Abode Village View – Month of May

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Charleston SC! I may be geographically remote, but am never far away from the Abode in my heart.

Like many old friends who have experienced the magic of staying at the Abode, I continually feel the pull to return to my spiritual home. I am among hundreds, maybe thousands of Abode lovers who have spent considerable time on these sacred grounds over the years. Returning to the Abode, if only for a few days or a week, rekindles the spark of love I feel for the Abode. My husband Siakzar and I are excited to return during the last week June. We look forward to experiencing the spiritual upliftment that the land always bestows upon us, to reconnecting with old friends and to meeting new ones. We will see you soon!

A highly enjoyable and promising element of being on the board, for me, has been re-energizing the retreat and contemplative R & R capabilities. Board members want those who love the Abode to feel welcomed to renew their ties. We are working to get the word out that we can accommodate return Abodians who may wish to stay for a short time or for a retreat. We also want to attract newcomers who are hungry to experience the Abode’s inclusive spiritual message and its pristine natural setting. Some newcomers may be seasoned in established practices such as for example Yoga, Buddhism or Kabbalah. Some may be interested in learning more about Sufism. As an interfaith spiritual center, the Abode can accommodate all. Providing ways for Abode lovers to reconnect with their spiritual home and, at the same time, attracting a broad and diverse new retreat audience, inevitably will expand the body of supporters needed to carry on the Abode’s mission. That is my hope and commitment to the future.

In loving service,

Nasreen Linda Moayedi

Vice Chair, Board of Trustees

Dear Friends,

Despite a stubborn refusal to fully realize spring weather, all is in bloom at the Abode as we reach mid May.

Our campus has opened for the season, which kicked off with a lovely Open House weekend highlighted by Passover and Easter activities.  We are grateful for all who came together in community and service, including Sarah Leila and Akbar Manolson, who presided at the Seder service.

We also welcomed the annual Emerald Earth retreat, and hosted a night of beautiful music with Ustad Shafaat Khan.  On June 23, our friends HuDost will return to the Abode for a special night of music.

We have a full calendar of events and activities into the summer and fall.  On June 13-15, we will welcome Nur Azad Mangold and Suhrawardi Gebel at the Pir Vilayat Center at the Abode, where they will lead a weekend dedicated to Pir Vilayat and his challenge to create “a beautiful world of beautiful people.”  For more information on this special weekend, please visit: https://theabode.org/programs/717/awakening-to-the-power-of-love/

The Abode is blooming in so many ways, as our community continues to renew and grow.  The sharing of individual gifts, life experiences, spiritual paths, and points of view is not always a smooth or pretty process, but as Rumi asked: “If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”

We are blessed with this mixing of energies, all working to help manifest our call to service to the Message, our guests, and each other.  The diverse assemblage of friends, who came to help us prepare for the opening of our Mountain Camp, was a beautiful example of how we work together in service.  We are grateful to all who come and contribute their gifts for a greater purpose and challenge us to be our best versions of ourselves.

Hope to see you here soon.

Al

Upcoming Week’s Events

Monday, May 20

– Community Lunch – Razzaq Dining Hall – 12:30 pm

Tuesday,  May 21

– Community Breakfast – Razzaq Dining Hall – 8:00 am

– Community Dinner with Chef Fatimata – Razzaq Dining Hall – 6:00 pm

Wednesday,  May 22

– Community Lunch – Razzaq Dining Hall – 12:30 pm

Thursday, May 23

– Community Lunch with Chef Fatimata – Razzaq Dining Hall – 12:30 pm

– Community Dinner with Chef Fatimata – Razzaq Dining Hall – 6:00 pm

– The Art of Personality – Fattah Family Room – 7:00 pm – Join us on Thursday nights in May for live-streams with Pir Zia from the publication of the new book The Art of Personality.

Friday, May 24

The Abode will be hosting a private, silent retreat from May 24-May 30. Meals during this time will be closed to those not participating in or working support for the program, or on the Abode All-Access meal plan.

Sunday, May 26

– Universal Worship with Aimée– Quddus Meditation Hall – 11:00 am

– Brunch with Chef Fatimata – Razzaq Dining Hall – 12:30 pm

Upcoming Programs

The Art of Personality | Thursdays in May | 7:00 PM | Fattah Family Room |

Attitude is a principal thing in life. Our happiness and unhappiness in life depends not so much on what happens to us, but primarily on our attitude toward what happens to us. Every person is like a garden that they cultivate and the art of personality is the flowering of that garden. Gratefulness in a person’s character is like the fragrance in the flower. 

Join us on Thursday nights in May for live-streams with Pir Zia from the publication of the new book The Art of Personality. Thursdays May 2, 9, 16 and 23rd at 7:00 pm in the Abode Family Room in Fattah, followed by discussion and refreshments.

Tara Dhatu Retreat | June 9-14 | Dive deep into the Practices that Nourish, Rejuvenate, Inspire! Tara Dhatu’s week-long workshops are a precious opportunity to work with concentration, to connect deeply with the dance and dharma, to connect meaningfully with one another. These are rare and precious gatherings. Please join our circle of hearts. Bring your beauty and wisdom. Step away from the spinning dance of every day life. Be nourished and fed. Increase your stability and clarity. Support the turning of Mother Tara’s wheels of love and light. Pray for the well-being of all beings. Om Tara Tuttare Ture Soha. Visit www.theabode.org/programs/713 for more information and registration

Awakening to the Power of Love: A Celebration of Pir Vilayat | June 14-16 | Resonate with us to the inspiring example of Pir Vilayat Khan who challenged us to create “a beautiful world of beautiful people.” In this spirit we will invoke a lively, deep, challenging and loving exploration of what it means to be a lover and citizen in the world today. The vice presidents of these two Activities, Suhrawardi Gebel for the Knighthood and Nur Azad Mangold for the Kinship activity, will focus us in this exploratory process. They will bring their own heartfelt relationship to these Activities and at the same time will elicit from everyone their own intuitive knowledge and loving experience of what it means to be a “Love Warrior” in the world today. During the weekend, use some of the following experiences: heartfelt dialogue, ecstatic movement, music, dance, and meditation.Visit www.theabode.org/programs/717 for more information and registration. 

HuDost Water + Mercy Album Release Concert | Sunday, June 23 | 7:00 PM | HuDost returns to the Abode of the Message on Sunday, June 23rd to perform their new album ‘of Water + Mercy’ along with Sufi Kirtan material both old & new. Special guests and more information TBA. Keep an eye on The Abode Programs Page for registration.

Please check our calendar and programs pages for an extended look at upcoming events and happenings. We look forward to being with you soon at the Abode!