SOUTHWEST SUFI COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES
MISSION STATEMENT: The Southwest Sufi Community will serve as a rural khankah of caretakers, including families, couples/partners, individuals and young adults, on an inclusive spiritual path. Spiritual Training, Ziraat/ Permaculture, Sacred Dance and Walk, and the Healing Arts will be primary concentrations. Acting from a global perspective, the Southwest Sufi Community will invite guests from Sacred Cultures around the world to visit and share their wisdom. To promote understanding of the Sufi Message, the Southwest Sufi Community will sponsor classes, workshops, retreats, and camps.
DESCRIPTION: The Southwest Sufi Community (SSC) is comprised of three components: The Voice of the Turtle Retreat Center, The Khankah Noor Inayat Residential Community and the Nature Preserve which holds the majority of the 1500 acres of land. SSC is located in the high desert Gila Mountains, along approximately 2 miles of Bear Creek. Elevation ranges from 5200 feet along the lush riparian zones to the 5900 feet of the hilly pinon and juniper woodlands. The community is surrounded primarily by National Forest or state land adding to the seclusion of the SSC.
VISITING THE SSC: Visitors who wish to experience a spiritual/nature retreat and those who are interested in participating in the Residential Community in celebrating and actualizing The SSC mission are welcome. To visit the SSC please contact the Host-Coordinator at sscvoc@gmail.com for specific information about fees and facilities available.
DIRECTIONS TO THE LAND: It takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to drive from Silver City to the SSC. Take Hwy 180 West towards Gila at the Hwy 90/180 intersection traffic light by turning left if coming from Lordsburg, or right if coming from Deming. Turn right off Hwy 180 at the Bear Mtn Lodge sign (which is Alabama St./Cottage San Rd). This is right at the edge of town! Go about 3 miles, until the pavement ends and the road forks. (The dirt road is not easy for wet weather travel unless you have a 4WD vehicle or chains. STAY LEFT on the main road (#853) for about 12 miles. (Stay left at the road that has Rural Route #1090 and Gila Christian Ranch signs). TURN RIGHT at the Avery Ranch Road signpost. Go 1.8 miles slowly down a switch back road and enter the land through the green gates. Please close the gates. Drive on and drop down to the Retreat Center and park in the designated parking area. NOTE: In inclement weather, or for more information, please check first for road information.
1) ORIENTATION: If you are arriving for a retreat, please see the camp registrar at the retreat center. If visiting, contact your host when you first arrive. The camp registrar is located in the open porch of the Retreat Center, which faces due NORTH, and the creek side is EAST.
2) PARKING: When you arrive proceed to the Retreat Center. It is OK to take your car to most of the Retreat Center accommodations and some of the camping areas to unload gear. The staff will then guide you to a permanent parking area.
3) OUTHOUSES: The closest outhouses are located down hill from the Retreat Center. The path is to the left of the road. Other outhouses are in the South Meadow and vehicle camping areas.
4) DRINKING WATER: Spring drinking water is available by the Retreat Center from the spigots in the yard, or on the water table by the outside dining tables.
5) WATER WASHING STATIONS: These are located by the Retreat Center and by the outhouses. If you are camping further away, do all your washing away from the creek.
6) SHOWERS: The showers are located in the Retreat Center building.
7) WADING IN THE CREEK: Water in Bear Creek is OK for wading, but not for drinking. During camps, an area for dunking and swimming in the creek is designated. Wading in the creek at other locations is fine. Children must be supervised at all times while at the creek.
8) CAMPING: Please camp in the designated areas. a) Upstream to the South Meadow, on the left or right side of the road, or through the gate by the outhouses and back into the field, b) Near the retreat center, along the road to the South Meadow, c) Downstream across the creek by the orchard and Burial Garden area, d) The vehicle camping area located on the flat above the Retreat Center. PLEASE DO NOT CAMP ON THE SAND IN OR NEAR THE CREEK. Please follow wilderness camping guidelines: don't ditch around your tent as this can cause soil erosion; leave no trace of your campsite; pack out whatever you pack in; and don't leave trash for others to take out.
9) CAMP KITCHEN: The Head Cook and the Assistant Cooks are in charge of the kitchen during camp. The Beverage Person serves coffee from the kitchen porch before breakfast. Please ask for whatever you need of the kitchen staff and they will do their best to accommodate.
10) FOOD: This is a remote area and the potential for animals being drawn to your food is high. Outside, keep your food in your car with the windows up or tie your food in a tree, hanging away from the trunk. Do not throw food scraps around. Use the compost buckets.
11) SMOKING: Please smoke in the designated area at camp. It is important to be aware of the danger of fire on the land.
12) FIRES: Open fires are not permitted without approval. Please do not use incense, candles or open flame lanterns outdoors or when camping, unless it is a part of a ceremony or practice with prior approval. Incense and candles may be used indoors only when they are under the direct observation of an adult (person 18 year of age or older). April-June are usually dry months, so it is important to be especially careful with fire.
13) HUNTING/FIREARMS: Firearms are not allowed and no hunting of any kind is permitted on SSC land.
14) WILDLIFE: Please respect any wildlife you may see or encounter. The extensive riparian area is home to diverse flora and fauna, with regular visits from migrating birds. Resident wildlife includes squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, deer, rabbits, quail, dove, blue heron, javelinas, foxes and coyotes, non-aggressive rattlesnakes, shy bears and mountain lions.
15) PETS: Do not bring any pets to camps/retreats/visits.
16) DONKEYS: There are two donkeys on the land. Please watch out for them when you arrive. They are sweet animals and may seem tamer than they may act. Please keep a respectful distance from the donkeys.
17) SNAKES and INSECTS: We have black-tailed rattlesnakes in the area. They are non-aggressive, and have a beautiful green and gold color with a diamond pattern on the back. They like closed in-spaces and in the late morning usually lay in direct sunlight. If you see a snake, please leave it alone and tell the Camp Manager where it was seen. Scorpions and kissing bugs are also present on the land. It’s a good practice to shake out your clothing and shoes prior to putting them on and check your bedding in case either of these have nestled in. The Kissing bug looks like a large watermelon seed with an elongated snout. Some people have adverse reactions to their bites.
18) CHILD SAFETY: Children are prohibited from the tool shed, barn, corral and any equipment room. Children may be in the community kitchen, a worksite, or within 100 feet of Bear Creek, only when accompanied by a supervising adult.
19) FIRST AID SUPPLIES: Some herbal and other first aid supplies are kept in the utility room off the kitchen.
20) MEDICAL EMERGENCY PROTOCAL: The SSC is rustic and remote. There is no doctor or nurse on the land. If necessary, it is the responsibility of all visitors, retreatants and participants to seek their own medical treatment and treatment for minors in their custody. The nearest formal medical treatment is in Silver City.
21) PHONES AND E-MAIL: At present there are no public phones or public email options at the SSC. Some cell phones (Primarily Verizon) have service uphill from the main gate.
22) HISTORICAL/ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: Sites from the past may be found on the land and surrounding area. The sites may be noted and photographed but not disturbed.
23) SACRED SITES: The Maqbara area (Burial Ground) located across Bear Creek is considered to be specifically Sacred Ground. This area includes the Dargah of the Founder of the SSC, Murshid Moineddin Jablonski. All visitors and SSC Participants are encouraged to visit this area with the intention of seeking guidance as to the deeper meaning of the SSC Vision. There is a small retreat hut near the Dargah, if a personal retreat is in progress, please respect the privacy of the retreatant and keep a respectful distance.
24) WE ARE ALL GUESTS OF THE LAND: Visitors are invited to hike and explore while practicing Leave No Trace ethics. For the sake of safety, hikers are encouraged to go with a partner and must always inform another person at SSC where they intend to hike. A core aspect of this community is respect for the sacred manuscript of nature and all the life forms therein. Removing anything from the land, including pottery shards and plants, is not permitted.
SOUTHWEST SUFI COMMUNITY LIVING IN COMMUNITY AGREEMENT
VISION: The Southwest Sufi Community originated from the vision of a land-based spiritual community where the creation of a spiritual refuge, retreat facility and healing center can be realized. Participation in the Southwest Sufi Community is based on the joy of uniting with others in a life dedicated to a shared spiritual practice and common work toward mutually agreed-upon goals. Honoring the diverse spiritual traditions of the world, the resident community invites representatives and practitioners from these traditions to visit and share their wisdom. Each member of the community embraces conscious stewardship of the land, informed by a continuing study of the Sacred Scripture of Nature.
"Eat, dance, and pray together," said Sufi teacher Samuel Lewis (1896-1971), “and you will bring peace to the world." Following this guidance, those participating in the Southwest Sufi Community strengthen their spiritual and communal bonds, and affirm their kinship with the peoples of the world -- indeed, with all of life.
Process for Visiting: Visitors who wish to experience a spiritual/nature retreat and those who are interested in participating in the Residential Community, celebrating and actualizing the mission and vision of SSC are welcome. Those interested in visiting the SSC need to contact the Host-Coordinator at sscvoc@gmail.com to make arrangements and include: the intended visit dates, length of stay, and the accommodations requested. Prior to arrival, visitors must send a signed Release of Liability form as well as 10% of accommodation fees to the Host-Coordinator.
Please see Attachment A – Short-term visitor accommodation fees.
Short-Term Visits, Accommodations : Rooms in the Retreat Center building, the Adobe of the Message cottage and Adobe Noor cottage that are not occupied by community participants may be reserved for retreatants and visitors. The Retreat Center has one room with a queen-sized bed and two dorm rooms with bunk beds accommodating up to four people. The Retreat Center meditation room, kitchen, and showers are available to visitors with the understanding that the building is also used by the participants of the residential community for Weekly Meeting, special events, and other common activities. The Adobe of the Message has a queen-sized bed, and is located near the Retreat Center. Adobe Noor is a new two-bedroom adobe house with solar power and running water. A retreat hut located across Bear Creek, near the Dargah of Murshid Moineddin, is also suitable for retreats. Camping is available in designated camping areas with varying degrees of seclusion. Outhouses are located near the Retreat Center and camping areas.
Individual Spiritual Retreats: Individuals wishing to experience a personal guided retreat at the SSC should contact the Host-Coordinator to make arrangements, including name and phone number of the retreatant’s guide. A list of local retreat guides is available upon request.
Longer Visits, Accommodations and Fees: Long-term visitors may camp either in a tent or their own RV, or stay in an available indoor living space. If cooking in an RV it must first be inspected for fire safety by a member of the SSC. The Homestead kitchen, meditation room and showers, are available for use, with the understanding that these are shared facilities. At times it may be possible for visitors to rent a living space in a retreat hut or RV. Fees begin at $100 per month, depending on accommodations.
Staying in the Silver City area and visiting the community for meetings, events and work parties is also be a good way to get to know the community before making the decision to embark on a longer visit.
Personal Belongings: The SSC does not provide insurance for anyone’s personal belongings. All belongings must be removed from the land when leaving the community. Belongings not removed will, after a thirty day grace period, be removed and either offered to current community members, sold or donated to a non-profit charity
Living at the SSC as a Participant: The basic qualification for living at the SSC is sympathy for, and willingness to support, the Mission and Vision Statements. Community living is both rewarding and challenging as is living in a secluded rural environment. Because of the challenges of living at the SSC, the following process for participation and membership has been developed. Those interested in living in the community first apply to the Khankah Meeting in writing and in person with the request to be approved as a Voting Participant (see “Khankah Noor Inayat Community Meeting” section below). With the approval of the Khankah Meeting, the applicant may be authorized to visit for up to a six-month period as an SSC Participant. During their stay, Participants must commit to a bimonthly (first, third and fifth month) written process of self-inquiry, honestly assessing their abilities to live at the SSC. The process will include the sharing of their assessments during the Khankah meeting. Community members may choose to share written feedback, in response to the Participant’s self-inquiry, during the following weekly meeting. The sharings of the Participant and the feedback received from meeting participants will be added as addendums to the minutes of the meetings. At the end of the six-month stay, the Participant may apply in writing to the Khankah Meeting to join the community as a Voting Participant Member of Khankah Noor Inayat. The Meeting Facilitator will contact all Khankah Noor Inayat Members with the request for new membership. The Khankah Noor Inayat members will have two weeks to reply to the Facilitator with their votes. Approval requires consensus minus one of those responding with their votes. All applications and results of the vote by the Khankah Members will be forwarded to the SSC Board for review and final approval. The board may request copies of the self-inquiry and feedback forms concerning any Participant.
Khankah Noor Inayat Community Meeting: All visitors are welcome to attend the community meetings, Participants and Residents are encouraged to attend regularly. Members lead the spiritual practice in a voluntary rotation. The facilitation of the Weekly Meeting rotates, with all Khankah Members who volunteer to be included on the rotating Meeting Facilitator List. Weekly Meetings consist of a spiritual practice, a potluck, and of community business matters. The meetings include listing of agenda items, an opportunity for individual “check-ins,” monthly Participant self-inquiry/feedback reviews, discussion of agenda items, and voting when appropriate. Business matters that are subject to a vote include all day-to-day operations of the community and minor expenditures (less than $500). Approval of items voted on requires a consensus minus one of voting members in attendance at the meeting. Approval of new community Participants, changes to this document, major financial expenditures and policy changes may also be considered and voted on, but require follow- up approval by the SSC Board of Directors. The items voted on at the Weekly Community Meeting are posted on the bulletin board of the Retreat Center porch and are emailed to all Residents/Participants and the SSC Board of Directors by the Meeting Facilitator. Items become effective following a second reading at the next weekly meeting. Items requiring board approval are forwarded to the SSC Board of Directors for review/final approval.
Membership in Khankah Noor Inayat: The members of Khankah Noor Inayat are those who have a Residency agreement with the SSC and those who have been approved as Voting Participants.
The Host-Coordinator, Description of Position and Duties: The Host-Coordinator rotates Monthly (Calendar Month) through a list of the Residents and participants living on the land.
The Primary duties of the Host-Coordinator are:
1.To respond to enquiries about the community.
2. Arrange for all visitors and newcomers to be greeted and oriented when they arrive.
3. Maintain awareness of the SSC facilities and environment and arranges for all immediate needs for maintenance and repairs of common facilities.
Weekly Community Work Day: One day each week, on a day agreed upon at the Weekly Meeting, is devoted to work on community related projects, including improvements and maintenance of the Voice of the Turtle Retreat center, and other work needed to properly care take the SSC and steward the land. Along with the purpose of accomplishing tasks the purpose of this workday is to foster camaraderie and interpersonal interaction among the participants of the community.
Repairs and maintenance of SSC facilities and grounds: All SSC Participants agree to be responsible for identifying any need for repair and/or maintenance of SSC facilities or common grounds of the SSC. Participants are responsible for placing any repair and maintenance issues identified on the Repair/Maintenance Clipboard located at the Retreat Center Building.
Children and Youth: For policy purposes, a child is someone 12 years or younger, a youth, ages 13-17. Youths who would wish to visit the SSC without a parent or legal guardian are asked to prearrange their visit by calling or writing the Host-Coordinator with proposed dates, length of stay, and designated SSC Participant or Resident guardian. Parents are responsible for the guidance and wellbeing of their children. Because of the potential safety hazard, youths/children must be under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian when using tools or power equipment.
Guests of Residents or Participants: Residents and Voting Participants living at the SSC may invite guests to visit them, all others living at SSC need to have the approval of the Host-Coordinator prior to inviting guests. . Guests who stay beyond 14 days must follow the process established for visitors. All guests must sign a Release of Liability and agree to abide by SSC Policies while on the land.
Monthly SSC Participant Fees: See "Attachment B - SSC Participation Fees”.
Southwest Sufi Community/Voice of the Turtle Retreat Center/ Release of Liability:
All SSC Residents, Participants, Retreatants and Visitors, by signing this Release of Liability, agree to read and accept all of the conditions of participation described in the Southwest Sufi Community Information and Guidelines and when applicable the Living in Community Agreement, as well as to the agreements described below:
“I hereby expressly release the Southwest Sufi Community and the Voice of the Turtle Retreat Center, and all their directors, officers, staff and legal representatives from all and any actions, injuries or damages, suits and claims which I or my executors, legal representatives, or assigns may have or may hereafter arising from my presence on, or traveling to and from the premises of the Southwest Sufi Community/Voice of the Turtle Retreat Center property located approximately 17 miles northwest of Silver City, New Mexico.
In signing this Policy Document I acknowledge that I have read the document(s) listed in the first paragraph and specifically the Liability Release Agreement contained here and that I accept all responsibility for actions and events that are a consequence of my presence or the presence of my guests or minor children on the SSC/Voice of the Turtle land.
I fully understand the wild nature and rural location of that land may represent elements and situations that I may not encounter in my everyday life, including, but not limited to:
· Cactus spines and wild seed stickers, * Poisonous snakes, * Water hazards, * Wild animals in their natural habitat, * Rural unpaved roads, * Communications limitations, * Distance from medical facilities.
As a parent signing this Policy and Release document, I understand I am responsible for my minor children at all times during their presence on the SSC/Voice of the Turtle land.
I understand that signing this document creates an ongoing release to be kept on file and applicable to any future visits to the SSC/VOT land.”
Participant/Retreatant/Visitor:
___________________________ (Name) _______________________ ______(signature) _________ (Date)
Host-Coordinator/Camp-Retreat Registrar:
__________________________ (Name) ________________________________(signature) _________ (Date)
(Original to SSC/Copy to Participant/Retreatant/Visitor.)
Attachment A – Short-term visitor accommodation fees:
The first night is by donation, then:
The homestead $12
Adobe of the Message $15
Adobe Noor $25
Dargah Retreat Hut $20
Camping on the land is $10
(We keep these fees low to accommodate all who may wish to visit. However, if you are able to offer more, your additional donation to help us maintain the retreat center is greatly appreciated.)
"Attachment B - SSC Participation Fees
1. All Participants and Residents living primarily on the land in any given month contribute a $100 monthly.
2. The Residents without a primary residence on the SSC land contribute $50 monthly.
3. Housing Fees for those living on the SSC land in SSC structures are as follows:
A. Adobe Noor $175 per month.
B. The Retreat Center, Adobe of the Message and the Green House; $100 per month.
C. Motor homes $25 per month
D. Camper shells; $15 per month.
4. All Voting Participants and Residents are responsible for an equally apportioned share of the yearly SSC property taxes. Currently this tax is approximately $6,500 per year, paid in two equal installments in December and April. For example; with ten Voting Participants and Residents these payment would be approximately $325 each in December and in April.
5. All Participants and Residents are also responsible for any additional fees approved by the SSC Board of Directors."