NOOR INAYAT KHAN

The rather thick book, entitled, TOWARD THE ONE, written by Pir Vilayat Inayat-Khan and compiled with the staff, is dedicated to the late Noor Inayat Khan, his sister who was killed while working undercover/underground during WWII. Her full story involves the French Underground and other operatives from England, many of whom, including her, were possibly betrayed by a 'double agent' or traitor, and her story has been discussed in other works more fully..... Those interested in such things as OSS, military intelligence, and WWII can do their own research if interested....... Perhaps the point that needs to be made is this: you can be in the world and not of it,while working and living and dying,that is, take on 'intentional suffering'...

FAKIRS & DERVISHES & YOGIS

As some of you may know or have senses, possibly, if you have delved into these things with any degree of curiosity and excitement, that SUFIS have much in common with Fakirs,Dervishes, and Yogis, usually on the physical level(s) and which include postures, dances, and other 'exertions' that one could find nearly everywhere in Asia, especially in the Near East, in India, and elsewhere......the connections and associations with these groups and the larger, more esoteric SUFI COMMUNITIES have been explored and exposed in various writings....some religious,some philosophical, some sensational, and others a bit historical....... Those who made, what I shall call, 'SUFISM" popular in the WEST have had an impact on many which some do not realize and others may exaggerate a bit...but nonetheless, since SUFIS are attached and connected and often associated with ISLAM, which is growing in strength in some areas of the world and certainly causing concerns in West these days for obvious reasons, it is important to realize that SUFIS are not always welcome or accepted in Islam's more orthodox or extreme groups and actually persecuted....the same for those who are Bahai's and perhaps even 'Subudians" another term that I shall use, which was given to me by a friend who discussed SUBUD with me and shared some of his experiences,etc. Of course, there are other groups closely resembling Sufis but who have a different orientation when it comes to religious or mystical practices...and some of these will be mentioned and discussed when I have more time to do so.... Understandably, those who favor, admire, and adhere to Sufi Doctrines and Practices may not agree with anything I say and I do not expect or want them to do so as my limitations are most obvious but my interests are still keen and not dulled by sojourns in other areas all my life.....even if, as some claim and point out, from the periphery......

THE WAY OF THE SUFI

Some years back I became acquainted with Sufism and some of its related activities and offshoots,such as Dances. I plan to discuss certain aspects of Sufi doctrines and activities and connections when time permits....