The Twenty-Nine Pages

8th September, 2021 – 24th November, 2021

A 12-week online course by the Beshara Trust studying ‘The Twenty-Nine Pages’, which serves as an excellent introduction to Ibn ‘Arabi’s metaphysics of unity.

Course Description

This is a course studying The Twenty-Nine Pages, which serves as an introduction to Ibn ‘Arabi’s metaphysics of Unity

Drawn from The Mystical Philosophy of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi by A.E. Affifi, originally published by the Cambridge University Press in 1938, the extracts presented in this short book as a continuous text were arranged many years ago by Bulent Rauf, consultant to the Beshara Trust until his death in 1987.

His intention was to provide a complete introductory guide to the language and thought of Ibn ‘Arabi, particularly those aspects of his doctrine which refer to the unity of being and the perfectibility of man.

The rich content, inclusiveness and extraordinary scope of the passages from Ibn ‘Arabi make it an invaluable reference for students of mysticism and the spiritual life, whatever their background. Themes include the one and the many, immanence and transcendence, sainthood, knowledge, the heart, the soul, good and evil, and love and beauty.

Peter Coates, author of Ibn ‘Arabi and Modern Thought (2002), states: ‘This is no dry theoretical piece of metaphysicalising but rather an invitation to each reader to benefit from an acquaintance with one of the most complete and universal mystical visions of reality we have at our disposal.’

The course will be held over 12 sessions with a weekly Zoom seminar on Wednesdays at 19:30 – 20:30 BST/GMT. All Zoom seminars will be recorded should you miss one.

The course will be guided by facilitators who are long-term students of the work of Ibn ‘Arabi.

Students will be expected to have a copy of the book which is available from Beshara Publications.

Booking & Fees

Fees: The course is free but participants will be expected to have purchased a copy of The Twenty-Nine Pages – available from
Beshara Publications

Please contact besharacourses@beshara.org to apply for a place on the course.

Ibn Arabi Study-week Retreat

August 27, 2016 – September 3, 2016 

‘The Twenty Nine Pages’ revisited and the Wisdom of the Self in the Word of Jonah, in the Fusus al Hikam by Ibn ‘Arabi

A field where we can meet…

RUMI 750 – a gathering

Saturday 2nd September – Monday 4th September, 2023
Chisholme Institute, Scottish Borders, UK

An immersive weekend marking the 750th anniversary of Rumi’s death, known as his Nuptial Night. Come and explore how Rumi’s relevance informs every aspect of the current era; from ecological to economic, cultural to spiritual, while also intimately connecting with our own lives.

More Intimate Dialogues with Reality

Saturday 7th February 2026
14:00–17:00 GMT
The October Gallery, London

Contemplative reading of some of Niffari’s “Spiritual Addresses” in a new English translation by Angela Jaffray, and exploration of their relevance to us in the present moment.

Contact: Michael Cohen  london@beshara.org

Work by James Suzman: A Discussion

The history of work from the stone age to the age of robots

Sunday 3rd December 2023
15:00–16:30 GMT via Zoom

A chance to discuss the topic of Work as discussed by James Suzman in a book recently reviewed in Beshara Magazine.

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

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

The Beshara Foundation Blended Learning Course

Part 1: Introductory weekend at Sutton Courtenay Abbey, Oxfordshire
10th – 12th October 2025
(Attendance Face-to-Face or by Zoom)

Followed by.
Part 2: 10 fortnightly evening zoom meetings
23rd October 2025 – 26th March 2026
Thursday evenings, 19:00 – 20:30 GMT/BST

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 know oneself and the world in the light of the Unity of Existence.

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW

Contact: besharacourses3@beshara.org

The Ways of the Heart

September – December 2018
Hosted by The Beshara Trust

A 12-week themed online course using the Zoom seminar platform.

Yurt retreat

Woodland Yurt Retreat

August 12 – 19, 2017
Chisholme Institute, Scottish Borders, UK

Discover what is essential – free from phones, internet and electricity – living in yurts on the edge of woodland and cooking over campfires in the company of fellow students and facilitators.

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

The Holy Spirit in the Counselling of the Soul

September 15th – 22nd, 2018
Melbourne, Australia

A week dedicated to studying largely unpublished material by Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi. This includes an outline of a cosmological framework for understanding the place of the human being in the universe, and consequently, our correct attitude towards other living beings.

Jonah and the whale

Beyond Religion?

Saturday March 11, 2017

A seminar exploring the relevance of the story of Jonah to the contemporary world, facilitated by David Hornsby at the October Gallery, London.

Angel of Revelation, William Blake

William Blake and the Rediscovery of the Imagination

Saturday 25th October 2025
14:00–17:00 GMT
The October Gallery, London

“Nature is imagination itself!” declared Blake – also realising that imagination is divine.

Contact: Michael Cohen  london@beshara.org

Compassion for the World

January 26, 2019 (2–5pm)
The October Gallery, London

How can the wisdom of Ibn ‘Arabi help us solve contemporary problems like global warming?