Sufi Ruhaniat International

Sufi Ruhaniat International The Esoteric Studies Program Murshid Wali Ali Meyer Prayer and the God Ideal Contents and Materials List

Table of Contents Prayer and the God-Ideal I Table of Contents i

ii Prayer and the God-Ideal I Table of Contents

* Paper 6 Movement (1)... 135 * Paper 7 Movement (2)... 135 * Paper 8 The Study of the Whole... 136 * Paper 9 The Mystery of Expression... 136 * Paper 10 Different Qualities of Mind... 137 Class 5... 139 Assignments and Practices... 139 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gatha Series II: Kashf Insight... 141 * Paper 1 The Reproduction of the Mental Record... 141 * Paper 2 Impression... 141 * Paper 3 The Balance of Live... 142 * Paper 4 The Language of the Mind... 143 * Paper 5 The Influence of Experience... 143 * Paper 6 Intuition... 144 * Paper 7 Evidence of the Thought... 145 * Paper 8 The Activity of Mind... 145 Paper 9 Likes and Dislikes... 146 Paper 10 Viprit Karnai... 146 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gatha Series II: Naqshibandi Symbology... 148 * Paper 1 Die Before Death... 148 * Paper 2 Fruitfulness... 148 * Paper 5 Wine... 149 * Paper 6 The Curl of the Beloved... 149 Paper 7 The Glance... 150 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gatha Series II: Tasawwuf Metaphysics... 151 * Paper 1 Forgiveness... 151 * Paper 2 Endurance (1)... 151 Paper 3 Endurance (2)... 152 * Paper 4 Will-Power... 152 * Paper 5 Keeping a Secret... 153 * Paper 6 Mind... 154 Paper 7 Thought... 155 * Paper 8 Tawakul: Dependence Upon God... 155 * Paper 9 Piety... 156 Paper 10 Spirituality... 157 From Murshid SAM s Commentaries on the Gatha Series II: Tasawwuf Metaphysics 158 * Piety... 158 Class 6... 161 Assignments and Practices... 161 From Hazrat Inayat Khan The Unity of Religious Ideals: The God-Ideal... 162 * God the Infinite... 162 The Self and the Merit of God... 163 * God s Dealings with Us... 163 Dependence Upon God... 164 * Divine Grace... 165 * The Will Human and Divine... 165 * Our Relation to God... 166 * Divine Manner... 167 Prayer and the God-Ideal I iii

From Hazrat Inayat Khan The Unity of Religious Ideals: Prophets and Religions... 169 * The Sufi s Conception of God... 169 Suma... 170 From Hazrat Inayat Khan The Unity of Religious Ideals... 171 Deity and Divinity... 171 From Murshid SAM s Commentaries on the Sufi Message: The Inner Life... 175 * Chapter 3 The Fulfillment of the Obligations of Human Life... 175 * Chapter 4 The Realization of the Inner Life... 182 Track List... 189 (While all texts were selected for their value in this course of study, those marked by asterisks are considered essential foundations.) iv Prayer and the God-Ideal I

About reading assignments: There is an extensive program of reading connected with this course, and I want to take some time at the beginning to explain what I hope for us to accomplish by studying these texts, and also to suggest several ways to go about doing this. This is not a university course and so, even though we have a lot of reading, we need to go about it not as an intellectual exercise, but as an occasion for inner receptivity and contemplative reflection. A single sentence, or a single lesson can easily provide a whole universe of meaning. The important thing is to respect these teachings by taking them up daily and weekly in conjunction with prayer and spiritual practice. The volume of material to be covered is not nearly as important as the simple attitude and regularity referred to above. These readings are large in number because the spiritual message given by Hazrat Inayat Khan is vast, and I think it is important to introduce people to its grand and universal scope. You may stretch out the time to study these lessons according to your own temperament and style of learning. There is not any one right way to do this. In order to m ake the process som ewhat easier to navigate, I have gone through the assignm ents and starred those that I feel are especially important to read. One person can read a whole library and remain dense as a stone, while another may hear one word and be illuminated. Proceed freely at your own pace, without guilt or blame, and delight in the sacred teachings. Love and Blessings, Wali Ali Prayer and the God-Ideal I

Prayer and the God-Ideal Series I Track List Class 1 Disk 1 1.01 Invocation, 10 Thoughts, 3 Purposes... 3:45 1.02 The Stream of Blessing... 3:30 1.03 Intro to Zikr... 3:55 1.04 Zikr... 6:27 1.05 So Where Do We Begin?... 5:49 1.06 The First Step = How to Pray... 5:25 1.07 God is the Only Thing that Exists... 3:02 1.08 Assignments and Support for Practice... 5:26 1.09 The Sun... 1:07 1.10 Q&A re: Breaths... 1:30 1.11 Nayaz... 0:47 1.12 Q&A... 2:49 1.13 Regarding Payment... 3:23 1.14 Gratitude and Invitation... 2:59 1.15 112 Centering Exercises... 0:48 1.16 Reading from Commentary on Morals III... 7:06 1.17 Reading Part 2... 2:20 1.18 Sharing Silence... 1:07 1.19 Khatum... 1:06 1.20 Closing and Blessing... 2:45 Class 2 Disk 1 2.01 Saum... 1:28 2.02 Invocation... 1:30 2.03 Breathing Toward the One... 2:10 2.04 Overview Creation of Sangha... 4:13 2.05 What was it Like to do Prostrations?... 1:56 2.06 Response to Doing Prayers?... 2:45 2.07 Invitation to be Honest in Responses... 1:42 2.08 Spiritual Guide as Cupid... 1:06 2.09 God-Ideal as Evolving... 0:37 2.10 Despair as an Effect of Prostrations... 4:28 2.11 Prayer as Devotion... 2:16 2.12 Both Ends of the Polarity are God... 0:47 2.13 Purification Breaths and Nayaz... 0:55 2.14 Challenge of Remembering Words of Prayers... 1:12 2.15 Transmission of Blessing through Initiatic Link. 4:53 2.16 Better to Have an Argument with God... 2:10 2.17 The Eyes Through Which I Sought to See God.. 1:04 2.18 Q. re: Bargaining During Practices... 3:36 2.19 Sam s Story of the Seeds... 1:15 2.20 Q. If God is a Concept, Why Prostrate?... 3:36 2.21 Impersonal vs. Personal God... 1:06 2.22 Uncovering the Personal God... 2:17 2.23 Buddha Go to the 0 Instead of the 1... 3:08 2.24 The Value of the Guide... 2:12 2.25 Reading: Belief in God Comes Like the Tide... 3:10 2.26 Reading: God is the Steppingstone to Self-Realization... 1:51 Class 2 Disk 2 2.27 The Bridge from Limitation to Perfection.. 3:49 2.28 The Ontological Question of the Existence of God... 2:00 2.29 What Can I Surrender to Without Fear?... 1:57 2.30 How the Wazifas Function... 3:11 2.31 Opening to the Quality that You Lack... 1:52 2.32 Concentration Practice The Sun... 4:48 2.33 Silence Connecting with the Source... 0:18 2.34 Silence continued... 1:12 2.35 Three Wazifa... 7:31 2.36 Opening to Trust in the Guide... 3:29 2.37 Feedback from a Participant... 4:19 2.38 The Practice of Nimaz... 6:44 2.39 The Overprescription of Prostrations... 3:16 2.40 Resistance to Master, Messiah... 1:32 2.41 Messiah is the Embodiment of Perfection.. 0:59 2.42 The Master has Mastery... 1:35 2.43 Gender Language and Realized Women... 2:29 2.44 Reaction Informs Us to Our Nature... 1:16 2.45 Saum Transcendent God, Salat Incarnate God... 1:43 2.46 Mohammed is the Last Prophet?... 2:17 2.47 Mohammed is the Last Prophet, cont.... 5:28 2.48 Nuri Mohammed... 5:57 2.49 The Message, Not the Messenger... 1:07 2.50 A Sincere Invitation to Communicate... 1:04 2.51 Khatum... 1:04 Prayer and the God-Ideal I Track List 189

Prayer and the God-Ideal Series I Track List Class 3 Disk 1 3.01 Saum... 1:57 3.02 Salat... 2:21 3.03 Invocation... 2:49 3.04 Living Toward the One... 4:07 3.05 Establishing the Love Affair with God... 10:34 3.06 The God-Ideal: Beyond the Concept... 12:54 3.07 Awakening to the Truth of the All-Pervading Love... 7:09 3.08 Writing a Love Poem to God... 4:31 3.09 Three Wazifas... 5:04 3.10 Concentration on the Sun Symbol... 9:52 3.11 Concentration on Symbols... 2:39 3.12 Tasawwuf on the Sun... 4:35 Class 3 Disk 2 3.13 The Divine Nature is Forgiving... 2:04 3.14 Tasawwuf on the Sun part 2... 5:31 3.15 Tasawwuf on the Sun part 3... 4:22 3.16 Tasawwuf on the Sun part 4... 7:36 3.17 Ya Nuri... 4:02 3.18 Gathas on Forgiveness... 6:26 3.19 Incarnation is a Reverse Samadhi... 4:39 3.20 Forgiveness is Releasing Judgment... 6:02 3.21 Review of Assignments... 7:23 3.22 Joe s Allah Bismillah + Khatum... 2:29 Class 4 Disk 1 4.01 The Strength to be Firm on the Path... 4:16 4.02 Trust, Self-Assurance, Patience, Experience... 5:00 4.03 A Historical Side-Note... 2:08 4.04 Discipline and Disciple... 5:13 4.05 Life s Lessons as Tests... 3:11 4.06 The Nature of Powers... 10:52 4.07 Q&A Potential Ego Effects of Practice?... 4:00 Class 4 Disk 2 4.08 Invitation to Share Poems to God... 2:50 4.09 Hafiz Poem... 5:21 4.10 This is the Key to Eternity... 1:29 4.11 Wali Ali Commentary on Saum I... 6:45 4.12 Judge and Forgiver Saum II... 11:32 4.13 Federation of the Message... 1:43 4.14 The Next Phase Extended Wazifa Practice.. 4:53 4.15 Ya Fattah, Ya Wahabo, Ya Ghani... 9:59 Class 5 Disk 1 5.01 Prayer Saum... 3:12 5.02 Three Wazifas... 3:33 5.03 Invocation... 0:28 5.04 Path of Initiation and Discipleship 1 -- Link of Teacher to Student... 3:26 5.05 Path of Initiation and Discipleship 2 -- Bayat Binds through Guide to Silsila... 4:10 5.06 Path of Initiation and Discipleship 3 -- Importance of Love and Devotion... 4:05 5.07 Why Bayat is Required for This Studey... 5:15 5.08 Feedback about Assignments, Inspiration for Practice... 14:12 5.09 We are All in this Breath Together... 6:56 5.10 Path of Initiation and Discipleship 4 -- The attitude of the Disciple... 3:14 5.11 Don t Do the Practices for Me or for God!... 1:47 5.12 Concentration on the Circle and the Dot... 3:22 Class 5 Disk 2 5.13 The Body is the Instrument of the Soul... 5:37 5.14 Heart and Mind are the Same Globe... 3:59 5.15 Imagine the Sun Giving Sustenance... 2:27 5.16 Gatha on Piety (Piety is Purity)... 5:55 5.17 Piety II: The Visible Expression of Piety... 5:14 5.18 Piety III: The Sufi s Piety is Divine Joy... 4:36 5.19 Khatum... 1:33 190 Prayer and the God-Ideal I Track List

Prayer and the God-Ideal Series I Track List Class 6 Disk 1 6.01 Saum and Salat... 4:12 6.02 Silent Reflection and Invocation... 1:38 6.03 The Inner Live I: Moving from Abstract God to Experience... 5:25 6.04 The Inner Live II... 6:28 6.05 The Inner Live III... 4:06 6.06 The Inner Life IV... 3:36 6.07 Q&A The Incarnation of the Divine Qualities. 6:05 6.08 The Inner Life V Beloved One of God... 3:00 6.09 Q&A Just Have Good Heart!... 1:10 6.10 Lukewarm in Your Practice?... 1:48 6.11 The Development of HIK s Study Program... 4:24 6.12 Intro to Wazifa Practice Ya Wahabo... 4.56 6.13 Ya Wahabo Practice... 4:14 6.14 Gatha II Kashf Impressions - Faculties of Mind... 4:56 6.15 The Principle Faculty of Mind is Generation of Small Self... 2:50 6.16 Tassawuf The Power of Keeping a Secret... 5:56 6.17 Keeping One s Experiences Close and Sacred... 3:29 6.18 Your Faults are My Perfections... 1:06 6.19 The Difficulty of Keeping Secrets... 2:39 6.20 Q&A Covering the Faults of Others... 2:24 Class 6 Disk 2 6.21 Intro to Concentration on the Sun Symbol... 3:25 6.22 Concentration on the Sun Symbol... 9:29 6.23 Comments on Concentration... 5:12 6.24 ADD and Effects of Culture on Concentration 7:19 6.25 Clearing Impressions... 2:43 6.26 Farsi Translations of Texts... 4:03 6.27 Imagery for Ya Ghani... 5:10 6.28 Closing... 2:05 Prayer and the God-Ideal I Track List 191

Table of Contents Table of Contents... i About reading assignments... iii Class 7... 1 Class 8... 3 Practices...3 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gatha Series I: Taqwa Taharat Everyday Life...4 * Paper 1 Everyday Life... 4 * Paper 2 The Instrument of Our Body... 4 * Paper 3 The Breath... 5 Paper 4 Outer and Inner Ablutions... 5 Paper 5 Inner Ablutions... 6 Paper 6 Vegetarian Diet... 6 Paper 7 The ive Elements of the Body... 7 * Paper 8 Purification... 8 * Paper 9 Sobriety... 8 Paper 10 Fasting... 9 From Murshid SAM s Commentaries on Gatha Series I: Taqwa Taharat- Everyday Life... 10 * Paper 4 Outer and Inner Ablutions... 10 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gathas Series III: Naqshibandi Symbolism...13 * Paper 1 Leili and Majnun... 13 * Paper 2 Leili and Majnun (conclusion)... 14 * Paper 3 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: Christ Walking on the Water... 14 * Paper 4 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: Shaqq us-sadr, the Opening of the Breast of the Prophet... 15 Paper 5 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: Miraj, the Dream of the Prophet... 15 Paper 6 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: The Flute of Krishna... 16 Paper 7 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: Tongues of Fire... 17 Paper 8 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: The Story of Lot s Wife... 17 Paper 9 The Symbology of Religious Ideas... 19 Paper 10 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: The Ten Virgins... 19 From Murshid SAM s Commentaries on Gatha Series III: Naqshibandi Symbolism..21 * Paper 8 The Symbology of Religious Ideas: The Story of Lot s Wife... 21 Class 9... 29 Assignments and Practices...29 From Murshid SAM s Gatha Commentaries, Series 1: Taqwa Taharat Everyday Life... 30 Paper 3 The Breath... 30 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gathas Series II: Taqwa Taharat Everyday Life...33 * Paper 1 The Purity of the Body... 33 * Paper 2 Purification... 33 * Paper 3 Purity of Mind (1)... 34 * Paper 4 Purity of Mind (2)... 34 * Paper 5 Purification of the Mind... 35 * Paper 6 The Power of Mind... 36 * Paper 7 Every Mind Has Its Won Standard of Good and Bad... 37 * Paper 8 The Impression of Illness and Weakness on the Mind... 37 Prayer and the God-Ideal II Table of Contents i

Table of Contents * Paper 9 Keeping the Mind in a Pure Condition... 38 * Paper 10 Keeping the Mind Free from All Undesirable Impressions... 38 From Murshid SAM s Gatha Commentaries, Series 1: Taqwa Taharat Everyday Life... 40 * Paper 6 The Power of the Mind... 40 Class 10... 43 Overview...43 From Hazrat Inayat Khan In an Eastern Rose Garden (selections)...44 * The Personality of God... 44 * The Journey to the Goal... 47 * The Four Paths which Lead to the Goal... 51 From Hazrat Inayat Khan Gatha Series III: Taqwa Taharat Everyday Life...54 * Paper 1 Purity of the Heart... 54 * Paper 2 Keeping the Heart Pure... 54 * Paper 3 The Radiance of the Face... 54 * Paper 4 Innocence... 55 * Paper 5 Reject the Impression of Errors and Shortcomings... 55 * Paper 6 Purity of the Heart... 56 * Paper 7 Exaltation... 56 * Paper 8 Purify the Mind from Fear... 57 * Paper 9 Keep the Heart Free from Poison... 57 * Paper 10 The Real Purification of Mind... 58 Class 11... 59 Overview:...59 Track List...61 (While all texts were selected for their value in this course of study, those marked by asterisks are considered essential foundations.) ii Prayer and the God-Ideal II Table of Contents

Prayer and the God-Ideal Series II Track List Class 7 Disk 1 7.01 Saum, 3 Wazifas, Invocation... 6:42... 7.02 Toward the One Breathing Attunement... 1:48 7.03 Looking Forward in Course Planning... 2:08 7.04 Reading from Vol. 9 - God the Infinite... 5:15 7.05 God the Infinite II What is Worthy of Our Deepest Love... 5:15 7.06 God the Infinite III The Longing of Every Soul... 5:36 7.07 Q&A Difficulty of Attuning to God In the City... 5:22 7.08 Q&A Our Task is to Maintain Realization Wherever... 4:42 7.09 Q&A Letting Go of Old Habits... 2:20 7.10 Concentration on the Sufi Symbol... 11:47 7.11 Plans for Next Month... 9:52 7.12 Darshan... 2:51 Class 7 Disk 2 7.13 Background on the texts on God Ideal... 1:42 7.14 The Inner Life I - The God Realized Being... 7:06 7.15 The Inner Life II- Man is Either Something or Nothing... 5:31 7.16 The Inner Life III- The True Humility... 4:55 7.17 The Inner Life IV- The True Lover Keeps Her Love Hidden in Her Heart... 5:02 7.18 Q&A The True Teacher Sets the Student Free... 5:15 7.19 Seek the Quality You Desire in the Perfection of God... 4:03 7.20 The Inner Life V- Forgetting the Self and Harmonizing with One's Fellows... 7:03 7.21 Feeling the Presence of God in Everyday Life... 2:39 7.22 Feedback on the Process and Practices... 2:15 7.23 Khatum... 1:18 Class 8 Disk 1 8.01 Saum... 2:05 8.02 Invocation and Contemplation of Saum... 3:23 8.03 The Nature of the Soul is Light Itself... 4:42 8.04 Contemplation on the Light which is Your Soul... 6:16 8.05 See All Souls as Your Own Soul... 4:34 8.06 Activity Makes the Soul Ray Project Itself... 5:30 8.07 The Soul is Never Born and Never Dies... 4:24 8.08 The Soul has Born the Body of Itself... 5:04 8.09 Evolving Versus Awakening... 3:40 8.10 It is the Soul that Sees... 6:42 8.11 What is More Lasting than the Self-Thought... 5:24 8.12 Baka... 3:40 8.13 The Soul Cannot See Itself Without a Mirror... 6:11 Prayer and the God-Ideal II Track List 61

Prayer and the God-Ideal Series II Track List Class 9 Disk 1 9.01 Salat... 3:00 9.02 Practice Bismillah... 3:48 9.03 Practice - Ya Fatah... 9:14 9.04 Practice - Ya Wahabo... 6:33 9.05 Practice - Ya Ghani... 7:04 9.06 The Alchemy of Wazifa Practice... 3:58 9.07 Remarks on the Purification of the Body... 6:18 9.08 Q&A re- Purification and Awakening of the Chakras... 4:17 9.09 Reading from Naqshbandi - Leilah and Majnoun... 8:29 Class 9 Disk 2 9.10 The Prayer of the Godly is for the Presence of God... 2:27 9.11 Commentary on Leilah and Majnoun... 1:54 9.12 Q&A on the Path of Love... 6:31 9.13 Concentration on the Sufi Symbol... 7:56 9.14 Suggestions for Concentration... 5:12 9.15 Suggestions for Concentration II... 6:12 9.16 Suggestions for Concentration III... 2:24 9.17 Q&A Aren't All Our Practices Concentration... 2:09 9.18 The Easy Practice or the Challenging One... 2:32 9.19 Monkey Mind - Papa Ramdas Story... 5:16 9.20 Turtle vs Rabbit Style... 8:27 Class 10 Disk 1 10.01 The Spiritual Person Sounds the 'Key Note'... 5:02 10.02 Understanding Begets Harmony... 3:02 10.03 Humility Disarms Arrogance... 5:16 10.04 Humility Disarms Arrogance II... 5:13 10.05 We Must Cultivate the Garden of the Mind... 5:11 10.06 Q&A 'Childhood Takes a Lifetime to Get Over'... 7:42 10.07 Practice - Clearing the Heart of Deep Impressions... 10:12 10.08 The Very Nature of the Soul is Happiness... 3:29 10.09 The Purpose of Purification is Realization... 2:34 10.10 Murshid SAM Commentary on Allaho Akbar... 5:06 Class 11 Disk 1 11.01 Saum and Invocation... 3:18 11.02 Commentary on Wazifa Practices... 5:39 11.03 The Personal God is the Incarnate God... 3:07 11.04 Path from the Limited to the Unlimited... 3:31 11.05 Stage 1 Shariat... 5:36 11.06 Stage 2 Tariqat... 5:14 11.07 Stage 3 Haqiqat... 6:34 11.08 Stage 4 Marifat... 2:13 11.09 Practice - Ya Noor... 6:56 11.10 Devotion... 5:56 11.11 Story - Murshid SAM Taught Love... 1:28 11.12 Devotion II... 2:30 Class 11 Disk 2 11.13 Remove the Poison of the Shame for Shortcomings... 1:56 11.14 Absorb the Texts at Your Own Speed and Honor Them... 2:52 11.15 Reading - The Purity of the Heart... 5:31 11.16 Keeping the Heart Pure of Rust... 5:19 11.17 Reject the Impressions of Errors and Shortcomings... 5:02 11.18 Exaltation... 4:27 11.19 Practice - Allaho Akbar to Root Out Fear... 4:27 11.20 To Be Pure is to Be Natural... 3:57 11.21 Final Thoughts... 1:20 62 Prayer and the God-Ideal II Track List