Weekend in San Diego

So we spent the weekend in San Diego with a TG, Littlest Guy, a dear friend and her two sons, and Middle Guy and his girlfriend who joined us for dinner, along with Col. Foltyn (who I now owe even huger giri to...).

Saturday was small kid day at Legoland, which confirmed my "huh?" comment when I heard that someone was building an amusement park out of Legos...but the kids had a good time, and that meant the adults had a good time. Saturday night was dinner, at one of Foltyn's pilot hangouts.

Sunday, he gave us a tour of Miramar MCAS, and spent an hour showing three rapt ten year olds (and their equally rapt parents) the aircraft museum there, and then took us out to the flight line to watch the planes.

A World Airways MD-11 had just landed, and as we watched, a line of desert-camouflaged troops walked down the stairs onto the tarmac and briskly walked off the field to waiting buses.

We stayed a long time and watched almost all of them before the kids lost patience and started wondering why TG was teary eyed and we left.

Sufi Wisdom: Bahauddan, Alevi and "The Aroma of Truth"

Part of our long-running Saturday Sufi Wisdom series.

Khaja Bahaudin Naqshband, aka. Muhammad Bahauddan Uways al-Bukhari "Imam of the Tariqah" (d. circa 1389), was one of the great Masters of the Khagajan school, now known as the Naqshbandi Chain of Sufism. The school arose in Central Asia, and remains active to this day. They are not, to put it mildly, terribly fond of the Wahabbis. This story was found online, and is part of Idries Shah's "The Wisdom of the Idiots."

"A certain famous, well-liked and influential merchant came to Bahaudin Naqshband. He said, in open assembly:

'I have come to offer my submission to you and to your teaching, and beg you to accept me as a disciple.'

Bahaudin asked him:

'Why do you feel that you are able to profit by the teaching?'

The merchant replied:

'Everything that I have known and loved in the poetry and the teaching of the ancients, as recorded in their books, I find in you. Everything that other Sufi teachers preach, extol and report from the Wise Ones I find in actuality in you, and not in completeness and perfection with them. I regard you as at one with the 'great ones, for I can discern the aroma of Truth in you and in everything connected with you.'

Bahaudin told the man to withdraw, saying that he would give him a decision as to his suitability in due time.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Moses & the Shepherd II

Part of our long-running Saturday Sufi Wisdom series.

In Idries Shah's Way of the Sufi, Khwaja Fida'i of Kars offers a quick recounting of a story we've featured here on Winds before. Focus on a different part of it, however, and the takeaway's focus may shift, too:

"It is related that Moses called a humble shepherd a blashphemer, because he heard the poor man offering to comb God's hair, wash His robe, and kiss his hand.

God admonished Moses.... "Thus hast thou driven away a worshipper from the nearest to Me that he could approach."

It's fair to say that ultimately, all Sufi stories and messages are about G-d. It's equally fair to say that they are all about daily life. What are the deeper messages here?

UPDATE: Here's what Idries Shah himself had to say.

Sufi Wisdom: Bahauddan and the Bird

Part of our long-running Saturday Sufi Wisdom series.

Khaja Bahaudin Naqshband, aka. Muhammad Bahauddan Uways al-Bukhari "Imam of the Tariqah" (d. circa 1389), was one of the great Masters of the Khagajan school, now known as the Naqshbandi Chain of Sufism. The school arose in Central Asia, and remains active to this day. They are not, to put it mildly, terribly fond of the Wahabbis. Anyway, I was reading this item is Idries Shah's Way of the Sufi and thought it a nice extension of last week's post:

One day, a man came to the great teacher Bahauddan.

He asked for help in his problems, and guidance on the path of the Teaching.

Bahauddan told him to abandon spiritual studies, and leave his court at once.

A kind-hearted visitor began to remonstrate with Bahauddan. "You shall have a demonstration," said the sage.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: The Virtue of Arrogance

Part of our long-running Saturday Sufi Wisdom series.

It has been a while, but I thought I'd take a second this weekend to briefly return this tradition to Winds. This one is from Fadiman & Frager's Essential Sufism, courtesy of the wisdom of Sheikh Muzaffer:

"One evening a sheikh was talking about humility and service. He spoke eloquently about service and putting others' needs before our own. Then, someone asked, "What do you do with the arrogant? How can you serve the arrogant?"

The sheikh drew himself up and raised his powerful voice: "With the arrogant, you must behave arrogantly!" Everyone was shocked.

Then, the sheikh went on. To treat the arrogant with humility would be like giving them poison. It would only feed their arrogance."

Back in our May 15, 2004 installment, Idries Shah puts this lesson in context.

Sufi Wisdom: Epitaph

On the tomb of Jalaludin Rumi:

"When we are dead, seek not our tomb in the earth, but find it in the hearts of men."

Sufi Wisdom: Religion & Virtue

Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As militant Islam does its level best to discredit the religion, it's important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. This one is from The Way Of The Sufi, by Idries Shah.

The Sufi Abdal Ali Haidar said:

"Many people practice virtues or associate with wise and great people, believing that this is the pursuit of self-improvement. They are deluded. In the name of religion, some of the worst barbarities have been committed. Trying to do good, man has done some of his worst actions.

The flaw comes from the absurd assumption that mere connection with something of value will convey a corresponding advantage to an unaltered individual.

Much more is necessary.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Left-Handed Hooves

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it's important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Nasrudin received an invitation to join a nobleman for a day's hunting. Unaccustomed to such grand events, the Mulla was worried that his lack of riding experience would show. With this in mind, he bribed the nobleman's equerry to lend him the horse he was to ride on the big day. In secret, he practised mounting and dismounting until he had mastered the manouvre.

On the day of the hunt the Mulla swaggered to the stables full of confidence, but was dismayed to find that the horse he had trained on had gone lame, and an unfamiliar animal had been saddled up in its place. Nervously, the Mulla got onto the horse's back. Relieved to find that he had executed the mount without apparent hitch, he prepared to ride off. Reaching for the reins, he realised that he was facing the animal's tail.

'Why was I not informed that this was a left-handed horse?' he angrily asked the stable hand.

NOTE: Today's Sufi Wisdom entry is going to be my last for a
while. I have a bit of "blogger burnout" on this feature, so I'm taking a break. Joe will take it back, unless someone else wants to pick it up (email Joe@thisdomain.net if so).

Sufi Wisdom: The Camel and the Tent

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it's important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

A bedouin, making a long desert trek, pitched his small black tent and lay down to sleep. As the night grew colder his camel woke him up with a nudge. 'Master, it is cold. May I put my nose inside the tent to warm it?' The traveller agreed, and settled down to sleep again. Scarcely an hour had passed, however, before the camel began to feel colder. 'Master, it is much colder. Can I put my head inside the tent?'

First his head was admitted to the tent, then, on the same argument, his neck. Finally, without asking, the camel heaved his whole bulk under the cloth. When he had, as he thought, settled himself, the bedouin was lying beside the camel, with no covering at all. The camel had uprooted the tent, which hung, totally inadequately, across his hump.

'Where has the tent gone?' asked the confused camel.

Sufi Wisdom: Who Is To Blame?

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it's important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

One night, thieves broke into Nasrudin's house and stole everything he owned. When, next morning, he awoke and discovered the loss, he rushed straight to the palace.

'Last night, burglars made off with all my belongings, and it falls upon you to compensate me for my loss,' he told the King.

'But I have taken nothing of yours, Mulla,' said the monarch.

'Not directly,' Nasrudin replied, 'but as ruler of this land, you are responsible for all that happens here.'

Sufi Wisdom: Not What They Seem

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it's important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

This week, Idries Shah discourses on self-deception (but don't worry, it's only other people who do it, right?):

"To me, it is hurtful to have to deal with people whom you would like to teach when -- pretending to themselves that they seek knowledge -- they only want a social community, friendship, 'togetherness', attention and the like.

All these things are delightful: and all the more delightful when consciously indulged in, rather than found by means of deception. Deception in this case is pretending to oneself that one is studying when one is seeking stimuli.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: How to Find a Bride

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Nasrudin's oldest son was looking for a wife.

'Which qualities are you seeking?' Nasrudin asked the youth.

'Intelligence rather than beauty,' replied the young man.

'If that is the case,' said the Mulla, 'I have an excellent way of finding you the perfect bride.'

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: The Tiger and the Fox

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

This week's wisdom is a tale from Sa'adi of Shiraz, on drawing the wrong conclusions:

A fox who lived in the deep forest of long ago had lost its front legs. No one knew how: perhaps escaping from a trap. A man who lived on the edge of the forest , seeing the fox from time to time, wondered how in the world it managed to get its food. One day when the fox was not far from him he had to hide himself quickly because a tiger was approaching. The tiger had fresh game in its claws. Lying down on the ground, it ate its fill, leaving the rest for the fox.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Water and Weeds

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

This week's Sufi Wisdom comes from Rumi, and concerns -- among other things -- imperfections:

Water doesn't lose purity because of a bit of weed.
The weeds float on the surface;
the pure water flows on undisturbed.

JK: See also Winds reader lurker's Rumi poetry as a comment re: Tarek Heggy's Friday Guest Blog "The Arab Mind."

Sufi Wisdom: Deceitful Donkey

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Nasrudin was riding home from the bazaar daydreaming of the pulao he would have for his supper. With his thoughts full of the saffroned rice, juicy meat and fried onions, he did not pay much attention to the route his donkey was taking home. His daydream was finally broken when the donkey lurched to a halt outside a house.

'Come! I have all the ingredients for your best pulao,' Nasrudin called to his wife. But the woman he saw before him when he eventually looked up was a complete stranger. Realising that it was not only the wrong wife, but the wrong house and even the wrong village, the Mulla looked at his donkey severely.

'If you had told me that you wish to move here, I would perhaps have considered it, but I will not stand for deceit!'

Sufi Wisdom: The Pyramid Expert

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Nasrudin was sitting among the branches of a tree, sniffing the blossoms and sunning himself.

A traveller asked him what he was doing there.

'Climbing the Great Pyramid.'

'You are nowhere near a pyramid. And there are four ways up a pyramid: one by each face. That is a tree!'

'Yes!' said the Mulla. 'But it's much more fun like this, don't you think? Birds, blossoms, zephyrs, sunshine. I hardly think I could have done better.'

Sufi Wisdom: Three Possible Reasons

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

A dervish was sitting by the roadside when a haughty courtier with his retinue, riding past in the opposite direction, struck him with a cane, shouting:

'Out of the way, you miserable wretch!'

When they had swept past, the dervish rose and called after them:

'May you attain all that you desire in the world, even up to its highest ranks!'

A bystander, much impressed by this scene, approached the devout man and said to him:

'Please tell me whether your words were motivated by generosity of spirit, or because the desires of the world will undoubtedly corrupt that man even more?'

'O man of bright countenance,' said the dervish, 'has it not occurred to you that I said what I did because people who attain their real desires would not need to ride around striking dervishes?'

Sufi Wisdom: Bread and Jewels

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

A king once decided to give away a part of his wealth by disinterested charity. At the same time he wanted to watch what happened to it. So he called a baker whom he could trust and told him to bake two loaves of bread. In the first was to be baked a number of jewels, and in the other, nothing but flour and water.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Fate

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

There was once a Dervish who had divinatory powers, having arrived at the Fourth Stage of Understanding. A certain woman who had four young sons and was anxious for their future, approached him and begged him to take them under his protection.

The Dervish pondered, and then said:

'Ask me not why; but make sure that the first boy becomes a shopkeeper, the second a priest and the third a soldier. If they do not take up these occupations it will not go well for them: but if they do, they will be protected.'

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Bahaudin and the Wanderer

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Bahaudin el-Shah, great teacher of the Naqshbandi dervishes, one day met a confrére in the great square of Bokhara.

The newcomer was a wandering Kalendar of the Malamati, the "Blameworthy". Bahaudin was surrounded by disciples. 'From where do you come?' he asked the traveller, in the usual Sufi phrase.

-- 'I have no idea,' said the other, grinning foolishly.

Some of Bahaudin's disciples murmured their disapproval of his disrespect.

'Where are you going?' persisted Bahaudin.

-- 'I do not know,' shouted the dervish.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: The Food

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

The heart eats a particular food from every companion;
the heart receives a particular nourishment
from every single piece of knowledge.
-- Rumi

Sufi Wisdom: The Cypress

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

A sage was asked: 'Of so many notable, high and fertile trees which God the most high has created, not one is called free, except the cypress, which bears no fruit. What is the reason of this?'

He replied: 'Every tree has its appropriate season of fruit, so that it is sometimes flourishing therewith, and looks sometimes withered by its absence; with the cypress, however, neither is the case, it being fresh at all times, and this is the quality of those who are free.'

Sufi Wisdom: Where I Sit

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As militant Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

In honor of Friday having been April Fool's Day, it's fitting to have another Nasrudin tale this week -- this one illustrating the importance of perspective and utility, among other things:

At a gathering of divines, Nasrudin was seated right at the end of the room, farthest from the place of honour.

Presently he began to tell jokes, and soon people were crowded around him, laughing and listening. Nobody was taking any notice of the greybeard who was giving a learned discourse. When he could no longer hear himself speak, the president of the assembly roared out:

'You must be silent! Nobody may talk unless he sits where the Chief sits.'

'I don't know how you see it,' said Nasrudin, 'but it strikes me that where I sit is where the Chief sits.'

Sufi Wisdom: From the Top

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

From Idries Shah's The Commanding Self, a little tale about missing the point:

A shopkeeper had a cask of oil, which he sealed with his ring-impression after filling it full. His assistants, however, found that they could steal oil by drilling a hole near the bottom of the barrel and plugging it until they wanted to draw off the oil from there.

When the shopkeeper opened his cask and found that, although the top was secure, the level had gone down, he was baffled. He asked a wiser man, who was a customer at his shop, what this might mean.

The wise man said, 'Some has been drawn off from the bottom: why don you look there for the source of your problem?'

'Fool!' shouted the shopkeeper: 'I am talking about the oil that is missing from the top!'

What is the shopkeeper missing (besides some of his oil)?

Sufi Wisdom: Delusion

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

This week's wisdom is a lesson from Rumi, concerning the origin - and cost - of ill-natured behavior:

Delusion is a divine curse
that makes someone envious, conceited, malicious,
so that he doesn't know the evil he does
will strike him back.
If he could see his nothingness
and his deadly, festering wound,
pain would arise from looking within,
and that pain would save him.

Sufi Wisdom: The Dog and the Donkey

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As militant Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

A man who had found out how to understand the significance of the sounds made by animals, was walking along a village street one day.

He saw a donkey, which had just brayed, and beside him was a dog, yapping away for all he was worth.

As he drew near, the meaning of this exchange came to him.

'All this talk of grass and pastures, when I am waiting for you to say something about rabbits and bones: it bores me,' said the dog.

The man could not restrain himself. 'There is, however, a central fact - the use of the hay, which is like the function of meat,' he objected.

The two animals turned upon him in an instant. The dog barked fiercely to drown his words, and the donkey knocked him senseless with a well-aimed kick of his hind legs.

Then they went back to their argument.

Sufi Wisdom: Nine or Ten?

T.L. James writes MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Sufi Wisdom: Instruction vs. Attention

T.L. James writes MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Abdullah ben Yahya was showing a manuscript, which he had written, to a visitor.

This man said: 'But this word has been incorrectly spelt.'

He at once deleted the word and wrote it in the manner of which his guest approved.

When the man left, Abdullah was asked: 'Why did you do that, considering that the "correction" was in fact inaccurate, and you wrote the wrong word where the original one had been right?'

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: World of Their Own

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

As terrorist Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

From Shah's Learning How to Learn, an observation apropos the Churchill brouhaha -- and one which possibly hits closer to home:

It is often said, and almost as often seen, that those who imagine that they are scholars 'live in a world of their own'.

How little it is noticed, though, that this world of their own is not the world of whoever or whatever they are supposed to be studying.

Note this and you will not be surprised at the otherwise amazing imaginings of the armchair scholar.

Sufi Wisdom: Looking For Your Face

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

As militant Islam does its best to discredit the religion, it is important to remember that there are other voices within the faith. One such is the Sufis, a branch of Islamic mystics with roots in many religious traditions. The lessons of Sufism are often communicated through humorous stories and mystical or romantic poetry.

Sufi love poetry can be beautiful when taken at face value -- as referencing the romantic bonds between human lovers, the worldly love of man and woman, the courtly love of a man for the Lady of the Manor, or simply the abstraction of Love as a personified force. But as with other Sufi materials, this romantic poetry functions on another level, reflecting the "creed of love" as Sufism is often described. Love is worship, and the Beloved is the Divine.

From the beginning of my life
I have been looking for your face
but today I have seen it

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Thought and Property

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

This from Shah's Knowing How to Know parallels, in a way, the previously discussed "attention transaction":

"Thought and belief are a property interest.

Because belief does not look like, say, a piece of land or a possession, people of all kinds are unable to realise what is going on within them.

All human systems exchange the two kinds of property: material and thought.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: 'All Shrines Are A Hoax'

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

Mulla Nasrudin's father was the highly-respected keeper of a shrine, the burial-place of a great teacher which was a place of pligrimage attracting the credulous and the Seekers After Truth alike.

In the usual course of events, Nasrudin could be expected to inherit this position. But soon after his fifteenth year, when he was considered to be a man, he decided to follow the ancient maxim: 'Seek knowledge, even if it be in China.'

'I will not try to prevent you, my son,' said his father. So Nasrudin saddled a donkey and set off on his travels.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Flour and Salt

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

Once upon a time there was a fool who was sent to buy flour and salt. He took a dish to carry his purchases.

'Make sure,' said the man who sent him, 'not to mix the two things -- I want them separate.'

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: The Reward

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

Nasrudin had some good news for the King, and after a great deal of difficulty managed to gain an audience -- although by tradition every subject theoretically had the right of immediate access to the Court.

The King was pleased with what he had been told. 'Choose your own reward.' he said.

'Fifty lashes,' said Nasrudin.

Puzzled, the King ordered that Nasrudin be beaten.

When twenty-five strokes had been administered, Nasrudin called: 'Stop!'

'Now,' he said, 'bring in my partner, and give him the other half of the reward. The chamberlain, Your Majesty, would not allow me to see you unless I would swear to give him exactly half of anything that I got as a result of my good news.'

But what is the deeper meaning here?

What seems to be a simple tale of the wages of greed as usual has another layer of meaning

Sufi Wisdom: Expectations

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

In The Magic Monastery, Idries Shah relates a lesson in expectations:

One of the most eminent Sheikhs said:
'I used always to cause severe disappointment in everyone who came to me to become a disciple. I failed to appear at the appointed lecture times. I was lazy and forgetful. When I had promised to demonstrate an exercise or impart a secret, I usually did not do so at all.

'Now, first examine the effect if I had fulfilled the expectations of the disciple. He would have become so pleased with himself at having been given something that others lacked, that this pleasure would have inflated his pride.

'Only by experiencing disappointment can a person register its effects on himself. Disappointment cannot exist without expectation. No expectation in the Sufi Way is accurate. "The expected apricot is never as sweet when it reaches the mouth."'

Sufi Wisdom: The Means of Approach

As part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series, we offer this repreoduction of a daily thought from the Naqshbandi Sufi Order. Sufi stories aren't just treasures from the past - they are the teaching tools of a faith that lives to this day.

Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 12:39:17 -0500
From: "Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order"
Subject: Mawlana Shaykh Nazim: the means of approach

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem was-salaat was-salaam `ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa `ala aalihi wa sahbihi ajma`een

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim said:

"Everything He Almighty has given to the Descendants of Adam is temporary, not worthy of that ultimate love. You must give your love to the One who is always in existence - from pre eternity to post-eternity.

'Glorified is the Ever-living (Lord), for whom there is no Death'

At any time sorrowful and unliked events may - and will - descend upon you, your Lord makes them a means of approach to Him that He may pour out everlasting Love Oceans on His beloved servants.

This is a very important point, and a very heavy one. We must comprehend these wisdoms and their import, but such a realization will evade us as long as we are thinking that these are just some words. That Divine Love must be tasted. As much as I may repeat the words: 'Honey, honey, honey...' or describe the characteristics and flavour of honey, as long as you are not tasting it, you are not going to be satisfied. These realities must be tasted, and unless you have reached that point you cannot understand more than these words."

JK: Here's wishing everyone all the best in the New Year. Whatever form it may come in.

Sufi Wisdom: The Rose

Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series. This entry comes from The Gift, Poems by Hafiz, the Great Sufi Master, translated by Daniel Ladinsky. It was used brilliantly in an art photo called "It Felt Love" which uses an optical illusion to tie the whole composition together.

To which I add a saying of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav:

This holiday season, fear not - and spread the light. Merry Christmas!

Sufi Wisdom: Duck Soup

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

In this Mulla Nasrudin tale, Nasrudin accepts a gift...and discovers that it comes with strings attached.

"One day, a peasant went to visit Nasrudin, attracted by his great fame and desirous of meeting the most illustrated [sic] man in the land. As a gift, the peasant brought along a magnificent duck. Mullah Nasrudin, honored by the offering, invited the man in to dine and spend the night in his house. The next day, the peasant returned to his fields, happy to have spent a few hours with such an important figure.

A few days later, the peasant’s children went to the city and on the way home dropped by to see Mullah. They introduced themselves: "We’re the children of the man who gave you the duck."

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Reason and Desire

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

This week, Rumi offers an instructive distinction between reason and desire:

"It is the nature of Reason to see to the End; It is the nature of desire not to."

What do you suppose he means by this? Is he placing reason above desire, or is he using desire to highlight the limits of reason? Or something else entirely?

Sufi Wisdom: The Attention Transaction

by T.L. James of MarsBlog. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

One of the more eye-opening items I've come across in reading about the Sufis is what Shah calls (in Learning How to Learn) the attention transaction.

One of the keys to human behavior is the attention-factor.

Anyone can verify that many instances, generally supposed to be important or useful human transactions on any subject (social, commercial, etc.,) are in fact disguised attention-situations.

read the rest! »

Sufi Wisdom: Patience

by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

Whatever takes place quickly is not permanent.

I have heard that eastern loam is made
In forty days into a porcelain cup.
A hundred are daily made in Baghdad.
Hence thou seest also their price is vile.

A little fowl issues from the egg and seeks food
Whilst man's progeny has no knowledge, sense or discernment.
Nevertheless the former attains nothing when grown up
Whilst the latter surpasses all beings in dignity and excellence.
Glass is everywhere, and therefore of no account,
But a ruby difficult to get, and therefore precious.

Sufi Wisdom: The Effects of Education

by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

A vezier who had a stupid son gave him in charge of a scholar to instruct him and if possible to make him intelligent. Having been some time under instruction but ineffectually, the learned man sent one to his father with the words: 'The boy is not becoming intelligent and has made a fool of me.'

When a nature is originally receptive
Instruction will take effect thereon.
No kind of polishing will improve iron
Whose essence is originally bad.
Wash a dog in the seven oceans,
He will be only dirtier when he gets wet.
If the ass of Jesus be taken to Mekkah
He will on his return still be an ass.

Sufi Wisdom: In the Street of the Perfume Sellers

by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

A scavenger, walking down the street of the perfume-sellers, fell down as if dead. People tried to revive him with sweet odours, but he only became worse. Finally a former scavenger came along, and recognized the situation. He held something filthy under the man's nose and he immediately revived, calling out: 'This is indeed perfume!'

Sufi Wisdom: The Greatest Enemy

by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

I said to a friend that I have chosen rather to be silent than to speak because on most occasions good and bad words are scattered concurrently but enemies perceive only the latter. He replied: 'That enemy is the greatest who does not see any good.'

The brother of enmity passes not near a good man
Except to consider him as a most wicked liar.

Virtue is to the eyes of enmity the greatest fault.
Sa'di is a rose but to the eye of enemies a thorn.

The world illumining sun and fountain of light
Look ugly to the eye of the mole.

Sufi Wisdom: What Have You Got?

by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Sufi Wisdom series.

When a man thinks he has everything, he may be able to gain what he really needs.
When a man thinks he has something, he has nothing at all.
When a man thinks that he has nothing, he may be able to get something.
When he thinks that he must give, he must not try. When he thinks he cannot give, giving -- and gaining -- are coming closer to him.

Sufi Wisdom: The Prisoner's Words

by T.L. James of Mars Blog and Man of Two Worlds. Part of our weekly Suf