5 - Looking Ahead

A new age Catholic priest, also a Hindu at heart (if there is any way of defining what it means to be a Hindu or whatever), Rev.  Ramon Panniker, said at a memorable interfaith conference:  "To be a teacher in this day and age, one has to have one's roots in one's tradition and the branches of one's tree reaching out universally".  Indeed, this is our experience, whether in a teacher function or just a seeker (a mureed, in Sufi terminology) which we all are if sincerely seeking for understanding and fulfillment.

The modern scene presents a disconcerting contrast between a revival of fundamentalism in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, even Hinduism, on one hand and a progressive approach which admittedly does tend sometimes to go off the rails and smells of libertinism and a certain aggressivity against harmony, order and nobility.

The new movements are clearly more successful than the older ones because they are more aware of present day thinking and the need particular to our time of strife, violence, anxiety and insecurity.  Yet they mushroom ephemerally and fizzle out listlessly in the winds of the turmoil of the modern turnover of thinking.  The alternative is updating.  This means earmarking the elements transmitted by the past that are not time-bound, and looking at them not only in the present context, but even inasmuch as they might represent signposts for the future.

Some of  J.S. Bach's music is timeless, some of the cello Suite 'Bourrees' are hackneyed.  Yet the powerful creations of the past are an essential part of our present life.  Paris would not be the same without Notre Dame, but the Queen Elizabeth had to be scrapped.  The way of the traditional sannyasin in India cohabitates with the jet aircraft, and is a heartening adornment in our ugly concrete, plastic and steel environment.  Yet our times require that all more evolved people be motivated by the quest for freedom, awakening and ecstasy, without the ocher robe (that is, without the outer conformism) while working hard to build a beautiful world.

Likewise, Murshid extracted the essence of the teachings of the Sufis and, indeed, of the great spiritual traditions of the world, and applied them to the needs of his time, and what is more, drew pointers for the future.  Now we may reap the fruit of his masterful insight by learning how to glean the quintessence of his teaching and see its significance to the soul-searching of our time, for example, in the realm of psychology or finding the purpose in life or just learning how to stay high in the middle of everyday life.  The external trappings are, as Murshid said himself, the "basket" enabling one to collect the fruit or flowers.

We are referring to the old dichotomy between the letter and the spirit which has spurned much controversy in all religious institutions.  That Murshid said, "Do not change my words" becomes eminently understandable when one realizes from pursuing the "authentic versions" to what extent some of his ideas were misinterpreted or even reversed by well-wishers.  But the original versions of the Gathas were headed as "sketches of thought for study."

Murshid pioneered in touching upon the essence of the teachings of the great religious schools.  I suggest, therefore, as the forthcoming step in our work in the Sufi Order that we endeavor to grasp the very quintessence of this valuable teaching, attune ourselves to the particular cosmic emotion he conveys, and work out ourselves how it applies to real life situations, to our own self-creativity, what light it throws upon how we may lift our consciousness, and what contribution this may have in what is happening in our time.

This requires a constructive and creative effort on our part instead of just paying lip service to beautiful thoughts.  This, however, must not be confused with interpreting these thoughts after our own thinking, but rather re-thinking our thinking and re-feeling our emotions, by our touching upon the very essence and spirit of the teaching.  It is very often for this reason that the interpretation of representatives, of the teaching, in the classes has not proved satisfactory.  My suggestion is, therefore, to earmark the core phrases which embody the meaning most intensely and meditate on these ourselves and reflect upon their relevance to our lives and our beings.

I have often pondered quizzically upon the reason why this teaching, that marks a landmark in the spiritual thinking of our time, is so little known.  I feel, amongst others, a responsibility in making it known.  One likes to share what has meant a lot to one.  My question is invariably whether we have not been standing in the way of it spreading by appearing too much like a "sect" or charismatic group.  Yet that is not all.  There is a need of presenting it in a way that people are able to take.  This has been the case of all philosophers and scientists placed into focus by their exegeses.  It has been the case of all the Sufi mystics.  In fact, Sufism has been called "tamthil":  that is, the transference of the factual and also conceptual reality into its meaningfulness, the gist, which is a reality for the soul, not for the mind or the body.  It is not the conceptual interpretation of concepts, but rather metaphor, that gives one the chance of exercising creative thought by oneself. 5 - Looking Ahead

A new age Catholic priest, also a Hindu at heart (if there is any way of defining what it means to be a Hindu or whatever), Rev.  Ramon Panniker, said at a memorable interfaith conference:  "To be a teacher in this day and age, one has to have one's roots in one's tradition and the branches of one's tree reaching out universally".  Indeed, this is our experience, whether in a teacher function or just a seeker (a mureed, in Sufi terminology) which we all are if sincerely seeking for understanding and fulfillment.

The modern scene presents a disconcerting contrast between a revival of fundamentalism in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, even Hinduism, on one hand and a progressive approach which admittedly does tend sometimes to go off the rails and smells of libertinism and a certain aggressivity against harmony, order and nobility.

The new movements are clearly more successful than the older ones because they are more aware of present day thinking and the need particular to our time of strife, violence, anxiety and insecurity.  Yet they mushroom ephemerally and fizzle out listlessly in the winds of the turmoil of the modern turnover of thinking.  The alternative is updating.  This means earmarking the elements transmitted by the past that are not time-bound, and looking at them not only in the present context, but even inasmuch as they might represent signposts for the future.

Some of  J.S. Bach's music is timeless, some of the cello Suite 'Bourrees' are hackneyed.  Yet the powerful creations of the past are an essential part of our present life.  Paris would not be the same without Notre Dame, but the Queen Elizabeth had to be scrapped.  The way of the traditional sannyasin in India cohabitates with the jet aircraft, and is a heartening adornment in our ugly concrete, plastic and steel environment.  Yet our times require that all more evolved people be motivated by the quest for freedom, awakening and ecstasy, without the ocher robe (that is, without the outer conformism) while working hard to build a beautiful world.

Likewise, Murshid extracted the essence of the teachings of the Sufis and, indeed, of the great spiritual traditions of the world, and applied them to the needs of his time, and what is more, drew pointers for the future.  Now we may reap the fruit of his masterful insight by learning how to glean the quintessence of his teaching and see its significance to the soul-searching of our time, for example, in the realm of psychology or finding the purpose in life or just learning how to stay high in the middle of everyday life.  The external trappings are, as Murshid said himself, the "basket" enabling one to collect the fruit or flowers.

We are referring to the old dichotomy between the letter and the spirit which has spurned much controversy in all religious institutions.  That Murshid said, "Do not change my words" becomes eminently understandable when one realizes from pursuing the "authentic versions" to what extent some of his ideas were misinterpreted or even reversed by well-wishers.  But the original versions of the Gathas were headed as "sketches of thought for study."

Murshid pioneered in touching upon the essence of the teachings of the great religious schools.  I suggest, therefore, as the forthcoming step in our work in the Sufi Order that we endeavor to grasp the very quintessence of this valuable teaching, attune ourselves to the particular cosmic emotion he conveys, and work out ourselves how it applies to real life situations, to our own self-creativity, what light it throws upon how we may lift our consciousness, and what contribution this may have in what is happening in our time.

This requires a constructive and creative effort on our part instead of just paying lip service to beautiful thoughts.  This, however, must not be confused with interpreting these thoughts after our own thinking, but rather re-thinking our thinking and re-feeling our emotions, by our touching upon the very essence and spirit of the teaching.  It is very often for this reason that the interpretation of representatives, of the teaching, in the classes has not proved satisfactory.  My suggestion is, therefore, to earmark the core phrases which embody the meaning most intensely and meditate on these ourselves and reflect upon their relevance to our lives and our beings.

I have often pondered quizzically upon the reason why this teaching, that marks a landmark in the spiritual thinking of our time, is so little known.  I feel, amongst others, a responsibility in making it known.  One likes to share what has meant a lot to one.  My question is invariably whether we have not been standing in the way of it spreading by appearing too much like a "sect" or charismatic group.  Yet that is not all.  There is a need of presenting it in a way that people are able to take.  This has been the case of all philosophers and scientists placed into focus by their exegeses.  It has been the case of all the Sufi mystics.  In fact, Sufism has been called "tamthil":  that is, the transference of the factual and also conceptual reality into its meaningfulness, the gist, which is a reality for the soul, not for the mind or the body.  It is not the conceptual interpretation of concepts, but rather metaphor, that gives one the chance of exercising creative thought by oneself.
