TOWARD THE ONE, THE PERFECTION OF LOVE, HARMONY AND BEAUTY, THE ONLY BEING,
UNITED WITH ALL THE ILLUMINATED SOULS, WHO FORM THE EMBODIMENT OF THE MASTER, THE SPIRIT OF GUIDANCE.
Beloved Ones of God,
We welcome you to this portal of Sufism. In the words of Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, “Sufism has never had a first exponent or a historical origin. It existed from the beginning, because human beings have always possessed the light which is their second nature".
We are fortunate, in this lifetime to feel the awakening call to dedicate ourselves to the Path of Realization, to overcome the grasping to the notion of a separate self and realize our True Nature. Further, we feel auspicious blessing to find ourselves in this rich lineage of Lovers of Truth, following the oral tradition of spiritual guidance.
In 1910, Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan, traveled from India as the first Sufi Master to come to the West, spreading the Sufi Message of Love Harmony and Beauty. He initiated his California disciple Murshid Samuel Lewis, Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti in the early 1920’s.
Murshid SAM dedicated his life to the Path of the Bodhisattva, awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings. Over time he was recognized as a Sufi Master, Zen Master, Hindu Master, with mastery in the Christian and Jewish mysteries, and in the natural sciences. In the late sixties, he began training young students first under the banner of Zen and then Sufi. It is in this lineage that we find ourselves today. Even though he worked with around one hundred and fifty disciples before his passing, the blessing and lineage of his work is now international in scope, and growing!
Just before his passing in 1971, he formed an organization to further the lineage and we are now known as the Sufi Ruhaniat International. We continually work to balance the organic nature of training from guide to student and provide support, service, networking, and training through our Organization to further Realization and relieve suffering.
May our work be of benefit to all sentient beings.
Much Love,
Pir Shabda Kahn
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Mission Statement
The Sufi Ruhaniat International is dedicated to helping individuals unfold their highest spiritual purpose, manifest their essential inner being, and live harmoniously with others, with the hope of relieving suffering and contributing to the awakening of all of humankind.
About Sufi Ruhaniat International
The Sufi Ruhaniat International was founded by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis shortly before he died in 1971. We are in the stream of the ages-old wisdom lineage of Sufism brought to the West in 1910 by Hazrat Inayat Khan under the title "The Sufi Message of Spiritual Liberty” and his disciple Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti). This work was continued by Pir Moineddin Jablonski, the spiritual successor of Murshid Samuel Lewis, who guided the Ruhaniat from 1971 until his death in 2001. It continues today under the guidance of Pir Shabda Kahn, the successor of Pir Moineddin.
The Invocation of Hazrat Inayat Khan states:
"Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty, the Only Being,
United with All the Illuminated Souls, Who Form the Embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance."
In accord with this invocation, we affirm our desire for unity of heart with all spiritual seekers on all paths toward God. Celebrating diversity within unity, we affirm our unique heritage and universal spiritual transmission through the life and work of Murshid Samuel L. Lewis. This connects us principally to the Sufi lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan, but also many other Illuminated Souls, known and unknown to the world. This transmission includes blessing streams from Murshid Samuel L. Lewis’ many teachers, only some of whom are named here:
Nyogen Senzaki
Sokei-an Sasaki
Swami Papa Ramdas
Mother Krishnabai
Sufi Barkat Ali
Ruth St. Denis
The Ruhaniat family is composed of sincere mureeds (initiated students) who tread the path of initiation and discipleship, seeking the truth of the inner life through personal practice and direct experience -- just as the disciples of Christ, Buddha, Mohammed, and other illuminated souls, known and unknown, have done through the ages. Because Sufism is based on experiences and not on premises, we affirm the preciousness of an initiatic relationship of spiritual transmission between initiator and mureed. It is a fundamental principle of the Sufi Ruhaniat International that each mureed have an initiator to serve as friend, guide and reality check. This primary initiatic relationship provides a living matrix within which student as well as teacher may develop in character and spiritual experience. Retreats and classes are open to all, both initiates and non-initiates alike.
Further activities of the Ruhaniat include an Esoteric Studies program, the International Network for the Dances of Universal Peace, the Dervish Healing Order, the Service of Universal Peace and ministerial training, Spiritual Psychology and SoulWork, Ziraat (Sacred Agriculture), Retreat and many other inspired teachings of the leaders and lineage holders of the Ruhaniat.
We have recently crossed the threshold between the old millennium and the new. Many contemporary tools are available to help us in our personal and spiritual growth. At the same time, we represent a tradition that has its roots in prehistory. The sacred practices and teachings that have come down to us from diverse climes and cultures in an unbroken line have been carefully cultivated and prepared for us by innumerable spiritual forebears.
From Hazrat Inayat Khan, Objects of the Movement:
1. To establish a human unity with no consideration of caste, creed, race, nation, or religion. Differences produce inharmony and cause all miseries in the world.
2. To spread the wisdom of Sufis which has been until now, a hidden treasure, it being the property of humankind which does not belong to a certain race or religion.
3. To attain that perfection where mysticism remains no more a mystery, which relieves the disbeliever from ignorance and the believer from falling victim to hypocrisy.
From Murshid Samuel L. Lewis:
“Our work is to spread the knowledge and love and light of God. By stressing the positive, the affirmative, the true, we help ourselves and all humanity.”
From Pir Moineddin Jablonski:
“Deepen your compassion. Love the wounded places in you that need healing. Open yourself to the grace of illumination. Give freely of your joy. Share your neighbor's burden. Through all these avenues, discover your Soul.”
From Murshid Wali Ali Meyer:
“Our work is to let our love be large.”
May All Beings Be Well! May All Beings Be Happy! Peace! Peace! Peace!