Curriculum of the Sufi Order, Lesson 1
- Title
- Curriculum of the Sufi Order, Lesson 1
- Date
- January 2000
- Decade
- 2000s
- Sequence
- 1
- Description
-
Now, January, Year 2000 we proceed systematically in an in-depth study of the teaching to be given as a Curriculum in the classes of the centers of the Sufi Order. It is also available to those organizations dedicated to giving the teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan.
These lessons will be sent in priority to active Representatives holding classes, then to mureeds wishing to receive it, then to the public. - Topic(s)
- Awakening
- Consciousness
- Sufi Path
- Type of Publication
- Curriculum of the Sufi Order
- Media
- Writing
- Pages
- 4
- Identifier
- CSO1
- File Format
- Language
- English
- Author(s)
- Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan
- Courtesy Of
- Amida Cary
- Full Text
-
CURRICULUM OF SUFI ORDER
Teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan,
Parallels with earlier Sufis,
Comparative religion,
Comments,
Practices.
LESSON ONE.
So far a few installments have already been issued as a preview, conveying a sense of the foundations of Hazrat Inayat Khan's teaching.
Now, January, Year 2000 we proceed systematically in an in-depth study of the teaching to be given as a Curriculum in the classes of the centers of the Sufi Order. It is also available to those organizations dedicated to giving the teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan.
These lessons will be sent in priority to active Representatives holding classes, then to mureeds wishing to receive it, then to the public.
Since these lessons are programmed to correspond to the progressive developmental stages in a consistent training, we may have to reiterate some of the thoughts already sent out while elaborating them further experientially. Besides for the Curriculum to grow, as all living things it will have to evolve, to keep being improved as we go along.
Earmark each saying of Pir o Murshid Inayat Khan and meditate upon it for some time asking yourself how it affects your thinking, your realization, your motivation, your insight, your attunement.
The condition of doing this lies in acquiescing that the progress in our understanding does consist in grasping ways of thinking that are novel, more sophisticated than the familiar one. Although It would seem reasonable to abandon the earlier vistas to cleave to the more advanced ones, actually, as one develops further insight, one realizes that all these perspectives have their validity (albeit relative). It is just like shifting ones' perspective while looking at a hologram; all those perspectives are valid. In the case of our lives, there are circumstances when one of these perspectives calls our attention particularly. But if we familiarize ourselves with these different perspectives, we could learn to extrapolate between at least those better known to us, which will give us a richer understanding of the issues that we are encountering in our lives.
But let us bear in mind that our minds can not only extrapolate between these perspectives, but grasp the way they actually cross-pollinate in what one might call a mirroring effect. Furthermore we need to account for the effect of doing upon understanding, not just understanding upon doing.
But there is more: one needs to account for the antipodal point of view to one's own, which esoteric traditions call the divine point of view, but in our modern way of thinking one may ascribe to the thinking of the universe.
As a preliminary to starting any meditation there are some basic realizations that are of the utmost importance to spark your motivation and your orientation.
True exaltation comes from the fact that it has come to earth and has realized there its spiritual being.
The soul manifests in the world in order that it may experience the different phases of manifestation, yet not lose its way, but regain its original freedom in addition to the experience and knowledge it has gained in the world.
Perfect realization can only be gained by passing through all the stages of life between man: the manifestation of God and God, the only Being, knowing and realizing ourselves from the lowest to the highest point of existence, and so accomplishing the heavenly journey.
There is a time in life when a passion is awakened in the soul which gives the soul a longing for the unattainable, and if the soul does not take that direction, then it certainly misses something in life for which is its innate longing and in which lies its ultimate satisfaction.
This craving for the attainment of what is unattainable, gives the soul a longing to reach life's utmost heights. It is the nature of the soul to try and discover what is behind the veil; it is the soul's constant longing to climb heights which are beyond his power; it is the desire of the soul to see something that it has never seen; it is the constant longing of the soul to know something it has never known. But the most wonderful thing about it is that the soul already knows there is something behind this veil, the veil of perplexity; that there is something to be sought for in the highest spheres of life; that there is some beauty to be seen; that there is Someone to be known who is knowable. This desire, this longing, is not acquired; this desire is a dim knowledge of the soul which it has in itself.
The love for the unattainable object has every possibility of developing, whereas when the object of love is within reach this is often a check upon love.
There is a stage where, by touching a particular phase of existence, one feels raised above the limitations of life and given that power and peace and freedom, that light and life which belongs to the source of all beings, but dissolved in it; for the source is oneself.
One can lift oneself beyond worldly conditions at the command of one's will.
So our first lesson is our preparation for the journey:
We are all on the journey; life itself is a journey. No one is settled here; we are all passing onward, and therefore it is not true to say, that if we are taking a spiritual journey we have to break our settled life; there is no one living a settled life here; all are unsettled, all are on their way. Only, by taking the spiritual journey you are taking another way, one which is easier, better and more pleasant. Those who do not take way, they also will come in the end: the difference is in the way. One way is easier, smoother, better; the other way is full of difficulties; and as life has no end of difficulties from the time one has opened one's eyes on this earth, so one may just as well choose the smoother way to arrive at the destination at which all souls will sometimes arrive.
By inner life' is meant a life directed towards perfection, The inner life is not necessarily in an opposite direction to the worldly life, but the inner life is a fuller life. The worldly life means the limitation of life; the inner life means a complete life. The ascetics who have taken a direction quite opposite to the worldly life, have done so in order to have the facility to search into the depth of life; but going in one direction alone does not make a complete life. Therefore the inner life means the fullness of life.
The inner life is a journey, and before starting to take it there is a certain preparation necessary. If one is not prepared, there is always the risk of having to return before one has arrived at one's destination. When a person goes on a journey, and when he has to accomplish something, he must know what is necessary on the path and what he must take with him, in order that his journey may become easy and that he may accomplish what he has started to accomplish. One must have everything prepared, so that after reaching a certain distance one may not have to turn back.
The first thing that is necessary is to see that there is no debt to be paid. Every soul has a certain debt to pay in life; it may to be to his mother or father, his brother or sister, to his husband or wife or friend, or to his children, his race, or to humanity; and if he has not paid what is due, then there are cords with which he is inwardly tied, and they pull him back. Life in the world is fair trade, if one could only understand it, if one knew how many souls there are in this world with whom one is connected or related in some way, or whom we meet freshly every day. To everyone there is something due; and if one has not paid one's obligations, the result is that afterwards one has to pay with interest.
There is the inner justice which is working beyond the worldly justice, and when man does not observe that inner law of justice, it is because at that time he is intoxicated, his eyes are closed, and he does not really know the law of life. But that intoxication will not last; there will come a day when the eyes of every soul will be opened; and it is a pity if the eyes open when it is too late. To some consideration is due, to some respect, to some service, to some tolerance, to some forgiveness, to some help. In some way or other, in every relationship, in every connection there is something to pay; and one must know before starting the journey that one has paid it, and be sure that one has paid it in full, so there is nothing more to be paid. Besides this it is necessary that man, before starting his journey, realizes that he has fulfilled his duties, his duty to those around him and duty to God. But the one who considers his duty to those around him sacredly does his duty to God.
Man must also consider, before starting on his journey, whether he has learned all he desired to learn from this world. If there is anything he has not learned, he must finish it before starting the journey. For if he thinks, ≠I will start the journey although I had the desire to learn something before starting', in that case he will not be able to reach his goal; that desire to learn something will draw him back. Every desire, every ambition, every aspiration that he has in life must be gratified. Not only this, man must have no remorse of any kind when starting on his journey, and no repentance afterwards. If there is any repentance or remorse, it must be finished before starting.
There must be no grudge against anybody, and no complaining of anyone having done him harm, for all these things which belong to this world, if man took them along, would become a burden on the spiritual path. The journey is difficult enough, and it becomes more difficult if there is a burden to be carried. If a person is lifting a burden of displeasure, dissatisfaction, discomfort, it is difficult to bear it on that path. It is a path to freedom, and to start on this path to freedom man must free himself, no attachment should pull him back, no pleasure should lure him back.
Besides this preparation one needs a vehicle, a vehicle in which one journeys. That vehicle has two wheels, and they are balance in all things. A man who is one-sided, however great his power of clairvoyance or clairaudience, whatever be his knowledge, yet is limited; he cannot go very far, for it requires two wheels for the vehicle to run. There must be a balance, the balance of the head and the heart, the balance of power and wisdom, the balance of activity and repose. It is the balance which enables man to stand the strain of this journey and permits him to go forward, making his path easy. Never imagine for one moment that those who show lack of balance can ever proceed further on the spiritual journey, however greatly in appearance they may seem to be spiritually inclined. It is only the balanced ones who are capable of experiencing the external life as fully as the inner life; to enjoy thought as much as feeling; to rest as well as to act. The centre of life is rhythm, and rhythm causes balance.
On this journey certain coins are necessary also, to spend on the way. And what are these coins? They are thoughtful expressions in word and in action. On this journey man must take provision to eat and drink, and that provision is life and light. And on this journey man has to take something in which to clothe himself against wind, and storm, and heat, and cold; and that garment is the vow of secrecy, the tendency to silence. On this journey man has to bid farewell to others when starting, and that farewell is loving detachment; before starting on this journey he has to leave something behind with his friends, and that is happy memories of the past.