Village View – Week of February 21
![On a black background, white text reads, "Life is an opportunity given to satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul." Below a thin, green line is the attribution "Hazrat Inayat Khan [linebreak] Bowl of Saqi - February 22."](https://theabode.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/bos-february-5.png "bos february (5)")
Universal Worship
Sunday, February 21 | 11:00 AM EDT
Join us for February’s Universal Worship, led by Michael K’Shatriya Young!
Held via Zoom every third Sunday with password: 472313
Message Class
Thursday, February 25 | 7:00 PM EDT
Our Message Classes will be led by Nur Gale! This class will expand on last week’s focus on settling the mind and body.
Awareness of Awareness:
Further Explorations into Settling the Body and Mind in Their Natural States
During this class we will continue with our exploring teachings and practices to settle the mind in its natural state and to sustain meditative stability, quiescence, luminosity and tranquility, better known as mushahada in Sufism and shamatha in Buddhism. Unlike mujahada practices, which rely upon “props” (eg, visualization, reciting wazifa, etc), mushahada is receptive. It is meditation without a support and associated with the non-conceptual direct experience of presence and self-. We become passive witnesses.
By taking awareness itself as the object of meditative attention, mental events simply arise and dissolve and we settle in the what Pir Vilayat called the ‘”subtle mind.” We are not purifying the ego; rather the ego and sense of I-ness like a bear goes into hibernation. Developing the Samadhi of awareness of awareness is one of the simplest practices, yet its objective is elusive and indescribable.
During this week’s class, we will look at the practice of mushahada may be applied at bedtime before going to sleep to better induce lucidity during REM and to hold conscious awareness during deep sleep.
All are welcome to join in the class!
Weekly Message Classes are free and open to all; held via Zoom on Thursdays with password: 119393
Upcoming Classes:
- March 4 & 11 – Led by Yaqin
- March 18 & 25 – Led by Shakur
- April 1 & 8 – Led by Nur Gale
![On a dirt background, white text reading "Ziraat Meeting [linebreak] Led by Shakur" at the bottom of the image is text reading, "February 27 @ 2:00 PM ET"](https://theabode.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/january-classes-6.png "january classes (6)")
Ziraat Monthly Meeting
Saturday, February 27 | 2:00 PM EDT
Join Shakur for a Ziraat Monthly Meeting! All are welcome to join.
Click here to launch the Zoom meeting.
The Abode is a retreat and spiritual center situated in an 19th century Shaker Village on Mount Lebanon, NY. Each year, the Abode welcomes visitors to its historic campus for contemplative and rejuvenating activities.
The Abode service team is a group of dedicated people helping to tend a facility and land that have been considered sacred since the land’s earliest known stewards, the Mahicans. The Abode’s spiritual and service focus is the basis for offering sacred hospitality to all who cross our threshold.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Abode has been closed to guests, and has been working on a rejuvenation of its campus structures and facilities.
As 2021 arrives, and we plan for a Spring opening, we are seeking to recruit experienced maintenance and facilities folks to help us undertake day-to-day care and upkeep and to facilitate upgrades. If you are looking to apply your skills and experience to preserving and rehabilitating something worthwhile, and to belong to a service-oriented team, please see the position descriptions below and connect with us!