Describes the experience of suddenly discovering God’s action and being in oneself, in life. This is not like meditation where one sits back, using it as a buffer and protection from life. It is like opening the windows of the soul to discover the presence of God, of Love, and being shattered by the encounter with life.
A slow meditation, full of meaningful pauses allowing the group to follow Pir Vilayat on the path to a deep stillness that ultimately leads to grasping the nature of one’s real being: to awaken. Seeing oneself as a visitor to planet Earth helps us see the illusory nature of our self-concept--our personality, mind, thoughts, emotions. One is still involved on the earth plane, but doesn’t get caught in appearances. There is ecstasy in this freedom and in perceiving the programming and meaning of things. To be free from oneself means there is no other person: we experience all joy and sorrow as ours.
First day of a weekend retreat. Reviews the premises of the retreat (to rediscover God as sole subject and sole object) and its stages (maqams), from the previous session. Our relationship with the universe has two levels: subject-object experience and a deeper, inner identification where there are no borders: we are a vortex or axis around which the universe organizes itself. We are the grandeur, the emotions, the bounty of the universe, God’s power. With God’s inbreath we are resorbed in the Totality. With the outbreath we allow our inner resourcefulness to work through the perturbations of our life, trusting in its self-organizing power.
A thorough explanation about different forms of light that human beings may exhibit and experience is followed by instruction on light practices through breath. These move from converging the light of the universe into one’s being as one inhales and radiating light as one exhales, sweeping light and heat upward and downward through the chakras, and projecting light forward from the third eye and the physical eyes. This is very advanced practice, one of the most important practices one could do every morning,
Morning of second day of weekend retreat. The first 20 minutes is talking, followed by sound and music to guide the meditation. Explains that wazaif and mantram correspond to archaic language and their sound conveys meanings. Intones wazaif like Qadr, Quddus, Haqq, Hayy, Fattah, Alim, Ishk Allah M'ahbud Lillah. The sound of the singing bowl, gong, harp, vina express primitive forms of life and convey the universe in the early stages of evolution. Talks about music of Brahms, Schumann, Bach. Ends with choral music from Thomas Luis de Victoria's Lamentations.
Pir Vilayat shares his excitement about the emergence of scientific understandings that match contemplatives’ descriptions of reality. Great scientists are mystics reaching for greater understandings! His overview goes from Einstein’s time-space continuum and Heisenberg’s law of probability to multidimensional space, white holes, electrons and photons as beings, different universes and planes of reality. Science is no longer about laws of nature. Our time is one of awareness, suffering, and discovering the heart of God. Ends by thanking the many who are committed to Taj’s initiative [possibly a reference to Amnesty International].
Last morning of a three-day retreat in which participants are led in ascent of the planes. Summarizes kasab with spirals, from previous days: kasab can be used to propel the consciousness upwards into the planes: will and magnetic energy help part of the way; longing and attunement to the ecstasy of the plane will take one further. Describes the emotional attunement of each plane, its inhabitants, the tests that correspond to each plane, and music that conveys the emotions of the plane, compared to the Kabbalistic system.
Second day of a weekend retreat. Following the morning session on building the temple, this session explores our roles in the temple–priest, bishop, leader, knight, saint–and the wazaif that portray them (Azim, Alim, Aziz), references alchemical processes as guides for personal transformation, and explores the responsibilities of living these roles.
Close to the end of a weekend retreat. An inspiring introduction to Zikr – the “staple food” of Sufis. Previous sessions have been about wazaif and God’s qualities. Zikr is about the breakdown and rebirth of one’s whole being, an encounter with God that is oneself, the Divine Presence. Explains the meaning of the movements, words, and experience of zikr, from personal and God’s consciousness,and illustrates personal retreat stories. Occasional comparisons to Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity.
Explains Zoroastrianism, its vision of the world, prophets (Magi), archangels, and practices. The universe is a crystallization of light. The obverse is also true, which explains resurrection. We are in communion with all at the soul level. We can transmute physical matter into forms at the mental and higher levels (cites Theilhard de Chardin’s noosphere). Zoroastrian practice leads to experiencing oneself as a being of light, as pure luminous consciousness, as a knight with the power of truth.
Slow, guided meditation with light practices from Zoroastrianism, moving from concentration to contemplation. Zoroastrianism represents the victory of light over the darkness and is the path to illumination.
