The Knowing Heart: A Sufi Path of Transformation [NOOK Book]

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Overview

As
human beings we stand on the threshold between two realities: the world of
material existence and the world of spiritual Being. ...

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The Knowing Heart: A Sufi Path of Transformation

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More About This Book

Overview

As
human beings we stand on the threshold between two realities: the world of
material existence and the world of spiritual Being. The "knowing heart" is the
sacred place where these two dimensions meet and are integrated.

In
Sufi teaching the human heart is not a fanciful metaphor but an objective organ
of intuition and perception. It is able to perceive all that is beautiful,
lovely, and meaningful in life—and to reflect these spiritual qualities in the
world, for the benefit of others. Every human heart has the capacity and the
destiny to bring that world of divine reality into this world of appearances.

The
Sufis, mystics of Islam, have been educators of the heart for some fourteen
centuries. Their teachings and methods are designed to help us awaken and
purify the heart, to learn to listen to our deepest knowing. In
The
Knowing Heart,
 Kabir
Helminski presents the Sufi way as a practical spirituality suitable for all
cultures and times—and offers insights that are especially valuable for our
life in today's world. In cultivating a knowing heart, we learn to experience a
new sense of self, transform our relationships, and enhance our creative
capacities. Most important, we learn how to meet the spiritual challenge of our
time: to realize our sacred humanness.



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Editorial Reviews

Erik S. Ohlander
...[A]n exploration of that spiritually potent place, the knowing heart....The most refreshing aspect of The Knowing Heart is Helminski's discussion of the central role that religious tradition plays in Sufism....In marked contrast to the "pick-and-choose" spirituality that seems so popular nowadays, [the book] speaks from the heart, yet a heart humbled and submissive to the sources that enliven it.
— Parabola
Library Journal
Sufism, which has been described as the mystic heart of Islam, is little known and little understood in this country despite the advocacy of popularizers such as Idries Shah. Helminski, a Mevlevi Shaikh and translator of the great Sufi poet Rumi, offers a clear and well-grounded introduction to Sufism, liberally seasoned with insights from the Koran and the writings of Rumi; his is perhaps the best beginner's guide now available. For most libraries. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
From The Critics
The Knowing Heart: A Sufi Path Of Transformation is Kabir Helminski's latest contribution to the growing body of Sufi literature and reveals that in Sufi tradition and belief the human heart is more than just a fanciful metaphor, but an objective organ of intuition and perception able to perceive the beauty and meaning in life. Every human heart has the innate capacity and the destiny to bring the spiritual qualities of the world of divinity reality into the human world of appearances. Kabir Helminski presents the Sufi way as a practical spirituality suitable for all cultures and times. The Knowing Heart also offers insights into contemporary life and how to experience a new sense of self, transform relationships, and enhance creativity, all while learning how to meet and master the spiritual challenges of the times and realizing our own "sacred humanness". The Knowing Heart is a very highly recommended addition to personal and academic Sufi studies reading lists and library collections.
Erik S. Ohlander
...[A]n exploration of that spiritually potent place, the knowing heart....The most refreshing aspect of The Knowing Heart is Helminski's discussion of the central role that religious tradition plays in Sufism....In marked contrast to the "pick-and-choose" spirituality that seems so popular nowadays, [the book] speaks from the heart, yet a heart humbled and submissive to the sources that enliven it.
— Parabola
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780834824607
  • Publisher: Shambhala Publications, Inc.
  • Publication date: 12/4/2012
  • Sold by: Barnes & Noble
  • Format: eBook
  • Sales rank: 737,985
  • File size: 2 MB

Meet the Author

Kabir Helminski is the author of Living Presence: A Sufi Way to Mindfulness and the Essential Self, as well as the translator of numerous books of Sufi literature and especially Rumi. He is the codirector, with his wife, Camille Helminski, of the Threshold Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge and practice of Sufism. As the publisher of Threshold Books for some twenty years, he was largely responsible for making Rumi the most widely read poet of our time. As a producer and writer of Sufi music, he has gained recognition for numerous recordings, including his own Garden within the Flames. He is a representative of the Mevlevi tradition founded by Jalaluddin Rumi.

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Table of Contents

Author's Note
Acknowledgments
The Process and the Completion
A Lover's Tale: A Story 3
The Postmodern Situation 4
A Human Way of Life 14
Completion: The Drop That Contains the Ocean 20
The Idea of Spiritual Training 30
The Knowledge of Love
Love's Universe 37
The Spectrum of Love 46
The Inborn Power of Love and Presence 52
The Map and the Psychology
Inner Struggle: The Structure of the Self within Sufi Psychology 61
The Knowing Heart: Threshold between Two Worlds 69
Themes for Contemplation from Rumi 84
Radical Remembrance 96
The Transparent Self 104
Relationships and Community
Grapes Ripen Smiling at One Another: Leadership and the Group Process 117
The Way of the Dervish 134
In the End Is Our Beginning: A Story 140
Spiritual Conversation 143
The Courtesy of the Path 149
What Is a Muhib, 'Ashiq, Murid, or Shaikh?: A Story 155
Tradition and Sources
The Living Word 161
The Example of Muhammad 174
Sayings of Muhammad 178
The Sacredness of Everyday Life 181
The Needs of Our Time
What Is a Truly Universal Spirituality? 193
Soul Loss and Soul Making 201
Ecstasy and Sobriety 213
This Drunkenness Began in Some Other Tavern 223
Nuances
The Hu of the Human 233
The Path of Blame: The Melami Deconstruction of the False Self 240
Become What You Are 248
The Education of the Heart 253
Refractions of a Single Light: Aphorisms 261
Glossary 269
Index 277
About the Author 287
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Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Review

  • Posted February 26, 2009

    The Knowing Know..

    Sufisim == peace, spirituality , growth, and love.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
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