Every master has a select vessel where secrets and knowledge may be poured into. The Master seeks an empty vessel, a heart ready to receive. Attar the famed Persian poet and mystic too sought an empty vessel and in his presence arrived the young Jelaluddin Rumi. The latter, as legend states had fled with his family, the Mongol invasion of his homeland and en route to Anatolia, in the city of Neshapour, young Jelaluddin had to come into the physical presence of Master Attar who would gaze at him and grace him for such works the world had yet to see. He saw Jelaluddin’s father walking ahead of his son and said, “Here comes a sea followed by an ocean.”
Naturally, Attar a master, recognised the secret of Rumi and gave him his Asrarnama, the book of secrets, which prepared him to study deeper the subtle mysteries of the heart. Later in his adult years, Mevlana Rumi was to meet his spiritual Master and guide who would alchemically transmute the scholar into an ecstatic lover of Divine, something the world had yet to expreience. Again, Shamsuddin too was in search of a open vessel, a master whom he would transfer his entire being and secrets to. Rumi was the select and elect candidate for Shams e Tabrez.
Among the students of Rumi, was Husamuddin. As the story goes, Husamuddin implored Mevlana Rumi, “If you were to write a book like the Ilahiname of Sanai or the Mantiq ‘ut-Tayr (Conference of the Birds) of Attar it would become the companion of many troubadours. They would fill their hearts from your work and compose music to accompany it.” Thereupon Mevlana Rumi embraced the suggestion and composed the song of the reed which would become the opening chapter of his Mathnavi, a six volume epic work of the famed Eastern poet who stands today as the most read poet in the West.
Song of the Reed
Listen to the reed as it tells its tale;
it complains of separation.
Since they cut me from the reed-bed,
men and women have been crying over my lament.
I wish for someone with a bosom torn apart by separation,
so that I can tell them the meaning of the pain of longing.
Everyone who stays far away from his own origin
seeks to get back to the day he was together with it.
I have been crying in every gathering;
I have kept company with the miserable and the happy.
Everyone has thought he is my friend,
but no one has sought my inner secrets.
My secret is not far from my crying,
but neither eye nor ear has the light to find it.
Body from soul, soul from body are not veiled,
but no one has permission to see the soul.
This call of the reed is fire, not wind.
Everyone who has not this fire–should be naught.
The fire is love that came down into the reed;
its fervor is love that came down into the wine.
The reed is the companion of everyone parted from a beloved.
Its tunes have torn apart our veils.
Who has seen such a poison and antidote as the reed?
Who has seen such a sympathizer and longing lover as the reed?
The reed tells the tale of the Way full of blood.
It tells the love stories of Layla and Majnun.
No one but the delirious is intimate with this consciousness.
The tongue has no customer but the ear.
In our sorrow the days have become untimely.
The days accompany the burning griefs.
If the days are gone, tell them “Go!” and never mind.
But Thou, please stay, for none is as holy as Thou.
Everyone but the fish is fed up with his water.
For everyone without daily bread, his day is very long.
No one who is raw can understand the state of the cooked.
Today’s morning meditation shed insight on the symbolic mudra or hand gesture associated with Buddha’s image.
Allah, said the Awakened One. Look at Fatima, we grace all through her hand.
Vitarka Mudra : The right forearm is bent. Three fingers of the hand are bent upwards, the thumb and the forefinger touching. This particular mudra is associated with transmission of Bhuddist teachings.
Hand of Fatima: Hand upright palm facing out, middle, ring and last finger upright represent the Arabic letters, Alif- Laam-Laam, while the closed thumb and forefinger touching represent Ha. Together, the hand forms a position of the Arabic name of God, Allah. This hand position without closing the forefinger and thumb also forms the Khamsa.
The Khamsa is an ancient talisman which traces its origins to Mesopotamian and Phoenician roots. Used alike by Sephardic Jews, Christians, Egyptians and Muslims to ward off evil eye and harness protection, the hand symbolizes sanctified female personalities representing the Divine Feminine. Also known as the Hand of Fatima in Islamic esoteric tradition where each finger represents the “Holy Five” or the household members of the Prophet Mohammed (S); Mohammed, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussayn.
Uses-Decor, on doors, architecture, jewelry, banners, poles and clothing.
Associated Prayer for Protection
‘Li khamsatunn utfi biha harral waba’il Hatima, al Mustafa wal Murtadha wabnahuma wal Fatimah’
‘These five are enough for me who are a means of removing difficulty, Mustafa, Murtadha, The Two Sons and Fatimah’. Recommended Reading
According to historians we have on this planet, pre Adamic nations and people. As per science, similar to the Neatherthals, we have among us the descendants of Gog and Magog. Likewise, it may be highly possible that ancients like the Toltec are pre Adamic and hence, we continue to discover and learn from ancient wisdom passed on through descendants of these nations. Islamic esoteric tradition does not claim that Adam was the first of creation, rather the first Human. Likewise prophetic tradition refers to the existence of Djinns prior to the creation of Adam. In a talk with one of my teachers today, he explained that Cananites are a hybrid lineage mixed with the son of Adam and a non human creation. To avoid controversy, I will remain silent on the non human element discussed.
Wisdom Through the Ancient Toltec Tradition
By Saira M
Ancient Toltec wisdom states that there are agreements people make with themselves and others in a society. If we do not live an authentic life we wear a mask that hides us from being the true divine reflection of God that we are. We wear masks because we are afraid of what people think of us, In his book,”The Four Agreements”, Don Miguel Ruiz expounds on the beliefs that will enable us to live our truest selves.
The Four Agreements are:
1)Be impeccable with your words:
Speak with truth and love. Be honest. Never be dishonest. Don’t put anything out that’s not in the direction of love and truth. Don’t talk to yourself in a a negative fashion. Everything you think and say creates your reality
2) Nothing others do is because of you:
What’s important is what you think of yourself. Not what others think of you. What others say or do is a reflection of themselves. Accept and love yourself unconditionally, that is how you will accept and love others.
3) Don’t make assumptions:
Always check whether what you are thinking is really true or not. Clarify things. Ask if you’re not sure. Be clear so others don’t make assumptions either. Assumptions are disempowering.
4) Always do your best:
Your best can vary under different situations but if you do your best, you will never beat yourself up. So, always do your best in any situation.
_______________________________
Saira is a Fashion Designer, Artist and Professional Etiquette Trainer. She is a seeker and regular contributor at Qudra Healing Academy and Zawiyya.
The Golden Number is a product not of mathematical imagination, but of a natural principle related to the laws of equilibrium. We find the criteria of beauty according to Fibonacci is based on the laws of proportion. The 13th Century Italian Leonardo of Pisa, better known as Fibonacci, was by far the most talented Western mathematician of the Middle Ages. His introduction to Arabic numerals commenced at a young age during his stay in North Africa. It was Fibonacci who introduced Europe to the use of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, describing its many benefits for merchants and mathematicians as a superior system to that of Roman numerals. By the 5th Century, Arabic prevailed making Roman numerals obsolete.
Inspired recently through a discussion with one of my teachers who hails from the House of Hashim through the descendants of Hasan al Askari, shed light on the subject of beauty and the Golden Ratio. The subject here is not the arithmetic aspect of the Golden Ratio but rather in light of beauty, balance and the human form as per Fibonacci’s theory and Leonardo Da Vinci’s depiction of the perfect man.
“Leonardo envisaged the great picture chart of the human body he had produced through his anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as acosmografia del minor mondo (cosmography of the microcosm). He believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the workings of the universe.”
In linking to Vituruvian Man, the Islamic tradition of describing the physical attributes of Mohammed (s), also known as Hilya, we find a common factor in all narrations; equilibrium as his natural state in form, character, mannerism and teachings. That said, the adherents of esoteric Islam believe in the Mohammedan Reality; Haqiqatul Mohammediya, which dwells upon his light being the first of all that was created,
“The first thing Allāh created is the light of Muhammad (s) and that light came and prostrated before Allāh. Allāh divided it into four parts and created from the first part the Throne, from the second the Pen, from the third the Tablet, and then similarly He subdivided the fourth part into parts and created the rest of creation. Therefore the light of the Throne is from the light of the Prophet (s), the light of the Pen is from the light of the Prophet (s), the light of the Tablet is from the light of the Prophet (s), the light of day, the light of knowledge, the light of the sun and the moon, and the light of vision and sight are all from the light of the Prophet (s).” [Al-Khātib Abū al-Rab‘i Muhammad ibn al-Layth in his book Shifā’ al-sudūr ]
The Muhammadan soul (al-rūh al-muhammadīyya) is therefore the quintessence of all created things and the first of them and their origin, as the Prophet said: I am from Allāh and the believers are from me, and Allāh created all souls from me in the spiritual world and He did so in the best form. It is the name of the totality of mankind in that primordial world, and after its creation by four thousand years, Allāh created the Throne from the light of Muhammad himself, and from it the rest of creation. The Muhammadan Light goes from prophet to prophet (min nabīyyin ila nabīyyin) until Allah (swt) causes it to emerge (akhraja) as the physical manifestation of the Prophet Muhammad (s) as the seal of the line of all prophets, yet first in the process of creation.
That said, we now go back to the concept of beauty as per the teachings of Fibonacci and Da Vinci. Given that the Creator is perfect, Flawless, Most Beautiful, thus His creation too reflects His beauty and Mohammed (s) being foremost to befit the Golden Ration criterion of human beauty. Creation perceived as a mirror of Divine beauty, we find man to be the most attractive of all creation. The magnetic power of the Prophet’s (s) beauty, both inner and outer, impacted all those who glanced upon him (s). These individuals became lovers of Mohammed (s), or lovers of Divine Light-Divine Light being this primordial Light; the Mohammedan (s) Light. This love phenomena carries on till today as has been the case of every era, even prior to his physical manifestation as known to us. Traditions state Adam sought forgiveness through Mohammed (s) whose name was written on the Divine throne. Prophets who came ‘before’ Mohammed (s) beseeched the Lord to appear as followers of his community in place of Prophethood. Such traditions are too numerous to share here. Aisha (r) the Prophet’s (s) wife, described the beauty of Mohammed (s) in comparison to Joseph who was known to possess half of the all created beauty in the following couplets based on the Qur’anic story of Joseph and the vizier’s wife, Zulaykha, whose friends cut their hands because they were mesmerized by his (Joseph)beauty:
‘If the women who saw Yusuf cut their hands seeing the beauty of Yusuf. They would have cut their throats if they saw my Yusuf. (referring to the prophet (s).
Imam al-Qurtubi in his book al-Salah explicates: “The perfection of the beauty of the Prophet (s), Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, was not manifested to us fully; for, if it would have appeared in its entirety, our eyes wouldn’t have been able to observe him.”
Another from our Divaan of utterances, we share the same in terms of this mesmerising love,
The Light of Yusef
Yousef’s body thrown into a well
Zulaikha’s heart thrown into a bottomless well named Love
Yusef a Prophet
Zulaikha a plain mortal
Yusef jailed
Zulaikha blamed
His crime; innocence
Her crime; Love
I fell in love with Light
Through Yusef I saw Habib
Through Habib I saw Him
This light took over my being
My heart melted…
*Habib-among the names of Prophet Mohammed (s)
(copyright Qudra Healing)
Concluding the subject of this post, we come back to the Hilya, as a reflection of the beauty-criterion of the Golden Ratio. He, Mohammed (s) representing the personification of the Divine mirror, the ultimate manifestation of cosmic and celestial beauty!
The term hilya (Arabic حلية (plural: ḥilan, ḥulan), Turkish: hilye (plural: hilyeler) denotes a religious genre of Ottoman Turkish literature, dealing with the physical description of Muhammad. Hilya literally means “ornament”.
The Hilya Tradition
“God is Beautiful and He loves Beauty”
Hasan ibn Ali asked his maternal uncle Hind bin Abi Haalah about the description of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He said about his uncle that he was very capable of describing, he had given an excellent description of the Messenger of Allah (s). He said “I desired to hear this description from him because I wanted something to hold onto”.
Below is a transcript of Shaykh Hamza Yusuf’s lecture on the Description of the Prophet(S).
He was very awe inspiring when you saw him.
He was monumental, grand in nature when you saw him.
His face was like a moon on laylatul badr. It had a light coming out of it like a moon on laylatul badr.
He was taller than a moderate build but not exceedingly tall. If you see somebody very tall then it is strange even amongst tall people. If you see somebody short then it is also noticeable. He was of a middle stature inclining towards height because everything about him was middle.
Even his physical description of colour was middle. He was not pasty white and he was not black. He was inclining towards light skin because of the racism of human beings. That is one of the hikmah of that. He was inclining towards light skin because of the racism of human beings. It has to do with the stupidity of human beings in distinguishing between people because of colour. He was a colour like what we call the harvest moon. He was not white nor dark, he was light skinned what we would call in English, a reddy complexion.
His hair was neither straight or curly. It was wavy, it was middle. Everything about him was middle. He had a full head and his hair was wavy. If he parted it, it parted. It never went past the lobe of his ears if he allowed it to grow long because sometimes he would cut it for ibadah like the umrah or hajj. It went to the lobe or in some riwayah it went to the shoulder.
He did not speak slow or fast. He spoke in a moderate tone. His words were neither too short nor excessive but they were always just right. When he spoke, people felt as it exactly the right amount of words were used. Everything about him was moderation.
He had a large forehead which is an indication of high quality. He had a vein on his forehead. If he got upset they could see the vein.
His eyebrows were full and there was a slight space between them.
The upper part of his nose was aqualine. He had a beautiful nose that had a bridge on the upper part. He had a light that came from that area of his face that was clearly discernible.
He had a full beard and his eyes were very dark.
He had high beautiful cheek.
He had a mouth that was full so when he spoke his pronunciation was perfect.
His teeth were beautiful, there was a slight space in the teeth.
He had a light hair on his chest which was manliness without having a lot of hair.
His neck was like a gazelle’s neck. He had a beautiful neck and a high neck. It had like a beautiful silvery clarity to it.
He was balanced in all of his outward aspects. He had a strong build and it was all perfectly formed.
His stomach and chest were equal. He never had a large stomach. He had no paunch. Even when he was in his sixties, his stomach was always flat. He had light hair on his stomach. He had no hair over his breasts.
He was full chested and his shoulders were broad. He had large bones.
He had hair on his arms and he was sinewy and strong.
There was a space in his trachea.
His limbs were strong and he had full calves.
His feet were very smooth. Because they were desert people and they walked a lot, their feet would have a lot of roughness to them. His feet were smooth that water would pour off them.
When he walked, he walked softly but he was quick paced as if he was walking on an incline.
When he looked at somebody, he did not just move his head, he turned his entire body to give full attention to that person.
He looked more at the ground than he did up. His glance was generally down because of the power of his glance. When he looked at people, he did not maintain his stare. He would look then move away. As he looked at people, he never fixed his focus on people because of the effect that would have on people.
Practitioners of the LOA tell us that “I Am…” is the secret of secrets and its utterance, understanding and practice leads to higher realites and promises a life of desired manifestation. It was brought to our attention in this sacred month (Muharram) from our Guides that “I am…” was a signature literary term used by the the englightened Imams of the Ahlul Bayt. From Sayyidna Ali, Hussain ibne Ali, Imam Sajjad and their sons. Likewise, the great Avatar Krishna, also believed to be Abu Turab; Master of the earth: the upmost; Ali, also delivered holy sermons through the power of I Am. OM HU ALI HAYY..Shhhhhh.
An excerpt from a poem expressed on “I am” by Qudra Healing
December 25th 2014-With the celebration of the birth of Jesus, son of Mary, the world is brought into Jesus-Isawi Consciousness which is vital to raising the global frequencies of Love, Light and Oneness. We are reminded to remember, love and know of his return. Both Christians and Muslims alike await his return (peace be upon him). The notes below come from esoteric Islamic sources, which are presented to our audience.
Jesus alone is called the Messiah in the Quran. No other prophet, patriarch or priest is given this title. In Arabic it is simply al-Masih. The Quran awards this title to Jesus on eleven separate occasions, including in Sura 4:171.
The Mahdi shall pave the way for the return of Jesus. These two select Ascended Masters will work in unison, sequence and harmony to establish peace, justice and Oneness on Earth.
Light workers will return from Barzakh, arabic for purgatory, in order to aide Mahdi and prepare the way of the Messiah Jesus. Jesus shall slay the Anti Christ, “Ad Dajjal; the one eyed beast. Narrates Imam Ali; the door of esoteric secrets, “His right eye will be punctured, and his left eye would be raised to his forehead and will be sparkling like a star. Only the believers will be able to read the word ‘Kafir’ [disbeliever], inscribed in bold letters, on his forehead. There will be big mountains of smoke at both front and backsides of his caravan. People will anticipate food within those mountains, during the severe famine. All rivers, falling in his way, will become dry and he will call upon people in aloud voice, “O my friends come to me! I am your lord who has made your limbs and given you sustenance.”
The harbingers of Mahdi will be 313 in number. They are scattered, hidden and apparent. From them, are both females and males. These global Light Workers act as pillars of Light, conduits of grace and posess spiritual magnetism. Through their energy, hearts are alighted and dead souls are brought to life. Their key role is to expand the consciousness of the masses and gather souls in multitudes for the arrival of Mahdi and Jesus. “Their number will be 313, the same as the companions of Badr. They will gather from different parts of the earth.’ (Imam Muhammed Taqi a.s. ). These light worker will be endowed with the highest form of technology for travel. Soul travel and teleportation will be a normal phenomena. They are currently communicating to the masses by the highest vibrational frequencies by means of telepathy. Their powers, perceived as feats by the masses, but in reality normal to them. “Some will reach Imam Mahdi with the batting of an eyelid, while some others shall travel with the help of the shrinking earth. It could be that all 313 companions shall reach with the batting of an eyelid and while others shall reach Imam through different ways. This difference can be possible due to the varied levels of their faith. Some of them will even walk on water. When they will reach the sea seashore, they will write something on their feet and then they will walk on it.’ (Behaarul Anwaar, vol.52, pg. 327, tradition 43)
“When the time arrives, there will appear a select group of individuals who are appointed to assist in implementing the mandate of the Master of Time (peace be upon him). As such, do not waste your time trying to attack here and there, because this task is already divinely assigned to a selected group of individuals. Be patient, and steadfast. Continue on the path through which the Creator and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) remain pleased. I received a message that the arrival of the Master of Time (Mahdi) is at hand and his soldiers are ready, and awaiting his arrival. That the supernatural army of the Master of Time (Mahdi) is ready, and awaiting his arrival is the greatest sign of his coming.” -Sayyid Amiruddin
Please note that this post is only a glimpse-literally. Knowledge pertaining to the return of Jesus, arrival of Mahdi and his helpers is extensive and cannot be posted at this time.
Ancient Arabia and Common Ground Inspired by a recent dream a seeker in the Arabian Peninsula relates to Qudra Healing, “I was at an ancient site in the Land of Arabia. There, we discovered awe inspiring Buddhist and ancient Egyptian statues, as if they had been there for centuries. A man of Arab origin with Oriental presence and attire stood as we stared at him…” May 4th, 2014
Dr. Pannananda Nayaka Thera has taken steps further by identifying the Sacred City “Mecca” in Arabia, as the place where an original Buddhist Shrine was built at the behest of Ven. Punna Thera while the Buddha was alive. According to the thesis of Ven. (Dr.) Pannananda Nayaka Thera there were four Buddhist monasteries caused to have been built by the Buddha’s pupil Ven. Punna Thera and all those four temples were sanctified by the Buddha Himself who had arrived in aerial cars from India to far West Arabia.
“If a Muslim knew what the Buddhist statue represents, he would know there is true faith in its veneration.” ~ Mahmoud Shabistari-13th Century Islamic Persian Mystic and Poet
Arabia was a paradise for early humans, and they left so much behind it’s also a paradise for us as archaeologists today. It holds incredible heritage for everyone on Earth.
—Dr. Jeffrey Rose-
Illuminationism is a doctrine according to which the process of human thought needs to be aided by divine grace. It is the oldest and most influential alternative to naturalism in the theory of mind and epistemology. It was an important feature of ancient Greek philosophy, Neoplatonism, medieval philosophy, and in particular, the Illuminationist school of Islamic philosophy.
“Whoever knows Hikmat (Wisdom), and perserves in thanking and sanctifying the Light of the Lights, will be estowed with royal Kharreh and with luminous Farreh, and—as we have said elsewhere—divine light will further bestow upon him the cloak of royal power and value. Such a person shall then became the natural Ruler of the Universe. He shall be given aid from the High Heavens, and whatever he commands shall be obeyed; and his dreams and inspirations will reach their uppermost, perfect pinnacle.” -Suharwardi Master of Oriental Theosophy, and founder of the ‘Ishraqi’ or School of Illumination.
و هر که حکمت بداند و بر سپاس و تقدیس نور الانوار مداومت نماید، او را خرّه کیانی بدهند و فرّ نورانی ببخشند، و بارقی الاهی او را کسوت هیبت و بهاء بپوشاند و رئیس طبیعی شود عالم را، و او را از عالم اعلا نصرت رسد و سخن او در عالم علوی مسموع باشد، و خواب و الهام او به کمال رسد.»
Acquisition of esoteric knowledge, like the way of all illuminated predecessors, is best learnt through the tutelage of an illuminated master. The first Islamic esoteric school was credited to Shahab Ad Din al Suharwardi, Shaykh al-Ishraq or the “Master of Illumination” whose students studied directly under his tutelage as opposed to self study.
Over the centuries, the talks of Saint Francis and his relation to Islamic Mystics have left many in wonderment. Idres Shah sheds light on the subject sharing historic encounters of the Saint with the Mystics of the East.
“When he was thirty, Francis decided to try to reach the East, and specifically Syria, which abutted upon the area of Asia Minor where the Whirling Dervishes were established. Prevented by financial troubles, he returned to Italy. Then he st…arted out again, this time toward Morocco. He set off with a companion and traversed the whole kingdom of Aragon in Spain, though nobody can say why he did this, and some biographers are actually puzzled. Spain was very much penetrated with esoteric ideas and schools.
He did not actually reach Morocco, being driven back by illness, In the spring of 1214 he returned home.
Now he set out for the Crusades, where the siege of Damietta was in progress. Sultan Malik el-Kamil was encamped across the Nile—and Francis went to see him. He was well received, and the theory is that he went there to try to convert the Sultan to Christianity. “The Sultan,” says a chronicler, “not only dismissed Francis in peace, with wonder and admiration for the man’s unusual qualities, but received him fully into his favor, gave him a safe-conduct by which he might go and come, with full permission to preach to his subjects, and an entreaty that he would frequently return to visit him.” (Idres Shah)
The Whirling Dervishes can attain intuitive knowledge partly by a peculiar form of spinning, presided over by an instructor. Rumi’s school of Whirling Dervishes was in full operation in Asia Minor, and its founder was still alive, during the lifetime of St. Francis.
Here is the puzzling “spinning” tale:
Francis was walking through Tuscany with a disciple, Brother Masseo. They arrived at a fork in the road. One path led to Florence, another to Arezzo, a third to Siena.
Masseo asked which branch they should take.
“The road which God wills.”
“And which is that?”
“We will know by a sign. I command you, by your path of obedience, turn round and round as children do, until I tell you to stop.”
So poor Masseo twirled and twirled, till he fell down from giddiness. Then he got up and looked beseechingly at the saint; but the saint said nothing, and Masseo, remembering his vow of obedience, began again to twirl his best. He continued to twirl and to fall for some time, till he seemed to have spent all his life in twirling, when, at last, he heard the welcome words: “Stop, and tell me whither your face is turned.”
“To Siena,” gasped Masseo, who felt the earth rock round him.
“Then to Siena we must go,” said Francis, and to Siena they went.
The Secret of Hu Resides in You The secret of Me Resides in Thee The secret of us Resides in WE The secret of WE Resides in…(QH)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah! There is no God but He,
the Living, the Self-subsisting, the Eternal.
No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep.
All things in heaven and earth are His.
Who could intercede in His presence without His permission?
He knows what appears in front of and behind His creatures.
Nor can they encompass any knowledge of Him except what he wills.
His throne extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them,
for He is the Highest and Most Exalted. (Quran 2: 255)
The Tao that can be described in words is not the true Tao
The Name that can be named is not the true Name
From non-existence were called Heaven and Earth
From existence all things were born
In being wthout desires, you experience the wonder
But by having desires, you experience te journey
Yet both spring from the same source
And differ mostly in name
This Source is called ‘Mystery”
Mystery upon Mystery
The womb giving birth to all of being( Tao Te Ching)
In reality, however, God does not have an image because He has no form, only an emanation of power which is called HuThe practice of Dhikr is formulated o bring us back to the awareness of Hu, the Soverin , Most High, who governs and encompasses all.
“Sound is the Medicine of the Future” (Edgar Cayce)
The Supreme Being has been called by various names in different languages, but the mystics have known him as Hu, the natural name, not man-made, the only name of the Nameless, which all nature constantly proclaims. The sound Hu is most sacred; the mystics call Ism-i Azam, the name of the Most High, for it is the origin and end of every sound as well as the background of each word. The word Hu is the spirit of all sounds and of all words, and is hidden within them all, as the spirit in the body. It does not belong to any language, but no language can help belonging to it. This alone is the true name of God, a name that no people and no religion can claim as their own. This word is not only uttered by human beings, but is repeated by animals and birds. All things and beings proclaim this name of the Lord, for every activity of life expresses distinctly or indistinctly this very sound. This is the word mentioned in the Bible as existing before the light came into being, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
The sound HU becomes limited in the word “ham”, for the letter “m” closes the lips. In Hindustani this word expresses limitation because ham means “I” or “we,” both of which words signify ego. The word “hamsa” is the sacred word of the yogis which illumines the ego with the light of reality. The word “huma” in the Persian language stands for a fabulous bird. There is a belief that if the “huma” bird sits for a moment on someone’s head it is a sign that he will become a king. Its true meaning is that when a person’s thoughts so evolve that they break all limitation, then he becomes as a king. It is the limitation of language that it can only describe the Most High as something like a king. It is said in the old traditions that Zoroaster was born of a “huma” tree. This explains the words in the Bible, “Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” In the word “huma”, “hu” represents spirit, and the word “mah” in Arabic means water. In English the word “human ” explains two facts which are characteristic of humanity: “hu” means God and “man” means mind, which word comes from the Sanskrit “mana”, mind being the ordinary person. The two words united represent the idea of the God-conscious person; in other words HU, God, is in all things and beings, but it is man by whom He is known. “Human ” therefore may be said to mean God-conscious, God-realized, or God-man. (Hz. Inayat Khan-Mystic)
” The true healing power of sound comes from the chanting of harmonics”. Pir Vilayat Khan
The sound of the abstract is called Anahad in the Vedas, meaning unlimited sound. The Mystics name it Sarmad, which suggests the idea of intoxication. The word intoxication is here used to signify upliftment, the freedom of the soul from its earthly bondage. Those who are able to hear the Saut-i Sarmad and meditate on it are relieved from all worries, anxieties, sorrows, fears and diseases; and the soul is freed from captivity in the senses and in the physical body. The soul of the listener becomes the all-pervading consciousness, and his spirit becomes the battery which keeps the whole universe in motion.
Some train themselves to hear the Saut-i Sarmad in the solitude on the sea shore, on the river bank, and in the hills and dales; others attain it while sitting in the caves of the mountains, or when wandering constantly through forests and deserts, keeping themselves in the wilderness apart from the haunts of men. Yogis and ascetics blow Sing (a horn) or Shankha (a shell), which awakens in them this inner tone. Dervishes play Nai or Algosa (a double flute) for the same purpose. The bells and gongs in the churches and temples are meant to suggest to the thinker the same sacred sound, and thus lead him towards the inner life.
This sound develops through ten different aspects because of its manifestation through ten different tubes of the body; it sounds like thunder, the roaring of the sea, the jingling of bells, running the water, the buzzing of bees, the twittering of sparrows, the Vina, the whistle, or the sound of Shankha until it finally becomes Hu, the most sacred of all sounds.
This sound Hu is the beginning and the end of all sounds, be they from man, bird, beast, or thing. A careful study will prove this fact, which can be realized by listening to the sound of the steam engine or of a mill, while the echo of bells or gongs gives a typical illustration of the sound Hu. Hazrat Inayat Khan
“When the Sheik arrives at his post, he bows, sits on the post, and kisses the floor. All the turners sit, and their cloaks are put on them by those who did not turn in the fourth selam. They have returned to their tombs but in an altered state. The Sheik recites the Fathia, the first sura of the Koran, and all the dervishes kiss the floor and rise. The Sheik then sounds a prayer to Mevlana (Rumi) and Shams Tabriz and begins the sound “HU”. The dervishes join in sounding the “HU” which is all the names of God in one.” Shems Friedlander
Just as many traditions believe that the “OM” is the original creative sound, there are traditions that believe that this energy may be attributed to another sound—the “HU”. In the Shabd Yoga traditions, including Master Path and Eckankar and in the mystical Islamic path of the “HU” is considered to be the highest vibratory mantra that can be sounded. Chanting the “HU” is said to lead one to transcendence—to God realization and enlightenment.
“HU” is believed to be the universal name of God, which is present in every existing language. The “HU” sound has been described as many things from the buzzing of bees to the rushing of wind to the flute of God. It is said to be present in the words we speak, in the sounds of animals; that it is the wind in the trees, the rushing of waters, the roaring of water falls, the beat of the sea against a beach—that it is everywhere, in every plane.
Like the “AH” and the “OM”, the “HU” may be perceived of as a seed syllable. Depending upon its pronunciation, it may also be perceived of as a vowel sound—the “U”. The “HU” creates extraordinary energy for balance and clearing. Many believe it activates both the heart and the crown chakras. When sounded together in a large group, it is extremely powerful and transformative. Jonathan Goldman
