Sufism Reoriented
Encyclopedia
Sufism Reoriented is an American
school of spiritual training headquartered in Walnut Creek
, California
, established by Meher Baba
in 1952. In November of that year he signed The Chartered Guidance from Meher Baba for the Reorientation of Sufism. He appointed Ivy O. Duce as the first Murshida, or spiritual guide, of Sufism Reoriented.
Sufism
was originally brought to the West by Hazrat Inayat Khan
(1882–1927) in 1910. He appointed Rabia Martin as his successor and Murshid
a of his Sufi Order. In the 1940s Rabia Martin recognized Avatar Meher Baba as the reigning spiritual authority of the age and surrendered herself and her order to him. She appointed Ivy Duce as her successor as Murshida of the Sufi Order. In 1948 Murshida Duce was called to India by Meher Baba who confirmed her role as Murshida and announced that he intended to reorient Sufism under his guidance and her leadership in the near future. This was realized in 1952 with the creation of Sufism Reoriented.
The members of Sufism Reoriented celebrate Meher Baba as the Avatar
, the human incarnation of God and the spiritual authority of this age. This represents a substantial departure from Sufism in either its traditional Islamic form, or in the form taught by Hazrat Inayat Khan. It is worth noting that Meher Baba asserted that Sufism pre-dates the Islamic prophet Muhammad
, having begun with the prophet Zoroaster
of Persia
,.
Meher Baba designed Sufism Reoriented as a universal spiritual school which recognizes a central core of divine love at the heart of all spiritual systems. Meher Baba reorganized patterns of life and inner training associated with ancient Sufism and adapted them to the needs of spiritual students in contemporary America. He identified the central principles of Sufism Reoriented as love and service: active love for God and active service to others in God’s world.
Those who are drawn to join this Sufi school share certain characteristics. First is an inner connection with divinity that cannot be denied or set aside, an overwhelming impetus to dedicate one’s life to God and to honor the divinity of life itself. Though this impulse may not always emerge in one’s daily awareness, it is felt at deeper levels as a central quality of life. Sufis identify it as love, and they recognize its fulfillment in Meher Baba, the very embodiment of love.
Those drawn to Sufism Reoriented also recognize a natural affinity with the school’s spiritual teacher, who occupies the office of Murshid
. The term Murshid or Murshida means Guide. It is used in traditional Sufism to refer to the spiritual figure who directs a Sufi school. Meher Baba, who described himself as the Murshid of Murshids, first received Murshida Rabia Martin as His follower, and agreed to guide her and her Sufi group. However, Murshida Martin died before meeting Meher Baba physically. Before passing, Murshida Martin made Ivy Oneita Duce (1895–1981) her successor (the next Murshida) of the Sufi Order. In 1952 Meher Baba appointed her the first Murshida of Sufism Reoriented. Meher Baba confirmed this in India upon meeting Murshida Duce there. Before her passing, Murshida Duce named Dr. James S. B. MacKie (1932–2001) as her successor. He, in turn, designated Carol Weyland Conner
, the current Murshida, as his successor.
. It also owns and publishes Beams from Meher Baba on the Spiritual Panorama, Life At Its Best, Glimpses of the God-Man Meher Baba. Volume I, and How a Master Works by Ivy Oneita Duce. In addition Sufism Reoriented owns and preserves numerous films and photographs of Baba. These include color 16mm films taken of Baba during his trip to the United States in 1956 by Charmian Duce Knowles, daughter of Murshida Ivy Oneita Duce.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
school of spiritual training headquartered in Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek
-Communities:United States of America*Walnut Creek, California*Walnut Creek, North Carolina*Walnut Creek, Ohio-Schools:*A middle school in Metropolitan Detroit that belongs to the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools District in Oakland County, Michigan.-Streams:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, established by Meher Baba
Meher Baba
Meher Baba , , born Merwan Sheriar Irani, was an Indian mystic and spiritual master who declared publicly in 1954 that he was the Avatar of the age....
in 1952. In November of that year he signed The Chartered Guidance from Meher Baba for the Reorientation of Sufism. He appointed Ivy O. Duce as the first Murshida, or spiritual guide, of Sufism Reoriented.
Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
was originally brought to the West by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan was an exemplar of Universal Sufism and founder of the "Sufi Order in the West" in 1914 . Later, in 1923, the Sufi Order of the London period was dissolved into a new organization formed under Swiss law and called the "International Sufi Movement"...
(1882–1927) in 1910. He appointed Rabia Martin as his successor and Murshid
Murshid
Murshid is Arabic for "guide" or "teacher". Particularly in Sufism it refers to a Sufi teacher. The term is used by other branches of Islam as well, e.g. by the Nizaris, the main school of Ismā‘īlī Shiites....
a of his Sufi Order. In the 1940s Rabia Martin recognized Avatar Meher Baba as the reigning spiritual authority of the age and surrendered herself and her order to him. She appointed Ivy Duce as her successor as Murshida of the Sufi Order. In 1948 Murshida Duce was called to India by Meher Baba who confirmed her role as Murshida and announced that he intended to reorient Sufism under his guidance and her leadership in the near future. This was realized in 1952 with the creation of Sufism Reoriented.
The members of Sufism Reoriented celebrate Meher Baba as the Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
, the human incarnation of God and the spiritual authority of this age. This represents a substantial departure from Sufism in either its traditional Islamic form, or in the form taught by Hazrat Inayat Khan. It is worth noting that Meher Baba asserted that Sufism pre-dates the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, having begun with the prophet Zoroaster
Zoroaster
Zoroaster , also known as Zarathustra , was a prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism who was either born in North Western or Eastern Iran. He is credited with the authorship of the Yasna Haptanghaiti as well as the Gathas, hymns which are at the liturgical core of Zoroastrianism...
of Persia
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
,.
Meher Baba designed Sufism Reoriented as a universal spiritual school which recognizes a central core of divine love at the heart of all spiritual systems. Meher Baba reorganized patterns of life and inner training associated with ancient Sufism and adapted them to the needs of spiritual students in contemporary America. He identified the central principles of Sufism Reoriented as love and service: active love for God and active service to others in God’s world.
Those who are drawn to join this Sufi school share certain characteristics. First is an inner connection with divinity that cannot be denied or set aside, an overwhelming impetus to dedicate one’s life to God and to honor the divinity of life itself. Though this impulse may not always emerge in one’s daily awareness, it is felt at deeper levels as a central quality of life. Sufis identify it as love, and they recognize its fulfillment in Meher Baba, the very embodiment of love.
Those drawn to Sufism Reoriented also recognize a natural affinity with the school’s spiritual teacher, who occupies the office of Murshid
Murshid
Murshid is Arabic for "guide" or "teacher". Particularly in Sufism it refers to a Sufi teacher. The term is used by other branches of Islam as well, e.g. by the Nizaris, the main school of Ismā‘īlī Shiites....
. The term Murshid or Murshida means Guide. It is used in traditional Sufism to refer to the spiritual figure who directs a Sufi school. Meher Baba, who described himself as the Murshid of Murshids, first received Murshida Rabia Martin as His follower, and agreed to guide her and her Sufi group. However, Murshida Martin died before meeting Meher Baba physically. Before passing, Murshida Martin made Ivy Oneita Duce (1895–1981) her successor (the next Murshida) of the Sufi Order. In 1952 Meher Baba appointed her the first Murshida of Sufism Reoriented. Meher Baba confirmed this in India upon meeting Murshida Duce there. Before her passing, Murshida Duce named Dr. James S. B. MacKie (1932–2001) as her successor. He, in turn, designated Carol Weyland Conner
Carol Weyland Conner
Carol Weyland Conner is the current Murshida of Sufism Reoriented. Sufism Reoriented was chartered by Meher Baba in 1952.- Succession :* Inayat Khan * Murshida Rabia Martin - Hazrat Inayat Khan's designated spiritual successor...
, the current Murshida, as his successor.
Meher Baba Publications and Media
Sufism Reoriented is the copyright holder and publisher of several books by and about Meher Baba including Meher Baba's most important published book God Speaks: the Theme of Creation and Its PurposeGod Speaks
God Speaks, The Theme of Creation and Its Purpose is the principal book by Meher Baba, and the most significant religious text used by his followers. It covers Meher Baba's view of the process of Creation and its purpose and has been in print continuously since 1955.-Overview:God Speaks is Meher...
. It also owns and publishes Beams from Meher Baba on the Spiritual Panorama, Life At Its Best, Glimpses of the God-Man Meher Baba. Volume I, and How a Master Works by Ivy Oneita Duce. In addition Sufism Reoriented owns and preserves numerous films and photographs of Baba. These include color 16mm films taken of Baba during his trip to the United States in 1956 by Charmian Duce Knowles, daughter of Murshida Ivy Oneita Duce.
Succession
- Murshid Inayat KhanInayat KhanInayat Khan was an exemplar of Universal Sufism and founder of the "Sufi Order in the West" in 1914 . Later, in 1923, the Sufi Order of the London period was dissolved into a new organization formed under Swiss law and called the "International Sufi Movement"...
(1882–1927) - Murshida Rabia Martin - Hazrat Inayat Khan's designated spiritual successor http://www.marinsufis.com/murshid.php
- Murshida Ivy Oneita Duce (1895–1981) - Successor to Martin and first Murshida of the new Sufism Reoriented under Meher Baba. http://www.jaibaba.com/mandali/ds/broughtsufis.html http://www.avatarmeherbaba.org/erics/heroines7c.html
- Murshid Dr. James S. B. MacKie (1932–2001) http://web.archive.org/web/20080705092545/http://belovedarchives.org/printer_friendly/glow_art008_pf.html
- Murshida Carol Weyland ConnerCarol Weyland ConnerCarol Weyland Conner is the current Murshida of Sufism Reoriented. Sufism Reoriented was chartered by Meher Baba in 1952.- Succession :* Inayat Khan * Murshida Rabia Martin - Hazrat Inayat Khan's designated spiritual successor...