" Man is a mirror which, when polished, reflects God. "
The God that the Sufis discover is a God of love and the way to him is through Love : " whoever knows God, loves him ; whoever knows the world turns away from him. " " If you wish to be free, become a prisoner of Love. "
According to the Sufis, all existence comes from God and God alone is reality. The created world is a reflection of the Divine ; " the universe is the Shadow of the Absolute ". The ability to discern God behind the veil of illusion implies the purity of soul. It is only through an effort to withdraw from the worldly desire that one can approach God : thus the phrase 'Be attached yet detached' Sufism has come to existence for those who are interested in finding a way towards inner awakening and enlightenment. A secret tradition behind all religious and philosophical systems.
Sufi is a quality that is inexplicable in terms of psychology or morals—whoever understands it is a Sufi himself. The Sufi belief includes conscious evolution whereby, through an effort of will, one can develop new faculties, like telepathy and prophecy. According to Sufis, this conforms to belief in the 'limitless '.
The natural Sufi may be someone like you or me—To be 'in the world, but not of it', free from ambition, greed, intellectual pride, blind obedience to custom, or awe of persons higher in rank is the Sufi's ideal.
The core of Sufism is to leave ordinary life and be closer to God, truth and knowledge. The foremost victory one has to attain in the process of awakening is the mastery over fluctuations of the mind and withdrawal from indulgence in the material world. Thus the whole concept of looking at things changes and the truth becomes visible in that state of Enlightenment.
Universe is made up of two basic things- Matter and Life Energy. Matter acts as a vehicle of life energy. What differentiates other living creatures from human form is that humans are bestowed with higher consciousness. This can be percieved by Virtue of Pure Emotions, Right Knowledge and Spiritual Discipline.There are various routes the Sufi may follow to bridge the gap between God and himself through rhythm, repetition and endurance. This can be manifested in the use of chants, music and dance.It is more than just whirling and being centered in one space. It is about emanating that energy called love.Most Sufi paths offer aspirants a gradual opening of the heart's perception through dhikr or zikr, the remembrance of God. This exercise may involve chanting, physical movement and breathwork. These practices are designed to achieve faqr or inner emptiness, leading to fana or non-being and ultimately to baka, an altered state of being.
To be a Sufi, the world need not be abandoned. Instead, bring the Sufi quality to your life. In this age of transcending time and space, when life is a quest for the meaning of life itself, contemplating and questioning cultural and social definitions, Sufism is an adventure: looking at life differently and growing with changed perceptions.