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Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat Khan

Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat Khan

Make God a Reality and
God shall make you the Truth.

Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan

To all Brothers and Sisters in the Sufi Message of Love, Harmony and Beauty

Beloved Ones of God,

This year more than ever before it is the putting into practice of the principle of Brotherhood and Sisterhood which shall inspire and guide us in our efforts to humbly offer our hearts to the Message of Spiritual Liberty, a message which each one shall be serving in the attunement to his or her own innermost motivation.

When receiving brothers and sisters into the Sufi Movement as members of the large Sufi family, our heartfelt motivation is first expressed in the recognition of the unity of religious ideals, respecting, with transparent insight, the opinion of others, just as one would want one’s own opinion to be understood, once pre-conceived ideas are vanquished, so that wisdom prevails, wisdom being the meaning of the word Sufi.

The Brotherhood/Sisterhood Activity is destined for the world at large, whereas the Universal Worship is specially offered to those souls whose religious feelings are attracted by the diversity of images of the One and Only Truth, the Spirit of Guidance. The esoteric teachings given in the Inner School are for those who have sincerely offered their hearts to God. The Symbology and Healing Activities are for those who have special purposes in life.

But let us ask ourselves, what has really been the purpose of our coming to this sacred spot, Murad Hassil, at the occasion of the Summer School? In this connection we might want to make a reality of the most precious privilege of becoming living examples of love, harmony and beauty, always remembering the mystical phrase which says, “not to be is to be.” Mastery over the illusion of the self is obtained when restraining the mind from uncontrolled recording of impressions, and in so doing, offering repose to the thinking mechanism; as opposed to identifying oneself with those waves of thought awakened by the external stimulus of the senses. These waves of thought are modified by various conditions influencing the mind, such as knowledge, discrimination, emotion, sleep and memory.

Knowledge is indisputable when it proves itself in the face of apparent contradictions, as opposed to dogma which excludes any comparative reasoning. Similarly, inspiration does not contradict reason; although it does not always appear logical, it is ultimately the fulfillment of reason. Discrimination void of reason is a distorted insight, often generated by emotion arising from illogical ideas and unsound interpretations. Sleep, a different context altogether, is experienced as an escape into that which is void of all reality, whereas on the contrary the energy of memory has the power of reconstructing past sceneries engraved in the mind, which are exposed to the vision of one’s own individual consciousness, at the beck and call of thought.

This all explains why mastery over the illusion of self is only obtained through cessation of mental activity; that is to say, when the mind is, so to speak, purified, or in other words, freed of all comparative distinctions and differences, (through the bias of which, impressions are made comprehensible), thereby retaining only those abstract concepts relevant to the object of one’s ideal. These abstract concepts or subtle impressions go on shining in their own right, and when the waves of thought arising from them have been pacified, they then recover their original, causal condition, no longer subject to such qualifications as name, shape, size, colour or function resulting from the tumult of thought waves within the ocean of the mind world.

All thoughts and actions throw the mind world into corresponding waves; and when a thought or action no longer occupies our attention, one then assumes that the thought waves have ceased, but what has really happened is only a reduction of the intensity of the wave movements which may however be stirred again and again into stormy waters each time that one ventures to release the memory held in the storehouse of the memory. In other words, impressions, whether good or bad, could ultimately be seen as a contradiction of the absolute pacification of the waters of the mind-world. The seer from within’ (purusha) is All Intelligence, yet it is only through the ability of seeing (pakriti), the definition of the concept of individual consciousness, that the seer from within sees.

The very nature of the seer from within (the real self) is to experience its own reality, which is only a reality inasmuch as the ability of seeing is there, this ability being at the same time the seer, the sight, and the purpose of seeing.

Imagination, which is another aspect of thought waves, could be understood as an activity that takes place without a definite intention, as seemingly illogical sceneries. Nevertheless, however seemingly illogical these imaginations may be, they can certainly contribute tremendously to desirable thoughts which then become more and more definable as these fall into place with the help of reason, knowledge and experience.

Reversely, these same, seemingly illogical imaginations can be so tremendously precious when used in freeing the storehouse of the mind from unwanted thought waves, which have negative influences on our mental condition. Undesirable thought waves can be eventually eliminated with the help of imagined sceneries, illustrated by the five elements. Down to earth anxieties could be buried under ‘stability’ when feeling secure in thought through the influence of the earth element. The worries of an uneasy conscience could be washed away when feeling purified in thought through the influence of the water element. Pain and sorrow can be burned to pure ashes when feeling transformed in thought through the influence of the fire element. Made-up fears and doubts can be blown away when feeling clear in thought through the influence of the air element. Restlessness can be brought into balance through the peaceful influence of the ether element.

When we discover the magical ability of the elements to recycle our thought waves, it is of course obvious that creative activities can also be successfully associated with the same. The stability of the earth element is helpful in all constructive planning and organization. The mobile energy of the water element is a source of progress and development. The excitement and magnetism of the fire element is a secret of attraction and decisive transformation. The uplifting waves of the air element are consoling and inspiring. The stillness of the ether element
constitutes a spiritual atmosphere.

It is our sacred duty to make whatever we can of the privilege which is offered. Therefore, let us dedicate our minds, as well as our bodies, hearts and souls to the purpose which has called us here, and may we each greet each other most heartily as true brothers and sisters on the Sufi path of Spiritual Liberty.

May God bless you.

Hidayat Inayat Khan

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