One Breath

A selection from Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh's poem, One Breath.


Treasure this breath,
--this moment you now enjoy.
Spend it in happiness: there is
--no time for sorrow.

Once this moment has passed,
--it is gone forever.
Your time is less
--than the very least you can imagine.

If you spend this moment laughing,
--the world will be all laughter.
But if you fall into depression,
--the world will be all sorrow.

Qtd. from Sufi Journal (v. 46)

Abu Sa'id: A Devotional Verse

Abu Sa'id , a great Sufi Master born in 967 AD, was famous for teaching by poetry and his emphasis on music and dance (Sama') as a spiritual practice.

Here is a devotional verse concerning communion with God:

Without You, O Soul,
I have no rest;
Your goodness towards me
can never be reckoned.
Though each hair on my body
Were turned to a toungue,
A thousand part of due thanks
To You could not be said.

Quoted from Terry Graham's article, "Abu Sa'id Abe'l-Khayr" in Sufi Journal (v. 17)

For more information about Sufi Journal see:

www.nimatullahi.net
www.sufijournal.com

Or, visit your local Nimatullahi Khaniqah : )
..........

Ya Haqq!

Rumi, Sufism, and Red Sox

A spiritual lesson from Rumi

To: The Red Sox Fans of Boston
From: The Boston Sufis

"Be the ball, not the bat."

~Jelaludin Rumi, Mathnawi I

The Wall: Part I

The Boston khaniqah (House of Sufism) has many inspirational quotes and artwork framed and scattered on almost every wall of the house. These sayings and images serve to remind the sufis of their purpose and their path. We sufis of Boston would like to share our remembrance with our blog readers in a new section called: The Wall. We hope you enjoy this insight into our community.

The Wall I: Abu Sa'id on Sufism.

"Sufism is the heart standing with God, with nothing in between."

Ya Haqq. (Oh Truth!)

Shah Ni'matullah: Unity of Being

--According to our faith, lover and Beloved are one;
------To us, what is desire?
-----------The desirer and the Desired are one.

--They tell me, seek Him in his essence.
------But how should I seek?
-----------Seeker and sought are one.

~Quoted from Masters of the Path by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh

Kharaqani: Bringing Joy

Quoted from a speech by Dr Javad Nurbaksh, Master of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order:

As Abul-Hasan Kharaqani put it: “One who is wise, rises early in the quest to increase one’s knowledge. While one who is ascetic, is concerned with increasing one’s asceticism. Hopefully, Abul-Hasan is involved in bringing joy to the heart of a brother.”


Abul-Hasan Kharaqani was an illiterate Sufi from Khorasan who lived in the 10th century (4th cent. Hijri)

Ya Haqq

Jami Quote

A beautiful quote from the 15th century poet, Jami:

"It is better to be like lightning -- bright.
As long as you live, be happy and laughing.
To bring a smile to a drooping heart
Is better than giving away sweets."

~Tales from the Land of the Sufis by Mojdeh Bayat and Ali Jamnia