Hola Friends,
Lately I have felt the onus of the blog shifting greatly and I wanted to reiterating something that came to me a few weeks ago when I was sitting on the train going to work. Concerning this blog, I am only the care taker of this space on the Internet. I don’t own anything here nor do I want to. I really want it to be a place where one can travel with others without care for race, creed , gender, spiritual path. If the price to pay that to happen is share more of within reason then so be it.
Normally when I am asked a personal question or a question about the path I give the person asking what they want to hear and never really divulge more, unless specifically asked but I am never asked. One reason why I never divulge much about myself is because people rarely if one pays attention, want to know about you, rather they want to know that you can be put into or placed within a certain category or sub-category. The media doesn’t really help to be honest. You can feel, I think at least, the difference between someone who is asking from the place of sincerity and/or genuine friendship and one from idle curiosity.
Sometimes I tell people some outlandish things because I have an outlandish sense of humor. I told someone once who asked why though born Christian would I go over to the “other side” as he put it. I am not really a dervish, I told him. I said that I am only pretending to be one to find a great recipe for Falafel and subsequently open up a small hole in the wall selling the Middle Eastern Food I’ve mastered in the kitchen.
Comments like that end conversations quickly. But that question brings up another relevant question namely: Is it possibly for us to “talk” or interact in such a way through a blog where we can benefit from each other? Is anyone willing to try it out? Feel free to comment
Dave
Hi Dave,
I am one of the silent readers of your blog and usually would not comment. However, I have to say that staying around on this blog has been an awesome experience and I am ‘for’ the idea that there should be more interaction.
Omair
Hi Dave,
I think we will reach the Divine faster through dialogue than monologue as each human has an unique sparkle of the Divine in him or her. The more “sparkles” you see, the more you get to know the Source. So, I hope we get to “talk” to each other through your blog. I greatly enjoy reading your blog. Your choice of Sufi wisdom and your own personal experiences and views enrich my own (spiritual) life. In fact, you have inspired me to start my own spiritual blog @ zoekernaarlicht.wordpress.com. I know you speak a little bit of Dutch so you probably know that “zoeker naar licht” means “seeker for light”. Unfortunately, my blog is in Dutch so it will be difficult to communicate with each other through our blogs. Maybe Google Translate can help us out with this
My own spiritual background lies in the method and wisdom found in Freemasonry. It is my belief that Western Freemasonry and Eastern Sufism have more things in common than many people think. I think the two spiritual systems can benefit greatly from each other. Unfortunately I find a great deal of irrational fear and hatred for Freemasonry in the Islamic world (also in some Sufi circles) that is quite frightening.
And please share more of your outlandish humor. I think a person can only reach the Divine if he can have a good laugh about himself once in a while, and when he can see the humor in everyday experiences.
And lastly….. I think it is good that you don’t divulge much about yourself. My own blog is anonymous. I think we need to focus on the message and not necessarily the messenger. If you share a personal story maybe frame it as the story of someone else
Brotherly greetings,
Hiram
Dear Hiram,
You mentioned your belief that ‘Western Freemasonry and Eastern Sufism have more things in common than many people think’. I’m interested in knowing more about this. How is it so?
Regards
Dear Omair,
I could talk hours about this subject, but I try to be brief
First, the two traditions share a likeness in form; we call each other brother or sister, we have students and masters, we have weekly meetings in khaniqahs (lodges) and we try to travel spiritually towards the Divine Light. In Sufism you imprint wisdom in students through exercises and stories, masons through symbols and rituals. Both systems use holy books for inspiration and both systems accept other religions as wise and important. Both systems try to improve the character of their members. Both systems encourage charity, humbleness and good behaviour.
Then of course there are the historical ties between freemasonry and sufism. Here is a forum discussion about this topic: http://www.masonforum.com/viewthread/894/
Where I think the two systems can learn from each other is in their “excesses”. It is my opinion that western esotericsm/spiritually has become too rational, maybe even a bit too agnostic. The reason for this lies in the Enlightment period which was very important for western spirituality. To me it seems Islamic spirituality can sometimes be a bit too emotional, too irrational, almost fatalistic. Of course I’m talking here about the extremes not everything in between. It is my dream that one day masons and sufis see each other as brothers and can visit each others lodges freely and attend each others ceremonies as equals.
Here is a good short intro video about masonry: http://askafreemason.org/videos/video_SimpleCharge.htm
I think you will see that it is not very different to the essence of sufism
Brotherly greetings,
I just wanted to mention that in the book “The Sufis” Idries Shah mentions some interesting points where Sufism and Freemasonry come together in a sense.
Hello Hiram,
Thank you form your comment and welcome. It is a pleasure to have you hear. It is unfortunate but where ever there is ignorance and a lack of knowledge you can expect irrational fear and hatred. It’s a shame but what can be done is to when we meet people open to talk to share to pass whatever little time we have in friendship and sincerity.
Often times I really tire of hearing myself and I feel I have nothing to say. During those moments I dont post anything to the blog. Only when I am inspired I post, I guess then it is because maybe for an instance a bit of me has gone under the weight of inspiration.
I look forward to hearing from you too
Sincerely
Dave
Dear Hiram,
Thank you for a generous reply. You have drawn interesting parallels between sufism and masonry. I have also gone through the link that you shared. I hope you wont mind another question.
While freemasonry is as much about self-realization as other mystical traditions like sufism, but is it per se a ‘mystical tradition’. If thats so, its unfortunate that the public image often projected is often of an anti-spiritual agnosticism or a loose ethical system at best.
Waiting to hear from you.
Dear Omair,
And very difficult to answer…..
Good questions
There is a difference between European freemasonry and freemasonry in the UK and USA. In Europe the focus is more on the symbolism of travelling towards the Divine Light, while in US/UK freemasonry the focus is more on symbolism around building a temple (good character). I think European freemasonry is more mystical than US freemasonry.
Because of the Enlightment (18th century) European freemasonry has more of an agnostic character than US freemasonry. But it is not anti-spiritual. In Sufism Allah is also not defined except as the Divine Source. In Europe you don’t need to believe in a personal god to be able to join, like you need in the US. But in Sufism Allah is also not a personal god. Not even Mohammed could experience the Divine directly.
Orthodox Muslims and Christians think masons are satanists because one well-known mason wrote in a book that we “worship” Lucifer. That is of course nonsense. Satan and Lucifer are never mentioned in masonic rituals. He probably meant that we also try to be Lightbringers (the translation of Lucifer). Keep in mind that orthodox Muslims also think that Sufis are heretics and sorcerers.
You are right that it is a loose ethical system. It doesn’t need a strict ethical system as freemasonry tries to make good men better. To become a member you should already be a good and decent person. And a Master of a masonic lodge is not like a Shayk in Sufism. He is not “better” than his brothers. Nor does he have a unique contact with the Divine. And he holds that position for a fixed period, than he is replaced. This ensures that there is no personality-worship and nobody can speak for the whole lodge.
Freemasonry is like a meta-spiritual system. It takes the essence of mysticism and spirituality and wraps it in Christian/Hebrew symbolism (as it is a European system) so that people of all faiths and beliefs can join in. Sufis have been (and are) members of masonic lodges, just like Budhists, Jews, Hindus and New Age-ers.
I will translate some excerpts from Dutch masonic rituals, so you can see how mystical and spiritual its method is.
My apologies for the long post……..
Greetings,
Let’s share falafel recipes! Heather (Shayla)
I like to use a a mix of both parsley and cilantro in addition to cumin. I pulse them alone with the chick peas and a secret spice mix in my processor so I can get the right texture. So far that helps I will check out my recipe and get back to you
Dave
Who has time to have a genuine conversation on the Internet? I need to hurry up and get through the 343 Facebook posts on my account today: I don’t want to miss anything. And I don’t know you anyway, so why would I want to make the effort to reign in my short attention span to really pay attention to what you’re saying and make a thoughtful response?
Truthfully, you write really wonderful posts and I enjoy reading many of them all the way to the end. Thank you so much for these meditations. I am somehow not trained mentally to give a substantial response through electronic devices, especially to someone I’ve never met in the flesh. I don’t know why, but it is very difficult. Thank you for calling my attention to the fact that you would like more interaction here. The invitation will probably make a difference. Look here… I’m responding. But no promises.
“We have more and more ways to communicate, as Thoreau noted, but less and less to say. Partly because we’re so busy communicating. And — as he might also have said — we’re rushing to meet so many deadlines that we hardly register that what we need most are lifelines.” —Pico Iyer, The Joy of Quiet
See full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opinion/sunday/the-joy-of-quiet.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&ref=general&src=me
Michelle,
Thank you for responding. It is nice to hear you. Your post has gotten me to think about things a little different and it has inspired another post
. I liked the article you recommended I am reading it now. More to say when I am done
Thanks
Dave
Omair and Hiram
Thanks you both so much for commenting, Hiram is your last name Abiff. if so there is an image of you in the Chapel at Rossylyn in Scotland (I’m just teasing). I am a big fan of dialogue. I think we all have a lot to learn from each other. A past sufi master used to say, that it is easy to do it (spiritual/mystical work) in a cave but in the bazaar it gets bizarre. I think that social element is needed. I think just asking someone a question is a profound thing it opens up so many doors really if both parties are receptive and honest.
Hiram mon ami would you consider writing something on how Sufism and Freemasonry are related or alike or maybe we can co-author something and publish it here ? I will be glad to help you and work with you.
Umair your name is well chosen. Each time we talk your inner perspicacity shines forth. I look forward to hearing more from you on here
Dave
Hi Dave,
As I’m not a Sufi it will be difficult for me too write an article about all the ways the two systems are related. But I am interested in doing something like that as co-authors. Maybe I can translate some passages that can be found in masonic rituals (especially the European variant as it is more focussed on Light symbolism) and you can add sayings from Sufi masters that show the similarities.
Greetings,
Great I like that. I will compile a series of quotes and share with you as well in the days to come
I Thought You Were A Dervish…………..
Tony,
How are you doing? Hope all is well with you. I am a dervish who says he isn’t a dervish
Dear Hiram,
Thank you very much for your long and kind reply. It has helped to bring certain facts to my notice which I would otherwise not probably gather from my occasional readings on the subject.
There are a few points I’d like to share!
Sufism is so many different things to different people but what it definitely is NOT, is a monolith or a system crafted around a singular narrative of a divine experience. I feel this is probably true for all the other mystical and shall we call them ‘gnostic’ traditions as well. The attempt to find a common denominator in such traditions is often offset by the very nature of their objective – God – the quintessentially unknowable God.
But is HE unknowable because we cannot have a direct experience of God as such? As I understand, the answer is No. Many Sufi orders, including the one that I am honoured to be associated with, actually insists on direct ‘experience’ of GOD.
However, the experience remains intensely personal and ‘mystical’.
Interestingly, most if not all sufi orders including the one that I am honoured to be associated with, remain open to non-muslims and muslims alike. This is not a condescending gesture but a firm realization that every human being remains equally qualified to receive divine ‘gnosis’ irrespective of the ‘tradition’ he is born in or brought up.
Regards