THE INNER LIFE (1)

Give me, O God,
Deep thoughts
High dreams
Few words
Much silence
The narrow path
The wide outlook
The end in peace.
Amen.

This prayer is found in The Inner Life by the great Sufi teacher, Hazrat Inayat Khan. Here's an excerpt from the Spirituality & Practice review:

Sufism, according to Inayat Khan, puts the accent on the inner life and is always about the adventure of discovering fresh ways to imagine God. The author, who was a teacher to many students of this devotional path, points out that mysticism involves inner study, diving deep, and awakening the spirit of beauty. The Inner Life by Hazrat Inayat Khan is an elegant and meditative introduction to the bounties of Sufism.

I have just signed up for a 40 day Spirituality & Practice course on Practicing Spirituality with Sufis. Today is day 3. The prayer above is the focus of this lesson on prayer as awareness and awakening and connecting (my words). I intend to come back to this powerful prayer and other teachings on The Inner Life by Hazrat Inayat Khan.

The course has a forum where I have met interesting people pursuing similar spiritual paths. I just posted about yesterday's lesson on opening your heart. Here is what I wrote:

From the lesson: Sheikh Muzzafer ... said, "A kind word or glance softens your heart, and every hurtful word or act closes or hardens your heart."

I love the profound simplicity of the Sufi wisdom tradition. And yet, the tradition is as comprehensive and complete as any. I think I often make more of a difference than I realize by small gestures of affection. I will try to increase these moments of joy and simple abundance.