Report: DHO Calistoga – 2002

Dear Family and Friends,

This is an auspicious day to write a report on our June Gathering of the Dervish Healing Order – being the birthday of Hazrat Inayat Khan, and the day after our country’s birthday.

Firstly, it was a warm and wonderful gathering. The entire country was represented: North, South, East, West – and all the parts in between.

Around 45 of us gathered in Calistoga – both full time and part time – the weather was warm and the pools were fantastic. Of course the food was yummy, and the folks that served us were very special. Murshid’s presence was palpable, and a great time was had by all.

Some highlights:

Pir Shabda (and Tamam) were our honored guests, and led us in practices – Shabda spoke of the importance of self-less service, and acknowledged our work. Tamam shared a practice she had experienced in Morocco, and recalled her part in the very first Healing Camp (1973), when she was in charge of the childrens camp. WOW! And, Thank you both.

Tui & Bonnie joined us for 2 days, and stayed for a day more. It was wonderful to have Bonnie back with the family again. Watching Tui doing the walks in his motorized cart was fantastic.

Fatima Lassar headed the Friday evening program, and shared with us the newest incarnation of her “Sifat Bingo.” The newest one is called S.A.M. Bingo, and is much more inclusive – and was loads of fun. She gave away great prizes too, and recounted some priceless S.A.M. stories.

Anna Farishta from St. Louis, brought a video of Baba Ram Dass’s “Fierce Grace.” His recounting of his personal struggle after his stroke, was deeply moving. There was also some great scenes from his earlier life – just to put things in perspective. It also had footage from the movie Sun Seed, with the Sufi Choir singing. Not only did we love the film, but our hosts at Mt Home Ranch loved it too.

And, there was our usual frivolity amongst the trees: Asha led silent meditation, Siddiq & Zakina served Tea, Aslan (Scott) had choir, Morad led Chi Gong, we had the Healing Ritual each morning, walks in the afternoon, and dancing at night (thanks Aslan). A lot of personal healing that took place. Once again the waters worked their magic.

Ya Shakur. Ya Shaffee. Ya Kaffee.

There was also a preliminary meeting of the people who were interested in the spiritual aspects of death and dying. Many folks who worked in Hospice, or were just interested in the process, have made a decision to investigate re-constituting the work done in the ancient mystery schools, and their focus on “the Rights of Passage: Birth, Coming of Age, First Orgasms, parenthood, & Death.” It is written that one walks with the dying to the gate. Jean Pierre is setting up an interactive bulletin board for those who are interested. Please contact Jean Pierre if interested: jeanpierredavid@compuserve.com

Upcoming:
A) Missing were a men’s and a women’s gathering – next time.
B) An all-new bed time story – Aladdin & The Magic Lamp.
C) More guest teachers
D) Next year on the East Coast: the group decided that our 2003 gathering will be on the East Coast – should be around the same time – more on this soon.

All love and Blessings,
hakim sauludddin

Report: Saul at the UN

Beloved one of God,

Friday, 7 June 2002, from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. in the Clubroom GA-37 of the Visitor’s Lobby at the United Nations building on First Avenue and 46th Street, the UNSRC Enlightenment Society welcomed Hakim Sauluddin for a presentation on “The Sufi Heart of Love, Harmony and Beauty.”

We had a great turn out of people who are employees of the United Nations and some guests from the community at large in New York City. Of course many nations, races, religions and spiritual schools were represented with an even split among gender. Some local Ruhaniat mureeds showed up including Shihana who works at the United Nations, Lisa Renée and Deirdre. Saul was accompanied by his wife Ananda.

Hakim Sauluddin’s talk focus was healing and the transmission of the heart energy of his lineage. He led us into the invocation “Towards the One”, introduced Sufism, and inspired with Sufi stories, practices and walk.

Saul started by giving some great historical background on the origin of Sufism from the perspective that illuminated beings have always been in the mystical schools forever and that they found another home under Islam. He went over the history of the first Sufis, the Sufis in India during the time of Pir O Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan and finally Sufism in America with Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti. He led the group in a short Zikar repeating Allah. He told many stories in the great Sufi tradition as Saul excels at doing, including the story of how Sam met his Hindu teacher in San Francisco. He placed appropriately the accent on the universality of the Sufis and how Hazrat Inayat Khan reconciled tradition and modernism.

Through his stories, he gave some teaching on what differentiates Sufism from sects that wants its student to” become like the leader” and that a true spiritual school wants people to unfold their potentialities. He emphasized that if people can leave with only one thing it is that God is their lover not their jailer.

The greatest moment was the practice on the breath that lead us to breathe the small, big, loud, gentle, loving and finally peaceful breath, through the heart and the breath. Peace was sent to the room, the building of the United Nations and to the world. What a wonderful practice to share from that center.

He concluded by the Quan Yin walk of compassion and mercy. All the people got up and participated in it.

Many people stayed around asking questions.

Thank you Saul, Shihana and the wonderful staff of the United Nations Enlightenment Society that made all this possible.

Love and blessings,
Jean Pierre

Report: DHO Haus Shneda – May 2002

Beloved ones of God,

Once again the magic and heartfilled space of the Shnede family was manifest.
Almost 100 open hearts gathered for a week of prayer and family. I was told that there were over 75 adults and over 25 children. Our special guests were P.O.M. Hidayat Inayat Khan and Murshida Aziza. Alhamdulliah!

The family came together from the U.S.A., Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Greece, Austria, The Czech Republic, Russia and of course Germany.

I was joined on staff by all 3 Shiekas/Caliphas from the German Ruhaniat – yes, they are all women – and by 3 American Sheikhs/Khalifs – David Dalley (and his family), Scott Sattler, and joining us for the first time was Murad Finkelstein from Eugene. Subhan took great photographs as usual. Inshallah! Fabulous results soon.

Amongst the participants were a number of Sufi Movement people (from Holland and Switzerland), who came to support the Federation, and had a blast. Ya Hu!

In addition to our regular practices: the healing ritual, the prayers, the walks, the dharma talks, the dancing, the choir, the chi gong, the story telling, we had a Universal Worship led by Latifa Fourier. All this plus good weather, great meals and white asparagus.

The big news is that there are now new members of the DHO/Ruhaniat family in Russia and the Czech Republic, and that the Berlin family has started our first Khanka in Germany. Alhamdulliah! What a joy to report. I am hopeful that I shall visit the new Khanka in February. Inshallah!

The first Friday in June (June 7th), I shall be speaking to the Enlightenment Society of the United Nations in New York City. I plan on speaking on the Modernism of Hazrat Inayat Khan, the esoteric history of Sufism, and the universalism of Murshid SAM. All this plus some Zikr Allah, and the Maha Mudra for Peace. The meeting is from 1:00 p.m. E.S.T. to 2:30 E.S.T. Please tune in with your love and supportive vibes. Ya Shakur!

D.H.O. Calistoga is upcoming (June 24th to June 29th) and, both Pir Shabda, and Murshida Fatima will be there as our guests. Hope to see you in the Waters.

All love and blessings,
Hakim Sauluddin
June 1, 2002
Charlottesville, Virginia

(Click the images to open full size folios)
        

 

Saul at the UN!

Beloved One of God,

I am happy to report the following event:

The United Nations Enlightenment Society is sponsoring this event on June 7. Hakim Saul Barodofsky will be making this presentation for this United Nations spiritual organization. The club room is on the lower floor below the main visitor lobby of the UN.

One must be a member, or a member’s guest to attend.

Love and blessings,
Jean Pierre

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UNSRC Enlightenment Society
We seek to inspire, inform, enlighten, entertain!
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The Sufi Heart of Love, Harmony and Beauty
with Hakim Sauluddin

Hakim Sauluddin’s teachings focus on healing and the transmission of the heart energy of his lineage. At this event, he will lead us in the famous prayer “Towards the One”, introduce Sufism, and inspire us with Sufi stories and dances.

Hakim Sauluddin was initiated as a Sufi and a Hakim (spiritual jurist and physician) in 60’s by Sufi Murshid Ahmed Murad Chishti (Samuel L. Lewis), an original student of Hazrat Inayat Khan who brought the Sufi message of Love, Harmony and Beauty to the USA in 1910. Hakim Sauluddin is the Director of the Dervish Healing Order and a Murshid (senior teacher) of the Sufi Ruhaniat International and the International Sufi Movement.

“Come, come wherever you may be…”

Friday, 7 June 2002
1:15 to 2:30 p.m.
Clubroom GA-37 (Below Visitor’s Lobby)

May Peace Prevail on Earth !

Members: Free! Guests: $3 (Yearly
Membership: $10)

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DHO Gathering – Summer 2002 – “Hu We Are”

Beloved ones of God,

Finally, the winter has departed and the spring flowers are upon us in all their glory. I pray that this is more than just a metaphor for the world situation, and that true and real peace will come upon us through awakened and forgiving hearts.

One might remember that amongst the Sifat i Allah (the 99 Beautiful Names of God) there is not a single one for Hatred, Hostility, or Revenge. But rather, there are many invoking Forgiveness, Love, Compassion, Mercy, and Peace.

May the Compassion and Loving Kindness of Allah shine through the worlds’ leadership and bring true peace to our troubled earth.

Murshid SAM was dedicated to Peace in the Middle East, and with this in mind, our gathering in Calistoga (Northern California) from Monday, June 24th to Saturday, June 29th – “Hu we are.” will focus on developing that Peace within our selves, and then spreading to (sharing amongst) our brothers and sisters in the world, with a special focus on the “Holy Land.”

Please join with us in Prayer and in Silence, in Ritual and in Spontaneity, in Stillness and in Movement, in Joy and in Laughter as we bring through the Living Peace from the Heart of Gods Grace: Bismillah er Rachman, er Rahim.

D.H.O. Gathering – Summer 2002 – “Hu We Are”

Dates: June 24th to June 29th (Monday through Saturday)
Place: Mt. Home Retreat. 2 swimming pools, great food, loads of outdoors.
Location: By Calistoga, in Northern California’s famous wine country.
Price: From $325 to $525 (depending on accommodations)
Reservations: Jennifer Avian

In addition to our prayers, there will be choir, chi gong, dancing, walks, zikr, ritual, story telling, and our general frolicking amongst the trees. We had such a great time here 2 years ago, we decided to return.

Looking forwards to seeing you “in the pool”

All love and Blessings
Hakim Sauluddin
April 21, 2002

Upcoming DHO events:

May 5th – 12th – Shneida – North Germany
June 24th – 29th – DHO Gathering – Northern California
September 27th – 29th – DHO Russia – St. Petersberg

DHO Summer 2002 Gathering

DHO Summer 2002 Gathering “Hu We Are”

June 24 – 29, 2002 (Monday through Saturday).

Monday through Saturday

THE DERVISH HEALING ORDER – ANNUAL GATHERING

2 swimming pools, great food, and loads of outdoors. From $325 to $525 (depending on accommodations). There will be choir, chi gong, walks, dancing, Zikr, ritual, and our general frolicking amidst the trees. We had such a great time here 2 years ago, we decided to return. Looking forwards to seeing you in the pool.

All love and blessings – Hakim Sauluddin

Back to Calistoga, CA

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Please contact Jennifer ASAP to know how many people we can expect
in order to finalize the reservation.

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PLACE: Mt. Home Retreat.
LOCATION: by Calistoga in Northern California’s famous wine country.
PRICE: From $325 to $525 (depending on accommodations).
RESERVATIONS: Jennifer Avian

DHO Letter from Saul and Upcoming 2002 Gathering

Beloved ones of God,

As the season of Christ’s Mass approaches, I am filled with a feeling of ambiguity over the wanton destruction that has occurred in the name of God, and our response to it. Whilst, at the same time, I am so thankful that we live in a country where we are free to practice our religion or path, and that our larger community has reached out to the American Muslims with an open heart and willing hands. Alhamdulliah!

Now I can only pray that the Muslim community world wide will reciprocate to their own “minorities,” and make them an integrated part of their family – whether they be Kurds, Baluchis, Shias (or Sunnis), or any of the other oppressed “minorities” within the Muslim world, including Jews – Christians – Hindus – Zoroastrians – Buddhists, etc., etc.

It has been another very full year for us all: Our Germany DHO gathering was larger and more “juice-filled” than ever, and our 30 Year Pilgrimage to Murshid SAM at Lama was over flowing with love and joy and laughter (just as he would have wanted it).

Our second gathering in Prague (at the end of September) was truly international, with folks coming in from Holland, Germany, Estonia, Greece, and of course the Czech Republic. We performed the Absent Healing Ritual at the former village of Lidice for the victims of the Nazi horror there.

In addition, on November 24, we were in New York for a previously scheduled meeting, and joined with Jean Pierre David and folks from as far away as Seattle, Montana, and Virginia to conduct the Absent Healing Ritual at the site of the former World Trade Center. There were 14 of us at the site itself, and afterwards we had our gathering at the Sufi Bookstore with about 100 people joining us for prayer and stories and walks and laughter. It was wonderful.

Afterwards I went on to Boston to join with Abraham and Halima Sussman to relive the early days of the Sufi Choir (Jim Fellows joined us), and to have a meeting at their home. About 20 folks joined with us for prayer and laughter. We also went onto Logan Airport to perform the Service for those who were in the planes that left Boston and were crashed into the WTC. May their hearts and souls be at peace and reunited with God’s love.

Upcoming: D.H.O. GATHERING – Summer 2002 – “Hu We Are”

DATES: June 24th to June 29th (Monday through Saturday).
PLACE: Mt. Home Retreat. 2 swimming pools, great food, and loads of outdoors.
LOCATION: by Calistoga in Northern California’s famous wine country.
PRICE: From $325 to $525 (depending on accommodations).
RESERVATIONS: Jennifer Avian

There will be choir, chi gong, walks, dancing, Zikr, ritual, and our general frolicking amidst the trees. We had such a great time here 2 years ago, we decided to return.

Looking forwards to seeing you in the pool.

All love and blessings,
Hakim Sauluddin

Absent Healing Ritual in New York City

Dear all,

Please join us in a moment of prayer and remembrance for all those who have been harmed by the horrific events of September 11th.

And, for all those who do the Absent Healing Ritual, please tune into us at this time (6:00 p.m.) on Saturday, November 24th. We will be in New York City to do a meeting for the new Ruhaniat-Sufi Movement Center there, and shall take this opportunity to perform the ritual in a Place of Great Suffering.

Your participation is welcome and encouraged.

All love and Blessings
Hakim Saul

Peace to Suffering Humanity… post 9/11/2001

Beloved ones of God,

As a response to the tumult and hostility that resulted from the horrors of September 11th, the Sufi Healing Order has called upon the Dervish Healing Order, and the Healing Activity of the Sufi Movement, to join with them in prayers so as to bring Peace to Suffering Humanity.

They intend to use the Healing Ritual to do this.

I am very much in favor of working with our brothers and sisters in the other streams of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s barakka.  This cooperation has the potential of being a living manifestation of the ideals of the Federation of the Sufi Message, and I hope and pray that this step is only the beginning of many co operative efforts in the future. May the Message of God reach far and wide!

The prayers in the service itself give us the direction we have chosen to take when we take the ritual to Places of Great Human Suffering:
“and that we may impart to them, Thy Light, Thy Love, Thy Joy, and Thy PEACE.” 

However, and in addition, Hazrat Inayat Khan has also given us a Prayer for the Peace of the World, which I actually feel, is a more appropriate focus for the general concentration of world peace. 

“Prayer for the Peace of the World”
through Hazrat Inayat Khan:

‘O Thou, the Almighty Sun, whose light cleareth away all clouds.
We take refuge in Thee. King of all men, God of all deities. Lord of all angels.
We pray Thee, dispel the mists of illusion from the hearts of the nations,
and lift their lives by Thy all-sufficient power.
Pour upon them Thy limitless love, Thy everlasting life,
Thy heavenly joy, and Thy perfect peace.”  — Amin

We shall do this prayer at 11:00 p.m. on the 3rd Sunday of each month, just prior to our regular Healing Ritual, and invite you all to join with us in attempting to manifest our hearts desire for Peace through the recitation of this prayer.

As to the heinous crimes committed against us all on September 11th:

This coming November 24th (Saturday), I shall be in New York to do a previously scheduled meeting, and shall take this opportunity to offer the Healing Ritual at (or very close by) the World Trade Center.  This shall be performed for the souls of all those who perished in this horror, and also for the hopeful alleviation of suffering for their families  and loved ones. 

This later activity is being organized by our brother in New York, Jean Pierre David (who also manages our web site).  For those who wish to join us in prayer, we shall meet  for practices at 5:30 p.m., and walk to the site and perform the Ritual at 6:00 p.m. This is all Eastern Standard Time. 

To those of you who wish to join us at the site itself: Please do.  All are welcome.   

After the ritual we shall walk to the near by Sufi Book Store and begin our meeting.  As Murshid SAM used to say, “It’s always a plus to have some ‘old timers’ in the crowd.”

For additional data: Please contact Jean Pierre – jeanpierredavid@hotmail.com.

I send you all my love and blessings and my prayer that we be permitted to Serve God in the Real Work.

Yours in Service,

Hakim Saul
Charlottesville, Virginia
October 15, 2001 

A Report on the Performance of the Absent Healing Ritual at the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

 

Dear Family –

The following is a full report from our Shafayette – Kalipha Brita von Kugelgen inBerlin.  You might remember that I included a mention of her preliminary report in my recounting of the Lama Pilgrimage.

May the Message of God Reach Far & Wide.

Yours in Service
Hakim Sauluddin

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On June 30, 2001, about 20 of us “Berliners” came together in the concentration camp of Sachsenhausen, which is nearBerlin, to perform the Healing Ritual there. This was on the next day to the last of the DHO pilgrimage to Murshid SAM at the Lama Foundation. We all felt the strong connection and support of our brothers and sisters, who joined us in the service, bringing thankfully our gift for Murshid SAM.

Remembering the teaching of Hakim Saul before the first Healing Ritual in Places of Great Human Suffering in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, we prepared ourselves for three weeks: We practiced at our regular Thursday night meeting of the Healing circle special wazifas which we held in concentration during the following week, as: Allah ho Akbar, Ya Nuri, Ya Tawwab, Ya Ghafur.

And when the day had come, we went – mostly in silence – concentrating on these wazifas upon the earth of the camp until we reached the place where the Ritual would be done. Some of us visited Sachsenhausen for the first time. We were walking very slowly, looking and standing at the different sites of violence and inhumanity: the gas chamber, the crematorium, the execution place, we looked at the big Soviet monument, the gray dry earth, the flower-bed with red roses…, imagining what had happened, telling us in few words what we knew about this place and what we felt now – again and again remembering our breath: Allah Ya Nuri, Allah Ya Ghafur…

Sachsenhausen is a concentration camp with a change in the historical scene. Between 1936 – 1945 it was seen by the SS as the ideal model of a concentration camp. More than 200,000 people were imprisoned there, firstly political, and later, because of biological or racial reasons, and, then later, it became the jail for inhabitants of all the occupied European nations.

Not being aware of the multinational nature of the camp, one of us – a young Greek woman – became suddenly alarmed when she saw the wordGREECEon the memorial… Of course only a few people had survived.  At the end of the war, the Russian and Polish soldiers found only 3,000 patients, nurses and doctors left alive.

Between 1945-1950 Sachsenhausen was a special –  the biggest with 60,000 prisoners – Soviet camp, where NS-functionaries were imprisoned, and also people with discriminated political opinions, or others got there just by happenstance – as for instance the grandfather of one of us. He died there with 12,000 others by starvation or illness.

We had entered the large deserted camp through the gate with the well-known words “Arbeit macht frei” and together with us flew a dove with a straw in the bill – a comforting symbol of all new beginnings – and soon we heard a little group singing hymns, showing us that we are not alone there. Looking for an adequate place for the Ritual we felt doubtless drawn to a big tree, a plane – older than the camp and its historical changes. The tree shadowed us at this hot day and whispered to us with the leaves, till the moment when we called to God to heal all those who had been harmed in this area of all the different reasons, which had been mentioned loudly – everything got very quiet, even the leaves. We all felt a deep peace, some had strong images of beings resurrected in the light of love and healing.

After the prayer Khatum we sang “Shalom” and hugged each other. I looked in all these shining faces in our circle and was very thankful about our walking and working together on this path. There was the One heart in our hearts, there was a lot of love and even happiness.

Later, when we shared our impressions, I noticed that some of us had felt an impulse to dance after the Ritual – I had the vision of a long row in a snake dance along the whole area, touching the earth with loving and joyful feet. Maybe next time: we have decided that our next Healing Ritual at places of great suffering will be in Ravensbrück – a concentration camp for women and children.

But – as you can imagine – there are a lot of places inBerlinto perform the Ritual – for instance the train station from where the Jewish people were deported to the concentration camps or at the wall… It is a good work to do together – healing and strengthening, outside and inside. And the interest in doing this work is increasing. Alhamdulliah!

Two years ago Pir Moineddin wrote a comment to Sauluddin’s St. Petersburg Healing Ritual report. His words express my experience:

 

“To infuse these places of human suffering with the forces of love and healing is to transmute the vibration of helplessness and hopelessness into one of spiritual bravery. Through these efforts…

(we)… are helping to restore the human soul.”

Thank you for reading this,

 

Yours in Service
Brita von Kuegelgen