we're flexible...sheikh suleyman and pink floyd
february 12, 2011
Salaam Dear Ones,
Our training makes us flexible people, and nowhere was that more evident than in the contrast between Thursday and Friday night. Thursday night Sheikh Suleyman Ates came to Dayemabad for satsang and led a beautiful and deeply moving dhikr accompanied by his Turkish posse, Salim, Aisha and Sultan Takim. Now these are people who know how to breathe! Especially the ladies. They get it going until they hyperventilate and turn into dhikr puddles. Not our style necessarily, but one we can certainly admire. Sheikh Suleyman, at 78, has a roaring fire inside, and he can really pour it on when he wants to. His presence was commanding, arresting, inspiring, centering...so many levels to where he took our circle as we followed his lead. Such a blessing to be in his august presence. He, of course, sends his most heartfelt salaam to Murshid and our Community, and even expressed the hope to visit us in Carbondale again. In sh'allah, please God, may it be so.
Then, without missing a beat, Friday night a small group of us went to the Bochum Planetarium to lay back in chairs and stare up at the dome while listening to Pink Floyd. Only in Germany, right? Saw more guys with pony tails than I'd seen in years. I guess there is actually a Pink Floyd type. Some local guy created an amazing show that wove together images of outer space with images of earth with wild computer graphics. It was over the top, a true delight to the senses, overwhelmingly beautiful and provocative. Here was yet another person taking us through all these levels as we let go into it. My favorite image was of the earth floating in outer space with the sun coming up over it. The earth is the most beautiful planet...incredibly deep blue, snowy white, and verdant green, surrounded by the deepest, darkest space, spinning so beautifully, so calmly, so precisely. From space, you don't see people or problems. From that perspective, you see only majesty and perfection. What a gift we humans have been given to be allowed to be here on this gorgeous planet. I hope we don't blow our chance due to greed and fear and all that yucky stuff that we all know so well. Our hope with Murshid, our Community, our practices and our path, is that we will live into this beautiful trust that we have been given. When I looked at the images from outer space, the planets floating by, the galaxies spinning past each other, and the dancing, swirling nebulae, I wondered, what is holding all this together? There's something that contains even this... Allah truly is greater that our greatest conception. I sure can't get my mind around it, and yet I get to be in it, at least for a little while, and what a joyous wonder that is.
The work week ended with quite the flourish, and I must say, physically it was a stretch to get up at 4am five days in a row. But I am learning a little something about willingness here. I set my alarm and the second it goes off, I alight from the bed without a moment's hesitation. Everything in me wants to get ready for work and jump into what the day has to offer. I want to learn. I want to work. I want to share myself. How different this is from laying in bed, not wanting to get up, longing for just a few more minutes sleep. Sleep? Who needs more when my longing is calling me forward? So goes my in the trenches experience of willingness versus unwillingness and, oh, how differently they feel.
I hope you're sitting down as you read this. If you're not, please take a seat because I want to let you in on a little something. Aenni and I are flying to Paris on Thursday. Yes! Let me repeat it. Aenni and I are flying to Paris on Thursday, and we'll be there all Friday, Saturday AND Sunday, coming back on Monday! I haven't been to Paris since I was 19. It was swell then, and I have a feeling it's gonna be even sweller now. I am so psyched to travel with Aenni. Can you imagine a better traveling partner? What fun we shall have painting the town red! I'll be sure and keep you posted. Oui. Oui.
This weekend I need to organize my twenty pages of bakery notes. I've been scratching away like crazy, trying to get down all the details. My hope is to come home and start off making three or four breads, and once I get those down expand my repertoire. Juergen assures me that he will help me by email. He said he can even skype me and show me how to do stuff. How wild is that?
Andreas made brownies again on Friday, but this time the bisquit didn't come together. For some reason the trench didn't hold when he whipped the eggs over the heat. Why, he didn't know. These are the mysteries of baking. Nonetheless, the brownies turned out great, albeit still the cake variety. Andreas said mine are better. smile. Next week I'll show him how I do it. He put the brownies in the case, and they were selling like hot cakes (pun intended). I even have my own little card now! I'm selflessly attaching a picture for your enjoyment and edification. smile.
Next week we're going to try our hand at Vinnie's momma's strawberry shortcake. That'll get 'em...
Gotta jet for now. Have a great weekend...wow, never thought I'd say that.
Love you all so much,
fattie
Our training makes us flexible people, and nowhere was that more evident than in the contrast between Thursday and Friday night. Thursday night Sheikh Suleyman Ates came to Dayemabad for satsang and led a beautiful and deeply moving dhikr accompanied by his Turkish posse, Salim, Aisha and Sultan Takim. Now these are people who know how to breathe! Especially the ladies. They get it going until they hyperventilate and turn into dhikr puddles. Not our style necessarily, but one we can certainly admire. Sheikh Suleyman, at 78, has a roaring fire inside, and he can really pour it on when he wants to. His presence was commanding, arresting, inspiring, centering...so many levels to where he took our circle as we followed his lead. Such a blessing to be in his august presence. He, of course, sends his most heartfelt salaam to Murshid and our Community, and even expressed the hope to visit us in Carbondale again. In sh'allah, please God, may it be so.
Then, without missing a beat, Friday night a small group of us went to the Bochum Planetarium to lay back in chairs and stare up at the dome while listening to Pink Floyd. Only in Germany, right? Saw more guys with pony tails than I'd seen in years. I guess there is actually a Pink Floyd type. Some local guy created an amazing show that wove together images of outer space with images of earth with wild computer graphics. It was over the top, a true delight to the senses, overwhelmingly beautiful and provocative. Here was yet another person taking us through all these levels as we let go into it. My favorite image was of the earth floating in outer space with the sun coming up over it. The earth is the most beautiful planet...incredibly deep blue, snowy white, and verdant green, surrounded by the deepest, darkest space, spinning so beautifully, so calmly, so precisely. From space, you don't see people or problems. From that perspective, you see only majesty and perfection. What a gift we humans have been given to be allowed to be here on this gorgeous planet. I hope we don't blow our chance due to greed and fear and all that yucky stuff that we all know so well. Our hope with Murshid, our Community, our practices and our path, is that we will live into this beautiful trust that we have been given. When I looked at the images from outer space, the planets floating by, the galaxies spinning past each other, and the dancing, swirling nebulae, I wondered, what is holding all this together? There's something that contains even this... Allah truly is greater that our greatest conception. I sure can't get my mind around it, and yet I get to be in it, at least for a little while, and what a joyous wonder that is.
The work week ended with quite the flourish, and I must say, physically it was a stretch to get up at 4am five days in a row. But I am learning a little something about willingness here. I set my alarm and the second it goes off, I alight from the bed without a moment's hesitation. Everything in me wants to get ready for work and jump into what the day has to offer. I want to learn. I want to work. I want to share myself. How different this is from laying in bed, not wanting to get up, longing for just a few more minutes sleep. Sleep? Who needs more when my longing is calling me forward? So goes my in the trenches experience of willingness versus unwillingness and, oh, how differently they feel.
I hope you're sitting down as you read this. If you're not, please take a seat because I want to let you in on a little something. Aenni and I are flying to Paris on Thursday. Yes! Let me repeat it. Aenni and I are flying to Paris on Thursday, and we'll be there all Friday, Saturday AND Sunday, coming back on Monday! I haven't been to Paris since I was 19. It was swell then, and I have a feeling it's gonna be even sweller now. I am so psyched to travel with Aenni. Can you imagine a better traveling partner? What fun we shall have painting the town red! I'll be sure and keep you posted. Oui. Oui.
This weekend I need to organize my twenty pages of bakery notes. I've been scratching away like crazy, trying to get down all the details. My hope is to come home and start off making three or four breads, and once I get those down expand my repertoire. Juergen assures me that he will help me by email. He said he can even skype me and show me how to do stuff. How wild is that?
Andreas made brownies again on Friday, but this time the bisquit didn't come together. For some reason the trench didn't hold when he whipped the eggs over the heat. Why, he didn't know. These are the mysteries of baking. Nonetheless, the brownies turned out great, albeit still the cake variety. Andreas said mine are better. smile. Next week I'll show him how I do it. He put the brownies in the case, and they were selling like hot cakes (pun intended). I even have my own little card now! I'm selflessly attaching a picture for your enjoyment and edification. smile.
Next week we're going to try our hand at Vinnie's momma's strawberry shortcake. That'll get 'em...
Gotta jet for now. Have a great weekend...wow, never thought I'd say that.
Love you all so much,
fattie