Ibn ‘Arabi Study Afternoon

September 22, 2018 (1–4pm)
The October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AL

An afternoon seminar studying excerpts from the chapter on ‘The Wisdom of the Prophecy in the Word of Jesus’ from Ibn ‘Arabi’s seminal work, Fusus al-Hikam.

Event Description

This is the last in the current series of afternoons comprising study and discussion of the work of the great spiritual teacher, Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi. The aim of the study is to nurture a sentiment for self-knowledge, rather than for any academic or cultural benefit.

No prior knowledge of Arabi’s writings is required. The seminar is designed both for those new to his work and for long-term students. The study material will consist of writings by Ibn Arabi and related authors, in English translation where necessary.

In this seminar we shall study excerpts from the chapter on The Wisdom of the Prophecy in the Word of Jesus from Ibn ‘Arabi’s seminal work, Fusus al-Hikam, “…the quintessence of his spiritual teaching”. The chapter we will read from can also be titled The Wisdom of Elevation in the Word of Jesus. Ibn ‘Arabi confidently posits the total elevation that became manifest in Jesus, one of his own key spiritual teachers, and prepares the way for the removal of our all-too-human dilemmas that arise when we try to comprehend Jesus from our own limited perspectives, and invites us to ‘vivification through knowledge’. The chapter opens with the words: “The Spirit (ar-ruh : that is to say Christ) was manifested by the water of Mary and the breath of Gabriel; in the form of a man made of clay, in the purified body of (corruptible) nature that he calls ‘prison’ (sijin), so that he is staying there since more than a thousand years.”

Booking & Fees

Cost: £8 + £1.54 registration fee from Eventbrite

Entry by ticket – refreshments provided

Enquiries:
Michael Cohen at london@beshara.org or 020 8300 7928

Course / Event location

The October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AL

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

Mondays 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

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.

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

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

Love Divine: a conversation between Rumi and St. John of the Cross

Meditation and poetry workshops 

Fortnightly from 18th January – 29th March
Saturdays: 10:00am – 11:30pm (GMT)
or
Fortnightly from 25th January – 5th April
Saturdays: 10am – 11:30am (Pacific Time), 12:00pm-13:30 (Central Time), and 5:00pm-6:30pm (UK time).


Meditation workshops following a format of reading some lines of poetry with contemplative meditation and shared reflections. There are a few places left.

Jesus Across Space and Time

An interactive seminar

Saturday 30th November 2024
14:00–17:00 BST
The October Gallery, London

An afternoon devoted to discussion of the question: what is the knowledge we can attain if we contemplate the person of Jesus and his function and role in the world of humanity?