Hazrat Inayat Khan was an Indian musician and Sufi mystic who came to America in 1910 to make his music known and spread the wisdom of Sufism.

I read the lives of the founders, the prophets, the seers, with as much reverence as their most devout adherents. This brought me the bliss of realization of the one truth which all religions contain as different vessels may yet hold the same wine. The different messengers most wondrously, by their very diversity of civilization, nationality and age, revealed the one source of inspiration. A human being, not generally understanding this and owing to blind dogmatic faith, has always clung to the originator of his or her own faith and ignored the new prophet. Not recognizing the manifold aspects of truth, thus all the racial and religious prejudices!

Among creeds and castes, and all wars and differences between nations, have arisen from narrowness and slowness of perception. Still, were a Buddhist to come to me saying, 'Our Lord Buddha was the only teacher,' I would answer, 'Verily;' and if a Hindu cried to me that Krishna is the ideal master I would say, 'You speak rightly.' And if a Christian should declare that Christ is the highest of all, I would reply, 'Undoubtedly,' for it is the nature of human beings to consider as best that which they can idealize best. But if anyone came to me saying, 'I cannot believe in all this talk, for I can only recognize the same truth in each one of these,' l would say, 'You, my friend, are the one who really knows, for you have understood and unveiled the real secret of God's Nature.'

When Hazrat Inayat Khan died in 1927, he had several thousand followers in Europe and America. Heart Rhythm Meditation is an essential practice that conveys the experience of Hazrat Inayat Khan's teachings.

Following the 'Path of the Heart' requires an understanding of what the heart is. This article is the beginning of Puran's description of the heart and how it operates.

One Heart

1. There is only one heart, the Heart of All; it is simultaneously within each heart, and the sum of all hearts. The heart in every being is, so to speak, a reflection of a ray of this heart, which we call the Universal Heart, similar to the way the rays of the sun reflect off shiny objects all over the world and make each object appear to be a miniature sun. Each heart, being in reality a reflection of the Universal Heart, feels all that the Universal Heart feels. Therefore, all people have the same fears, hopes, anxieties and joys in their depth because all share the experience of the one Universal Heart.

You can find the Universal Heart within yourself by going deeper and deeper into your own heart until you come to the 'Inverted Space.' In the depth of each heart, space inverts to reveal the universe, so that within yourself you will ultimately find every being, all emotion and all life. Each person can find the All by going deeply into the Self. Every actor knows that when a deeply personal emotion is felt in the actor, it immediately connects to the same emotion in every member of the audience; this is a practical example of the Inverted Space

One Heart Unites Two Worlds

2. It is the heart that unites the two worlds: the seen and the unseen; the personal and the impersonal; earth and heaven, matter and spirit. Where they all meet is the heart, the sacred middle ground where God becomes real. Because the world of spirit and the world of matter meet in the heart, all people, cultures, and religions meet in the heart. Nothing is excluded from the heart; the heart is inclusive of all life, both that life which is seen and that life which cannot be seen.

Therefore, to overcome the feeling of separation from 'that world' that people commonly have in 'this world', you need to experience your heart. Also, to experience your common humanity with people who seem outwardly very different from you, you need the experience of your heart.

The heart can perform this function of uniting the worlds because it is itself in both worlds: the heart is both physical and spiritual. It regulates your body and directs your mind, and it also represents the core of your Self. It circulates both blood through the body and love through the space. Your heart receives divine guidance from the Universal Heart and then expresses it as its own fervent, compelling wish that is manifested in your life.

Seed, Plant and Flower Make Three

3. The heart's function is to reflect the light of your soul into the world. What is the soul? Your soul is the blueprint or the recipe of your Self. Your body, mind, and personality are the products of your soul. The soul is nonphysical, but it contains the design for the physical, like the acorn contains the design of the oak tree or a blueprint contains the design of a house. The house can come out differently from its blueprint, and the oak can become a bush instead of a tree because of factors in the development and growth of the potential of the soul.

Your soul is unique in the universe, and therefore your soul is the highest aspect of your individuality. While the whole universe is contained in every being, and therefore all the qualities of the divine are present in everyone, the relative strengths of those qualities are different. Each person is a unique experiment of the universe in its self-expression, part of the process by which the universe discovers its own potentials. The uniqueness of each person is designed to serve their reason for being, the purpose of their life, that for which you volunteered while still an angel.

The first step the soul takes in its journey toward fulfillment is to create a heart that can represent the soul as it comes into life. So the heart is born from the soul, and your body is born from the heart. The purpose for which the soul was created is stamped into the heart, never to be completely forgotten. The heart then becomes the core around which the body is formed, as the heart is the first organ developed in the fetus. If the soul's purpose requires a powerful physical body, then the heart will direct your body to develop physical strength. If the soul's purpose requires an unusual intelligence, then the heart will direct your body to develop a keen mind, and so on. It is the reflection of the soul in the heart that directs your development.

The development of the plant from the seed is not the end of the process; there is a third step. Out of the heart of the plant comes a new seed, wrapped in a gift to the world of flower or fruit. So it is the nature of the heart to be generous. Furthermore, the seed the plant produces may be different than the seed that produced the plant: it's own experience is passed on to its progeny as an enhancement. Hence, a species learns to adapt to its environment and becomes more efficient in using its resources.

It is the innate generosity of the heart that allows the universe to develop its richness and complexity, for the heart, in reflecting the light of the soul into the world, becomes a source of that light for others. When other beings seek love, they can find it more easily in the heart of another being than in the source of all Love in the Universal Heart. The Heart in you becomes a source of love, so love is readily available in the world of life, not only in the world beyond life.

While Love is abundant in the Source, being the very fabric of the universe, very few can access it there; love is much more easily found in the heart of a human being. It is the role of the heart to make the qualities and powers of the universe visible and accessible. By the power of the heart, you become a secondary source for the Love of the universe, an embodiment in the physical world of the qualities of Love that originate in the non-physical world.

The rose was designed in a world of perfect beauty, which was given into its soul and developed in its heart. Maturing as a flower, the rose then becomes a source of beauty in the physical world. Similarly, you are a source for the love, intelligence, beauty, harmony, etc. that was encoded in your soul, to the extent that it develops in your heart. If it remains only in your soul, then it cannot be shared with the world.

This gives us the vision of the spiritual work of our time: not to dissolve into the universe in selfless consciousness, but to deliberately and responsibly become a source for what the universe has invested in your soul. This is the aim of Heart Rhythm Meditation, the meditation of our time that works on all three levels at once: body, heart and soul.

The Private Retreat

When I went on my first personal retreat I was staying in an A-frame hut up on a mountain with one foot of snow and -10 degrees outside. I was meditating, singing, praying, listening to tapes, wrapped in blankets with gloves and a hat on. I talked with Mother Mary, prayed with Jesus, and sang with Krishna. I walked with the crows through the fields and I kissed the moon and stars good night. My retreat guide would silently drop off dinner for me and come again later and meditate with me. Then she would silently hand me written instructions for the next day. I had a serious matter to decide, one that would change my life. After seven days I left in glory.

When is it time to take a retreat? The signs that you need to remove yourself from the everyday rhythms of life are a feeling of being overwhelmed, stressed, needing to recharge your energy, needing a new outlook on life, or wanting to feel closer to what you think you ought to be.

Retreats at IAM develop specific tools that you can use yourself toward the goal of integration of your physical, emotional and spiritual bodies. Your outlook on life will certainly change.

On retreat you will have two private sessions a day where you can ask any question and receive personal instruction in meditation; the whole retreat is specially designed for you. You will work with breathing and sound practices, attunement to spiritual beings, the dhikr, your dreams and sunrise meditations. We start the day at 3 am in the morning and end at 9:30 pm in the evening. The day sounds rigorous, but it goes by faster than you can think.

Long before your retreat actually starts you may find your heart wishing for a place where you could go and where you could be fully understood in whatever you are going through, a place where you would be emotionally held, nurtured and respected and your physical needs taken care of for that time, so that you would be able to give your full attention to your heart's longing.

Here's what some retreatants have to say about their retreat experience:

"My second individual retreat was quite different from the first. I was very sick (respiratory tract) and yet this amazingly helped me to go inward and do my practices more internally. Susanna took loving care of me and I felt very held, and was able to experience new inner levels of expansion for the first time. Walking the neighborhood with all the majestic saguaro and desert life while feeling so completely in my heart was a wonderful experience that I can still feel. The new retreat room is a wonderfully appointed, private, sacred space, and Susanna's wonderful cooking completes the retreat experience!" --Robin Carpenter

"It is hard to know how to begin to describe a retreat. Words quickly fail me. There have been very few experiences in my life that stand out as clear demarcations: "Before I was this; then I became that." The birth of my first child was such an experience. My two retreats are the only others. Becoming a father opened up such emotions, such new understandings and new experiences, that I remember a strong sense of surprise. I was a new being in what I thought was a well-understood life. Retreats are like that-- you are changed. Life, so well understood, now has to flow around new facts. You have had direct spiritual experiences which are now mountainous, rock-like facts. How to deny these facts now experienced and known to be true by your whole being? You can't. There is no alternative but change, and life seems to squirm, not easily, into a new shape and perspective." -- John Kroeker

The Group Retreat

"Registering for the IAM Winter Retreat was a last minute holiday gift I gave to myself. It's one of the finest gifts I ever received. In the Spring of 2005 I set my intent to 'live with my heart completely open.' Shortly afterwards I was introduced to and began an occasional practice of Heart Rhythm Meditation. No matter how sporadic my participation, each experience would leave me with a clear communication with the heart. At the IAM Winter Retreat, I fell in love with the heart. Practicing Heart Rhythm Meditation, in combination with learning the Zikr practice, deepened my awareness and connection of the heart. The practices offered the opportunity to push against my perceived boundaries and then to go beyond. What I found on the other side has given me the experiential fulfillment of what I asked for last Spring, to 'live with my heart completely open.' The resonance from the retreat has not dissipated. It continues to deepen my Heart Rhythm Practice and to touch other areas of my life on a daily basis."

Paula Banfield

A retreat is a great treat for healing and connecting with your purpose. In the IAM retreat we work with the wounds of your heart and with the ideal of your heart at the same time. As HIK says, "The heart all its own wounds heals." Yes, it does, but you need to give your heart energy and attention. And the other important thing is that you need to work with your ideal, to rediscover it and strengthen it. Everybody has an ideal, a dream or wish in their life.

What makes a group retreat different from a private retreat is that the retreat guides are on retreat with you, and each person is carried by the attunement of the group. The sacred sounds of Dhikr create a remembrance in the group of a reality of wholeness and unity.

Our way to celebrate the New Year is to give thanks for all you received and experienced in the old year; to have your feet washed and match your energies with the rising sun, hearing the white owl hooting as a sign that you have been forgiven and making a deer look at you before it runs away into the desert. These are some experiences of forgiveness we shared in our first New Year's group retreat at a retreat site outside of Tucson, Arizona. We spent New Year's Eve with a celebratory dinner discussing the possibilities of our plans for the New Year. Then we walked with our new plans into the darkness of the night. As we were toasting the New Year, right at midnight, a pack of coyotes filled the desert night with their excited yipping.

Our next group retreat is the summer group retreat which will be held at The Abode, New Lebanon, NY, from July 29 to August 2, 2006. For a private retreat with Susanna Bair, call Raphael at 888-310-7881. To register for the next group retreat, see our website, www.appliedmeditation.org.

The 101 Webcourse, "Heart Rhythm Meditation," beginning February 15

Led by Catherine Warrick, running for 8 weeks. This is a great way to learn HRM with a teacher who can answer your every question about the practice and how it applies to your life. A great online community will quickly develop and you'll meet people whom you'll likely see again in this community of the heart. See Webcourse_101

The 102 Webcourse, "The Elements of the Heart," beginning March 15

Led by John Happel, for 10 weeks. This is the successor to the first webcourse, going further into the path of the heart by developing the four subtle energies that stretch the heart in its growth. See Webcourse_102

The 103 Webcourse, "Restoring Optimism," beginnning March 1

Led by Puran Bair, for 10 weeks at a reduced price ($450 instead of $600). This course hasn't been offered in over a year, and this is the last time it will be led by Puran. Future offerings of the 103 webcourse will be led by one of the teachers that will be trained during this webcourse. The focus of this webcourse is on healing the heart's wounds that cause Love to drain out of the heart, plunging a person into pessimism. Limited enrollment - register early. See Webcourse_103.

After the recent winter retreat In Tucson, the IAM board held a two-day Board of Directors meeting on January 1st and 2nd to set goals for the coming year.

The year 2005 was a very good year for IAM, and we are currently in a growth spurt. Our financial budget forecast is greater than last year's and we are looking for more people to become involved in IAM to free up Puran, Susanna and Raphael. The Board recognized that Susanna and Puran are the critical resources for the growth of IAM in the coming year and that their schedule last year is unsustainable. To alleviate this, IAM will reduce the number of seminars in the coming year and focus on getting more students enrolled in the seminars that we do offer; members of the Board agreed to accept additional responsibilities allowing Susanna and Puran to concentrate on developing the spiritual path for IAM, with the board and volunteers handling the routine business and logistical functions as much as possible. Raphael was identified as another critical resource whose workload is unsustainable. Several options were discussed including changing his compensation, hiring an assistant, recruiting volunteers, and opening the storefront in Tucson. We are currently looking into hiring another part-time staff person, a marketing person, and someone for public relations.

The Board adopted the following Mission Statement and motto, which will be reviewed and voted on at the next board meeting:

Mission Statement: "Through Heart Rhythm Meditation, IAM explores and develops the capacity of the heart, leading to more fulfilling relationships, effective accomplishments, and improved health."

Motto: "Living from the heart for a better world."

We hope these two items will clarify our purpose and be helpful to the community in making choices and decisions regarding IAM.

We have many active committees on the board, including: outreach, fundraising, grants and research, asset management, marketing, IT, curriculum, publications, seminars and retreats, human resources, hospitals and health care, and local centers.

Puran and Susanna noted that there is a great deal of love and respect among the board members, and that we bring much good will and good intention to our work on the board. We are a very diverse group, and each of us brings a unique background and perspective. Nevertheless, we all share a love for our teachers and IAM, and in Hazrat Inayat Khan's words, "The best way to love is to serve."

The following is an introduction to some of the board members along with their vision of why they are on the board.

Raphael Doug Johnson, Tucson, AZ

"I have been interested in concepts of healing, health, and well being all of my life. I have practiced Classical Five Element Acupuncture since 1985. In dancing through the garden of form and energetics, my steps have also been led by the Alexander Technique, Bikram Yoga, Feldenkrais, Flower Essences, Pilates, Plant Spirit Medicine, Vipassana and Zazen. I find that Heart Rhythm Meditation is a supportive foundation for all of these. I am most honored to be part of the community of 'heart ecologists' building a school and center for all those living from the heart. In addition to working on the Board, I am a mentor and a teacher of Heart Rhythm Meditation and serve as the Public Representative at IAM's Tucson office.

I am on the board for the same reason that I became an employee of IAM. A big piece was that I knew Puran and Susanna were coming to Tucson. It's this piece, this vision that Puran and Susanna created. I have to be active and participate in that. The vision includes the sense of community. I can help build the community in Tucson. I like saying that's what we have to do and go do it, that sense of direction for the community to go, for it to be a broad model of what the community looks like. This gives me time to work on my stuff and go deeper and work on the healing of the Universal Heart."

Blanchefleur Jeanie Underwood, Bakersfield, CA

"I am a psychotherapist in Bakersfield, California, where my husband Fazl and I have lived for 26 years. Before that, I was an elementary school teacher. In between those two careers, I stayed home with our daughter, Christine, who is now 24 years old and living in Seattle, Washington. At a workshop a few years ago, I had a vision of opening my heart to a group of many people in front of me. As I did, black hoods were being pulled off of their heads, resulting in my seeing brilliant light emitting from each person. I now see that as an image of my soul's purpose: opening my heart to see the light in myself and in others, and to provide a conduit for others to experience their own light as well.

When I first began HRP, it was for my own benefit, but now, more and more it is to serve and bless others and pass along the many blessings that I have received from this practice, Puran and Susanna, and this school...to lift the 'back hoods' from my vision. That is why I agreed to be on the board, edit the newsletter with Fazl, and why I have become a teacher of HRP. For me, that feeling is expressed in the prayer Nazer, The Prayer of Thankfulness:
Oh Thou, Sustainer of our bodies, hearts and souls, Bless all that we receive in thankfulness. Amen"

Fazl Porter Underwood, Bakersfield, CA

"How did an average Joe Engineer working in the oil industry in west Texas and California, who likes baseball, apple pie and Chevrolets; sports of all kinds, cold beer and BBQ; who drives a pickup and a motorcycle; who rarely gave much thought to the 'unseen world,' let alone God, heaven and hell, end up here?! If you would have suggested 10 years ago I would be a mentor, teacher and board member of an institution that teaches meditation and living from the heart, I would have said you were two nuggets short of a Happy Meal!

I knew from the first workshop Puran gave in Bakersfield that he would be my teacher, but it took another year before I knew I would be a worthy student and was initiated as Fazl. I was almost killed three times in my life, but I know I was spared for a reason. It was revealed to me at the 2006 Winter Retreat that my life's purpose is to help build the Instituted for Applied Meditation."

Kalimi Robin Carpenter, Bakersfield, CA

"I live in Bakersfield, CA. I have been married to Akbar Jack Carpenter for almost 20 years and we are the parents of two, a son age 15 and a daughter age 13. I am the owner and principal agent of a health insurance agency and have been providing medical and other insurances to businesses and individuals for 20 years. I was introduced to Heart Rhythm Meditation at the end of 2002 and have been increasingly enthusiastic about the practices since the end of 2003. I am in IAM's teacher training program with the intent of leading HRM classes in Bakersfield in 2006.

The reason I have become so involved is because the flood gates of my heart just opened with love by being in Susanna and Puran's presence, and I know that's what I want in my life, more of that, and I know they can teach me more about that. I have a deep sense of gratitude and sacredness. The vision that has me here on the board is to share that with other people and make this vision grow for everyone."

Akbar Jack Carpenter, Bakersfield, CA

"I work with Kalimi as the CFO of Carpenter Insurance Agency in Bakersfield, CA. I also own Beladagio.com, Inc., which sells home and garden products on the Internet. My introduction to HRM came through Kalimi. HRM has changed our relationship, and it gets better every day. These changes have created a desire to grow IAM to help make Heart Rhythm Meditation available to everyone.

When you see a vision you want to succeed, you have to jump in there and make it happen. I am on the board because of that."

Karen Poulson, Chicago, IL

"I live in Chicago proper in a renovated Post Card Factory loft building in a neighborhood that gentrified beyond my belief. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a fact I love as in my 5th sensory professional life I am an archaeological and historic consultant. In my 6th sensory life, I apparently am a dervish, gasp who knew, a saint, although I am beginning to claim some of it! IAM in Chicago consists of my kingly friend Ashoka and knight Steve Hartman. Ashoka and I have been teaching classes together for almost two years. My idea of fun is kirtan, free-form dancing, aquatic art, movies (I belong to a spiritual cinema club), mystery novels, Harry Potter, friends across the world and neighbors. My family is far flung from Florida to Israel. My family was greatly diminished this past year having suffered the tragic loss of my beloved only sibling and brother, Eric, as well as my cat, Sushi, who was really a dog.

I don't know why I am here. I am just here. It's just where I am at. If it is for a short time, that idea means that the board has been effective and I am far out paced by what I can give to the board."

Zamiat Bonnie Colby, Tucson, AZ

"I began meditating regularly as a college student and have practiced meditation under the guidance of senior teachers for over 25 years. I find Heart Rhythm Meditation an indispensable tool for accomplishing changes within myself and in the world, and I am deeply honored to be teaching others this method and to be serving on the IAM Board with my husband, Daniel Nelson. I have been on the faculty of the University of Arizona since 1983, specializing in research, teaching and public service on water resource management and environmental policy. I have worked with dozens of non-profit organizations and public agencies concerned with resource conservation, conflict resolution and environmental justice. My perspective on meditation is: We do not meditate in order to become great meditators. We meditate to become great human beings...serving and inspiring our communities and our world!

I am grateful to serve on the Board because it is the perfect opportunity to learn how to address practical concerns like fund raising and personnel issues in a heart-centered manner. In a deep sense, the Board must operate beautifully in two worlds: heaven and earth. We must cultivate our spiritual practices and experience of the One Being, and yet be mystics who are effective in everyday matters of guiding an organization. Serving on the Board is an unsurpassable opportunity to learn these skills with a high-caliber, quality and dedicated group. I know that as we grow in our ability to gracefully blend the spiritual and the practical, IAM will blossom even more fully and we can inspire other organizations too."

Daniel Nelson, Tucson, AZ

"I am a second-generation Arizona native. Seven years ago, after 20 years in sales and marketing, I chose to start a new career. With the loving encouragement of my wife, Zamiat, I returned to the University of Arizona and got an M.S. in wildlife management. I am now a wildlife biologist working for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. I work in Ajo (a town 150 miles from Tucson and 3 miles past the end of the world) but my heart's home is in Tucson with my wife and our teenage son Korey. I first heard of IAM 3 years ago from Zamiat. In 2004, I attended my first retreat at The Abode. I went in as a cynic and came out as a skeptic. Last summer I again attended the summer retreat, went in as a skeptic and came out a disciple. During that retreat, I accepted an invitation to join the board. I hope to make my major contribution as a board member in the business side of IAM, helping to develop the organizational structure, planning and goal setting, marketing, and management. I've only been on the board for 6 months, but I've been very impressed with the commitment, enthusiasm, and professionalism of the members. I look forward to a very productive and exciting term on the board.

I am on the board because the two most important women in my life (Zamiat and Susanna) asked me to be!"

Zia Jennifer Moore, Boca Raton, FL

"I will be on the board as long as I have something of value to contribute. That will be a long time, a life time maybe. Maybe it's time to let new people on the board. I did a reading on it, 'You are staying on the board.' Okay! So obviously there is something to be done."

Elijah Ansarov, Boca Raton, FL

BiBi Huq Miao-Chen Lin, Tucson, AZ

The Institute for Applied Meditation is seeking an idealistic, energetic and qualified person to promote IAM seminars in the United States. We are poised for our next stage of growth and our Seminar Promoter will play a key role in helping us reach our goal of teaching Heart Rhythm Meditation to 1,000,000 people!

Great Seminar Promoters are organized, enthusiastic and enjoy developing relationships with people. As a Seminar Promoter, you will be responsible for the following:

• End-to-end management of all advertising (print, radio and television)

• Venue selection

• On-site eventmanagement

• Co-ordination of volunteer event staff

This position is a paid position. The promoter will receive a percentage of the net profits from each event. It is estimated that a successful promoter can earn $50,000 + each year.

Please send resume to IAM c/o Raphael Johnson, PO Box 86149, Tucson AZ 85754 or email resume and questions to www.appliedmeditation.org.

One of the goals identified by the IAM Board is to offer Heart Rhythm Meditation for groups with specific needs and interests. There have already been workshops for those in the health and healing fields and we hope to extend these to other health-related settings such as hospitals. Another group being offered HRM classes in Tucson is social activists working on behalf of human rights, civil liberties, public health and environmental issues. This new class is called Heart Rhythm Meditation for Activists and Other Passionate People. How does meditation help those seeking to accomplish social change?

Heart Rhythm Meditation enhances:

• physical vitality and stamina during crises

• creative problem solving and fresh perspectives

• working relationships with co-workers andallies

• effective responses to opposing interests

• concentration and perseverance to complete tasks

• emotional balance under stress

• inspiration and fulfillment in work and relationships

Analogous to building up muscle strength through exercise, the benefits of Heart Rhythm Meditation grow with consistent practice. Investing a few minutes a day in this form of meditation leads to 'payoffs' in many areas of life.

If you have ideas about extending HRM classes and workshops to special groups contact Raphael/Doug Johnson; for ideas related to health, healing and for other areas of interest, contact Zamiat Bonnie Colby.

Dear Fazl and Blanchefleur,

What a beautiful newsletter! I was so happy to see this in my inbox. So much to take in, such beautiful choices weaving the harmony of our community.

I know how much work it is to put this together, and have much gratitude that you have taken this on. It is just perfect.

Much love, Zia

Editors' Note: Zia Moore, Raphael Johnson and Asatar Bair are the former editors of the Pulse, so we particularly appreciate Zia's comments. Their work can be viewed on line at The Newsletters.

Peace and bright greetings to all of you at the IAM Institute. Please allow me to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to and put together the December newsletter. It was the first one I've had the opportunity to read, and I found it very delightful as well as informative. I will be looking forward to receiving the next February newsletter, which I'm sure will be a very welcome, bright spot during a very cold time of year here in Indiana.

Love and light always,
Sharon Brown

I read the newsletter three times; twice myself, and once with Steven. We both intend to become more involved with IAM as time goes on. I so much appreciated your letter, Susanna, and all the links you provided; we have become very interested in sustainable energy and earth programs, community, etc. and will benefit by what you sent, and by your words. The whole newsletter was very meaningful at this time; the contribution from Shafiya (our reify Shafiya) was very wonderful, the poem and the life sharing, and especially the returning to an appreciation and love for Jesus through IAM, Murshid, etc. I had the same experience with Swami Rama, who revered Jesus and essentially suggested that it is wise to look at him from the point of view of his teachings and his life, and not from the point of view of his current followers and their beliefs; that we can study the pure Hindu philosophy and spiritual teachings from afar without being so aware of those who think their grandmother may now reside in the body of that insect on the hearth.

I am so grateful for you, for your presence in my life.

I love the image of the heart as a manger, Puran.

Love and light, and peace,
Patricia

This poem was initially written by the French poet, Paul Eluard (1895 - 1952), for the woman he loved, whom he called Nush. He subsequently replaced the name of his beloved at the end of the poem with the word 'Freedom' ('Liberte' in French), and this is the title under which the poem is now known. I thought I could take the same liberty and rededicate it to the divine Beloved.

Love, peace and blessings
Regine Bohar

Beloved

Paul Eluard

*the kings' crown: a gold paper crown that the lucky child who discovers the fava bean hidden in the Kings' cake (a flat cake made out of puff pastry and stuffed with sweet almond paste or - in the South of France - a brioche topped with candied fruit) on Epiphany day (January 6th), gets to wear. The crown is sold along with the traditional cake in which a plaster figure of Mary or another biblical figure is also hidden. The child who finds this one gets to wear a silver crown. The custom is for the children to hide under the table, telling to whom each piece of cake should be served, while the adults gently poke to find out where the bean and figures are hidden, serving those pieces to the kids.

Symphony of Coyotes at the Winter Retreat

On New Year's Eve we took a meditation walk in the darkness to represent the unknown, uncertainty, and the many things in life beyond our control. The sky was covered with clouds with a very small opening of magnificent and brilliant stars and this reminded me to put my hand in the hand of God and to be a beam of light in the darkness and the uncertainty of life.

When we returned from our walk, we sat around the fire in a circle. As the clock struck 12:00, there were fire works in the far distance celebrating the New Year. The coyotes howled in a symphony of response celebrating in their own way as if to say that the whole universe is in harmony, beauty, and love.

My desire for 2006 is to carry the experience of the entire Winter Retreat of IAM into my daily life in the coming year.

"Through the darkness of night my soul seeks for thee." -- Hazrat Inayat Khan

Love,
Azima Gloria Wachel, Bakersfield, CA

Living Spirituality Workshop     February 25-26, 2006 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM

The purpose of spiritual practice is not just to have mystical experiences, but to enable us to lead fruitful lives in which we are of service to our fellow human beings. This weekend will focus on the ways in which we can apply the inspirations and insights of our spiritual path (whichever that may be) to our lives from moment to moment and day to day, year after year. Spirituality which is not lived cannot fulfill its purpose, and we ourselves cannot fulfill our purpose in life without applying our realization in our everyday life.

Sharif Munawwir Graham has worked closely with the texts of Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882-1927) for many years. He will be offering extracts from that teaching relevant to Living Spirituality. He will also offer insights resulting from his intensive work with Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (1916-2004), as well as his own reflections from his work as a professor of comparative religion and longtime (since 1970) practice of the Sufi path.

Sharif Munawwir will be joined in this presentation by several collaborators. Puran and Susanna Bair will help us to focus on the heart. Shams Kairys will focus on the practice of music, finding our individual and collective music. Ishi Nili Newmark will offer insights into the psychological aspects of our path. Fravarti Breidenbach will speak from her own experience of living from intuition.

This will be a weekend of self-discovery, new insight, joy and celebration. Everyone is most welcome to join.

Our next newsletter will be April, 2006. The deadline for submitting items is March 15, 2006.

We would enjoy hearing from you as a letter to the editor, or contribution to Community Voices section of our newsletter. If you have any ideas of things that you would like to see in the newsletter, please contact us know at: jeanieundr@sbcglobal.net or porter.underwood@sbcglobal.net.

God is like a honey bee, He doesn't mind me calling Him that; for when you are kind - sweet - He nears, and can draw you into Himself. - St. Francis of Assisi