Mirrors

One of the deep teachings of Sufism is about mirrors. Everything you see “out there” is a reflection of your inner state. If you see darkness or negativity in the world, clean where it resides in your own being and it will begin to vanish out there. 

There was a famous experiment conducted at a prestigious university in California. The setting was an inner courtyard where there were a lot of people. A mock event was staged, a mugging where a women was pushed down and her purse was snatched. After the event, the people conducting the experiment went around and gathered eye witness testimony as to what they saw. The reason why this experiment made the headlines is that most everyone saw a different story unfold. The perpetrator was male, female, black, white, Hispanic, yellow shirt, green shirt, etc.. People “saw” different things. How could this be? What we see or pick up on is a reflection of our own internal world. If your heart is full of fear then you will most likely report how dangerous the world is. If your heart is full of hate you will see all the justification for reasons to hate. If your heart is full of sadness you will see the word full of heartbreaking things. If your heart is full of grief you will see the world as more disparing. 

The Sufi practices of Remembrance, al-Wird and especially receiving Sufi healings are designed to help “polish the mirror of the heart”, and remove “the veils of misconceptions”. This polishing helps us clear up misconceptions and heal old wounds that lead to distorted reflections. As the mirror of the heart becomes more clear it reflects the Truth. The Truth of Unity, the Truth of peace, love, mercy, justice and freedom. When the mirror of the heart is polished then we only see Allah in every face and every flower and every thing. 

The important thing to remember when you are seeing a lot of something in particular “out there” is to ask yourself “do I carry any of this hidden in my own heart”, or “why am I being shown this, how is it a reflection for me?”

Many times I have herd Sidi say to someone who was complaining about all the darkness they saw in the world and asking what they should do about it, he would say firmly “you take care of yourself!” If you put all your attention on the outer, then the inner will never change.

See Sid’s book “The Reality of Imagination” for a deeper understanding of this.

Veils

A veil is anything that is getting between you and Allah (swta). Anything that causes separation from witnessing the Truth. Anything that keeps you from receiving the Love or other qualities. Veils are roadblocks to intimacy with Allah (swta). A veil can be a belief, a habit, a misconception, a thought, a segment of faulty programing, etc. At the core of any veil is some form of misunderstanding or something false or not true. If I did not experience love as a child I could create a veil that basically says that I am unlovable, for example. I was abused by a man with a beard therefor all men with beards are dangerous. God did not cure my wife's cancer therefor there is no God or God doesn’t care about me. These are all examples of common veils. Usually the veils are self facing and derogatory in nature, I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, I’m not pretty enough, I don’t deserve, I’m not worthy, I’m a failure, etc.

None of these things are true but we have chosen to believe them and our belief in them is causing us to not see or connect with Allah (swta). Then we experience even more pain due to the separation of the the Real medicine our being needs in order to heal and stand in the truth of who and what we actually are. But until then, these veils or “pictures” become food for the darkness (the shaytan or “evil whisperer”). The darkness sees our week spots, places that are not witnessing the Light of Allah and causing the separation, and the darkness drives a wedge into these cracks, further separating us from the Truth making them even harder to clear. 

Always remember that Light has dominion over darkness. Say the Name, Ya Allah! And know that the Light will come and the darkness will recede. 

The Truth is Allah (swta). And the Reality of Allah is perfection. Any sign of anxiety, agitation, fear, anger, sadness or worry is a sign that we are veiled from the Truth. When the heart is witnessing the Truth it is tranquil and at peace. Sidi repeatedly said “Don’t stop at the pictures, go behind and behind” until you see the Truth. 

Discerning the Voices

We all hear voices, but who is speaking? Most people think that the voices they hear are just their own thoughts flowing through their consciousness. The Sufis recognize and discern for three types of voices. The voice of your own heart that speaks from a place of connection and witnessing of Allah, the voice of our “nafs" or self, and the voice of darkness or “shaytan”. As Sufis we need to know who is speaking in order to respond correctly. Each voice has a discernible quality. The voice of your heart that is connected and witnessing Allah sounds like Divine revelation. When it speaks your whole being softens and feels more at ease. This voice only speaks kindly and lovingly though it may be firm. Its a uplifting positive voice that rings with truth and you may ask yourself “where did that come from!” The voice of your “nafs” will feel more whiney, hurt or needy in nature. as it it is coming from the parts of yourself that are not connected and witnessing the Truth of Allah. Your inner child that is having a bad day because things are not going your way is an example of this voice. Its usually a voice of resistance to “what is”. Its the voice that draws us towards “other then Allah”. “I want to sleep in, I want ice cream, I want to watch tv, Jimmy is being mean, they don't like me, I'm hurt, I’m sad”. These are all examples of the voices of the nafs. They are not connected to the Love but they are still apart of your inner being. The third category is the voice of darkness or in Arabic “shaytan”. This voice is different because it ofter speaks in the third person and says “you”. As in “you are a failure”, “nobody cares about you”, “you will never get what you want”. This is truly a dark sounding voice which is why Sidi calls it the “evil whisperer”, it sounds like it is coming from slightly outside you as if whispering in your ear. Usually it whispers negative commentary about you or it will try to lead you astray. Such as “You have had a hard day you deserve a drink” or “no one is looking, go ahead and do it”. Any voice that commands us or incites us towards doing what we know is wrong is coming from the shaytan. 

When the shaytan whispers it is our nafs that are listening and our nafs that may choose to follow its commands. Our heart that is connected and witnessing the Truth of Allah (swta) is protected from hearing the voice of the shaytan and is not bothered by such pestering. This is all part of the Divine Perfection. When our heart looses connection with source, our “self” looses the Unity and reverts to selfish needs which opens the door to the shaytan which causes us to do things which lead to suffering and then we taste the fruit of “separation” and going astray, and then we long to find our way back and Return. This is how Allah teaches us so that we can discern and follow only the voice of our heart that is in connection, and the importance of this connection and the danger of disconnection. And the necessary to bring all the disgruntled parts go our self, nafs, gently back into the Unity where they can be healed and nourished by the Real love. 

When you hear what sounds like your nafs complaining, lead that voice gently to Allah (swta). Hold it like you would hold a crying child and help it connect to the Love and the Mercy so that it can receive what it really needs not what it thinks it needs.

When you hear what sounds like evil whispering, you treat it much differently. Do not engage it, turn away from it, keep the door closed and don't open the door and let it in or it will overtake you. This voice requires firmness and a strong “No”. Do not open the door and argue with it or attempt to bargain with it, you will loose. Shut the door firmly and “hold tight to the rope of Allah”.