The world is going through a global awakening, shifting from the mind to the heart.  This will change all the existing social structures, leading to a new culture, the Culture of the Heart.    

The culture of the heart consists of the tuning of the heart to the natural pitch; then one feels the joy and ecstasy of life, which enables one to give pleasure to others even by one’s presence. — HIK

In order to change the culture, we need, first of all, to understand the present patriarchal culture: its contribution to forming civilization and its damaging effect in constraining society. 

There is nothing in the world which one with powerful heart cannot accomplish; only, before one develops any power, the ground must be prepared with moral culture, which constitutes three principles: harmony, usefulness, and harmlessness. — HIK

We understand that the One Heart works through every heart to cause change in the physical world. Hence, the importance of each person’s thoughts, words and deeds. Our goal at iamHeart is to assist in the creation of a Culture of the Heart in the world.  This will require each of us to develop the character of harmony, usefulness, and harmlessness, and also for us to work together and with others.

Today is a time such as the world has never seen before. Mankind is divided ignoring the truth that they depend upon one another. To the person who would think from a human point of view even the wise and clever are acting as children.  What is required today is this: that some souls, unselfish, strong, confident of the truth of their ideals, should join hands in serving humanity.  — HIK

The intention of this course is to help you clarify and develop your own ideals and beliefs.

The first objective is to develop a character of harmony, usefulness, and harmlessness.

The steps are a vision of the One Heart in the heart of a person, the degree to which the heart has been realized, and a prescription for how the One Heart will unfold in this heart in the future.  Morality develops in steps according to realization.

Hazrat Inayat Khan has identified the steps of one’s realization of the heart through 18 steps, encompassing psychological maturity, illumination and spiritual service, toward perfection.  Puran and Susanna’s book, “Follow Your Heart” is the most comprehensive description of the first nine steps. This course will expand and add detail to those steps and also explore the last nine steps. 

Our direct experience of as many of these steps as we can touch upon, gives a tremendous scope for understanding what a human being can become, the motivation to continue to develop one’s heart, and a great expansion of the sense of Self.  Your knowledge of the steps of realization will guide you in your own path of self-discovery and fulfillment, and will allow you to help others on the path of the heart.   

We will clarify the inner and outer signals of each step by which they can be identified and, importantly, the false signals that can create an appearance of realization. We will also explore the spiritual practices that move a person from each step to the next.

We will explore steps 11 to 18 for the first time, to recognize signs of these realizations in people we know and to notice the hal (peak experience) of these states in ourselves.

There is a union of illuminated souls who embody the One Heart to serve humanity.   At iamHeart, we are blessed with the spiritual lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan, focused on the teachings of the heart that have come through Madeleine and Puran Bair.  The Initiation creates an eternal link from the spiritual lineage, through the union of illuminated souls, to the initiate.

There are seven grades of spiritual souls who form the spiritual standard; and each grade is divided into two classes, jelal and jemal. And, descending from the combination of these two spirits, there comes a third line as a central line, which is the spirit of prophecy.

The illuminated souls (male and female, living and having lived) who form the embodiment of the One Heart, the Spirit of Guidance, coordinate the evolution of humanity and all life. One cannot be truly of service without allowing oneself to be guided by them. They are aware of the needs of humanity in its struggle to evolve, and of the needs of all life on earth. They establish the priorities for what needs to happen, to be discovered and energized, and they inspire humanity accordingly.  The Culture of the Heart is being built up through their guidance and the actions of living beings like us.

Our direct experience of as many of these steps as we can touch upon gives a tremendous scope for understanding what a human being can become, the motivation to continue to develop one’s potentials, and a great expansion of the sense of Self.  Your knowledge of the steps of realization will guide you in your own path of self-discovery and fulfillment, and will allow you to help others on their path.   

We will clarify the inner and outer signals of each step by which they can be identified and, importantly, the false signals that can create an appearance of realization.

We will also explore the spiritual practices that move a person from each step to the next.  For examples of how the steps of realization appear in human terms, we will examine ourselves and our classmates, with vulnerability and respect, looking for evidence in our lives of the characteristics of each step.  The aim is to gain understanding of how the steps manifest. 

You will write a paper at the conclusion of the course that explains and gives examples of your understanding of your current step of your realization of the heart.

The course will be 10 weeks, from September through November, 2024.

It is through the experience of sacred relationships that one comes to understand The Heart.  The aim is to commune with the seen and unseen beings that inspire and support us, and to experience being loved unconditionally and loving unconditionally with living beings.

The course is an exploration of respect and consideration of others.   Our aim is always to see the infinite, eternal perfection in the heart of every person; this is what makes a relationship “sacred.”   This vision of the divine in the heart also creates a deep tolerance and appreciation of the “ego” of oneself and others. 

We will use an advanced form of the Resonance practice (Contemplation), similar to the practice of darshan.

For inspired examples of how the One Heart operates through the hearts of people, we will learn “attunements” to “the souls that have gone this way before” in various traditions.  Their lives illuminate how the One Heart is expressed in human terms.   

The ability to relate to the One Heart in another requires the vision of the higher planes of reality to see into the unseen and unmanifested levels of a person.   This vision extends our current practice of Resonance (Contemplation) beyond what has been taught at iamHeart before.   The practice of Resonance will be expanded by using advanced meditations on the higher planes, of the soul (Plane #4) and beyond, to the One Heart (Plane #2).   

We will practice seeing Infinity, Eternity and Perfection in the heart and soul of the person in front of us,

• By abandoning our own precepts and associations
• As a dynamic being, a continuity in change
• From the consciousness of the energetic archetypes
• Freed from any form, as an energetic signature spanning Alpha to Omega, which reveals the divine intention and purpose operating in that person.

To develop our relationship to the One Heart, however one understands it, and our relationship to the Illuminated Souls who form its embodiment, we will use meditations, invocations, aphorisms and prayers.  Through this course may we come to a deeper appreciation of the wisdom of the men and women in our lineage and a gratefulness for their constant presence.

Our sacred relationships include our spouse, lover, parents, children, clients and teachers.  The following practices will deepen and strengthen all of these sacred relationships.

You will be asked to develop a meaningful relationship of understanding and respect with three unseen beings and two living beings.  These could include parents, other ancestors, teachers and friends.  Then you will write about your relationships with these five beings.

The result will be seen in your atmosphere of nobility and peace, your emotion of sacred devotion, and your ability to transmit the teachings and attunement of the Pirs.

The course will be 10 weeks, from January through March, 2025. 

To accomplish the wish of your heart and to contribute to the current global awakening to the heart, you need to hold a great power in your heart.  This power acts as a magnet that attracts and holds others and energizes them in their path.

There are challenges (1) to develop the inner magnetism of the heart, (2) to discern when and how to express that magnetism and, most importantly, (3) to hold that magnetism without any expression.   The capacity and ability to hold power within, allows power to build.  This is necessary to prevent distortions in expressing magnetism.

We will experience and develop magnetism at each level: the physical heart, the energetic heart, the deep heart, and the magnetism of the One Heart.   We will learn and practice the methods for developing each magnetic power, using the Six Basic Powers, meditations, and lifestyle.

You will be called upon to demonstrate your self-mastery, upon which the people you serve depend.  Any wobbling in your mastery sows distrust in those who rely on you.  You must also be able to demonstrate the magnetism of the heart that attracts and holds others and expands your sphere of influence.   

The results of increased magnetism will be evident in increased vitality, confidence, courage and optimism.

You will write about your experience of mastery and magnetism and how you avoid the distortions of both.

The course will be 10 weeks, from April through June, 2025.