When you create a world where there is much confusion, unrest and the breaking down of long standing norms, who benefits?
When people can no longer pay their bills, feed their babies and family, are beset by mysterious illness, and fight extreme weather conditions who gains?
When there are wars, deadly prescriptive drugs, food and fuel shortages, racial unrest and gun violence, who profits?
For answers, look to history and those directing from the shadows.
Admist disorder certain factions can more easily run their game. And what is their game: to control, gain power and amass more money. Raise themselves while enslaving others. They sit at the top of the ‘food chain:’ some are visible and most hidden. The visible leaders, conceal their real motives with lies, avoid solving problems, blame others, offer to save us, yet create more unrest, preparing.
From the Darkness, this has been their work and Plan for generations- to over come the Light.
That will never completely happen. After much harm and struggle, Light triumphs.
That is the Order of things.
-SB
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for writing some of the most beautiful and useful books on Sufism I have ever read, up there with Tales of the Dervishes. About the same time as you, I think, I applied for instruction from the Society for Sufi Studies, in 1986. It totally changed my life. It’s taken me these many decades to even adjust to, much less assimilate the camel that overturned my tent at that time. God be with you.
Hi Thomas:
Just saw your comment so please forgive delay. Thank you for positive feedback on books; it is most welcome. Some times I wonder about their impact/usefulness. Yes it has been a long journey and a life time pursuit. Difficult to explain to anyone particularly in this upside down world. What did you like most about my books? Thanks. Stewart
Difficult to explain…yes, how many friends have I tried to explain at length how disoriented and hopeless I was because it seemed to me I no longer had a future, etc. etc., only to have them change the subject.
What did I most like? You gave a positive view of Shah, together with an account of your own experience, both of which are hard to find, especially the latter, and you gave an account of a physically real sufi school, an experience I never had myself.
Too many accounts of I. Shah are demeaning. He is a popularizer. Or unauthorized to teach in the West, according to some. All the best for now, happy new year!
Hi Tom:
Thanks for getting back to me and replying. Have a happy new year as well. If you have future questions I may be able to answer- maybe not depending. Happy to put I. Shah in a different light for you; he was considered by many as the Teacher of the Age- someone who comes along every 100 years or so. “Sam” had direct contact with him and we were directed to Society for Sufi Studies, which is now defunct. Both Shah and Ornstein how passed and it is difficult to know who is directing at this point. Be well. Stewart
Thank you and happy new year to you as well! I know of course from personal experience that Shah was genuine, but have never had anyone to talk to about it. Shah always said that when the teacher dies, the workshop is closed and had all teaching activity discontinued at his death. His daughter Saira is active in publishing translations of his works. He also had a son, but I’m not sure what he is doing.
Of course everything you have to say interests me. Is there anything else I can tell you?
Hi Tom:
I guess there is more I can tell you about interactions with people from SFSS, but at the time I was looking for ‘lightning bolts’ from these interchanges; alas as you can guess they were not forthcoming. My impressions, spiritual seekers all looking for something from these activities: attending lectures, fund raising, making copies of Shah’s tapes, committee meetings. We had jobs to do and like any routine activity were primarily engaged in these things. No real time for ‘spiritual discussions;’ because of family/financial responsibilities I had limited time to devout to these things and eventually dropped them. One of my friends remained active and kept me up-to-date with things/rumors/changes and I would get mailings etc. from SFSS.
I can recount 2 interesting occurrences. I did meet one older gentlemen who lived in England and he had attended many of Shah’s dinners at his home and said they were extraordinary in many ways: people, range of topics, and just a good time. Second, my first teacher, at first, wasn’t sure who Shah was; he was unimpressed by him, but in time came to know who he was. Sam (alias) went to College in London and met Shah on one of his return visits; Shah sent him a gold ring which fit his ring finger w/o asking correct size. Also Shah sent him a bracelet which cured an affliction he was suffering from and Sam had not contacted Shah about this.
Anyway, tell me some things about yourself and your journey. Where do you live? Are you married/children? What is your vocational background and spiritual journey like? This will help me picture you as we communicate. Be well. Stewart
This will be a lot of typing into a phone. Can I send you an email with a file attached? My email is thodol888@gmail.com. one comment, tho. When you finished reading the 20 books. You could have written in and told them that and that you were applying for instruction. That would have been a whole different ball game, so to speak. On the other hand, you were obviously receiving transmission from your previous teacher, so maybe it wouldn’t have made much difference. I don’t really know.
Hi Tom:
See my e-mail that I sent. I included contact information. Thanks. Stewart
Hi Tom:
Much of my connection to Shah and his teachings is chronicled in Sufism For Western Seekers. I was very fortunate in my mid-twenties to meet a Sufi Teacher at work, who in time sent us on to the next Teacher. This was the Society For Sufi Studies in San Francisco which Shah set-up with Robert Ornstein as Teacher for West. Through SFSS I read and re-read about 20 of Shah’s books and over 10 years all my questions were answered. During this time, I participated in different SFSS activities where I met different people some of whom had direct contact with Shah. I never did- On a spiritual level other things may have happened- who can say. Anyway enough for now. Let me know if this sort of thing interest you. Stewart