Sufi Resources from Mark Silver
Quick Note: There are two words, Sufism–“Soof-ism” and Sufi-ism–“soofy-ism.” Sufism is the study of the Sufi way. Sufi-ism is the study of Sufis. Generally, you probably want to be saying “soof-ism” and not the other. 🙂
Since Mark studies in and teaches from a Sufi lineage within Heart of Business, lots of folks have asked questions from “What is Sufism?” to “How can I find out more? to “Is there a local community?”
There are literally hundreds of Sufi tariqat (orders) around the world. Mark is initiated into the Shaddhulliyya lineage, whose sheikh was Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal ar-Rifa’i ash-Shadhili. Sheikh Sidi, or simply “Sidi” as he is known by his American murids (students).
Sidi was a known and respected figure in the Muslim world. He lived in Jerusalem until late in 2015, when he passed. He was one of the main teachers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the three holiest mosques in Islam. He was the head of the Higher Sufi Council of Jerusalem, and had many, many students globally. He repeatedly stood for the unity of God and love, and for justice and peace among the peoples of the earth.
The Sufi Channel
There are common religious teachings that can seem really damaging when taken literally, but when approached from the heart are profoundly nourishing and surprisingly powerful.
Mark has taken on teaching these topics in an approachable manner on The Sufi Channel.
The 99 Divine Qualities | Names of the Divine
If you’re looking for a list of the 99 Names of the Divine, a.k.a the list of the Divine qualities according to Sufism, here is one such list:
The 99 Names
One of my teachers, the daughter-in-law of my sheikh Sidi, published a book entitled Divine Names: The 99 Healing Names of the One Love, which I recommend highly.
Other books I recommend on the Divine names, includes:
Shaddhilliyya Sufi Resources
The headquarters for the North American branch of the Shaddhilliyya Tariqa is based in Pope Valley, California. It’s a residential community and retreat center and is available for personal healing or spiritual retreats, as well as other events: http://www.suficenter.org (also has a list of local communities in the U.S.) There are many free conference calls held to experience the practices or hear the teachings, meant as weekly support for students, and available for anyone who wants to listen.
The Shaddhilliyya Tariqa, East Coast: http://www.suficentereast.org
Sidi Muhammad Press in the United States: http://www.sufimaster.org
The University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism (formerly the Jaffe Institute). This is where Mark was trained as a healer and spiritual teacher 2000-2004, and where he also taught as faculty in the Teacher Internship Program: http://www.sufiuniversity.org There is a newsletter, and many distance-learning opportunities, as well as a Sufi healer clinic where you can receive a low-cost Sufi spiritual healing from a student.
The Farm of Peace, a residential Shaddhilliyya Sufi community, retreat center, and Community Supported Agriculture program, in Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania: http://farmofpeace.org.
Sufi Books
The Knowing Heart, by Kabir Helminsky. Very readable, from a spiritually-rich psychological perspective.
The Sufi Book of Life by Neil Douglas Klotz, a resource guide to the 99 Names of Allah/Qualities of God. (Mentioned above)
Physicians of the Heart by Wali Ali Meyer, Bilal Hyde, Faisal Muqaddam, and Shabda Kahn. An indepth resource guide to the 99 Names of Allah/Qualities of God. (Mentioned above.)
Music of the Soul, by Sheikh Sidi al-Jamal, a book Mark often reads from during his teachings, is an esoteric text written by his Sheikh. Not light reading and not a narrative, it’s a series of Sufi teachings on different topics related to how the heart comes to carry the light of the Divine.
The Illuminated Prayer, the Five-Times Prayer of the Sufis, by Coleman Barks and Michael Green
Master of the Jinn, by Irving Karchmar. A fun Sufi novel that gives you a real sense of Sufism.