Meditation

From Vol. 8, No. 2

When we hear or think of meditation, we commonly
imagine a practice where one sits in a quiet place in a
peaceful state of mind. The goals of meditation that
come immediately are likewise very general: to free
one's self from the heavy burden of everyday living;
to get in touch with one's true self, whatever that
may be. This common understanding of meditation
embraces, of course, many different practices. Such
a process, which has been a dominant characteristic
of a major part of spiritual practices today, is indeed
a positive practice, but is not what Sufism has in
mind.
In Sufism, the law of meditation follows the essential
rule of self discovery, and that is when a seeker is
attracted and attuned towards the Divine, Allah, all of
his or her meditative energies are concentrated and
focused towards Allah. One will find peacefulness and
freedom in Sufism meditation, but this is not its only
goal. Instead, the goal is to gain the knowledge that
enables one to understand Allah, the Divine, the All
Knowing, All Embracing, Merciful and Compassionate.
Meditation in Sufism involves several steps; one
must collect his or her energies from the outside
world and gradually learn to focus them in the center
of the heart. To find this point in the heart is
essential as not many are aware of the existence of
this center, and not any point in the heart will take
one to this favorable destination. This is the point
where heaven and earth, body and soul meet, and
the material transforms into the spiritual. Sufi
meditation is directed towards the heart since the
heart is the center and the seat of love and divine
inspiration, and the heart does not falsify that which
it sees.
We all are different, and so we have different
attractions towards different directions of the outside
world. There are many waves that connect us to the
outer world surrounding us, that allow
communication between the individual and the outer
world. We are attracted and busy with our work, our
daily routines, our families, and our immediate
environment. In these interactions, we receive
energies, we exchange energies, and thus we also
lose energies. Through our constant interaction with
the celestial waves around us, the rays of the sun,
the electromagnetic waves of the galaxies, and more,
we are part of a continuity, always exchanging
energy and information.
In Sufi meditation, a seeker will learn how to take
hold of his or her energies from all these lines of
communication and collect them from the outside to
direct them to the center of the heart. This process is
truly an esoteric one, and, as such, is not open to the
marketplace of religion; and for good reason, it was
never meant for public appeal. Sufis have guarded all
these steps, keeping them hidden from the hands of
others who would inevitably misuse them. So, you,
as a seeker, must be careful. If you seek the way of
Sufism, you must be especially careful that what you
are seeking is indeed Sufism, and not something that
merely claims the name of Sufism.
As we grow into adulthood we also grow more and
more intimately acquainted with the outside world, to
the point that the outside world becomes more
familiar to us than our own being. Many chains of
attractions pull us in different directions, leaving us
with the sense of being torn apart. We become less
and less aware of ourselves, of our own being.
In Sufi Meditation, the first step that one takes is to
become acquainted with and aware of one's self, of
the being within. Without finding that central point
within yourself, you will not be able to become a
center to receive, and there can be no substitute for
the actuality of the center of one's being. Yet, this is
not enough. Becoming a center to receive does not
suffice for the pursuit of the understanding of Sufism,
for a Sufi does not seek to become a center open to
receiving everything. Instead, through discipline the
Sufi seeks attunement for receiving selected waves;
in this case, spiritual or Divine energy. I usually give
a simple exercise so seekers may see

if they are as familiar with their own

being, even their physical beings, as
they are with the outside world, of
other beings and things. I ask them
to close their eyes for a moment to
try to see their own faces as
accurately as they can. Many find it
hard to see their own faces as they
are, no matter how often they have
looked in the mirror to reassure
themselves of their existence. Of
course, we cannot seeour own face,
only mirrored reflections. In this
practice, it usually takes us a while
before we are able to see our own
faces. It takes a little longer for some
of us, and many are simply unable to
see themselves this way,
through a mental image of what is so seemingly
familiar. We learn that we are not as familiar with our
own beings as we thought we were, and also that it
may take us a while to gather our energy and
become concentrated and focused, even upon the
familiar.
Collecting your energy is essential to spiritual
practice but is not always easy. Only a Teacher can
guide you towards such a simple yet impossible
journey.
In the practice of Sufism, you should be able to
concentrate your energies and try to be present at
heart, as the Prophet (swa) said: your Salat, your
Prayer, requires your presence in your heart. Being
present in your heart is the first step of meditation,
collecting your own energy from without and
concentrating it within.
Thus, in meditation you learn how to take back your
energies from the outside, and collect and
concentrate them towards a point in your heart. And
you must remember nothing is fruitful unless guided
by a teacher, and not just any kind of teacher. The
next step of meditation or the second level is a
journey from the self to the inner heart. This journey
or level of meditation begins from your self, or your
physical being, and is directed towards your inner
self. In other words, you collect and gather your
energies from the outer self, towards your being, and
then direct your concentrated energy direct them
towards your heart. It is there where you will be able
to witness Divine inspiration, as stated in the Qur'an:
the heart does not falsify that which it sees.
This step is easier, for concentrating in your heart
and directing your energies towards the center of
your heart is easier than reclaiming and collecting
your energies from the outside world into which they
have been dispersed. Many spiritual seekers may
stop at the first level, the step of gathering from
outside their own energies. Others may get halfway,
gathering their energies from one place but then
redirecting them outwards toward some other,
external locus.
Meditation has levels and stages. One needs a guide
to be able to take the steps of meditation. The
potentiality, desires, demands, and attractions of a
seeker will determine the teacher that he or she will
find along the way. As like attracts like, and the birds
of the same feathers fly together, you will find your
own guide. If your guide will not take you to a
spiritual and divine destination, then you may need
to undertake purification; to purify your desires and
demands.
If you are searching for Divinity, remember that the
Divine inspiration and revelation will ascend to the
heart of the most pure; as the Qur'an reads: the
Book guides the pure ones. You must take the step
toward your own being; searching within the external
world will not take you to any understanding of the
Divine, but instead will take you to the marketplace
of religion and to its participants.
When relying on meditation, you need to always
remember the goal of such meditation. Relaxation is
a different goal than Divine inspiration. The latter
requires a different intention, a readiness, devotion,
and inspiration.
Relay on Allah, as ultimately it is the Divine who
guides one towards Divinity.