The Peace Prayer
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Monday, 5 October 2009
A Same Sex Blessing Service
A Universal Worship Service shall be offered through the readings. Nine
candles shall be lit on the altar: The Goddess Religion, the Hindu
Religion, the Buddhist Religion, the Zoroastrian Religion, the Native
American Religion, the Hebrew Religion, the Christian Religion, the
Religion of Islam and the Spirit of Guidance.
The theme for the readings shall be "Love." After the reading from the Gayan, the two who wish to be united shall come forward and stand before the Altar, carrying lit candles in their right hands, their left hands clasped upon the Gayan. The officiant shall pray the following
prayer over them:
Beloved God, who has granted to us all things necessary for union with You,
and has commanded us to love one another, protect in Your holiness, Lord
and lover of good, these Your servants who love each other according to
Your Commandment, and have come into this holy place to be blessed and
consecrated by You. Grant them faithfulness, love, and peace, and bestow
also upon them all those things which will inspire them to be united with
You forever. Amin.
If rings are exchanged, now is the time for it to happen. Then the
officiant hugs the couple, and offers the traditional closing benediction:
May the Blessing of God rest upon you, may God's peace abide with you, may
God's Presence illuminate your hearts now and forever more.
The officiant invites them to kiss
each other.
The officiant declares that the couple are now joined in union with the blessing of God, and repeats the words Mubarak Mubarak Mubarak (may you be blessed).
The officiant declares that the couple are now joined in union with the blessing of God, and repeats the words Mubarak Mubarak Mubarak (may you be blessed).
Monday, 28 September 2009
The Sufi Evening Prayer
This is the Universal Sufi Evening Prayer, usually read at Sunset or before sleep.
Sufi Thought Ten
There is One Path, the annihilation of the false ego in the real, which raises the mortal to immortality, in which resides all perfection. I passed away into nothingness--I vanished; and lo! I was all living.' All who have realized the secret of life understand that life is one, but that it exists in two aspects. First as immortal, all-pervading and silent; and secondly as mortal, active, and manifest in variety.
The soul becomes deluded that it is helpless and alone, not realises from whence it came and to where it goes. The path of Universal Sufism is a path of realisation of the soul's true purpose.
The soul becomes deluded that it is helpless and alone, not realises from whence it came and to where it goes. The path of Universal Sufism is a path of realisation of the soul's true purpose.
Sufi Thought Nine
There is one Truth the true knowledge of our being, within and without, which is the essence of Wisdom
Hazrat All said, 'Know thyself, and thou shalt know God.' It is the knowledge of self which blooms into the knowledge of God
Truth is one but it is understood through the vehicle of our diverse cultures and history, it is like the Sun being seen through different windows, sometimes the window is clear, sometimes it is stained glass, sometimes it is curtained, but it is the same Sun that is perceived.
Hazrat All said, 'Know thyself, and thou shalt know God.' It is the knowledge of self which blooms into the knowledge of God
Truth is one but it is understood through the vehicle of our diverse cultures and history, it is like the Sun being seen through different windows, sometimes the window is clear, sometimes it is stained glass, sometimes it is curtained, but it is the same Sun that is perceived.
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Sufi Thought Eight
There is one Object of Praise, the beauty which uplifts the heart of its worshipper through all aspects, from the seen to the unseen
When a Universal Sufi beholds a beautiful landscape or a beautiful flower, or an awe inspiring mountain or river, the Sufi beholds this as an object of praise, for in it is the beauty of God, in it is God's form.
Anything which inspires the heart with its beauty is considered holy and worthy of worship, be it a mandala, a mantra, a picture, a stone, in a temple or a mosque, in a church or a synagogue, outside or inside, wherever, Allahu!
When a Universal Sufi beholds a beautiful landscape or a beautiful flower, or an awe inspiring mountain or river, the Sufi beholds this as an object of praise, for in it is the beauty of God, in it is God's form.
Anything which inspires the heart with its beauty is considered holy and worthy of worship, be it a mandala, a mantra, a picture, a stone, in a temple or a mosque, in a church or a synagogue, outside or inside, wherever, Allahu!
Saturday, 26 September 2009
Sufi Thought Seven
There is one Moral Principle the love which springs forth from a willing heart, surrendered in service to God and humanity, and which blooms in deeds of beneficence
There are many moral principles, just as many drops fall from one fountain; but there is one stream that is at the source of all, and that is love. It is love that gives birth to hope, patience, endurance, forgiveness, tolerance, and to all moral principles. All deeds of kindness and beneficence take root in the soil of the loving heart. Generosity, charity, adaptability, an accommodating nature, even renunciation, are the offspring of love alone. The great, rare and chosen beings, who for ages have been looked up to as ideal in the world, are the possessors of hearts kindled with love. All evil and sin come from the lack of love.
There are many moral principles, just as many drops fall from one fountain; but there is one stream that is at the source of all, and that is love. It is love that gives birth to hope, patience, endurance, forgiveness, tolerance, and to all moral principles. All deeds of kindness and beneficence take root in the soil of the loving heart. Generosity, charity, adaptability, an accommodating nature, even renunciation, are the offspring of love alone. The great, rare and chosen beings, who for ages have been looked up to as ideal in the world, are the possessors of hearts kindled with love. All evil and sin come from the lack of love.
Sufi Thought Six
There is one Family, the human family, which unites the children of Earth indiscriminately in the parenthood of God
Universal Sufis believe that all life is an emanation of its divine source, all that exists is part of God and all are intrinsically united. Therefore there is no place for discrimination of any kind.
Universal Sufis reject distinctions of caste, creed, colour, religion, sexuality, gender, age etc... Whilst they recognise the differences amongst people they are in no way seen as reasons for discrimination or pride.
Universal Sufis believe that all life is an emanation of its divine source, all that exists is part of God and all are intrinsically united. Therefore there is no place for discrimination of any kind.
Universal Sufis reject distinctions of caste, creed, colour, religion, sexuality, gender, age etc... Whilst they recognise the differences amongst people they are in no way seen as reasons for discrimination or pride.
Sufi Thought Five
There is one Law, the Law of Reciprocity, which can be observed by a selfless conscience together with a sense of awakened justice
This is essentially the theory of Karma, which Hazrat Inayat Khan explained thus:
Right and Wrong depend upon the attitude and situation, not upon the action itself. None are innate but we have the ultimate choice between them.
Our actions echo back to us in the same form. Therefore reciprocity is likened to a dome. In order to have a good echo one emits good sound, and to have a bad one one gives out badness.
Because we "Live, Move and Have Our Being in God" everything we do must be in awareness of this and therefore it is our duty to refresh the world and help to rid it of negative action and rebound. This is why it is said that humans have free-will. If we blame God for the evil in the world, and say that God is responsible, in truth it is we who are responsible because through us God has experience, our will is God's will.
"If you wish to be happy, think of the happiness of your fellow human being"
This is essentially the theory of Karma, which Hazrat Inayat Khan explained thus:
Right and Wrong depend upon the attitude and situation, not upon the action itself. None are innate but we have the ultimate choice between them.
Our actions echo back to us in the same form. Therefore reciprocity is likened to a dome. In order to have a good echo one emits good sound, and to have a bad one one gives out badness.
Because we "Live, Move and Have Our Being in God" everything we do must be in awareness of this and therefore it is our duty to refresh the world and help to rid it of negative action and rebound. This is why it is said that humans have free-will. If we blame God for the evil in the world, and say that God is responsible, in truth it is we who are responsible because through us God has experience, our will is God's will.
"If you wish to be happy, think of the happiness of your fellow human being"
Sufi Thought Four
There is one Religion the unswerving progress in the right direction, toward the Ideal, which fulfills the life's purpose of every soul
Religion is the path that leads man towards the attainment of his ideal, worldly as well as heavenly. Sin and virtue, right and wrong, good and bad are not the same in the case of every individual; they are according to his grade of evolution and state of life. Therefore the Sufi concerns himself little with the name of the religion or the place of worship. All places are sacred enough for his worship, and all religions convey to him the religion of his soul. “I saw Thee in the sacred Ka’aba and in the temple of the idol also Thee I saw.”
Religion is the path that leads man towards the attainment of his ideal, worldly as well as heavenly. Sin and virtue, right and wrong, good and bad are not the same in the case of every individual; they are according to his grade of evolution and state of life. Therefore the Sufi concerns himself little with the name of the religion or the place of worship. All places are sacred enough for his worship, and all religions convey to him the religion of his soul. “I saw Thee in the sacred Ka’aba and in the temple of the idol also Thee I saw.”
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