Subject: Murshid Sam Dargah Dedicaon and Celebraon From: Shabda Kahn Date: 9/2/2017 8:59 PM To:

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1 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 1 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Subject: Murshid Sam Dargah Dedicaon and Celebraon From: Shabda Kahn <shabda@marinsufis.com> Date: 9/2/2017 8:59 PM To: shafee@sufipaths.net Beloved Family, I will do my best to share some of the wonderful moments during the Murshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration Retreat. This will likely be a long note, so wait until you have some time to make your way through. Murshid Samuel Lewis We arrived at noon on Thursday August 24, so as to have the afternoon to prepare for the 80 folks attending the retreat from near and far which would swell to 200 pilgrims on Saturday August 26, 2017 for the public Dedication Day. As we walked up the construction access path, so many wildflowers greeted us. A Brief Biography The Dargah Project Frequently Asked Questions Join the "300 for $1,000" Fundraising Campaign thank you for your generous support ~ Our Project Manager, Malik Lee Braun, and the masons had the task of turning a construction work site into a safe zone for pilgrims. A small bridge was built for pilgrims that is only temporary, the enormous forklift/crane had to move tons of stone off the dance floor into a secure area. LED lights were put up so we could zikr into the evening. "So here I am in a spiritual commune way up in the Rockies, where

2 2 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM they practice, practice, practice what others preach, preach, preach". - Murshid Samuel L. Lewis writing about Lama in an excerpt from his diaries dated June 6, 1970 The retreat began Thursday evening with a public Zikr in the Lama Dome with some 150 in attendance. Friday morning our 80 retreatants met in the Lama Dome and we set off in silence carrying a green chaddar (tomb cover) from Khwaja Moineddin Chishti's Dargah and a golden chaddar from Hazrat Inayat Khan's Dargah. I requested that women lead the way.

3 3 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM The chaddars were placed on the grave mound one over the other. We began with singing Zikr! Many of us shared our experiences and aspirations for the Dargah, but the most moving was when we all rose and did Zikr and Dancing around the grave. Touching and inspired stories of Murshid were told.

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5 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 5 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM By far the most beautiful time together was Friday afternoon, when the Zikrs went very deep. It felt as if every stone and piece of wood used in the building was expressing gratitude for being used. We will work on a video montage of the many zikrs and ceremonies. Friday night began with the traditional Lama Shabbat ceremonies, led by Mirabai Starr and Zuleikha. Zuleikha danced a beautiful story of a place where people experienced hell because even though they had everything they could want, their arms didn't bend at the elbow and they couldn't eat. That later turned into heaven, when they realized they could feed each other! Saturday morning we began the Open Day Dargah Dedication Celebration in the Lama Dome with the 200 pilgrims in attendance. Naturally we began with Murshid Sam's Opening Dance Allah, Allah,...Er Rahman Er Raheem.

6 6 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Mirabai Starr and I were the hosts. Mirabai began with a very moving, beautiful text/poem which she had received. Invocation for Dargah Blessing Beloved One, Boundless Ground of All That Is, Thank you for your luminous Presence among us As we gather to honor this great being, Murshid SAM, Who embodies the truth of Oneness, Who lived that wisdom in every cell of his body, Whose awakening to Love overflowed the vessel of his soul And spilled like light into the cup of countless other souls, Radiating through song and dance, Grounded in the very ground of Mother Earth, Who burst into blossom at his loving touch. Murshid welcomed everyone to the Table, Celebrating the sweet and fiery elixir of transformation Bubbling from the heart of all spiritual traditions: From the transcendent ecstasy of Sufism To the noble stillness of Zen, From the vibrancy of the Christian Trinity To the ancient rootedness of his own Jewish heritage, Drawing on the wisdom of the Indigenous ways And the love-longing of the Bhakti path. And his enduring spirit welcomes us, Each of us, As we allow the gates of our hearts to open, Releasing the flood of unifying love we yearn for, Dispelling the shadows of sorrow and separation, Melting the walls of otherness, So that in this moment,

7 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 7 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM In this sacred place, We may experience the quintessence of Sam's legacy In the bones of our bodies And the vast reaches of our consciousness. His is a call to remembrance. We remember. We give thanks. (Mirabai Starr, August 26, 2017, Lama Foundation) Next, Mirabai led a ritual where everyone was given a paper and pen and asked to write their aspirations and prayers. As we wrote our aspirations, Murshida Leilah sang with harmonium. Then the prayers were ceremonially offered into the sacred fire. Then we gathered with the two chaddars from Khwaja Moineddin Chishti and Hazrat Inayat Khan, led by the women, up the hill to Murshid's gravemound.

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10 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 0 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM After opening remarks by Mirabai and myself, Jai Cross, the Lama Bean who was instrumental in planting many, many trees after the fire, gave a beautiful blessing for the land and the Dargah using water and tobacco in the Native American manner.

11 11 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Malik, our Project Manager for the past 6 years, gave some history of the construction process, his own direct inner and outer experiences at the Dargah and introduced many of the extraordinary craftspeople who contributed to the beauty and strength of the Dargah. The chaddars were now removed and Siddiq Von Briesen, one of Lama Foundation's founders, known to some as Asha's brother, led us in a beautiful ritual of washing the stones. Every single person present came up to the grave and washed the quartz rocks as they washed their hearts and purified the atmosphere, all accompanied by Zuleikha singing and leading "Sufi Ahmed Murad Chishti, Shakur Allah Shakur Allah!"

12 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 12 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Washing the Stones The morning concluded with all 200 dancing the Kalama, somehow all fitting on the on the

13 13 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Dargah floor! In the words of Rebecca's son Gavin, writing a school report:

14 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 14 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM In the afternoon all pilgrims met at the Dargah. We began with Murshid Allaudin and Murshida Asha leading Drink with the Beloved, followed by a meditation led by Murshida Asha. We then heard from Eric Doud, the architect, speaking on how Sacred Geometry was the compass of his design. He shared that the zome geometry of the Dargah dome echoes the same zome geometry in the old Lama kitchen.

15 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 15 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Ravi Babcock, Lama Dargah Liaison, who has been involved in nearly every part of the construction followed, eloquently walking us through all the many beings who have contributed their mastery of construction. Now we were treated to stories of Murshid Sam told by his direct disciples who were present, beginning with Mansur Johnson,

16 16 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM followed by Nasima Bernhardt (then Lomax). Both Mansur and Nasima were present in January 1971 when Murshid's coffin arrived at Lama, placed in the center of the Lama Dome with the newly printed boxes of BE HERE NOW all around the edge of the dome! Then Sara Morgan shared

17 urshid Sam Dargah Dedication and Celebration 17 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM and Wahid Miller, who spent time with Murshid Sam when he travelled to the East Coast in Fall 1970, had us laughing throughout! We did Zikr again to close. After dinner Saturday we went back up the hill for evening Zikr at the Dargah, the sound and feeling echoed into the canyon with our first evening zikr at Murshid's Dargah. LED lights lit up the space. With the Saturday dedication ceremony complete, on Sunday morning we were back with our retreat group. We met at the Dargah, sang some Zikr and heard from Tawwaba Bloch, from the Murshid Sam Biography Project, Kabir McKinnon, head of the Murshid Sam Dargah Committee for the Ruhaniat Board of Trustees, Waduda Welsh, head of the Dargah Fundraising Committee and Basira Beardsworth, Ruhaniat Secretariat and Treasurer. We closed with Shakur Allah ~ Each Breath I take is through Thy Grace and of course, the

18 18 of 18 9/3/2017 2:55 PM Kalama. Closing Kalama Dance We were grateful the weather tuned to our time together. The day we arrived it was stormy. As soon as the Dedication and Celebration began, the weather was very beautiful and clear, Thursday evening until Sunday midday. As soon as we made the closing prayers on Sunday before lunch, the dark clouds gathered and thunder and lightning accompanied us down the hill to Lama Central! Much love, Pir Shabda SUFI RUHANIAT INTERNATIONAL, Pir Shabda Kahn, San Rafael, CA SafeUnsubscribe Forward this Update Profile About our service provider Sent by in collaboration with Try it free today