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‘look past your thoughts, so you may drink the pure nectar of this moment’.
– Rumi, Sufi Mystic and poet
The Sydney Spiritual Network are very happy to announce that we’ll be exploring the path Sufism this coming November. We’re honoured to be welcoming Shaykh, Ibrahim al Ansari, of the Ansari Sufi Order in Sydney who’ll be providing us with a talk on the path of Sufism.
SSN is committed to spreading the teachings of both ancient and modern spiritual traditions in order to nuture individual and collective spiritual growth.
Most people are familiar with the various methods and traditions involving a mindful practice, however Sufism, a path of love and devotion, can be more accurately described practicing heart-fullness. 
The Sufi way almost bypasses the mindful approach and speaks directly to the heart, devoting all energies into the presence of God – who isn’t a man in the sky, but the very nature of all in existence.
 To give us a taste of the Sufism approach we should look no further than Rumi, whose teachings and poetry have blossomed only recently within Western cultures.
What is Sufism?
In Western culture, most people know Sufism as the ‘mystical’ branch of Islam however, Sufism has always existed in many different iterations throughout History. 
Sufism is not a religion but a discipline that adjusts to the needs of the individual, the time and the place. Sufism is the selfless experience and actualisation of the truth – to wander inwards by means of love and devotion. A true spiritual path to almighty God.
The Path of Love
To the Sufi, it is the transmission of divine light from the teacher’s heart to the heart of the student, rather than worldly knowledge, that allows the seeker to progress. The many paths in existence are aiming towards the same target, perhaps firing the arrow from different angles and for Sufism, the arrow is fired from the heart.
Famous Indian mystic Osho said‘Sufism simply means a love affair with God, with the ultimate, a love affair with the whole. 
It means that one is ready to dissolve into the whole, that one is ready to invite the whole to come into one’s heart. It knows no formality. 
It is not confined by any dogma, doctrine, creed or church. Christ is a Sufi, so is Mohammed. Krishna is a Sufi, so is Buddha.
 This is the first thing I would like you to remember: that Sufism is the innermost core – as Zen is, as Hassidism is.
 These are only different names of the same ultimate relationship with God.’ By approaching Spirituality through the heart instead of the mind, the Sufi’s heart becomes purified and as a by-product the Sufi becomes Mindful.
—-
The Workshop Description
If Mindfulness is being is present as humanly possible, then Sufi Mindfulness is a deeper level we call Heartfulness. To achieve heartfulness you enter a state of mind to witness your barriers. Nothing can change until you can honestly observe your ‘package’. This envelope of habits, desires, patterns of thought and reactions is called by Sufis the ‘nafs’.
The observation of which nafs are interfering and controlling your daily life and choices is the first step.
One way to look at this is to imagine that you are hauling a trailer, (van, caravan) filled with bags of your habits. Perhaps you have come to the conclusion that carrying all this weight is too much. It’s a burden that you would like to lighten. So the first thing you do is to inventory what you want to keep and what you want to throw out.
So this second step is to choose which of the nafs you wish to chuck, out. There is no sudden enlightenment – that would be too dangerous to an unprepared person. The preparation for gentle steps is built on a what must be a solid and strong foundation of knowing who you are.
This second step is usually impossible to do alone. You need a mentor, guide or appointed traveller to help advise you. This step is necessary because the biggest obstacle blocking your way to Heartfulness is you. You, to put it bluntly, are too self-involved to have any perspective or objectivity to know which is truly you and which is the nafs.
The Assessor (Guide, Shaykh, Mentor, Counsellor) does not have an agenda, except to help you get over yourself and get you on your way.
This also includes the desire to grow, to learn, to be humble, and to be honest with yourself and others. The heart opens up when there is love, security, gentleness and acceptance. Honesty nurtures the heart. For Heartfulness to occur you must learn how to see how you fit into the universe in a balanced and healthy manner. Assessing your fears, desires, reactions and experiences brings you eventually up-to-date, present enough (Mindfulness) to begin the journey to Heartfulness.
Agenda for the Day
Shaykh Ibrahim will guide us through the below agenda:
1. Rumi and Hafiz Poems
2. How Shaykh Ibrahim found Sufism
3.What is Sufism and is not Sufism?
4. The various Sufism schools (tariqas)
5. The practices of Sufism: Meditation, Zikr, Reflection, Adab.
6. Nafs and the 7 levels or Maqams
7. Applicaton of Sufism in one’s life
8. Q and A
About Shaykh Ibrahim al Ansari
Shaykh Ibrahim Ansari grew up in California graduating from a Jewish school. He had always wondered about the deeper truths, what is God? Why is there suffering and war? What is holding this all together?
With questions like this at such a young age, it’s not surprising that he discovered Sufi path. Fast forward to 1995 he was appointed Shaykh by his teacher and has now dedicated his days to teach Sufism in Australia. Click here to read his short autobiography. (http://www.ansarisufiorder.org/?page_id=163)
For more information on the The Ansari Order centre, below is a link to their Facebook Page and website where you can visit or get in touch.
http://www.ansarisufiorder.org/
https://www.facebook.com/AnsariSufiOrderCommunity
Contribution
This will be a donation based event which goes towards to the venue hire, and efforts put into the talk.
We look forward to see you all there.
Much Love
SSN

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