The Blog
NEWS & UPDATES
Southwest Sufi Camp – September 16th-21st 2025
Special Guest Teachers Bodhi and Leilah Be Leilah and Bodhi live in Hawaii on their off-the-grid organic homestead of tropical fruit and flowers. Married for 40 years and having raised 5 children they are now helping raise their grandchildren. Leilah and Bodhi are...
Help Expand Our Legacy and Purpose
Beloved friends of Southwest Sufi Community, I can still feel your presence on the Land. I can hear the resounding voices as we held hands, sang and danced in our beautiful new Pavilion, as we gathered for those delicious meals, and as we crossed the creek to visit...
Photo Gallery
We hope you enjoy these photos from the Southwest Sufi Community!
A Letter from Our Spiritual Director
Dear Worldwide Family, The Southwest Sufi Community, the Voice of the Turtle, began in June 1995 unfolding from a vision by my predecessor, Pir Moineddin Jablonski. Since his death in February 2001, it has been my responsibility as the Pir of the Ruhaniat to nurture...
LIFE ON THE LAND
A History of the Southwest Sufi Community from a Founding Resident’s Perspective
In the Fall of 1993 I came home from work and was reading the Ruhaniat Newsletter, which was printed and mailed in those days. There was a article written by Murshid Moineddin Jablonski, in which he described a vision he had about the creation of a land based Sufi...
Musings of Shems Rick Lambert
2015 January 2 Started snowing sometime last night and it's noon and still coming down. Winter wonderland. 2014 December The sky at first light this morning around 6 AM looking toward the southeast. First clouds we've had in I can't remember how many days. From the...
PROJECTS
Dance Temple Work Party: Phase 1
The worker man trucks rumbled down the steep and rocky grade, stopping by the Ranch House for a quick hello, then off to the meadow to set up camp... Seventeen men, nine women, and so much good energy, coalesced here at Southwest Sufi Community for 7 days, April 28th...
New Bridge Over Bear Creek
Coming Soon
Adobe of the Message Remodel
Coming Soon
Total Makeover of the Retreat Center
Coming Soon
Fencing the Land
Coming Soon
The Dance Pavilion
Ahhhh, the Temple (AKA the dance pavilion for the Voice of the Turtle Retreat Center).... A little over two years ago I thought I was retired and not really up for more heavy work. Little did I know what I would soon be getting into. About 7 years ago, with the help...