Gratitude to Effendi
Beloved Blogreaders, I want to say more about Effendi and the Sufi House in Istanbul, Turkey. To sum up the essence would be to say that Effendi is a servant of God. He travels around the world at his own expense to do God's Will. He asks for nothing. He gives everything.
He will come to Fairfield, Iowa, where I live, for a visit to the Sufi House there in October. No one sponsors Effendi except God. Effendi never puts his hand out. There is no donation box. In fact, when Heaven Admin and I wanted to show our appreciation for his amazing generosity in Istanbul by donating from Heaven, we began to understand that, not only is it not the Sufi way to ever ask for anything, it is also not the Sufi way to accept money in return for service. Nothing is wanted from us but to accept the gracious hospitality everyone at the Sufi House so generously gave.
How rare is it to find such unselfishness. Sufism gives everything and asks for nothing. This reminds me of Heaven Admin who gives and gives. How can I ever repay him? I don't know how.
When it comes to Effendi, I must give something of myself that Effendi does not have to say yes to or accept. How gross it would have been for me to leave a donation. Here's what I understand now:
When I am back in Fairfield, I must see for myself what the Fairfield Sufi House might need, either in terms of work or provision. Do I have anything to give that isn't from my wish to repay but from a need of the Sufi House that I might fulfill? I know that Ron who had come to my moving sale had redone the electricity at the Fairfield Sufi House. He didn't ask. He saw the need and filled it. And when it was done, Effendi could know. If I had a work of art suitable for the Sufi House, I could feel good to give it. It would be hung, and then Effendi could know.
I do not know what I can give. All I know is that I want to find something worthy to give.
I think the word Sufi must mean love.
Comments
Dear Gloria, thanks to your words now I'm a little more aware of beautiness and richness of Sufi and Sufism. Your post made me think a lot on the way we (better, I) face life troubles (expecially money troubles) perhaps without the necessary trust in God and in the Divine Providence. It's not always very easy to accept all that happens to us without being touched or deviated from the chosen path. Your post reminded me of a very deep teaching: a life is not worthwhile if not spent to help and assist the others. Thanks to Effendi because with his way to pour love on you has reminded me something that sometimes I tend to forget and made me grow up a little bit.
I am learning with you, beloved Andrea, though I think you are ahead of me. Effendi is at a place in his heart where he can do this. Heaven Admin is at this place where it is natural to come from generosity of the heart.
I want to be in that place, yet I do not yet have that generosity. I must have fears instead.
In my personal Godwriting this morning, I asked God for help with this. He quoted from a play I am working on called Heart of a Gopi. This play is based on a little inspired book by the same name.
This is what Krishna says in the play:
"There is no mine and thine in Brindaban."
May I get past possessiveness.
Loving you, Gloria
DEAREST gLORIA.
I recal God telling us that the greatest gift is LOVE, I am convinced Efendi knows your love and that gift is Priceless. Keep on giving LOVE and you will be Happy I am sure of that. If you keep Sufiism in the limelight and let it be known that it is a branch of Islam every thing will get better between the differend religions. Love to all of you on this blog Jack
Gloria,
Now I must search about Sufiism. I am not familiar with the beliefs of the Islamic people, but as both you and Andrea said, it is something I feel I need to learn more about and practice.
It is very difficult some days to get past the "mine" and fears of the day.
That is the culture I grew up with.
And thank God this and other sites are available to teach some of us a different and much more loving way to live each day.
I don't think Heaven Admin has any expectation that you need to "repay him." It seems to me that he comes from a place in his heart that just is. I'm sure, from your stories, his blessing was in watching your enchantment with everything that you were experiencing.
So, when do you begin your Argentina adventure?
In light,
Lynda
I think Sufi and Islam are not the same. Sufi is not mainstream. You know, Heavenletters are not part of any religion, and I try to be not for or against any religion. You know I love the poet Rumi, and his poetry is, as I understand it, Sufi poetry.
I also have the understanding that all Sufi is not the same.
It is expected that the trip to Argentina will begin towards the end of November. Tune in!
I'm pasting some very enlightning descriptions of Sufism taken from wikipedia:"Sufism or taṣawwuf (Arabic: تصوّف), also spelled as tasavvuf and tasavvof, is generally understood to be the inner, mystical dimension of Islam....
Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God." ... Alternatively, in the words of the renowned Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, "a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits."
Well.. a new occasion for me to learn something new and to feel once again that the ethernal truth is only one and is like a diamond with thousands of facets (esotheric schools, religions etc.).
Dearest Gloria and Heavenangels,
what an amazing post and amazing replies. I am totally lost in awe at beauty of God's love. I'd really love to say so many things, but nothing comes up, nothing to add or comment. I think I'll just keep floating in this amazing post.
My first thought after reading it was "I think it is the most beautiful post I ever read".
Sweetest love to all here !
Indeed ... I am currently studying the mystical side of Christianity. I believe it is in the mystical that all beliefs come together as one.
I find it is marvelous when people like you share what lies in its own hearts. Once more all for oneness. Here it is, and nobody could tell different whatever path in different ways.
Tankyou
Dear Gloria,
I want to react to your question about Heaven Admin who gives and gives and how you can ever repay him.
It is my true experience and understanding that it goes like this :
We are one. Agreed ? Ok, that means that it does not matter who repays Heaven Admin, but becauase of how God works, he will be repaid by someone.
We are all interacting with each other, and being one means that giving to a certain person, does not have to mean that that specific person has to repay you. It could be anyone who repays you. But because of the way Love works, someone will surely repay.
AND THIS GOES ON AND ON AND ON......
Dearest Gloria,
I tried to reach you but I guess it failed somehow :)
My cousin is a sufi living in Istanbul, and by chance she read you about Effendi, and she wants to see him. Could you pls give me more information about him :)
Thank you very much in advance,
Beloved Arzuhan, Effendi is indeed someone to meet! He is in Fairfield, Iowa, USA, right now where I live!
I'll try to find out the general way to reach him and post that here. Is your cousin on the internet? His beautiful heart is the important thing to know about this gentleman.
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Inshallah!
Dearest Gloria, I beleive I already did :) And It comes to my email box :) I will be waiting about more information about Him too :)
Yes my cousin she is on the internet too. If you can give us his full name too, we can also search for him :)
You told us to post our letters, and I think there would be a link with /istanbul, but I never found it :)
I would also like to share mine to let other people how everyone can do it :)
Thank you very much
Arzuhan
Do you know, I don't know Effendi's whole name.
Where do you live? In Turkey also?
Do you know that Heavenletters are translated into Turkish every day?
Beloved Arzuhan, excuse me, what is it of yours you would like to share?
And do you mean you tried to subscribe to Heavenletters, and it didn't work? I can do it for you, dear one. Please tell me what language you would like so I give you the right one!