Niffari: Spiritual Addresses

Weekly on Saturdays from 23rd October, 2021
13:30 – 15:30 BST/GMT

Amero-Australian based group
Weekly on Saturdays/Sundays from 13th November, 2021
17:00 – 18:00 Saturday CST / 10:00 – 11:00 Sunday AEDT

Online study and contemplation of the Spiritual Addresses by al-Niffari. Reading material will be provided.

Description

Little is known of the life of the 10th century mystic, Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdi-‘l Jabbar al-Niffari. He was born in the marshlands of the Euphrates and remained a solitary wanderer all his life, shunning the company of others. His visionary insights, which he wrote down on scraps of paper, were only collected into book form after his death. In his Spiritual Addresses and Stayings can be found essential intuitions about the spiritual quest, expressed in extraordinarily direct yet subtle language. Compared with other mystical writings there are few time-bound cultural references in his work and this gives to the writings of Niffari a very contemporary feel.

In these meetings, we shall be reading and contemplating some of Niffari’s Spiritual Addresses in English translation. The study material will be supplied.

Booking

Cost: FREE via Zoom

Contact:
Michael Cohen at london@beshara.org
(Amero-Australian group) Mary Boyd-Brent at boydb002@umn.edu

Bulent Rauf

Silence and Study reading week: Jethro

March 2 – 9, 2019
Chisholme Institute, Scottish Borders, UK

A week of group study of The Wisdom of the Heart in the Word of Jethro, a chapter from Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi’s Fusus al-Hikam (The Bezels of Wisdom)

Akong: A Remarkable Life

November 28, 2018 (7pm)
Heart of Hawick Cinema & Theatre, Hawick, Scottish Borders

The award-winning documentary on the inspirational life of Akong Rinpoche, co-founder of the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the West, at Eskdalemuir. Introduced by Executive Producer Vin Harris, and followed by a panel discussion with Q&A. Proceeds to the Akong Memorial Foundation.

Intimate Dialogues with Reality

Saturday April 22nd, 2023
14:00 – 17:00 BST
October Gallery, London, UK

Reading and contemplation of some of Niffari’s “Spiritual Addresses” in English translation, exploring their relevance to us in the present moment.

 

Ibn ‘Arabi Study Day

May 25, 2019 (11am–5pm)
The October Gallery, London

A day of study of the chapter on ‘The Wisdom of Beneficence in the Word of Loqman’ from Ibn ‘Arabi’s Fusus al-Hikam (The Bezels of Wisdom).

Ibn ‘Arabi Study Retreat: Abraham and Isaac

September 4 – 10, 2017
Chisholme Institute, Scottish Borders, UK

Study of chapters from Part One of the new, fully annotated translation of the ‘Fusus al-Hikam’ (2018).

Qualities of Love: Trust, Certainty, Patience, Resolution and Veracity

Friday to Sunday, 19th – 21st May 2023
The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire

These five qualities have been at the core of practice at Beshara and are considered essential attributes to be developed by those wishing to know themselves in order to know God.

This residential weekend will provide an opportunity to contemplate their meaning and practice through meditation, study and conversation in a tranquil setting.

Jami: Lawa‛ih (Flashes)

Weekly from 27th August, 2022
Sundays 13:30–15:30 BST/GMT

Online study of the Lawa’ih (“Flashes”) by Jami, an exposition in poetry and prose of the Unity of Existence as expressed in the work of Ibn ‘Arabi and his school.

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

40 Day Intensive Retreat

October 15 – November 23, 2018
Chisholme Institute, Scottish Borders, UK

An in-depth retreat where everything fully supports each individual’s inner self discovery and exploration of their relationship with others and the world from a unified perspective.

Exploring the Meaning of Service in the Context of Self Knowledge

23rd July 2023 & 30th July 2023
(Sundays) 13:00–14:30 PDT

Two online sessions reading, discussing and contemplating short papers in the light of this title.

The Beshara Lecture 2019

November 16th, 2019 (from 2pm) at The Royal Asiatic Society, London.

‘Ecosystems as Love Processes’ from biological war ideology to understanding reality as alive.

Speaker: Andreas Weber

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.