Sufism 101 Lesson 9

Sufism 101 - Lesson 9

What is about this Initiation Stuff? - Continued

There are various stages of initiation, for example those taken with the help of inner guidance, or by the helpful hand of a person in whom one has put all of one's trust, or even by inspiration. These first stages could perhaps be understood as the stage of friendship toward the guide. Although one might come in contact with false gurus, one should always be aware that there is a teacher within; that teacher is one's own sincere self. Therefore one shall without doubt sooner or later find true teaching, because in the end, the real shall vanquish the false for the simple reason that truth is more real than falsehood. As there is water in the depths of the earth, in the same way there is truth in the depths of all things, false and true. In some places, one has to dig deeper than in other places, but just as there is no place where there is no water under the earth, there is always truth to be found in the depth of the heart. If one believes in right guidance from above, one shall always be guided aright.

The next steps on the path of initiation consist of successfully passing the tests of life, some of which are experienced unconsciously, and others consciously. One faces tests of all natures, where one must display such qualities as faith, sincerity, truthfulness, patience, endurance and humility, even if such qualities appear at times unreasonable, odd, meaningless, unkind and even perhaps unjust. Further initiations awaken the urge to meditate upon all that one has discovered in one's relationship with others, assimilating the results with insight, gratitude and understanding. Still further initiations are the result of one's ideal, and the greater one's ideal, the greater the power of initiation received. Such an initiation is a phenomenon in itself because the initiate then radiates the luminosity of the ideal. When one really sees the Divine in all things and in all beings, one need not say that one sees; that sight is evident.

Alhumdulillah, Praise God for the paths of Initiation! May your guide within have room to be heard.

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