The Dances of
Universal Peace began (as "Sufi Dancing") in San Francisco
under the guidance and inspiration of Murshid ("Teacher") Samuel Lewis
in the late 60's. Sam Lewis inspired legions of young people in those days
with these Dances and with his Peace Plan: "Eat, Dance, and Pray Together".
Since that
time the Dances of Universal Peace have gone throughout the world, with
Dance circles in many cities in the US and Canada, South America, Europe,
Russia, Australia, New Zealand. There are many hundreds of Dances now in
the archives with Dances representing many of the world's religions.
The Dances
themselves are simple, often based on basic folkdance steps, and based
on sacred phrase. Examples of sacred phrases include: "As Salaam Aleikhum"
["Peace be with you"]; "Heenay MahTov" ["Oh How Good it is for Brothers
and Sisters"], "Thou, Holy Asha", "Me Ke Aloha", "The Earth is our Mother",
"Rock a' My Soul", "Kyrie Eleison", "Gopala" and beautiful songs of mystical
poets from various traditions.
A special
focus of the Dances of Universal Peace has been on the words and sacred
phrases of Jesus as they would have been in Aramaic, the language he spoke.
In particular the "Lord's Prayer" and the Beatitudes, in Aramaic, have
been set to music and movement, offering an extraordinary pathway to deepening
in a heart-filled and joyous way to the historical and cosmic Jesus. Most
participants experience these prayers as "Body prayers", more deeply experiencing
these words through music and movement than simply through the spoken word.
The entire Lord's Prayer Cycle is done every Easter time.
The Dances
of Universal Peace have been held since the late 70's here in Spokane,
Washington. We meet at the Unitarian-Universalist Church, W. 4340 Ft. George
Wright Drive, usually on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month from 7-9
p.m. All are welcome, no experience is necessary. Our circle has danced
with children, teens, and adults and persons of varying abilities.
Baraka,
the Sufi Circle in Spokane, sponsors the Dances and regular classes and
workshops and weekends in the region. On Memorial Day weekend we have a
large Family Camp at beautiful Camp N-Sid-Sen on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
The Sufi path welcomes
all. It is not a religion and welcomes people of many faiths
and interests. The "Message of Spiritual Liberty" brought to America by
the great Sufi teacher Inayat Khan (Murshid Sam's spiritual teacher) speaks
of our journey as "The Path of the Heart". We seek the Light of Truth that
underlies all Wisdom traditions. This is an interfaith path or approach
to spirituality.
Healing
work, including a Healing Service, are performed here monthly as is a Universal
Worship, where the scriptures, prayers and songs of the world religions
are celebrated. Sacred psychology, including understanding our individual
as well as family and community life is explored.
Further
information can be obtained by contacting Quan Yin Lynne Williams at 509/238-4957
(push #4). Please join with us for the Dances as well as other aspects
of our learning pathways to peace!
PRESS RELEASE,
Eugene OR 3/1/01
The Sufi Islamia Ruhaniat
Society announces the passing of its beloved Leader, Moineddin
Carl Jablonski, who died on Maui early Tuesday morning February 27 following
an acute two-week illness. He was 59.
Pir Moineddin
assumed leadership of the Ruhaniat Society in 1971 upon the death of his
teacher, Murshid Samuel Lewis, who began the Dances of Universal Peace
(sometimes called "Sufi Dancing") in San Francisco in the 1960's. Continuing
his teacher's vision and expanding it worldwide, Pir Moineddin oversaw
the spread of the Sufi Message through the Dances of Universal Peace, the
Healing work, and the Ruhaniat Society. The organization during this time
grew from some thirty people to a worldwide network, working closely with
other Sufi Orders. Many Sufi communities in our lineage are now located
throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Kansas, New Mexico,
Idaho, Virginia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, United Kingdom, Russia,
Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawai'i.
Pir Moineddin
was a great uniter, a man of tremendous heart (and atrocious puns) who
worked steadfastly on behalf of the greater good of all, even in the face
of his own health concerns. One of his great contributions was the emphasis
on Soulwork, a psychospiritual counseling approach which sought the healing
and uniting of the struggling forces within the individual. He studied
soulwork with the late Frida Waterhouse.
Sufism is
the spiritual tradition known to many Westerners through the mystical poetry
of Rumi and Hafiz. Sufism is a spiritual and mystical tradition dating
back two millennia. Moineddin's Sufi training came through the eclectic
Sufi and Zen master, Murshid Samuel L. Lewis, who studied with Zen master,
Nyogen Senzaki, and Pir-O-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan of India.
During the
last five years of his life, Moineddin founded a land-based spiritual community,
"Voice of the Turtle" located outside Silver City, New Mexico on 1900 acres
of land. He described this community with the following statement:
"As we prepare
to come together for this experience in wholistic living, remember that
we are living in a time of rapid change and intensive growth-a process
which brings out the worst and best in each one of us. Everywhere people
are challenged to stick to their ideals in a world of fearful emotions
which too often lead to abusive words and violent acts, even in our own
homes. Our work is to root out these imbalances in ourselves, so that our
hearts can become havens of safety, peace and refuge for each other. Practicing
thus, we develop individual spiritual capacities which, when transposed
to the level of intentional community, create greater potential for harmlessness,
compassion and loving-kindness to arise planet-wide."
Moineddin
is survived by his wife, Rae Mei-Ling Chang and his four children, 'Iolani
and Kawana'ao of Maui, Noria of Amherst, Mass. and Noah of San Diego, California.
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