There is a lot of hard in the world...
Sufi Zawiya
A monthly spiritual container
so more of us can show up in the world
anchored in the Divine
There are incredibly destructive political and economic forces in motion. In facing these forces, may we all remember the truth that “love is more powerful.” This doesn’t mean love in a nice-nice kind of way.
The Sufi Zawiya will help you fan the flames of Divine love.
Love can burn like a wildfire in our hearts.
My Sufi sheikh told us, his students:
“Be the earth for your brothers and sisters [siblings].”
If we are the earth for each other, we can more consistently and powerfully presence Divine love and strength, compassion and justice.
What is the Zawiya?
A “Zawiya” is a Sufi gathering place, used for teaching, and for retreat. Sufism is the mystical practice of Islam. If you know of the poet Hafiz, or Rumi, then you know at least a little of Sufism.
About me, Mark Silver, M.Div., I’m a recognized Master Teacher in the Shadhhiliyya Sufi lineage, having received direct transmission from my Sheikh Sidi al Jamal, a Palestinian Sufi master from Jerusalem.
For 25 years, since 2000, I’ve been teaching a heart-centered spiritual approach to small business, based in Sufism, yet intentionally accessible to all spiritual orientations, in the context of business healing.
This Sufi Zawiya is a virtual space with the intention share Sufi practices and mystical teachings, without the business focus.
My highest intentions for the Sufi Zawiya
To anchor us in a deeper and larger Reality for more consistent access to qualities our hearts thirst for. This larger Reality can then guide our actions as we strive to heal and repair our world.
Strength - Love - Justice - Compassion - Peace - Wisdom
Sufism teaches that these qualities (and many others) are Divine, that we can receive them, carry them, express them, but we cannot manufacture them through our own efforts.
Our time together in the Zawiya will, insha’llah (Divine willing), help us access the qualities our hearts need, to bring nourishment in the face of fear, grief, and anger, and to leave each of us more anchored, more grounded, with more access to Who we really Are.
This will allow us to then go out into the world and take actions that are expressions, not of fear, anger or grief, but of the Love, Strength, Justice, Compassion, Peace and Wisdom we know is really needed.
The
Monthly
Zawiya
Call
Although there is more (which I explain below), the heart of the Zawiya is the monthly call.
For one and a half to two hours each month, we will be diving deep. We will begin with an invocation, and then spend some minutes coming into our hearts in Sufi Remembrance.
I will then present a teaching from Sufism, usually 10-15 minutes.
The rest of the time will flow according to what is needed. Some of the things we might do:
- Guided exercises.
- Q&A and deep witnessing.
- Reading from Sufi text.
- Working with Divine qualities.
- Something else?
As the call ends, I will offer a blessing upon all Zawiya members, whether present or not.
I detail what else is in the Zawiya further down.
Teaching calls are generally noon-1:30pm eastern, and rotate between Wednesday and Thursdays.
2025 Teaching Dates
June 26, July 16, Aug 13, Sept 17,
Oct 16, Nov 20, Dec 10.
Who is the Zawiya for?
Any spiritual path: Folks from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Wiccan, Yogic, Zoraostrian, and eclectic, among many others have engaged beautifully with the Sufi teachings.
Any level of spiritual experience: from complete beginners, to rabbis, imams, priests.
Any background: Students from different countries, cultures and continents have been nourished by my teachings.
LGBTQ?: I’ve been out as bisexual, and have worked for queer rights since 1988, including being closely allied with the trans community.
Any level of commitment: This is not a school. We are here to care for our hearts and to care for each other. If you want just a sip, or if you want to immerse yourself, you are welcome.
Who is Zawiya NOT for
Not spiritual at all: it almost goes without saying, but if you have no interest in spirituality, or are actively skeptical, that’s great! And this will not work for you.
Adhere to a high control religious path: People with fundamentalist, literalist, very hierarchical or otherwise intolerant approaches to religion are not welcome in this diverse space.
That’s probably it. My preference is to come from an attitude that “no one is disposable.” The boundaries listed above are to create some safety. And, inevitably, on the spiritual path the journey can get bumpy. We welcome a certain amount of that, as long as it isn’t abusive.
So… is Mark just making it all up?
That’s a really fair question, especially in any spiritual space. In case it’s helpful, here’s a bit of my training and background.
Family history: I was raised in a conservative Jewish household in Maryland, and as a child thought I wanted to be a rabbi. We were not very observant religiously as a family, although I did receive my Bar Mitzvah.
Young adult: In my twenties my now wife introduced me to Starhawk’s Reclaiming Collective in San Francisco, and we were also part of Queer Minyan, a Jewish lay-led group who celebrated shabbat and the holidays together.
Sufism: I felt the ache to have a deeper, more consistent connection in my heart to the Divine, and was going to go much more deeply into my Judaism, when my wife Holly and I were introduced to a Sufi sheikh, Sidi Muhammad al Jamal, who was visiting from Jerusalem to teach a growing small community of American Shaddhiliyya Sufis. Moved deeply in my heart, we “took hand” with the sheik and entered the lineage.
Formal spiritual training: Starting in 2000, I spent 3 years in the Sufi healership training, with a focus on Business Healing. I went on to be a teaching assistant in that program for two years, and then was hired as faculty in the Teacher Internship Program. Eventually, in 2010, earned my Masters of Divinity with my Sufi teachers.
The Masters program included training on how to care for and lead students, how to run retreats, and how to minister to the heart.
In addition, in 2003, I took shahadah, which was my formal reversion to Islam.
The nature of my teachings
Over more than two decades, I have become known for making accessible and practical teachings that are ordinarily viewed as difficult or esoteric. Students have expressed gratitude for the compassion, and gentleness, and strength, as well as the transmission, that is in the teachings.
I teach from an Islamic Sufi perspective, with an open heart to all the paths the Divine has created for us on this planet.
Spiritual accountability
The history of religious teachers has uncounted examples of spiritual, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The conflation of hierarchical power with spiritual authority is heady and dangerous stuff.
I have asked two teachers to provide accountability to me, and to function as ombudsmen. One, Dr. N’Diaye, is a master teacher in the same lineage I practice in, and the other, Eric Klein, is a lineage holder in a completely different path. If you ever have a questionable interaction with me and don’t feel comfortable approaching me directly, you can reach out directly to these two, who will hold me accountable for my actions.
Dr. Saarah Sabrina N’Diaye, PhD, MDiv, LCSW-C
Dr. Saarah Sabrina N’Diaye blends the teachings of her beloved guide, Sidi Muhammad into her work as a therapist, storyteller, and peacebuilder.
She is the founder of the Heart Nest Center for Peace and Healing, where she serves women, couples, and small groups, in their desire for self-awareness and love. She is also the co-founder of Our Village Roots, a non-profit organization devoted to the sustainability of her husband’s ancestral village in Senegal, West Africa.
Sister Saarah spent 13 years as a lead faculty for community-wide trauma programs in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and all over the U.S.
In July 2023, she birthed her first book, Big Mama Speaks: Love Lessons from a Harlem River Swan, based on her maternal grandmother’s ability to transcend multiple traumas and chronic illness, and the Sufi teachings that she strives to breathe, live, and teach.
She is active in multiple interfaith initiatives across the country, and remains in awe of the power of curiosity, compassion, and forgiveness.
You can find Dr. N’Diaye at The Heart Nest.
Eric Klein (Tejasananda)
I’ve lived this path of Kriya Meditation for 50 years and shared it with over 25,000 people including seekers from every faith tradition and spiritual-but-not-religious folks. My grounded approach appeals to parents, artists, yogis, CEOs, surfers, and political leaders.
I’ve had the privilege to:
- Teach meditation to students around the world.
- Coach individuals to recognize and live their soulful purpose.
- Facilitate mindfulness programs for corporations, non-profits, and governmental agencies.
- Guide spiritual retreats for individuals and groups.
- Write best-selling books on leadership and spirituality.
- Cultivate a daily practice of kriya meditation, study, and sharing the blessings of the Kriya Lineage for 50 years.
I’m a lineage holder.
I was trained, ordained, and empowered by Goswami Kriyananda to share the Kriya Dharma. I can attest from experience that these practices and teachings will heal and renew your life.
Oh, and I’ve known Mark for over 15 years. We’ve worked closely together and I’m honored to support this grace-filled offering.
You can find Eric at WisdomHeart.com.
What’s involved?
There will be two levels to the Zawiya
For everyone
Monthly Teaching and Practices Call
I described the call in more detail up above. In brief, once per month I’ll lead a call that shares a teaching relevant to what is happening in the world. I’ll lead a practice, with time for inwardness, and there will be time for questions and deepening.
Teachings are Wednesday or Thursdays, noon-1:30pm eastern.
2025 dates: June 26, July 16, Aug 13, Sept 17, Oct 16, Nov 20, Dec 10.
Spontaneous Sufi Chanting
There is a Sufi chanting practice, known as “Al Wird,” meaning the Watering Hole. It’s a series of 4 chants in Arabic, each repeated 100 times, that cleans the four layers of the heart. It’s incredibly refreshing, grounding, and powerful.
I’ve been leading it within our business-focused Learning Community spontaneously, sending out a notice 20-30 minutes ahead of time, because that’s what has worked well with my schedule.
I will be offering the same spontaneously-scheduled chanting, 4-8 times per month. If you can make it, even if you’re late, or need to leave early, you are welcome!
Library
For everyone, there will be a library, with one foundational teaching. Additionally, over the years I’ve created hundreds of 12 to 15 minutes Sufi Remembrance meditation audios. I’ll include a handful of these Remembrances to support you in the moment you need it.
The Inner Sanctum
The Inner Sanctum is where I can provide more resources and support in exchange for pay-from-the-heart financial support.
Growing Library of Teachings
The monthly teachings will be put into a library, with the teachings themselves separated out as accessible, shorter videos and transcripts.
Expanded Remembrance Library
Over the years I’ve created hundreds of 12 to 15 minutes Sufi Remembrance meditation audios. I’ll provide a focused library, beyond what’s in the for everyone library, of select Remembrances to support people in regular practices and healing.
Help shape the teachings
I’ll hear from those in the Inner Sanctum, what their hearts are struggling with, what they wish for, and shaping the monthly teachings to meet those expressed needs.
Virtual Retreat
I’ve been leading 24 hour Virtual Retreats 6 times per year for 20 years within our business-focused Learning Community. It has been a surprisingly effective container for deep healing, clutter clearing and heart-anchoring. In these retreats we do chanting, I share deeper teachings, and there are profound witnessing sessions.
There will be two of these retreats per year that those in the Inner Sanctum will be invited into. They happen on Fridays. 2025 retreats will be on August 15 and December 5.
Two ways to enter the Zawiya
The Zawiya for everyone
If you want to join the monthly calls, and to have the opportunity to join me for spontaneous chanting throughout the month, as well as have access to a teaching and the core library of remembrances, all you have to do is join the email list.
I’ll send reminders and access information to join the live calls and the chanting. Just fill out the form below, and you’re in the Zawiya.
The Zawiya for Everyone
Once you join the Zawiya, you’ll receive registration instructions on how to access the Zawiya for Everyone space.
And, of course, you can decide later to enter the Inner Sanctum.
The Inner Sanctum
Join me in the Inner Sanctum, where you’ll have the growing library of teachings, the recorded Remembrances, two Virtual Retreats in the year, and you will be able to give me feedback to help shape the teachings I give. For this I’m asking for a pay-from-the-heart monthly payment.
Pay from the Heart
Pay from the Heart is collaborative, where your needs and our needs are both accounted for.
When you click on the Inner Sanctum payment button below, you’ll go to a page where you can enter the amount you’ll pay each month.
What feels right to me.
The amount you offer does go to support the systems, which helps me make sure I have space to do this.
$5/month – The minimum, if more would be harmful.
$19/month – A Sufi sacred number, the sustainable price.
$38/month – Twice 19, supporting those who don’t have.
If you are completely without financial means, reach out, if there is enough support, we can invite you in.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I join the Inner Sanctum, can I cancel? Are there refunds?
There are two things that are true: I don’t have any desire, or ability, to hold anyone in the Inner Sanctum, or to take payments from them, without their consent. So, yes, you can cancel at any time.
In the same moment, it’s worth considering the time and energy it takes to create something like this, and to maintain it. It’s helpful for what I’m hoping to provide if you can maintain your Inner Sanctum membership for six or twelve months.
If you do cancel, you will not owe any future payments, and your membership will be good until the end of your payment cycle. We will not give refunds.
Is there a way to be in community with others?
Community is so necessary, and it’s also very time-intensive to care for it. When people gather in online spaces, without care and tending in the facilitation, these environments can be become toxic.
Because of all of this, and the deep care I have for folks, we aren’t (yet) offering a community space. It may be that one is added later, if we have the resources and support to do it beautifully.
Are you trying to turn people into Muslims, or Sufis?
The short answer is, “No, thank you.” Sufism in general, and my lineage in particular, has a past history dating back to the founder, of dissuading new students.
Furthermore, in the Qur’an, it says, “There is no compulsion in the acceptance of religion.” (2:256).
So, yeah, conversion, evangelism, doesn’t interest me at all. Knowing one’s own heart will lead one to whichever path the Divine guides you to.
Is your God a male Divinity?
In short, no. As I’ve heard said, “The god you don’t believe in, I don’t believe in, either.” God is not a “beard in the sky.”
When I speak of the Divine, or the Oneness, I am refering to the ineffable All-That-Is, the Oneness is beyond gender, and that encompasses all genders.
The physical is no less sacred than the “inner” or nonmaterial realities.
At the same time, the texts from my lineage are translated from Arabic, which is a gendered language, and the translators have often rendered God as “He.”
When I quote from texts, I never read them in that form. I consulted with my own teachers, and it is absolutely truthful and correct to use non-gendered language to refer to the Divine, so that’s what I do.