‘A Sufi Perspective of Freemasonry’

    

This month’s lecture at the Livingston Library will approach Freemasonry from an under appreciated direction: Sufism.

Sufis, according to the great F.E. Peters, one of my favorite professors in my university days, “prefer the knowledge that comes by inspiration, to the exclusion of that acquired by study. Again, they desire neither to study such learning nor to learn anything of what authors have written on the subject; to inspect neither their teachings nor their arguments. They maintain on the contrary that the ‘way’ consists in preferring spiritual combat, in getting rid of one’s faults, in breaking one’s ties and approaching God Most High through a single-minded spiritual effort. And every time those conditions are fulfilled, God for His part turns toward the heart of His servant and guarantees him an illumination by the lights of understanding.”

From the publicity:

A Sufi Perspective

of Freemasonry:

The Bektashi Order

of Dervishes

by Nazmi Mete Talimcioglu

Thursday, November 30

7:30 p.m.

Masonic Hall, Jacobean Room

RSVP here

This talk will be a high-end discussion of Sufism and, in particular, the Bektashi Order of Dervishes, its brief history and organizational structure, and the common elements of its belief system with respect to Freemasonry.

Mete Talimcioglu

R∴W∴ Mete Talimcioglu has been a Freemason since 1995, he founded Anatolia Lodge 1183 and was the first Master of the lodge. Mete was also the Assistant Grand Lecturer of his district. He served the Scottish Rite Valley of New York City, having presided over all four bodies, and received both the Meritorious Service Award and the 33°, and served as Deputy’s Representative from 2011 to 2020. Brother Talimcioglu also served in high leadership positions in Royal Arch Masonry and the Cryptic Rite.

     

‘Book club: The Sufis’

     

Idries Shah

“Freemasonry has been upheld by distinguished people in many countries, reviled and persecuted, linked with politics, reduced to the relative informality of staid businessmen’s frolics, penetrated by Rosicrucianism, attacked as a Jewish imposture by the Nazis. It would not be seemly for a Freemason to engage upon a public portrayal of any part of the craft’s symbolism or beliefs—indeed it is more than probable that a member would be under an oath of secrecy whereby he must preserve every part of the brotherhood’s workings from all who are not initiated. The source of material purporting to be Masonic for the nonmember, therefore, is bound to be fairly one-sided-the inner workings of Masonry provided by renegades and probably by opponents of the craft.

“When a study is made of all available literature purporting to contain Masonic secrets, certain definite outlines appear, which might justifiably be considered to form a reasonable amount of true information, on the no-smoke-without-fire principle. Be that as it may, what interests the Sufi is the fact that, out of the material which claims to be partially or wholly Masonic, a very great deal is at once seen to concur with matters of everyday Sufi initiatory practice. Either Freemasonry is, as Burton claimed, derived from the Sufis, or else the substance of the frequent and plentiful exposes, which may not be of Freemasonry at all, are in fact exposures of a Sufic cult other than Freemasonry. For the purposes of this study we shall approach this exciting part of the inquiry from the only perspective open to us. Parallels will be sought between what the exposers claim to be Freemasonry, and what we know of Sufic schools.”

Idries Shah

The Sufis

pp. 205-6

Having failed to arouse much interest in a book club for my lodge, I’m delighted to share news of the Fourth Manhattan District’s Book Club.

Next meeting: Wednesday, August 22 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 1615 of Masonic Hall. (Photo ID required to enter the building.)

The group selected The Sufis by Idries Shah for this meeting. Buy your copy, read, and bring to the meeting.

RSVP here.
     

‘Rhymes of Robert Frost and Rumi’

     
If you like artistic creativity in your spiritual life—and who doesn’t?—or simply if you enjoy music and poetry—ditto—there are two great events coming soon to New York City. New York Open Center will host Amir Vahab for an evening of musical interpretation of Sufi poems, and the Anthroposophical Society will present Andy Leaf, who will frame the verse of Robert Frost in the Society’s spiritual science perspective. From the respective publicity:

Sufi Songs of Rumi, Hafiz

and Other Sufi Poets

Amir Vahab and Ensemble

with the Daf Caravan

Saturday, October 3 at 8 p.m.

New York Open Center

22 East 30th Street

Manhattan

Members: $35/Public: $40

Courtesy NY Open Center

Amir Vahab has been described by The New York Times as an “ambassador for a silenced music.” One of New York City’s most celebrated composers/vocalists of Sufi and folk music, he sings in the evocative, traditional Persian style which embodies millennia of mystical tradition. His work transcends political boundaries while maintaining traditional sensibilities in a way few artists can manage. Vahab’s music is rooted in tradition, but has been influenced by contemporary sounds. Like Amir himself, his music symbolizes diversity-in-unity. He is teaching and lecturing private and group classes in universities, libraries, museums, and cultural centers on the one hand and, on the other, he organizes music therapy and sound healing workshops.

This evening, Amir Vahab and ensemble will perform songs selected from the poetry of the great Sufi masters Rumi and Hafiz and other legendary mystical poets to transport us to 13th century Persia with all its beauty and exoticism. The ensemble also will perform lively traditional music from Turkish, Kurdish, and other sources featuring the mystical reed flute, ancient lutes, and the daf drum. The concert will conclude with a dynamic drumming performance that echoes the universal heartbeat of existence.

Robert Frost in the Light

of Spiritual Science and Vice Versa

Presented by Andy Leaf

Saturday, October 10 at 2 p.m.

Anthroposophy NYC

138 West 15th Street

Manhattan

Admission: donations

Since college days in the mid 1950s, Andy Leaf has had a passionate interest in the spirituality expressed in the poetry of Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson. This Saturday program will be an informal exploration of how spiritual science can enhance appreciation of Frost’s poetry in ways conventional criticism does not—and which can, in turn, enrich our experience of truths revealed in Anthroposophy. The focus will be on a few selected, representative poems.

Andy Leaf has studied Anthroposophy since 1967. He served as a teacher and administrator in the Waldorf School of Garden City, New York from 1967 to 1978. Subsequently, he has been an instructor, program designer, and consultant in training and organizational development. As principal of his own consulting practice, Leaf & Associates, he has consulted with Waldorf Schools in the United States and Canada on issues of organizational health and leadership.
   

‘The Sufi of 30th Street’

     
New York Open Center welcomes Musa Muhaiyaddeen for three lectures in the coming four weeks on Sufism, the mystical belief system in Islam.

Sufis, according to F.E. Peters, one of my favorite professors in my university days, “prefer the knowledge that comes by inspiration, to the exclusion of that acquired by study. Again, they desire neither to study such learning nor to learn anything of what authors have written on the subject; to inspect neither their teachings nor their arguments. They maintain on the contrary that the ‘way’ consists in preferring spiritual combat, in getting rid of one’s faults, in breaking one’s ties and approaching God Most High through a single-minded spiritual effort. And every time those conditions are fulfilled, God for His part turns toward the heart of His servant and guarantees him an illumination by the lights of understanding.”

From the publicity:

Sufism, The Mystical Path

Presented by Musa Muhaiyaddeen

February 22

March 8

March 22

6 to 7:30 p.m.

New York Open Center

22 East 30th Street

New York City

Free and Open to the Public

Musa Muhaiyaddeen

Musa Muhaiyaddeen is an extraordinary speaker, speaking spontaneously at every meeting. Many of those who have attended his talks feel as if he were speaking directly to them. He has a rare gift for making the teachings of Sufism accessible to Westerners. Musa speaks in a very grounded way, distilling esoteric concepts into useable and understandable language.

As Musa explains, Sufism goes beyond all languages, religions and cultural backgrounds. This is a path open to all seekers of the unseen, those striving to connect to their spiritual inner life, to give new meaning and direction that is easily put into practice.

You can hear many of Musa’s talks on his website. His latest book, The Elixir of Truth, is available through Amazon and will be available at The New York Open Center.

If you have any questions please call: (610) 334-0796.
     

‘Gnosis from an old memory, literally’

     
A group photo of Brother Masons found its way to my Facebook wall. A posed shot obviously following a joyous and joyful church service.

It provokes mixed feelings. Of course on the one hand it’s great to see a bunch of friends enjoying what makes them happy and lively, and in second place is the lonely feeling that comes from being reminded of some Masonic orders’ artificial membership restrictions based on religious tests. Thirdly, I am simply kind of befuddled and indifferent. And so I want to concentrate and reconcile the competing sentiments so that understanding prevails. That ain’t gonna happen in the half hour I’ll devote to this blog post, because for as long as I’ve had ideas on the matter, I have viewed the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as a bridge that ought to unite Jews and Christians to a degree, instead of separating them irreconcilably. Jesus was Jewish. The New Testament is, arguably, and except several texts, a Jewish document. This is what enabled me physically, mentally, spiritually, and ethically to work my way East in the local Chapter of Rose Croix years ago. So I am stymied on those occasions when I consider these Christian-only fraternities within Freemasonry. They convene, sometimes in church, and close the doors, and what do they do – assuming they’re not just dinner clubs for the VIPs? They delve into Jewish mysticism, pretending it’s not proprietary to Judaism because all religions supposedly have some identical mystic path. I guess all religions speak Hebrew as well.

Magpie edit: Muskrat, stop bugging me about this.

Anyway, the photo jogged my memory sufficiently to send me directly to this one specific issue of Bro. Jay Kinney’s long missed Gnosis magazine. For anyone or anything to focus my mind so keenly as to allow me to step adroitly into my library (the floor is covered with piles of books needing to be filed away) and nimbly locate this one particular magazine is something quite powerful indeed. (By contrast, after thirteen years of carrying a cell phone every day, I still am capable of forgetting it somewhere.) But there it is: Issue No. 30 from the winter of 1994. Its theme is Sufism, Islam’s mystical branch, itself divided into numerous schools. Hardly my field of expertise, and yet I’m not utterly lost thanks to one of my favorite courses in my university days.

“…know that Sufis prefer the knowledge that comes by inspiration, to the exclusion of that acquired by study,” writes F.E. Peters, a professor of mine many years ago. “Again, they desire neither to study such learning nor to learn anything of what authors have written on the subject; to inspect neither their teachings nor their arguments. They maintain on the contrary that the ‘way’ consists in preferring spiritual combat, in getting rid of one’s faults, in breaking one’s ties and approaching God Most High through a single-minded spiritual effort. And every time those conditions are fulfilled, God for His part turns toward the heart of His servant and guarantees him an illumination by the lights of understanding.”

The Sufism issue of Gnosis delivers diverse articles on Sufi traditions, including that which popped into my head by way of that photo on Facebook. Written by Ya’quh ibn Yusuf, then a doctoral candidate studying Jewish mysticism at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, it includes a few paragraphs that can rattle some people. Like me.

I’d love to provide you the entire article. I want to hand you the magazine. You should have your lodge purchase the entire collection of back issues. I’ll share only that which I remembered, boldfacing the specifics. Do not be distracted by the mentions of Sufism. Or perhaps you should, mentally replacing the word Sufi with the word Masonry.

“…most of us in the West are already Christians or Jews. And while I believe it may be a mistake to narrowly identify with the religion of one’s ancestors, there is also a price to be paid for ignoring one’s own ancestral heritage. Our religious background is very much a kind of ‘local material’ out of which we are constructed. If we seek to follow Sufi teachings and develop our connection with God by digging deeply within ourselves, our own religion provides us with tools and a place in which to do some digging.

“Let me offer some examples of how I have seen these issues working themselves out among friends of mine. In Israel most Jews generally identify themselves as either ‘religious’ or ‘secular.’ It takes some courage and initiative to venture beyond these identifications and pursue one’s own spiritual search. I have observed that as they rise to the kind of challenge that Sufi teaching represents, secular seekers typically need to heal their rejection of Jewish tradition, while religious seekers need to overcome a general reflex of defending Jewish tradition as well as their specific allergy to Jesus… [This is] a matter of opening blocked channels to elements of religion which, it turns out, have a life within as well as outside the individual…

“All religions can be viewed not as ends in themselves, but as outer forms of belief and behavior that exist to facilitate inner work. The problem is that each religion also exists as a corporate entity that seeks to promote its own working set of tools and beliefs, and, like religions and sects, every spiritual group has a kind of collective ego that is fed by new adherents. All this should come as no surprise. What I believe we should bear in mind, however, is that too much of a focus on the particular form we are employing – whatever form that might be – serves to keep us stuck on the surface of appearances and prevents the work from moving more deeply within. This is why, as I understand it, Sufi teaching emphasizes ‘completion, not conversion.’

“Thus I have met observant Jews who have a personal relationship with Jesus, but choose not to convert to Christianity, and Christians who admit that their primary relationship is with God the Father. Certainly I know many Sufis who share the essential perspectives of the Prophet Muhammad but choose not to embrace Islam. In each of these cases there is an understandable reluctance to let an institutional mentality appropriate what properly belongs to the greater glory of God…

“Our task, as I understand it, is not to get rid of form on the social and religious levels any more than on the physical level. It is to appreciate the reflections of divinity to be found within form, to make of the forms in which we are involved a vehicle for the Divine. However we may choose to affiliate ourselves, whatever working basis we may choose to embrace, we do well to remember that the work of transformation does not depend on our concepts and categories, but on our actual cooperation with the grace of God.

Rarely am I at a loss for words when writing – fact is, I feel like I’m cheating here – but the above explains my thinking so well that I do not mind relying on it. In the “Great Work,” to borrow a phrase, there is room for Masons of most faith traditions to labor side by side if they want to. I do avoid saying “all” traditions, because somewhere there must be something that cannot fit, and because “all” connotes an absolutism that I sensed from that Facebook photo in the first place.

I am happy for my friends in the photograph. Almost all are smiling, their countenances revealing the satisfaction bubbling from within.

Having read a little about Freemasonry over the years, to me it seems the history of Freemasonry essentially is the story of Masons segregating themselves from other Masons. Try it for yourself: Start with Saint John Baptist Day 1717 when four lodges did you know what, and look at every group that either arose or splintered from another, each claiming to offer the whole Truth and nothing but. In the Christian-only fraternities within Freemasonry, I believe we see not only the promise of a sectarian truth – the “concepts and categories” mentioned by our magazine writer – but also the rejection of Enlightenment thinking (e.g. Anderson’s Constitutions’ Charge Concerning God and Religion) which is the guiding philosophy that enabled Freemasonry to spread throughout the world and endure the centuries so strongly... that it has been able to come into the lives of the very men in the photo.

That’s all I got. I desire neither to change nor intrude into what is, and I hope never to discuss this on The Magpie again. No calls please.