Invite: Ibn Arabi Study Week

Dear friends,

We are very pleased to share with you that Beshara SEA will be conducting a nine-day Ibn ‘Arabi’s Fusus Study Retreat on December 3-11, 2016.

The study will be of selected passages from “The Wisdom of Spirituality in the word of Jacob”, a chapter from Ibn ‘Arabi’s Fusus al Hikam book.

Avi Abadi, who has been a student of the work of Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi for many years and is currently based in the UK, will facilitate the course.

The course is a residential retreat, starting on Saturday morning (Dec 3, 10AM) and running until after lunch on the following Sunday (Dec 11, 2PM). The timetable will incorporate meditation, study, conversation, devotional practice, private contemplation and service.

The course will take place near Jakarta (Details of the venue to be advised on later dates). The fee is Rp 4 million, including accommodation and all meals.

This retreat course is opened to all who wish to attend it.

Applicants who are not familiar with Ibn Arabi’s terminology and central themes of the Fusus al Hikam, however, need to be advised that the ideas that will be presented and discussed on the course will be demanding.

As Ibn ‘Arabi wrote, “Retreat brings knowledge of the world” — this Beshara course, in the spirit of active and intentional retreat, aims to open a space for real knowledge to emerge through all dimensions of the retreat, be it focused study, devotional practice, private contemplation or service. All of these dimensions are held in equal regard as each is a direct way to be of service to Reality, to our fellow human beings and to the world.

We look forward to welcoming you to this valuable course. Please feel free to contact us at beshara.sea@gmail.com should you have further questions or would like to participate.

Sincerely,

Beshara SEA

 

About The Fusus al Hikam

This seminal work by Ibn ‘Arabi, dating from the 13th century, describes the meaning of universal human spirituality through the medium of 27 prophetic figures, from Adam through Abraham, Moses and others to Jesus and Mohammed. Ibn ‘Arabi’s aim is to show how each of these luminary figures exemplified a particular wisdom available to mankind; a harmonious vision of reality which integrates differences without destroying them. Themes that arise range from explorations of uniqueness, fate and destiny, the place of worship and devotion, praise and service and the role of mankind. To read this book is to encounter the full scope of what it means to be truly human.

 

 

 

 

 

Ibu Lumrah

Pada suatu masa, hiduplah seorang ibu bernama Lumrah. Perawakan Bu Lumrah sedang; Tidak besar, tidak pula kecil. Agak sekel, kalau kata warga dusun. Ia dikenal sumringah, gesit, dan ringan tangan. Ibu Lumrah kerap tampak meluncur ke sana ke mari dengan baju lurik dan jariknya, tanpa alas kaki; menyapa ramah dan berbincang dengan warga. Kalau sedang tak berkeliling, Ibu Lumrah berdiam di rumahnya, seraya bebersih, mengurus ladang, atau menemani tamu yang mampir di warung teras rumahnya.

Ibu Lumrah tinggal di dusun Nengah – di dataran berhawa sejuk di pusat pulau, dikelilingi bongkahan gunung hijau menjulang megah. Warganya tidak terlalu banyak. Tapi mereka praktis memenuhi segala kebutuhannya, berkat kekayaan alam sekitar, kemampuan masing-masing warga, dan hidup saling memperhatikan dan salng bantu yang demikian mengakar di dusun itu.

Dengan hati

Foto: Pagelaran Matah Ati, Solo, 2012

Mereka yang hidup dengan hati adalah orang-orang terkaya di dunia. Bukan karena mereka punya lebih, tapi karena mereka sadar apa yang mereka miliki. Karunia tak terkira jumlah dan kadarnya, hadir semata sebagai hadiah dari Sang Maha Kasih, Maha Sayang. Sesederhana napas — hadir bukan dari kemampuan diri, namun bwana alit bwana agung yang tak henti bekerja sama mengalirkan prana ke dalam dan luar diri.

Content

The traffic was rather easy that morning. I was on my way to buy some food to bring home. I stopped at the red light. The car on my right stopped, too, despite being on the lane for those who want to make a U-turn. The cars behind it honked repeatedly. It would not buldge. Another ordinary weekend morning in town.