How to Practice Sufism is one of the most important quests among truthseekers. Sufism is believed to be one of the paths which lead to the supreme Almighty.
What is Sufism?
There are many ways to describe Sufism. Therefore, for someone who wants to know how to practice Sufism, understanding these ways is important. Some believe that it refers to God’s way of putting an end to one’s self-centredness, will, and ego and then giving him/her rebirth in accordance with God’s wishes.
There are others who view Sufism as a continuous process to cleanse one’s evilness and badness as a way to reach God.
Sufism Meditation Techniques
Sufism, a hidden path within Islam, helps you purify yourself and connect deeply with the Divine. Given below are some techniques that will throw light on how to practice Sufism in the right way.
1. Sufi Mantra Meditation
In Sufi meditation, you use special words, like secret messages to God. It’s a bit like quiet talking with God. This makes you feel joyful and peaceful.
Remembering God’s name is vital. You say some special words.
The idea is to keep God’s name in your heart. You don’t need to sit in any special way. There is another way to learn how to practice Sufism and it is called Sufi Breathing Meditation.
2. Sufi Breathing Meditation
Breathing meditation in Sufism is like a song sung to God. With each breath, you feel closer to God. Here’s how you do it:
- Close your eyes and take a few normal breaths.
- Think about your heart while thinking about God. Imagine His light inside you.
- Breathe in, thinking inviting God’s light into your heart.
- Breathe out, feeling the light hitting your heart strongly.
- Breathe faster but not too hard, keeping the same thoughts and words. Breathe in a bit longer than out, and out should be short and strong.
- Do this for ten minutes.
3. Heart Meditation
Heart meditation, like a trip inside yourself, is important to some Sufis. They believe the heart is not just the muscle inside your chest but also a special place.
Follow these steps:
Bring your thoughts back from the world outside. Make your mind and senses quiet, so you can feel what’s inside your heart.
Focus on your heart and forget about everything else. This helps you feel connected to something bigger.
The next steps vary:
• Try to listen to your heartbeat as if it’s saying God’s name. You might hear it even when you’re busy.
• Repeat God’s name.
• Think about God or a spiritual teacher.
While doing these, keep your attention on your heart and feel love for God.
Sufism Breathing Techniques
There are two popular breathing techniques one can follow in Sufism. Understanding these techniques is important if you want to understand how to practice Sufism.
The first of these breathing techniques is to involve the five classical elements in the five breathing cycles that one can follow.
1. Using Air – In this technique, you use your mouth to inhale and exhale while imagining the air element sweeping through all the open spaces inside your body. In doing so, air removes any sense of density or obstructions that may be present in the body.
2. Using Water – Imagine yourself inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth in this technique. While you’re doing this, imagine a waterfall containing clear and pure water passing through you from above. Envision the water to purify and dissolve anything that might be blocking your life or energy. With every breath, start feeling as though you’re purified.
3. Using Earth – When you start inhaling, imagine yourself drawing the magnetism and energy of the earth into you. The inhaled magnetism and energy will circulate in your body and energy systems and will not only renew and replenish your vitality but also strengthen your body.
When you exhale, imagine yourself releasing all the energies and gross elements into the ground so that they can be purified and released. When you repeat this process, you’ll feel clearer, less dense, lighter, and revitalized.
4. Using Fire – Imagine yourself drawing energy from fire and start inhaling from your mouth and exhaling through your nostrils. As you do so, focus on letting your breath flow through your solar plexus and emerge from your heart as a radiating light. Taking in fire and exhaling light affirms that the fire that is passing through your body is doing the job of eliminating congestion or clearing impurities within your heart.
5. Using Ether – In this technique, you’re imagining yourself breathing gently through your nostrils and being purified by ether, a subtle element with lots of potential. The concept of this breathing technique is to dissolve whatever sense of solidity and density that is inside your body using ether and allowing your heart and mind to stay clear just like the sky.
Sufism Practices and Rituals
In the world of Sufism, the practice of “Dhikr” serves as an essential link to the Divine. Unlike traditional prayers, this conscious act of remembering connects searchers to a greater purpose, cultivating a unique link with the Sacred.
The core of “Dhikr” is inextricably linked to the holy Quran, influencing its shape and importance, demonstrating the symbiotic connection between mysticism and scripture.
Sufi practices are diverse, with each order embroidering “Dhikr” in its own colors. Sufism includes a network of rituals, ranging from trance-inducing “sama” celebrations with music, dancing, and recitations to fasting and prayers. Followers can accept “Dhikr” as their guide before embarking on the Sufi path.
Through this profound practice and the celebration of Prophet Muhammad’s birth, you can embark on a heartful journey that will enable you to unravel the conundrum of ‘How to Practise Sufism’.
Sufi Meditation
At the core of Sufi meditation is a fundamental goal: to wrap oneself in the presence of God, to fill the heart with His holy essence, and to establish a connection with Him.
Sufi meditation is distinguished from other meditation practices by its spiritual nature. Its focus goes beyond ordinary life, allowing the followers to establish a connection with God.
Sufi Meditation has a wide range of goals. It aims to heal, enhance, and harmonize practitioners, providing them with the tools to face life with renewed vigor and resilience. Followers of this practice start on a path of healing and empowerment, ready to face life’s problems with greater strength and inner balance.
The Healing Power of Sufi Meditation
For individuals who have reached a stage of understanding that the world around them is illusionary and the reality behind it is different, Sufi meditation acts as a doorway through which they can pass from the area of illusion into the area of reality.
The healing power exists because the seeker believes in the concept that meditation can help him or her return to the original self easily.
What Are the 3 Practices of Sufism?
For individuals who want to understand how to practice Sufism, understanding three important practices of this belief is important.
1. Love – One of the important practices of Sufism is Love. The basis of this practice lies in love in the spiritual, mental, and physical forms. According to Sufism, it is possible to reach God through love.
2. Pir – In Sufism, there is a lot of importance for ‘Pir’ or teachers. According to this belief, it is not possible to achieve anything in life without the guidance of a Pir. In the absence of a Pir, you’re likely to commit a lot of mistakes.
3. Noor (Light) – Noor is revered in Sufism because God used it to create the universe. There is a belief in Sufism that God used Noor when he desired to create the universe. Hence, it is also referred to as the Light of the Almighty.
Why Do You Practice Sufism?
While many believe that they can reach closer to God after their death by different means, Sufis, on the other hand, believe that they can reach closer to God by acknowledging the presence of divinity in this life.
The ultimate objective of Sufis is to get the pleasure of God by working their way out to achieve the state of ‘fitra’. If you understand this concept, it also becomes easier to understand how to practice Sufism.
References:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism
3. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/major-beliefs-and-practices-of-sufism/
4. https://www.institute.global/insights/geopolitics-and-security/what-sufism
