Sufi Perspectives in Meditation
Stuart Brown
Thu Jan 12, 19, 26, Feb 2, 07-08:30pm, 4-253
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
This class is a practical introduction to meditation for relaxation, concentration, and enhanced insight. We will place attention on our inner life as a balance to the demands of our outer life. We will enrich these basic practices with readings that draw from the poetry and other writings of the Sufis, among whom one may count the well known poets Rumi and Hafiz. There will also be opportunities for discussion.
You may be wondering at this point, what is a "Sufi" ? Some have said it is "one who breathes well", or, "the son or daughter of the moment." It could be said that it applies to persons on a path of compassion and wisdom, a path whose steps are learned through direct experience, a path whose travelers are linked in a certain chain of transmission of teaching. What is transmitted is not a dogma, an ideology or an intellectual "ism", but rather it is the being present to the inner dimension that is our essence. Amongst the Sufis, certain meditation practices and perspectives are used to foster conditions conducive to this mode of experience, and we will be exploring some of these in this class.
Contact: Stuart Brown, sabrown@mit.edu
Sponsor: Stuart W Brown, W92-204, 617 324-9168, sabrown@mit.edu
Latest update: 07-Nov-2011
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