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| sightings from the spiritual director from the web editor |
 Whoops ... a week before the biggest camp ever, the biggest Bear Creek ever. Bigger than the 'hundred year flood' a year ago.  Singing Canyon ... fortissimo. The road that crossed where Bear Creek and Singing Canyon met ... not there.  Rashad spent a good bit of time at Telephone Turn, trying to keep everyone advised of the conditions they were likely to encounter.  More than 50 people came ahead, and the rain, for the most part, went elsewhere. Here Matin, Tom, John and Samira greet Shabda.  The flood before camp tore out the water line that runs across the creek from the spring box to these tanks. Rashad spent quite a few hours up to his armpits in fast water fixing the line. Here he's confirming that everything's back in operation.  An anonymous artist marked the entrance to the new path, along and across Singing Canyon, to the dance dome  and the new pavillion. Everybody danced!  By Friday the creek was low enough to walk in meditation to the maqbara  where Shabda gave teaching, and memories of Moineddin flowed.  The donkeys were as good humored as donkeys get, confined to their small paddock, plied with treats at every turn.  And then, the camp's over.  Town life resumed, e.g., Boo, Azima, Vakila, Sophia and Arlen get together for Tuesday evening Scrabble at Rejuvenations. Behind them Basira and Shems and Rashad do something with a computer.  And on the land? More rain, torrents, floods. The water line goes again.  From the road, by month's end, you can see four new solar panels on Hayra Nur's roof. There are more photos, contributed by Peter, Vakila, Shabda and Rashad, to be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufisight/ |
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from the web editor
People don't go to Dharamsala because it's easy to get to.
3rd century Egyptians didn't go into the wilderness because the Desert Fathers and Mothers were offering camps and retreats. People go -- make pilgrimage -- to such places because they want to be around people who are living, are giving their lives to, a compelling spiritual vision. Buddha's. Jesus'. It's what drew the earliest Muslims to Medina ... Muhammad's vision, lived. Presumptuous as it sounds, that's what we're going for here at the Southwest Sufi Community. The vision is Moineddin's. If you haven't read his What is an ‘Inclusive Sufi Order or Spiritual Path? in a while, you can find it here. The passage that sings to me is this: Ideally, all members of the Southwest Sufi Community will
possess a heartfelt attunement to Nature, because stewardship of the Bear Creek
land will be a spiritual practice in itself, a way to increase life, virtue and
unity-consciousness in the world.
As we prepare to come together for this experience in wholistic living, remember that we are living in a time of rapid change and intensive growth – a process which brings out the worst and best in each one of us. Everywhere people are challenged to stick to their ideals in a world of fearful emotions which too often lead to abusive words and violent acts, even in our own homes. Our work is to root out these imbalances in ourselves, so that our hearts can become havens of safety, peace and refuge for each other. Practicing thus, we develop individual spiritual capacities which, when transposed to the level of intentional community, create greater potential for harmlessness, compassion and loving-kindness to arise planet-wide. Are we succeeding? As they say in another fellowship, "we claim spiritual progress, rather than spiritual perfection." But yes, sometimes we do taste that blessed life. Because we're compatible and always in agreement? HA! The people who spend most time on the land are quite, quite diffent in temperament, interests ... you name it. What we do have is heart for the work, and trust that we have, or can receive, the capacity for it. If you're reading this, you're part of the work, too. Wonderful when you can come and share the land's teaching, the eating, dancing and praying that sustain one and all. No, it's not the easiest place in the world to get to, but it can be the trip of a lifetime. With love, Hayra Nur |
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