A student sought out Junayd as a teacher and said to him, “Many people have informed me that you are a supreme expert on the pearls of awakening and divine wisdom. Either give me one of these pearls or sell one to me.” Junayd smiled. “If I sell you one, you won’t be able to pay the price; if I give you one, coming by it so easily will drive you to undervalue it. Do like me; dive headfirst into the Sea. If you wait patiently, you will obtain your Pearl.”

A great deal could be said about mysticism and the role it can play in the unfolding of human consciousness, but even having said a great deal, one would still feel unsatisfied because the journey to know or explain the Divine realm is endless; hence all conversation about it “misses” it because of the limitations of the page and of our minds to grasp something so ethereal. Forgive this attempt right at the outset; however, please do take the invitation to dive in, being open to the possibility that something may stir inside of you in the process.

Mysticism is the desire and journey of living with direct and intimate experiences of the Divine. I’m referring to the ineffable, vast, holy, all-encompassing unified field of consciousness and creation that scientists are trying to quantify and divisive types are arguing about. The Sufi mystics call this vast loving presence Allah or the Beloved, often referred to as the Friend or He, but never to be mistaken as only a masculine presence. Mystics and Gnostics from all traditions are the first to say that God or the Divine Presence has no human identity; the only reason that human attributes of sentimentality or intimacy are pasted onto this Presence is because we must begin where we are. We turn our humanity toward the One and begin our healing, understanding that as we journey, we begin to dissolve into the Oneness and then language such as this takes on new meaning or ceases to be necessary. For humanity’s sake, we’ve also been given a sacred stream of beings who have come as close as possible to reflecting and transmitting the qualities of the Divine within human form. Prophets, saints, and sages are living doors for us into the realm of Divine Love and Unity. Their ancient wisdom, revelation, and guidance are beacons in dark times.

Healing begins with purifying, clearing, and emptying all that resides in the consciousness of the heart that is residue from the past. Wounds, stories, illusions, attachments - anything that creates a veil between our hearts and the witnessing of the Divine - must go. Healing is a process, a journey, where one truly must commit to “diving headfirst into the Sea.” The good news is that the Sea is all-embracing, all-loving, all-merciful - yet it does take great courage to face all the places within ourselves where we have consciously or unconsciously chosen to play out our stories of wounding, loss, separation, and pride. When we begin to touch into the place where we are not even sure who we would be if we allowed all the identities to fall away, then we know we’re on the right track. Healing the heart is a deep inward process; however, it’s advisable to have support on the journey. A healer who has traversed some of their own inner terrain is a good choice.

Healing is both about emptying and about receiving. As we empty, we open to something much greater. In true healing, we begin to receive the gifts and support of the Divine in the form of grace, love, peace, light, strength… the possibilities are endless. Sufis attribute 99 qualities or attributes to God – this being a mere metaphor for the limitless traits that flow from the Unified Field. It is a blessing to work with a healer who can safely and gently guide the healing and help one open to receiving the gifts.

Acts of devotion or prayer bring the heart and soul into intimacy with the Divine Presence. The heart longs to be awakened into its original and true state where it’s woven intricately with the light of its own Soul.

I had been away from my own soul so long,
So late-sleeping, but that dove’s crying
Woke me and made me cry, praise for You! -from Adi al-Riga

Seekers need to find their own path of devotion, worship, or communing with the Divine. The mystic is ardently turned toward this passionate love affair with God, asking not only to swim in the Ocean but to drown in the Ocean of this Love. Chanting, devotional singing or poetry, sacred movement, contemplation, prayer, and reading sacred text are all ways to make this connection. Classical Sufis find deep connection in the daily prayers they perform, a beautiful stream of ritual that keeps the body, mind, and soul turned toward the Presence. In a modern world that is often busy drowning in its own secular pursuits, it’s not always easy to find a way to weave intimacy with God. Acts of devotion and prayer must be experienced and felt for the deep inner memory to be awakened to the knowing that everything in Creation is made to be in balance and harmony with what is much greater than who or what we are individually. We are but a drop in this vast Ocean, and yet the Essence of the Ocean is contained in every drop. The very contemplation of this paradox can bring one closer.

Inspiration is the awakening of the soul. Although we are all souls and connected to the One Soul of God, when we tout ourselves as having self-awareness at this level when we have not yet truly taken more than a few steps on the journey, we do a disservice to our being. To awaken to the subtleties of our soul we must be open to real healing and intimacy with the Divine; obtaining the Pearl requires our patience. And thus, the light of the soul, subtle as she is, begins to open and expand and this vessel of receptivity becomes the locus for true inspiration and divine guidance.

The Divine begins to pour into us the Living Presence of life itself. Love, beauty, strength, creativity, harmony, wisdom, patience, healership, and insight become palpable gifts; these are the indications that we are awakening to our true selves and are beginning to reflect the Beauty of the One.

Go you, sweep out the dwelling room of your heart, prepare it to be the home of the Beloved. When you go out, He will come in. Within you, when you are free from self, He will show His Beauty. ~Shabistari