Dearest Family,

Solstice Greetings! Holy Days Blessings!

My life has been a whirlwind since my last letter, starting with the Murshid Circle Retreat in our home, then the Jamiat Khas residential leaders retreat at Bishops Ranch, then to Maui for the mostly annual three day retreat at Sacred Earth Assembly retreat center, now coming home to the sad news of the passing of our dear friend and world beloved tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain.

The Murshid Circle Retreat was very harmonious and deep. We shared meals for three days prepared by our own Ulu Nichols, who was initiated as a guide at the Jamiat Khas retreat. We also had the support of dear Ramona, our dance leader from Iran!

The residential retreat for our leaders also had so much warmth and kindness along with powerful teachings from our Murshid Circle. Special thanks to Murshid(a)s Abraham and Halima for being our JK program weavers, and Waduda for being or JK manager.

Tamam and I just returned from the beautiful island of Maui, where we have had the good fortune to teach once a year for some 35 years. Naturally we are very close to our Maui Ohana (family) and deeply enjoyed being with them all. And the retreat center we use, Sacred Earth Assembly, has to be one of the most beautiful temples on the planet.

Now the sad passing of our dear Ustad Zakir Hussain, with the upcoming days involved in his rites and funeral.

Following Hazrat Inayat Khan’s suggestion for optimism, I make prayers for all of your good health and unfolding of your Path to Awakening through service and practice. We wish the same for all beings great and small in all realms. We have the enduring wish for wars and hatred to end, and for deep communion with our mother Earth, out of whom we are made. May all beings have enough to eat, a warm place to stay with loving friends and family all around.

For our local family, it is likely we will need to change the location of our monthly San Rafael Zikr Circle. More to follow once we know where and when.

In January there is still time to register for the Northern California Sufi Sesshin Jan 19-24, 2025.

Sending all love, Holy Day Blessing and Happy New Year,

Shabda

Wazifa Practice 

 Recite 101x

YA NUR ~ YA MUNAWWIR

 93. Ya Nur (yaa NOOR) ~ Ya Munawwir (yaa moo-NOW-were)

An-Nur is the essence of light, luminosity itself. A Qur'anic verse says, "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." An-Nur is the light of every soul and an inherent characteristic in every pore of your body. Munawwir is a form of the same root and means the one who illuminates.

It is interesting that the word for "hell" in Arabic is naar, which has the same root as Nur. What makes it hell is that the burning heat there is lacking in light. That kind of burning heat is our inner condition if we don't embody God's loving mercy and compassion (rahma) and instead become full of rage.

Whatever way we may turn, we see the all-pervading light of An-Nur. Even the darkness shines from within it. All the various forms of wisdom and guidance are expressions of An-Nur. For example, Nur-ul-Haqeeqah is the light of truth and guidance on the path. What continues to live on in God when we die is also a legacy of light.

To hear the pronunciation: Ya Nur

Text and Commentary to Study

This month we continue studying Akibayyat, Murshid Sam’s commentary on Hazrat Inayat Khan’s text, Akibat-Life After Death.

Let us finish with Chapter 8, Conclusion, pages 99-100.

Commentary on Akibayyat:

Life after Death