February 2018 Message

Beloved Family,

We had a wonderful pilgrimage to Mother India and Hazrat Inayat Khan’s URS. Our pilgrims bonded and took care of each other, with the US, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Latvia and Russia all represented in our group of about 30. Murshida Leilah was a wonderful partner in leading the pilgrimage, and Waduda was magnificent as our Pilgrimage manager.

Please save the date on your calendars ~ Through the help of Rachel Maize, we have reserved the Marin Headlands Retreat Center for a Mureeds Gathering Oct 5-8, 2018. We held Annual Mureeds Gatherings there for 11 years in a row, the last one being 2010. In the past we found it very fulfilling to meet together in this way. A more complete flyer with registration information will be out soon.

We start our Annual 8 day Sufi Sesshin tomorrow and welcome part timers.

Toward the end of March I head to Colombia, to Ecovillage Atlantida for a weeklong Sufi Youth Jam and Sufi Retreat combined. April 13-15 I have a more local retreat in Nevada City, then the Annual Ruhaniat Jamiat Ahm April 25-29, this year in Portland. At the host’s request, I will share a Raga Concert Sunday afternoon at the close of the Jamiat Ahm.

In May I lead a Sufi Retreat in the south of France followed by the Federation Harmony Gathering at Fazal Manzil, this year for leaders.

In June I attend the annual Ruhaniat Summer School in Germany and in July our annual Mendocino Sufi Camp.

Blessings on the tail of winter and the coming of Spring!

Sending all love,

Shabda

Recite 101x YA GHANIYY ~ YA MUGHNI

87. Ya Ghaniyy (yaa GHA-neeyy)

Al-Ghaniyy is the source of all being and the source of all ecstasy. It is an indescribably rich container, a treasure house of all existence. Al-Ghaniyy manifests the very essence of existence to every single thing, at all times, and is the one who gives existence to that which has no existence. Al-Ghaniyy is a flowing forth from God’s inexhaustible treasure house to all. The Qur'an says, “We found you in want and then gave sufficiency.”16 In the quoted passage, you are fuqaraa' (want) and Allah is ghaniyy (sufficiency).

Al-Ghaniyy is richness and fullness. It is an infinite source that can never be exhausted. Your existence may seem to be empty of meaning, but al-Ghaniyy transforms it and fills it from within. Sufis who sought to become faqeers, giving up everything and especially the clinging of the ego, followed in the footsteps of Jesus, who announced the treasures awaiting the “poor in spirit.”

Invocation of Ya Ghaniyy is a remedy for the fixation that there are not enough riches or success in your life. It is a remedy for joylessness, boredom, and meaninglessness. Invoking Ya Ghaniyy calls out for ecstasy and increase of being. This divine Name has an alchemical quality of transforming experience. It answers the existential question, “Why do I exist?” See Ya Mughni (88), with which it is often paired in recitation.

88. Ya Mughni (yaa muɡ̣ḥ-NEE)

Al-Mughni has an important and complex relationship with al-Ghaniyy (87). Allah causes al-Ghaniyy’s rich state to be bestowed on temporal creatures, who then can temporarily act as the embodiments of infinite and inexhaustible ecstatic reality. The source and primary cause of this divine quality is al-Ghaniyy, and the causal manifestation of it is al-Mughni.

The root of al-Mughni means to dwell in one place and rest firm in that. All multiplicity swims around one still point in the primal waters of blessing. Everything gains its existence and movement from this stillness. The root of “dwelling in a place” also has the meaning of being constant in love and affection.

Repetition of Ya Mughni is a remedy for dependence and neediness on another. It serves to give contentment, protection, and guidance from the essence of reality. We recommend pairing it in recitation: Ya Ghaniyy, Ya Mughni. In this way it can serve to bring fullness to the process of actualizing happiness.

To hear the pronunciation: Ya Ghaniyy ~ Ya Mughni

TEXT and COMMENTARY to STUDY

This month we finish reading Series 2 of the Githa Amaliyyat:Psychology of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan with commentary by Murshid Samuel Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti). Read Githa Series 2,Numbers 8-10, pages 34 – 47. Click here to download the document.

1PuranaQila Purana Qila-13th Century Ramparts in Delhi