:  Honoring the Great Mother — from the Goddess to the Crone

Place:  Collins Retreat Center – one hour South of Portland, Oregon

Dates:  June 17 (Sunday dinner) to June 22 (Friday lunch) – 5 nights.

Costs:  Total Camp – $475 for doubles — $375 for triples — $575 for singles – per  person, including meals. Total cost for those who will be staying elsewhere, but joining us for meetings and meals, is $287.50. However, $200 will hold your place. As usual, checks can be made out to Jude.

Visit the Alton Collins website: for site information, including transportation.

In addition, the Portland International Airport site – includes ground transportation information. Ask Jude for more ground transportation information.

Teaching Crew:
Saul & Ananda, Mariam, Najat, Aslan, Sarfaraz, Murad, Mansur Johnson, Siddiq & Sakina, Azima, Nasruddin, Rabbi Pam, Heather, Fadhilla, Michael Endlich, Farida Fox, Jude, Richard Mann.

Registration: Jude
Camp organizer: Murad

Program:  We shall offer both formal and informal teachings, practices and transmissions.

There will be sohbet, the healing ritual, breath practice, meditation, formal tea, laughter as a tool, the alchemy of jewels and stones, choir, dances & walks, dream work, yoga, Sufi qi gong, stories, zikr, bed time stories and our usual frolicking amongst the trees.

Please note:  Staff receives neither reimbursement nor honorarium, and pays full fees.

Looking forwards to our yearly gathering.

Sending all my blessings and prayers for a wondrous 2012.

yours in Service to the Real,

hakim sauluddin
charlottesville, virginia
january 2012

Happy Birthday Murshid

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Dear ones,

let’s make sure we celebrate by eating some ice cream in his honor.

I remember after after one of his weekly Marin meetings, he would take out his mureeds to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream.

when I was initiated, it was the sweetest ice cream I ever ate.

Happy Birthday Murshid.

it’s been amazing to watch the small sprout of his transmission grow and send out seeds, which also grew, and sent out it’s own seeds.

Alhamdulliah.

all blessings

sauluddin

May the Message of God reach far and wide.

Peter Berg’s Celebration

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Dear family,

am just back from Peter Berg’s Celebration of Life in San Francisco, and wanted to share a bit of the experience with you.

Firstly, many thanks to Michael and Susan, who sheltered me, fed me and drove me around. Ya Shakur!

The Saturday evening Celebration was at a small private museum in the midst of the city. Created to teach the local children just how the Bay Area was before human alteration, it was a perfect place for the event.

The event was filmed, so Inshallah! we’ll have some record of the proceedings.

What I learned:

One speaker gave a most interesting contribution: He said that the philosophy of Anarchy has always been built around systems, and that Peter’s contribution has been to add two very important (and non system) components – one was the addition of ‘place specific’ – and the other was to include all the other native life in the area as a part of the community. This, of course, goes hand in hand with Bioregionalism.

Sunday night, we gathered at the beach to build fire and watch the sun set.

Somehow, I felt Peter’s approval.

all blessings

sauluddin

p.s. as if by magic, today’s mail included a thank you letter from the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center, acknowledging and thanking us for our financial gift. We already had a thank you from Meals on Wheels. Many thanks to all who helped make this possible – especially our ‘woman on the ground’ Mary Beth Granberry, and our ‘beloved recorder of pertinent data’ Jude Sargent.

DHO Dates for the Next 3 Years

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Dear family:

Ramadan Mu Barrak!

Firstly, many thanks for all those who participated in our survey. It was very helpful in shaping our future events. So, here’s the decision: We’ll plan on TWO meetings in 2012:

2012 – June 17-22 – Portland. It will be cooler than Virginia, and the ground will be easier to maneuver around on. Also, we did have a great gathering there a couple of years back. Costs – double rooms-$92, singles-$115, triples-$73 — per night.

2012 – September 6-9 – Charlottesville – a long weekend amidst the Fall foliage and cool weather…this will be at the Bon Retreat Center – Serenity Ridge. (Approx PRICE DATA) Costs – $70-$100 per day for residential, and $45 per day for commuters. We’re in negotiations for adding desserts, so there may be a slight increase in the fee.

2013 – June (dates-to be arranged). Lama – start your strengthening exercises, and your chlorophyll supplements now.

2014 – June (dates-to be arranged). Mt Shasta. Our work there is not yet finished, and we hope to go a few days later, so that we can have Panther Meadows snow free.

More data as time and information flow permits.

For reservations: Jude Sargent

We’ll need down payments for Portland and Charlottesville, so any deposits will be helpful – I’ve already sent mine in.

Looking forwards to seeing you amidst the tall trees…

all blessings
sauluddin