Doctor Of The Soul
  • Home
  • About
  • Private Sessions
  • Gifts for the Soul
    • FREE HEALING LIBRARY
    • Creativity Bowl
    • 5 Steps to Mastering Your Creativity
    • Joy Cookies
  • Master Your Creativity
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Newsletter
  • Healing Brahman Chant
  • MYC Course
    • Module 3: Kyrie Body Prayer
    • Member Offers >
      • MYC Founding Membership (Annual)
      • Master Your Creativity Membership Payment Plan

Soul Wisdom

Chanting the Wisdom Traditions/Islam: La Ilaha Illa Allah

6/25/2018

1 Comment

 
At the Art as Meditation class of Chanting Wisdom at the Fox Institute for Creation Spirituality in July, David and I will be sharing the powerful zikr, La Ilaha Illa Allah within the Islam wisdom tradition. In the class, students will learn the pronunciation of the words and join in chanting the mantra.  Let me give you just a little taste of this mantra here, and I hope you are able to join us in the upcoming class!
 
A most treasured practice of the Sufi path is the zikr, a state of remembrance of the divine source of all of creation, Allah.  To be in remembrance is to be in unity with Allah, and to be in unity is to be in the state of surrender to Allah.  This is the true zikr, that which is the impulse of the Sufi path.  As a way to achieve this state, a practice was given as a gift to students of Sufism by Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. This practice of devotion includes the rhythmical, repetition of the name of the Divine.
 
Picture
One of the beloved zikrs is La Ilaha Illa Allah. Translated it means, “There is no reality, but the One” or “If there is no God, we do not exist…. and if God exists, then this is our creator and we appear.”
 
Here is a tale that helps us to better understand this zikr more deeply. 
​
Once a Sheikh (Sufi master) came to Istanbul and went to the governing authority to ask permission to open a tekke or sufi lodge. The Sheikh was asked how many dervish members he has and the reply was only one dervish, and the master himself.

….An old rundown building was available and given to them. The Sheikh with one dervish accepted it with an open heart.

Very soon, radiant light was shining from within the building as the sound of zikr could be heard every night and as many came to join together in practice.

The governing authorities wanted to know what this man was doing to draw so many people to him and what was this light that was coming from the old building.

 
So the Sheikh was summoned. The officials said, "We are the educated ones and we want to question you to make sure you are doing things correctly."

"All right,” was the humble answer.

"What is the meaning of la ilaha illa Allah?" they asked.

"Do you want the meaning as you understand it, or do you want the meaning as I understand it?"

"We know how we understand it. Tell us how you understand it."
"For this I need my one dervish, the one I brought with me the first time I came to this building."

They agreed and say down as he and his dervish begin to practice the zikr. When he said, "La ilaha," his dervish disappeared. When he said, "ill Allah," he appeared. When he said, "la ilaha" again, they both disappeared. With "ill Allah" they reappeared.

The last time he said, "la ilaha, "the entire room disappeared. And when he said, "illa Allah," everyone appeared.

He turned to face the officials and said, "This is how I understand the zikr."


- adapted from the book, When You Hear Hoofbeats Think of a Zebra by shams Friedlander.​
Picture
"There is no reality, but the One."
Interested in deepening your work with mantras? Join my class on Chanting Wisdom at the FICS from July 23rd through July 27th. Find out more here
1 Comment
edubiridie reviews link
6/8/2019 01:19:21 am

I am Christian, but the moment I heard about this meditation class, I realized that it is something that I want to learn. Perhaps, it is a great addition on my knowledge knowing that I will not be able to apply it for myself. Meditation class of Chanting Wisdom sounds interesting, isn't it? That's why I am looking forward to have a friend on me to study this meditation class. Because I am pretty sure that it's going to work if I have a friend by my side. Hopefully, it will work!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    SUBSCRIBE

    About Jeannine

    I was born in London, England, educated in Switzerland, and am fluent in English, German, Spanish, and French. I hold a Doctorate in Ministry Degree and Masters Degrees in Counseling Psychology and Education. Also, I am an accomplished artist and educator. I use all of this and much more when helping others heal their souls.

    Archives

    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    November 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© 2022 by Doctor of The Soul
  • Home
  • About
  • Private Sessions
  • Gifts for the Soul
    • FREE HEALING LIBRARY
    • Creativity Bowl
    • 5 Steps to Mastering Your Creativity
    • Joy Cookies
  • Master Your Creativity
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Newsletter
  • Healing Brahman Chant
  • MYC Course
    • Module 3: Kyrie Body Prayer
    • Member Offers >
      • MYC Founding Membership (Annual)
      • Master Your Creativity Membership Payment Plan