Murshid Story

Dear all,

I feel moved to report an occurance I wittnessed at the Khankah in Novato (Garden of Inayat) in 1970.

Someone had brought over a film of some teacher talking (not our family), and the members of the Khanka were watching it in their dining room.

Murshid arrived, saw what was happening, went to the meditation room, and closed the door. I was not interested in the film, and was outside the room talking to Ayesha when Murshid stormed out of the meditation room and started to rake the Khankah over the coals.

I don’t remember exactly what he said, as I was attempting to make myself as small as possible against the wall as he fumed by.  He glanced at me in passing and said “This has nothing to do with you.” As Ayesha and I went upstairs, I heard Murshid say, “If I have hurt your vision or your heart I apologize. But I don’t give a damn about your ego.”

Happy Fall

hakim saul

Murshid…

A short recollection:

When Murshid was in San Francisco General Hospital (just prior to his passing) he awoke from a coma and looked at me in the eye to ask where he was and who had been there to visit him.

I replied that he had realy put us-me through the wringer, and I was so happy he was back.  He twinkled at me, "If you think this is something, you should see what you have in store for you."

Who would have thought.

Happy Birthday Murshid - Ice Cream is on the House!

all blessings,
sauluddin

from Guatemala without the tears

For those inquiring about my safety I enclose part of a report to my parents:

   As fate would have it the day I arrived in Guatemala was the day the disaster struck, last Wednesday [Oct 5]. After days of saturating rain, the additional tropical rains from Hurricane Stan brought disaster in many forms to Guatemala.

   The village next to my school village at the foot of a volcano experienced first a tremor, then came an avalanche of mud from the supersaturated mountain that killed 50.

   1,400 kilometers of roads, 52% of those in the country were eroded, collapsed, covered with avalanches of rock, washed out, unpassable, aggravated by 17 bridges destroyed or weakened. Hence, transport was stopped. Even rescue helicopters were hampered by the continued low ceilings and continued rain. These rains in subsequent days kept 630 destroyed villages isolated, [figures from Prensa Libra October 9, 2005] many residents without food and water.

   I knew Friday after two calls Thursday and Friday produced the same result that I’d have to leave: Transport Rebelli which normally provides bus service to Panajachel from where I’d take a boat across Lake Atitlan to San Pedro, where I planned to study, was not running. [In the past 4 study visits I lived in Quetzaltenango; it too being further along the road to Panajachel was unreachable.] Meantime, I’m still in my hotel in Guatemala City where I stayed until I flew yesterday. [Sunday, Oct 9] Santiago Atitlan, the village next to my town was the one that lost 50. Nearby Panabaj, 1200.

   I began making reservations to leave.  I’ll study Spanish in Boulder, using the tapes and text I took to Guatemala, as well as continue to edit Murshid: a memoir of Murshid Samuel L. Lewis, my book slated for publication soon. Deborah and I will drive to Tucson Oct 22 to continue for another two weeks our study vacation slated for Guatemala.

   Poor Guatemala. I’m afraid she won’t be ready to receive our return visit which was going to be in the spring, also for one month.

I love you guys,

Mansur