"Awakening only happens now." ~ Pir Elias Amidon, Flashes
Our lives are continually being shaped by how we relate to ourselves, our families, communities, and society at large; by how we interact in our natural and human-made environments. The world we experience, the stories we live, our sense of gain and loss, fear and trust, are all generated through interaction. Thus, at its essence, reality is relational.
A reality of fulfillment and well-being, then, comes not by “getting what you wish for” but through the refinement of responsiveness in all dimensions of life. Sufis call this, adab —clear-minded, open-hearted, creative, give and take in every situation.
This year, Living Sufism will offer opportunities to explore this practice through chilla—unusual tasks and challenges aimed at experiencing the limiting habits and liberating choices of our relational realities. Our focus in this will be on transforming the reality we experience through the mystic awareness of adab.
The program will take place on Zoom, the second Sunday of each month at noon EST, (9AM PT, 5PM UK, 6PM EU) January through May, for about 90 minutes, and will incorporate additional small group work. It will be presented by Puran Perez, Isha Francis, Angelika MacArthur and others.
The Way of Adab
The Inner Life - January 14, 2024
Adab begins with the refinement of our relationship with ourselves; unconditionally embracing all our internal experiences.
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The Intimacy - February 11, 2024
Intimacy thrives through reciprocal vulnerability—the adab of the intimate is found in open-hearted surrender to that communion.
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The Gathering - March 10, 2024
In the presence of adab, our families and communities flourish, are stronger and more joyful. “Friendship is made of being awake” (Rumi)
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The World - April 14, 2024
The practice of adab opens us to creative aliveness in our everyday interactions, The world, then, is alive within as well as without us.
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The Mystery of Adab - May 12, 2024
Sufis point to adab as embodied love. But its mystery awaits discovery by each of us, each in our own way.
Living Sufism...
...is an online series for experiencing this centuries-old wisdom tradition in the context of contemporary life. It was initiated by Pir Elias Amidon, the spiritual director of The Sufi Way in September of 2013. Since then it has been developed and presented, under his guidance, by members of this community representing a wide range of perspectives. Without diminishing the importance of classic teachings and practices, we continue to explore the practical integration of spirituality in a 21st century world.
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Living Sufism 2023
Living Sufism 2022
Living Sufism 2021
An Imaginal Adventure
