Discovering Unity, Istanbul

September 22 – November 3, 2016

Türkçe

A short course about being human, held over seven weekly evening meet-ups

Who in the world am I ? Ah, that’s the greatest puzzle.”
– Lewis Carrol

Course Description

A course combining theory and practice, group investigation and private contemplation, uncovering some of the profound meanings entailed in being human.

Our premise is the ultimate unity of all existence. The course’s development reflects this unity as it reveals itself by degrees in our everyday experience, as light and love, knowledge and beauty. It is a journey of self-enquiry and discovery of the unified whole that is our human nature.

The course consists of seven evening meetings held weekly over six weeks, together with personal enquiry through selected readings, audio, video and contemplative daily practice at home. Its inspiration and direction derive principally from the teachings of two spiritual giants of the 13th Century, Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi and Jalaluddin Rumi.

The course material and its method have been distilled from forty years experience of running Beshara School courses at Chisholme House in the Scottish Borders.

The Weekly Sessions

The evening meetings will start with a guided mindfulness meditation, followed by ‘checking in’ and discussing any questions, feelings and insights which may have arisen during the previous week. After a meal break, the week’s new theme will be introduced, with discussion and notes relating to the theme including texts, artwork, film and audio material, as well as specific questions to contemplate over the week.

Week 1: Beginning from the Beginning
How can we create an ideal space, within ourselves and as a group, for this course to happen? How can we establish ‘beginners mind’?

Week 2: The One and the Many, Being and Consciousness
An exploration of the principle of unity and its relationship to diversity and multiple points of view.

Week 3: The Human Reality and Experience
What is the place of the human being and how do we experience unity in everyday life?

Week 4: Relationships
What is the nature of relationship, be it to ourselves, to others, to the earth and its other inhabitants or to God and reality?

Week 5: Closing the Shop that Sells Fishhooks
What kind of work is required to realise our essential reality and to become free of our habitual mindsets?

Week 6: Love & Beauty
What do we mean when we speak of love and what is its relationship to knowledge, service and beauty?

Week 7: Conclusions and Beginnings
A final meeting to address endings, new beginnings and to tie up as many loose ends as possible.

Booking

For more information or to book your place, please contact the course facilitators:

Azim Looker
azimlooker@hotmail.com
+90 543 527 5270

Bahar Aykaç Looker
baharaykac@gmail.com
+90 532 486 9210

Kadıköy

Mirrors of the Transcendent in the Cosmos of Ibn Arabi: The Body as Metaphor of Divine Self-Revelation

25th-26th July 2025
The Warburg Institute, University of London

A joint symposium held by the Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi Society and The Warburg Institute.

More details: https://ibnarabisociety.org/events/
Booking: https://warburg.sas.ac.uk/events/cosmos-of-ibn-arabi-2025

Aspects of Imagination, Science and the Mystical

Aspects of Science, Imagination and the Mystical

Saturday 14th June 2025
14:00–17:00 BST
The October Gallery, London

With Peter Coates

This talk will consider the vital role of the Creative Imagination in Natural Science and in the Mystical Philosophy of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi.

Contact: Michael Cohen  london@beshara.org

Hakim Omar Khayya’m and Edward FitzGerald

Paradise E’Now or The Smile of the Spirit

Saturday 24th May 2025
14:00–17:00 BST
The October Gallery, London

With Charles Mugleston

A special Birthday Celebration with music, exploring, experiencing & soulfully enjoying the Ruba’iya’t of Hakim Omar Khayya’m translated & adapted by the Anglo-Irish genius Edward FitzGerald of Woodbridge, Suffolk into “English Music” in 1859.

Contact: Michael Cohen  london@beshara.org

Open Meetings

Monday 7th April, 2025
Monday 5th May, 2025
17:30–18:30 BST

Saturday 26th April, 2025
Saturday 24th May, 2025
9:00am-10:00am BST

Are you interested in sharing your thoughts and in contributing to the development of Beshara? We are excited to invite you to another series of monthly online Open Meetings

Open Meetings

Saturday 22nd March, 2025
9:00am–10:00am GMT

Inspired by the turn out at the recent open meetings, we are pleased to invite you to our next online Open Meeting. This meeting will give priority to our friends in Australia and the Asia Pacific before we open up the space to continue the conversation with everyone else.

Know Yourself

Saturday 26th April 2025
14:00–17:00 BST
The October Gallery, London

You yourself are the object of your quest

Reading and discussion of a classic explanation of the Oneness of Being, attributed to Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi and Awhad al-din Balyani and translated from the Arabic by Cecilia Twinch.

Contact: Michael Cohen, london@beshara.org

Bhagavad Gita – ‘The Song of the Spirit’

From 15th May 2025
20:30–21:30 BST

An opportunity to study and explore the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita in an online group setting. All welcome.

Contact: John Brown at besharacourses@beshara.org to book a place.

Daily Meditation

From 6th January 2025
07:30–08:00 GMT

Daily 30-minute silent meditation beginning with a dedication of intent and ending. All welcome.

Contact: John Brown at besharacourses@beshara.org for a Zoom invite

Open Meetings

Monday 13th & 27th January, 2025
Monday 10th & 24th February, 2025
18:30–19:30 GMT

Are you interested in sharing your thoughts and in contributing to the development of Beshara? We are excited to invite you to a series of four fortnightly online Open Meetings launching in January 2025.

Love and Knowledge in the Light of Unity | the Direct Path

Beshara Foundation Course

Autumn 2025 (dates to be confirmed)

Introductory weekend at Sutton Courtenay Abbey, Oxfordshire
(Zoom attendance also available)

10 x bi-weekly evening online sessions

This course provides a full introduction to the principles of Beshara in terms of both knowledge and practice. Taking the metaphysics of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi as a starting point, the course explores what it means to understand oneself and the world in the light of the Unity of Existence.

Contact: besharacourses3@beshara.org