Zikr - Course

sorry, the new Google-sites format is much worse than the old, classic style. I was forced to convert and now I cannot attach my files (like pdf.-files) any more. Until I find a solution ....

Dear visitor,

you find here the lessons 1 to 5 about the Zikr of Balance in english language. The latest update is from July 5, 2010. This is the final and completely updated edition, combined in one single manuscript. There will be no further update (insallah).

May Allah grant the work to be satisfactory under the eyes of our masters..

Werter Besucher,

Die Lektionen 1 bis 5 des Zikr des Gleichgewichts sind nun alle verfügbar. Das aktuell neueste Update stammt vom 05.Juli 2010.

Bei dieser endgültigen und noch einmal komplett überarbeiteten Fassung sind alle Lektionen zu einem einzigen Manuskript zusammengfasst.

Allah gebe, dass ich seinem Ruf in seinem Dienst so gefolgt bin, wie es angemessen ist unter den Augen unserer Meister.

Assad

supplement: the form of the lying Eight is as well used in kinesiology, for integration of the bodies´ halves (left - right, above - below, behind - in front), and as well in the educational theory of Maria Montessori, as a marbles game (see below the picture Liegende Acht).

And: the lying Eight is part of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

The picture at the bottom Midgardschlange shows the Midgard Serpent from 2700 BC.

Nachtrag: die Figur der Liegenden Acht wird auch in der Kinesiologie verwendet, meist zur Integration der Körperhälften (links - rechts, oben - unten, vorn - hinten), wie auch, als Kugelbahn, in der Pädagogik der Maria Montessori. Die Kugelbahn (von mir gefertigt) wird unten gezeigt mit dem Bild Liegende Acht. Herstellung auf Anfrage.

Ebenso findet die Liegende Acht Verwendung in der Transkraniellen Magnetstimulation.

The Zikr

- Wheel of Live and Wheel of Death –

by Assad P. Splieth

Zikr of Balance

Lesson 1 - The organ-logical analogy

Preface

The original intention of this work was the presentation of the organ-logical analogy, as outlined here in the first chapter, the Lesson 1. In the course of one years ́ theoretical and especially practical examination of this zikr new horizons opened up with Allah ́s help, whose landscapes manifested as further lessons. I wish to submit the contents of this to seekers with a practical approach rather than to merely theoretical interested seekers; this explains the structure following lessons, not chapters. I myself am a humble seeker, who could not accomplish anything without Allah ́s help and guidance. May Allah give, that this work will meet with the approval of the illuminated souls, especially of my Pir-o-Murshids.

The Zikr

The spiritual practice of the Sufis, called Zikr (translated: remembrance of God), is a way of constant and progressing purification and emptying of the heart on various levels. Only a clean and empty vessel is suitable to be filled with a new excellent wine.

Here I am presenting a special and very original practice of Zikr, the Zikr of Balance. It is, labelled different, a central practice of the Tariqa Oveyssi (M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi). The descriptions of Tariqa Oveyssi concerning this Zikr - according to what can be found at their websites - are shallow and insufficient. My repeated polite asking for further and deeper information was answered cool and discouraging. Therefore I am exploring this Zikr myself (it is better that way anyhow). The reason doing so is, that I was struck and fascinated by this Zikr from the very beginning of practicing it.

Technical Basics

The movement of this Zikr follows a lying ∞. This is the symbol of infinity. Differing from the here shown representation of the symbol, this Eight is lying flat on the ground, following the costal arches. While following these loops, the upper body and the head are bending to the right and left side, the head turning a little to the right and the left. One starts into the right loop with clockwise spin and moves over into the left loop with counterclockwise spin ¹. The concentration is attached to the movements through the loops, though focussing during the process more and more into the heart.

Crosspoint of the loops is the heart. During the whole exercise, the salik stays with his concentration more or less in the heart. Less, before mastering the technic, more, after mastering the technic. The movement of the body is always and continually flowing, the turning point of the breathing corresponds with the crosspoint in the heart.

If the Zikr is performed mentally as Fiqr, thinking the appropriate words (what is called: Zikr al-qalb – remembrance of the heart, with utmost concentration on the task, without speaking), one exhales while bending front and right into the right loop (body and head to the right), and inhales into the left loop (body and head to front and left). The movement is an always regular flow, the two turning-points of the breath coincide at one point, the crosspoint of the loops´ line, the heart. It is very important, that these turning-points become one. The rising energy flowing through the loops is for one moment released at the reversal of the breathing. This corresponds to the significance of the illa within the traditional so called “whole Zikr” with the words of the Shahada: La illaha illa llah like it is exercised in the Sufi-Order. For me it looks like that the Zikr of Balance is a preceding, an older version.

Performing the Fikr, the salik is f.ex. thinking the words:

La illaha (right - exhalation)

illa llah (left - inhalation)

While speaking these words aloud (Zikr al-llisan – remembrance of the tongue) on one breath (same procedure, starting right loop, then left loop), one inhales at the end of one cycle at the heart-crossing, thinking the word Hu. The breathing is giving the rhythm.

La illaha (right) - illa llah (left) – Hu (inhaling at the center, the heart)

Other possible words would be (could be done singing):

Chasbeh rabbi - - - dschallallah
Marif qalbi - - - gawrullah
Nur Mohammad - - - sallallah
La illaha - - - illa llah

God is the Lord of my heart
My heart is all filled with God
Greetings to the Light of Mohammad
There is no God but God

1 This Zikr starts by exhaling into the right loop, that is to say with emptying, Fana´a. Emptyness, Fana´a, is the precondition that Allah or divine energie may enter at the left side by inhalation, Baqa´a. This is according to the instructions of the Kubrawiyya, from which this zikr is said to originate. From Allaudawla Semnani, a mureed of Nağmad-din al-Kubra, a similar zikr is reported, but due to lack of reported details identity cannot be stated ( see footnote 2).

Adjusting the rhythm of breath / rhythm of zikr with the heartbeat

We are hardly able to become aware of the heartbeat unless doing the zikr very calm and inwardly, with a minimum of body-movement. Proceeding different, we would possibly need to feel our pulse at our wrists artery.

If we say: the crosspoint of the loops is to be found in the heart, we were to ask: where exactly in the heart? We find out by taste and try. The Oveyssi call it the lifepoint of the heart, considering it to be the most important of 13 electromagnetic centers in the body (as they say). For them the effect of the practice is in purifying the heart. By concentrating upon- and by charging the lifepoint of the heart they try to find -, and aim to open an energetic connection with the brain.

The striking effect of the practice begins with an immediate strengthening and harmonizing of the heart, first of all it becomes very peaceful. At the very beginning of practicing this zikr, this effect is very clear and bright (this is often the case if one starts with new spiritual exercises, because the contrast to the status quo is then very obvious), later, after mastering the technic, one needs to turn more inward, concentrate more inward, to realize this subtle and yet strong intoxicating energy.

Physiological implications

Those two loops represent exactly the working of the two heart valves. The left one is pumping the oxygenized blood into the body (inhale and turn to the left). The right one tears the consumed blood back to heart and lungs (exhale and turn to the right). There again the blood is enriched with new oxygen and energy and is pumped with the inhalation by the left heartvalve back into the circulation.

The Sufimaster Najmaddin Kubra remarks: the effect of the zikr must go into the blood, penetrate into the veins and arteries.

The definition of the heart as being a pump is questioned in our days. Already Rudolf Steiner rejected this assertion. New scientific researches on the heart understand the whole organism as to be the drive as well of the heart-functions.

Hugo Kükelhaus, a genius-artist and man of wisdom said: any evolution towards higher consciousness is developing organ-logical (following logically the structure and working of the bodily organs). He teached children:

Look at your seeing, listen to your hearing, feel your emotions.

For me organ-logical means even more: Kükelhaus inspired me to understand that a number of spiritual practices, especially several kinds of Zikr, are copying and developping logically the functioning and networking of bodily organs on a higher level. This Zikr is organ-logical. Its movements and concentration copy the way of working of the physical heart-valves. Fana´a to the right and Baqa´a to the left.

Fana´a is not only cleansing of the heart, but purification of the self as a whole from the nafs. With Fana´a we have an active concentration, we surrender and give ourselves completely into emptiness, we die before death. Baqa´a is happening to us, we don´t need to bother about it actively, simply presenting us as an empty vessel to the divine abundance of blessing .That is the meaning.

Hazrat Inayat Khan says, there is no greater wisdom than the wisdom of nature.

This Zikr is perfectly in harmony with this natural wisdom and proves in an impressive way the truth of the masters´ words. Personally, I reject any kind of Zikr where no organ-logical analogy is to be found.

By the way: what the Sufi-Order calls the complete or full Zikr, this one is organ-logical as well. I realized this for the first time on a seminar with Pir Vilayat at Warszawa, where I guided the participants into the Zikr. And I only could understand it that way, because I was deeply touched and inspired by the incredible devotion of the polish people around me (never experienced in Germany). A tip for the reader: the illa must be put into the navel. I dont wish to say more about it, because this shall be a riddle for the salik.

PICTURES ALL GONE because of Google

One can imagine this two loops of the ∞ to be wings (heart and wings). Due to the balance resulting from this exercise the heart becomes able to fly.

The described effects are result of my self-experience and self research. Zikr should be practiced at any occasion in everyday life, according to a word of the prophet:

Thou should remember thy Lord at any moment of thy live.

Practicing organ-logical exercises, makes nature a sure and wonderful spiritual guide for us, a holy scripture. Following the wisdom of nature we will not go astray. How to explain this? One way might be, that such exercises, while copying the natural wisdom in this way, they recreate and evolve the functioning of physical organs in a spiritual way on a spiritual, higher plane.

This is lesson 1 of this Zikr of balance. It deals with Taşfiya-i Qalb, the cleansing of the heart and Tadhkiya-i Nafs, the purification of the self.

source of grafics: G.Töndury, Angewandte und topographische Anatomie

Source of above grafics: G.Töndury, Angewandte und topographische Anatomie

One can imagine this two loops of the ∞ to be wings (heart and wings). Due to the balance resulting from this exercise the heart becomes able to fly.

The described effects are result of my self-experience and self research. Zikr should be practiced at any occasion in everyday life, according to a word of the prophet:

Thou should remember thy Lord at any moment of thy live.

This is lesson 1 of this Zikr of balance. It deals with Taşfiya-i Qalb, the cleansing of the heart and Tadhkiya-i Nafs, the purification of the self.