the path of service
The deepening of one’s inner life and the deepening of one’s life in the world is a single process. As we learn to quiet our minds and open our hearts we also learn to be of greater benefit to others and to reduce, when possible, the suspicions and judgments which divide people.
Being a healing influence in the world requires the development of a “character of healing,” a character based on simple virtues such as kindness, respect, empathy, and patience. Nurturing these qualities implies both an inward process of self-analysis and the letting go of one’s opinions and judgments, and a more outward process of engaging the world with ever-greater warmth.
This is deeply personal work, while at the same time it opens us beyond the personal. Individuals may choose to engage in specific service projects while benefiting from consultation and support with a teacher. The Sufi Way also organizes trainings and opportunities to be of service, such as spiritual care of the dying, healing through prayer, teaching meditation, conducting rites of passage, and a variety of cross-cultural and interfaith peace-building initiatives.
