Thank you for giving me the opportunity, it always feels good to share with people who understand.
Malacca Retreat 2016 is my third retreat since I joined the order in August 2014. Previously I had been to Pulau Besar Retreat 2015 & Singapore Retreat 2015, the reason why I feel so much at home with students of our Malaysia & Singapore group. I could very well see the blessings of each retreat flowing in their own unique way. Some of the Barakah were common every time like unity and sincerity among students, well organised venues and plenty of food of coarse. But there are also subtle blessings which we can refer to as after effects of the retreat and I believe they follow each one of us in many different folds or rather they unfold silently.
I would also briefly like to share how Sufism happened to me. Before that I must admit that for a person like me it is always difficult to comprehend my this experience through words as it is mostly beyond my little intellect but I will try to simply put it down as advised by our beloved Hazrat.
I was born in a practicing Muslim family. As a child I remember I offered Salaah and did Fasting purely out of reward. Later in my teens till my late 20's it was out of fear. Meanwhile the worldly attraction pulled me hard and I was not so consistent in practicing. Still there was a certain seeking to know the Ultimate Truth was insignificantly going parallel, I could feel its presence but was not able to embrace it somehow. One fine day out of no where it threw up like a volcano and I knew I was ready. I knew that the element of love is missing between me and my Creator. I knew it is time that I need a guide to reconnect me with the Source. And when the student is ready the Teacher appears! That is the state when simplest of moves take you there effortlessly because you are meant to be there. Because inwardly your soul is yearning to be in its default state. You feel like a dry leaf being carried away on a spring breeze.
Before Sufism, I practiced bit of this bit of that to quench my spiritual thirst but found out I got more thirsty. After joining the order still I know there's a long way to go but the path is filled with trust and hope. Initially there were many ups & downs but gradually state of pleasantness is coming in with deeper trust and understanding. And of coarse with time we all get the glimpse of Truth according to the clarity of our hearts. In the beginning, it takes time to get into the rhythm of the practices but once you get the hang of it, things start to happen naturally like eating and sleeping. Consistency is the key. And yes! Another important thing is that at one point or the other we do feel strongly that we are contacting someOne Real. Alhamdulillah!
In the end from my own personal experience I would humbly like to say that when we do our practices, we have a tendency to look at many other different aspects of spirituality. Like comparative studies, reading about Mystics from different orders, watching miracle healing videos, metaphysics etc. in the beginning it is good but as we move on deeper in the practices of our order, there is time to chop off what is not needed as they might act as barriers towards the progress. I think when we let the intellect lies low then the true intelligence from within starts working. It takes one to be a devotee as I heard someone saying, "my strength ended and Grace of God began.
May all the sincere ones find the Truth.
Was salam, Kanwal
.jpeg)
No comments:
Post a Comment