Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Spring Retreat with Imam Bilal Hyde


A Sufi Approach to Healing the Heart: A Model for Healing the Seven Levels of the Inner Self"
Retreat with Imam Bilal Hyde
Open your eyes!
Don’t you realize that the whole world (and everything in it)
is nothing but a dream, within a dream, within a dream?
Only those still sleeping are imagining that all of this is real.
One morning death will come like the break of day, and you will wake up
weeping and laughing at what you thought was a lifetime of pain and rage.

–Rumi, translation by Bilal Hyde
March 23-March 25, 2018 at Camp Akita, 29746 Logan-Hornsmill Road in Logan, Ohio
Saturday night Zikr 8:00 pm also
at Camp Akita
http://www.campakita.org/
Traditional Sufi meditation practices, rarely offered to the general public. This powerful and transformative technique opens the doors of the mystical heart, one at a time, to the light of divine love (`ishq Allah).Sufi meditation focuses on training and refining the ego-self, using visualization, concentration, directed breath practice, and prayer. These practices develop in stages, unveiling the subtlest levels of the innermost heart, the seat of wisdom, insight, and compassion for all life. The results of this healing process are deeply rewarding, spiritually and practically. As the mystical heart opens to divine love, we encounter our true reality.
Imam Bilal is co-author of Physicians of the Heart: Sufi Guidebook to the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah with Murshid Wali Ali and Pir Shabda Kahn of the Sufi Ruhaniat International, and Faisal Muqaddam, co-creator of the Diamond Approach.
This retreat is open to all, no experience necessary.
Contact Hilal at hilal1001@sbcglobal.net for more information.
 
Practical Matters
Accommodations: THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR!! ( Important differences in bold type.)
We are going to occupy the entire Lodge at Camp Akita: The Lodge has beds divided into four semi-private sleeping areas. Each sleeping area includes six rooms with four beds each, furnished lounge area, kitchenette and bathroom facilities. 
That means that there are 24 separate sleeping rooms
. Depending on how many people come, we will divide up the rooms. Likely everyone can have their own room, or two people might share.
Two of these sleeping areas are on the same floor as the main meeting room so if steps are a problem, please
let me know.
No linens are provided, so if you can bring towels and bedding - sheets, blankets, pillow, please do. The beds are extra long twin.
If you can’t bring something, please let us know in advance; we will find the items you need

The main room provides meeting space and features a large fireplace, access to the lake-view deck and a small kitchenette. The entire lodge is air-conditioned and offers audio/visual support services and WiFi.
Regarding Physical Challenges: As I said above, if steps are a problem please let me know so that we make sure your sleeping space is on the main floor. There are chairs for salat if you are uncomfortable on the floor. If you need to request particular accommodations based on this information, please contact me.
Food: We will be eating in the main dining hall. Serving is family-style. Please let us know what your food restrictions are.
Arrival and Departure: Please try to arrive between 4 and 6 on March 23, 2018. There will be a light meal at 6. The first session will begin at 8. Departure after lunch on Sunday, March 25.
During the Retreat: Each day will move among prayer, zikr, teachings, silence, sohbet, tea. If you like bring a prayer rug and cushions to sit on, and sweets for Saturday afternoon tea.
Fees: $385 – room, board, teaching. A commitment to attend would be appreciated by February 28, 2018; full payment at arrival. (And of course earlier payment would be lovely.) Commuter prices – full retreat w/meals $250, ask about partial attendance.
Saturday zikr, free- will donation, $20 recommended.
Please make checks payable to Jane Smirniotopoulos

Registration for Retreat with Imam Bilal, 2018

Name (s)

Address

City/ State


Dietary Requirements, Special Needs, Other Needs? 



Arrival Time                                                Departure Time


Do you need transport from airport? If so, please supply flight info


It will help me if youfill in this formDon’t you realize that the whole world (and everything in it)
is nothing but a dream, within a dream, within a dream?
Only those still sleeping are imagining that all of this is real.
One morning death will come like the break of day, and you will wake up
weeping and laughing at what you thought was a lifetime of pain and rage.

–Rumi, translation by Bilal Hyde
March 23-March 25, 2018 at Camp Akita, 29746 Logan-Hornsmill Road in Logan, Ohio
Saturday night Zikr 8:00 pm also
at Camp Akita
http://www.campakita.org/
Traditional Sufi meditation practices, rarely offered to the general public. This powerful and transformative technique opens the doors of the mystical heart, one at a time, to the light of divine love (`ishq Allah).Sufi meditation focuses on training and refining the ego-self, using visualization, concentration, directed breath practice, and prayer. These practices develop in stages, unveiling the subtlest levels of the innermost heart, the seat of wisdom, insight, and compassion for all life. The results of this healing process are deeply rewarding, spiritually and practically. As the mystical heart opens to divine love, we encounter our true reality.
Imam Bilal is co-author of Physicians of the Heart: Sufi Guidebook to the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah with Murshid Wali Ali and Pir Shabda Kahn of the Sufi Ruhaniat International, and Faisal Muqaddam, co-creator of the Diamond Approach.
This retreat is open to all, no experience necessary.
Contact Hilal at hilal1001@sbcglobal.net for more information.
 
Practical Matters
Accommodations: THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR!! ( Important differences in bold type.)
We are going to occupy the entire Lodge at Camp Akita: The Lodge has beds divided into four semi-private sleeping areas. Each sleeping area includes six rooms with four beds each, furnished lounge area, kitchenette and bathroom facilities. 
That means that there are 24 separate sleeping rooms
. Depending on how many people come, we will divide up the rooms. Likely everyone can have their own room, or two people might share.
Two of these sleeping areas are on the same floor as the main meeting room so if steps are a problem, please
let me know.
No linens are provided, so if you can bring towels and bedding - sheets, blankets, pillow, please do. The beds are extra long twin.
If you can’t bring something, please let us know in advance; we will find the items you need

The main room provides meeting space and features a large fireplace, access to the lake-view deck and a small kitchenette. The entire lodge is air-conditioned and offers audio/visual support services and WiFi.
Regarding Physical Challenges: As I said above, if steps are a problem please let me know so that we make sure your sleeping space is on the main floor. There are chairs for salat if you are uncomfortable on the floor. If you need to request particular accommodations based on this information, please contact me.
Food: We will be eating in the main dining hall. Serving is family-style. Please let us know what your food restrictions are.
Arrival and Departure: Please try to arrive between 4 and 6 on March 23, 2018. There will be a light meal at 6. The first session will begin at 8. Departure after lunch on Sunday, March 25.
During the Retreat: Each day will move among prayer, zikr, teachings, silence, sohbet, tea. If you like bring a prayer rug and cushions to sit on, and sweets for Saturday afternoon tea.
Fees: $385 – room, board, teaching. A commitment to attend would be appreciated by February 28, 2018; full payment at arrival. (And of course earlier payment would be lovely.) Commuter prices – full retreat w/meals $250, ask about partial attendance.
Saturday zikr, free- will donation, $20 recommended.
Please make checks payable to Jane Smirniotopoulos

Registration for Retreat with Imam Bilal, 2018

Name (s)

Address

City/ State


Dietary Requirements, Special Needs, Other Needs? 



Arrival Time                                                       Departure Time


Do you need transport from airport? If so, please supply flight info


It will help me if you e- mail (or snail mail) this info to me so that I can keep track of who's coming, thanks.
Email address: hilal1001@sbcglobal.net
Snail mail: Jane Smirniotopoulos, 1000 Urlin Ave., Apt 1809, Grandview Heights OH 43212

and e- mail (or snail mail) it to me so that I can keep track, thanks.
Email address: hilal1001@sbcglobal.net
Snail mail: Jane Smirniotopoulos, 1000 Urlin Ave., Apt 1809, Grandview Heights OH 43212


Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Oops! January zikr is Saturday,1/27 not 1/29 (which is not Saturday.

Zikr Allah, An Armor of Roses, Saturday, January 27, 7:30 pm



 
AN ARMOR OF ROSES

Take January's advice. Stack wood.
Weather inevitably turns cold, and you

make fires to stay healthy. Study
the grand metaphor of this yearly work.

Wood is a symbol for absence. Fire
for your love of God. We burn form

to warm the soul. Soul loves winter
for that, and accepts reluctantly the

comfort of spring with its elegant,
proliferating gifts. All part of the

plan, fire becoming ash becoming
garden soil becoming mint, willow and

tulip. Love looks like fire. Feed
yourself into it. Be the fireplace and

the wood. Bravo, for this metallurgy
that makes a needle from an iron ingot.

Calm fire now, for the moth a window;
for you an armor of roses! Pharaoh

disolves like yogurt in water. Moses
comes to the top like oil. Fine Arabians

carry royalty. Nags, the sacks of dried
dung. Language is an annoying clatter

in the mill of meaning. A silent river
turns the millstone. The word-grains get

noisily dumped in the tray, pulverized
under the stone as gossip. Let this

poem be thus ground. Let me go
back to the lovefire that refines the

pure gold of my friend, Shamsuddin.

-- Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zikr Allah,An Armor of Roses
Join the Columbus Sufi Circle,
Saturday, January 27, 7:30 pm1000 Urlin Ave. 1809, Grandview Heights OH 43212

Everybody is welcome, we will sing, chant, read poetry, eat sweets.

Contact Hilal at 614-446-3337 or hilal1001@sbcglobal.net