Very often the word "initiation" is misunderstood. Many think it is initiation into a secret society, or that it is an experimental trial, or some phenomenon. As there is no other expression, I have, for the sake of convenience, used the word "initiation." Initiation, in the Sufi terms, is called bayat. No doubt the word initiation also explains some mystery, for the meaning of the word suggests taking an initiative, advancing, or going forward.

Is it desirable for every soul to take initiation? As the word initiation means "to go forward," the answer is that progress is life and stillness is death. Whatever our grade of evolution, it is always advisable to try to go forward, in business or the professions, in society or political life, and in religion or spiritual advancement.

No doubt there is a danger of being too enthusiastic. That nature that is too enthusiastic may, instead of benefiting, harm itself in its worldly or spiritual work. For everything there is a time, and patience is necessary in every strife. A cook may burn food by giving more fire to it in order to cook it quicker; in all things this rule applies. With little children the parents are often anxious and enthusiastic. They think their children can learn and understand every good and interesting thing on earth. Too much enthusiasm is not right. We must give time to all things. The first and most important lesson in life is patience; we must begin all things with patience.

Esoteric School

The Sufi Order is mainly an esoteric school. There are three esoteric schools most known in the East: the Buddhist School, the Vedantic School, and the Sufi School. Two of the schools, the Buddhist and the Vedantic, use asceticism as the principal means of spiritual advancement. The peculiarity of the Sufi School is that it uses humanity as the main path for spiritual advancement. The realization of truth in the Sufi School is not different from the Vedantic, or even from the Buddhist, but the Sufi presents truth in a different manner. It is the same frame in which Jesus Christ gave his teaching, and the same form which was adopted by the prophets of Israel.

Spiritual development by the help of contemplation and meditation is used in all three schools, the science of breath being the foundation of each.

The Sufi thinks that a person was not created to live the life of an angel, nor was one created to live the life of an animal. For the life of an angel, angels are created, and for the life of an animal, there are animals. The Sufi thinks the first thing necessary in life is for one to prove to one's own conscience to what extent one can be human.

This is not only spiritual development, it is also the culture of humanity.

What is one's relationship to one's neighbor or friend, to those who depend upon one, to those who look to one, and to strangers not known to one?
How does one relate with those older or younger than oneself, with the ones who like one and with the ones who dislike one and criticize one?
How does one feel and think and act through life, and still keep on progressing toward the goal that is the goal for every soul in the world?

It is not necessary that the Sufi seek the wilderness for meditation; the Sufi can perform his or her work in the midst of the worldly life. The Sufi need not prove him or herself a Sufi by extraordinary power, by wonderworking, or by exceptional spiritual show or claim. A Sufi can prove oneself a Sufi to one's own conscience by watching one's life amidst the strife of this worldly life.

There are some who are content with the beliefs taught to them at home or in church. They can just as well rest in that place of realization where they are contented until another impulse is born in their hearts to go on higher. Sufis do not force upon such souls their beliefs or thoughts. In the east there is a custom of saying that it is a great sin to wake anyone who is fast asleep. This saying can be symbolically understood: there are many in this world who work and do things and yet they are asleep; they seem awake externally, but inwardly they are asleep. The Sufi considers it a crime to waken them. For some, sleep is good for the health. The work of the Sufi is to give a helping hand to those who have had sufficient sleep and who now begin to stir in their sleep and to change sides. That help given is the real initiation.

No doubt there are things which pass the ordinary comprehension: things one can not teach only by speaking or acting. Thus the way of teaching called Tawajjeh is without words; it is not external teaching, it is a teaching in silence. For instance, how can one explain the spirit of sincerity or the spirit of gratefulness; how can one explain the ultimate truth, the idea of God? Whenever attempted it has failed; it has made some confused and has made others give up their belief. It is not that the one who explains has not understood, but that words are inadequate to explain the idea of God.

In the East the great sages and saints sit quite still with lips closed for years. We call them muni, which means "one who takes the vow of silence." The person of today may think, "What a life: to be silent and do nothing." One does not know that some by their silence can do more than others talking for ten years could accomplish. A person may argue for months on a problem and not be able to explain it; another person with inner radiance may be able to answer the same thing in one moment.

Of course, no one can give spiritual knowledge to another person, because it is something which every heart has within it. By initiation, what the teacher can do is light with his or her light, the light which is hidden in the heart of their disciple. If the light is not there, it is not the fault of the teacher.

There is a Persian verse of Hafiz: "However great the teacher, with the one whose heart is closed the teacher is helpless."

Therefore, initiation means initiation on the part of the disciple and on the part of the teacher, a step forward on the path of both. On the path of the teacher a step forward with the disciple, that the pupil may be trusted and raised from his or her present condition; a step forward for the pupil because one opens one's heart, having no barrier and nothing to hinder the teacher in whatever form it comes: in silence, in words, or in seeing more deed or action on the part of the teacher.

In ancient times the disciples of the great teachers learned by quite a different method, not an academic method or way of study.

With open heart, perfect confidence, and trust, they watched every movement the teacher made towards friends and towards people who looked at them with contempt.
They watched their teacher in times of trouble and pain to see how he or she stood it all.
They saw how patient the teacher had been in arguing with those who did not understand and how wise the teacher had been to answer everyone gently in his or her own language.
They observed the mother spirit, the father spirit, the brother spirit, the sister spirit, the child spirit, the friend spirit, the forgiving kindness, the ever tolerant nature, the respect for the aged, the compassion for all, and the thorough understanding of human nature.

The disciples learned that all disputes and books on metaphysics can never teach all the thoughts and philosophy that comes up in the heart of a person. A person may either study for a thousand years or may get to the source and see if he or she can touch the root of all wisdom and all knowledge.

In the emblem of the Sufi Order there is a heart in the center as a sign for the Sufi that from the heart the stream rises, the stream of divine knowledge and inspiration.

Two Things Are Necessary

On the path of initiation two things are necessary: contemplation and living the life the Sufi ought to live. Both depend upon each other.

Contemplation helps to live the life of a Sufi, and the life of a Sufi helps contemplation. The question, especially in the West where life is so busy and where there is no end to responsibilities, is if contemplation (even only for ten minutes in the evening) is not too much when we are tired. The answer is that for that very reason, in the West contemplation is required more than in the East where everything, even the surroundings, is helpful to contemplation.

Besides, a beginning must be made on the path. But if contemplation does not develop in such a form that everything one does in life becomes a contemplation, then contemplation does not do a person any good. It would be like going to church once a week, forgetting all about religion the other days. A person who gives ten or twenty minutes to contemplation every evening and forgets it all day will not derive any benefit. We take our food at certain times every day, yet all the time, even when we are sleeping, the food nourishes our body.

It is not the Sufi's idea to retire in seclusion or to sit silent all day: the idea is that by contemplation one must be so inspired in study and in aspiration that progress is attained in every aspect of life. In that way one proves one's contemplation to be a force helping one to withstand all difficulties that come to one.
The life the Sufi ought to live may be explained in a few words. There are many things in the life of a Sufi, but the greatest is to have a tendency to friendship which is expressed in the form of tolerance and forgiveness, and in the form of service and trust. In whatever form he may express that central theme, the constant desire is to prove one's love to humanity and to be the friend of all.

The Sufi Movement

Now that I have explained in a few words the subject of initiation, I will explain the Sufi Movement. The Sufi Movement consists of three sections. The central section is the Esoteric School. In this school those who are seekers after truth and wish to follow the path with faith and confidence and trust are welcome.

Then there are two side sections. One is the kinship. Its object is to unite humankind -- separated just now by boundaries of caste, creed, nation, and race in the understanding of wisdom. In awakening the conscience in humanity, one may be able to see that the happiness of each depends upon the happiness of all. In this section everyone is admitted and welcome. We can never have workers enough to work in this time of great need for human kinship. The Sufi Movement is the nucleus of human kinship, and this part represents this nucleus, formed, not with a view that all should become members of the Sufi Movement, but that all may become members of the human family in the Parenthood of God.

The other section is the devotional part of the Order. This is for people who have perhaps some belief, but are not satisfied with that belief, or for others who do not go to any particular church but at the same time have aside to their nature which needs religion and prayer. There are some who will not believe unless they are intellectually satisfied: for them this section works, to give them the elements of all religions, to give them tolerance for different religions and beliefs, so that they may learn to respect the religion of others, a religion which has perhaps inspired numberless souls but is not known to the followers of other religions. This unity of religion in prayer and thought is the real kinship of religion, nature's religion. It is taught in this section in the religious line. The central path is the path of initiation. To those entering this central path, the other two sections become open.

Social Gathekas

30. Sufi Initiation

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Social Gathekas

30. Sufi Initiation

Patience

Esoteric School

Two Things Are Necessary

The Sufi Movement