Spiritual Letter 01 - Outline & Summary Version About Spiritual Letter 01 Title: "Who Are We, Who Is God, And What Is The Relationship Between Us." Wisdom Point: His Holiness, "In Truth There Is Only One God, One Prayer, One Family, And There Is Really Only One Life, Only One Soul, Which Is The Life of God Within Each of Us, Within All of Creation." Date Written: April, 1989, Date Last Updated: July, 2004 Date Published: July, 2004 Written by: Shaikh Muhaiyaddeen (Louie Beutler) Written to: Rev. George. A. Johnson, Nigeria, Africa Go To: Outline of Spiritual Letter - for Page 14 Go To: Text of Spiritual Letter - for Page 14 Home Page - Spiritual Letters Spiritual Letter 03 Letter 01: Oiginal Version Library Home Page Spiritual Letter 02 Letter 01: Related Material Page 14 of 16 Go To Table of Contents - Spiritual Letter 01 Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Al-salam 'alaykum wa-rahmat Allah wa barakatuhu kulluhu. Wa 'alaykum al-salam wa-rahmat Allah wa-barakatuhu kulluhu. May all the peace, the beneficence, and the blessing of God be upon us all. May God help us all. My love you (anbu), my dearest loving brothers and sisters - Shaikh Muhaiyaddeen (Louie Beutler). Outline of Spiritual Letter - for Page 14 67. A Little Bit More - about the life and teaching of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him, and of His Children (may God be pleased with each of Us) 68. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) - is not a place or a person, and neither are we 69. Who Are We? - in truth, we are One, we are the "Oneness of God and True Man" 70. Why Does An Apple Seed Germinate? - because it becomes aware that it is an apple seed, that it is buried within the earth, and that the earth contains everything necessary for the apple tree hidden within it to grow 71. Our Inside versus Our Outside - in this way, our wisdom must reason over our fate, the qualities of our inner selves must win over the qualities our outer selves 72. Why Do We Germinate? - to complete God's intention within us 73. The Two Parts To The Remembrance of God - to the Zikr, are "I am not", and "You Are" 74. What Prevents Us From Germinating - is our desire for anything other than God, for anything other than the "Oneness" that is God, that keeps our soul, our "Oneness" separated from God, that keeps our soul, which is Jesus (peace be upon Him) crucified on the cross of our elemental body, so we can sin, so we can continue to live a life of "separation and differences" with our brothers and sisters in the world that we collectively see in our ignorance as existing on the "outside" of us Text of Spiritual Letter - for Page 14 67. A Little Bit More - about the life and teaching of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him, and of His Children (may God be pleased with each of Us) What follows my loving brother is a collection of things that have come into the heart of this child since he physically met Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) 14 years ago. Please keep in mind my loving brother that we are but one life. Those of us that sat here with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) sat here for everyone, not for ourselves. All that we have experienced is the common wealth of mankind. We belong to you and to all of mankind and what we have experience also belongs to everyone. So, please remember my loving brother that we are one life. And as one life, all that you have experienced sitting there with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) also is the common wealth of mankind. 68. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) - is not a place or a person, and neither are we Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) is not a place or a person. It is the light of truth within every life that has been and always will be guiding and directing every life. So you have been with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) as much as anyone else. There is no way not to be with him. The only difference perhaps, is did you realize it. Since we had the physical presence of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him), for a while, perhaps we realized it a little more. If there is a difference, that is the only difference my loving brother. Please always remember this point. 69. Who Are We? - in truth, we are One, we are the "Oneness of God and True Man" As you think about this point, my loving brother, ask yourself the question, "Who wrote the letter that you sent to us?" When we read the letter we knew who sent it. It was Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him), it was wisdom, who sent the letter, not you. Therefore, we knew who must answer it. Again, it must be Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him), it must be that same wisdom who would answer the letter, not us. Please realize my loving brother, that only the wisdom within your own life could have written that beautiful letter and only the wisdom within our lives could have responded in this beautiful way. So, my loving brother, who are we? 70. Why Does An Apple Seed Germinate? - because it becomes aware that it is an apple seed, that it is buried within the earth, and that the earth contains everything necessary for the apple tree hidden within it to grow One day Bawa asked the question, "Why does a seed germinate?" Now the world tells us that a seed germinates because it has been placed in the earth and there is the proper combination of water, air, and temperature. But Bawa said this is not really why a seed germinates. Bawa said that a seed germinates because, "The apple seed becomes aware that it is an apple seed, that it is buried in the earth, and that the earth contains necessary for the apple tree hidden within it to grow." "Then the earth becomes aware that the apple seed is now aware that it is an apple seed, that it is buried within the earth, and that the earth contains everything necessary for the apple seed hidden within it to grow." "Then out of this mutual awareness, the earth surrenders to the apple seed and the apple seed surrenders to the earth. And that is why an apple seed germinates. That is why an apple seed gerrminates, through awareness, not through the influence of the 5 elements, of earth, fire, air, water, and ether, but rather through the realization, understanding, acceptance, and the joining with of the "truth of itself", with the truth that emerges from within it, when it is ready to hear it, and to either accept or reject the "truth of itself", either germinating, either joining with the earth to destroy of the apple seed and reveal the apple tree, or rejecting the "truth of itself". "instead continuing to live buried within the earth, continuing to protect itself from the earth, until it dies, until it rots in the earth and is gradually absorbed into the earth, forever breaking its connection to the story of the apple tree within the story of the apple, that it came from the apple tree and apple, to join with the earth, to tell." Like that, Bawa teaches us that we are but the seed of God within God. If we become aware of this truth with absolute faith, certitude, and determination, and realize that only God contains what would make this seed germinate, then God will become aware of this awareness. It is within this state of awareness that this seed surrenders to God and God surrenders to this seed. And it is only then that this seed of God germinates. And if this happens, my loving brother, then the example of God for the world, the example of the eternal tree of God, the example of True Man, grows within God. This is the point of our life. This is surrender my loving brother. This is death before death. If we look at a seed of a tree, do we see the tree? No. But Bawa teaches us that it is there and that it is eternal. Trees may come and go but the tree within the seed is eternal. Like that, the world speaks of the prophet Jesus (A. S.) may God be pleased with him and the prophet Muhammad (Sal.), may the peace and blessings of God be upon him. But who has ever really seen them. They are the tree within the seed of God and they are eternal. Now if a seed of a tree germinates a physical example of the eternal tree within the seed is seen within the world for a certain period of time and then the example will leave the world. But the eternal tree within the seed will never die or never leave. Like that, if a seed of God germinates then the physical example of the eternal tree of God, of Jesus (A.S.), of Muhammad (Sal.), and of all of the prophets and angels and heavenly beings, is seen within the world for a certain period of time and then this example too will leave. But like the eternal tree, the eternal prophet, the eternal tree within the seed of God, will never die or never leave. Now, my dearest loving brother, if we look at a tree what do we see? Now perhaps we say, "We see a tree". Now if we think about it a little more we may say, "We see a tree that has grown from a seed". Is this not the way we usually look at it, my loving brother. However, a wise man would look at a tree and see both the seed and the tree and the relationship between them. He would realize that this relationship between the seed and the tree is telling him something about his relationship with True Man. Also, he would look at the tree and the power within the tree as telling him something about the relationship between True Man and God. Next, he would look at the tree and the fruit on the tree as telling him something about the relationship between True Man and the world of the souls. Finally, he would look at the fruit on the tree and the seed of the tree within the fruit as telling him something about his relationship with his soul and the wisdom that surrounds it. Now, my loving brother, when we look at a tree with our mind and desire we are caught by the example of the tree but we miss the point of the example. The physical tree is but an example of what is contained within the seed, of what is eternal within the seed, of what can only be seen by what is eternal. The tree is but an example of something totally beyond the example of a tree, of something that does not begin and end. The tree is but a finger pointing to its eternal source, to the eternal source of all of creation. This is what a wise man would realize when he looked at a tree. Also, as the eternal tree is contained within the physical seed the eternal seed is contained within the physical tree and when the physical tree, this example of the eternal tree, reaches maturity, the physical seed, this example of the eternal seed, will appear again, will it not. In addition, the physical tree is in unity, in a state of oneness, with the physical power within the tree. It is this physical power within the tree, this power that has no form that is the real tree, the tree within the tree. It is this state of oneness between the physical tree and the physical power within the tree that gives life to the tree, that produces the fruits of the tree, that gives life to the new physical seeds of the tree. Finally, this physical power within the physical tree is but an example of the eternal power within the eternal tree. What a wonder my loving brother. Alhamdulillah, all praise be to God. Therefore, when a wise man looked at a tree he would see the tree, the power within it, and both the seed within the earth, that it came from, and the seed it produced. He would realize that what he was seeing was but an example of the eternal tree within the eternal seed. He would also realize that what was really there, though he may not be able to physically see it, was the eternal seed, the eternal tree within the eternal seed, and the eternal power within the eternal tree. He would praise God for this example. Also, this wise man would realize that this example of the relationship between the eternal seed and the eternal tree is but itself pointing to the eternal relationship between the world of the souls and the state of True Man. He would realize that the soul within a human life is but the example of the seed of God within God, that this seed of God within the human life is the source of the example of God for the world, the tree of God for the world, and that a fully matured tree of God in the world, one who has realized and completely merged with God while still physically within the world, is but the source of the seeds of God for the world, is but the source of souls for the world of the souls. Finally, this wise man would realize that this example of the relationship between the eternal tree and the eternal power within the eternal tree are but themselves pointing to the eternal relationship between True Man and God and between God and True Man. He would realize that it is only True Man stepping out of the seed of God that brings the power of God into the world and that it is only the merging of this power of God with that True Man that once again creates the seeds of God for the world, the souls for the world of the souls. And he would realize that without this relationship between the power of God and True Man within the world there would be no seeds of God for the world, no world of the souls, and if there were no world of the souls there would be no life. Such is the importance of True Man in the world my loving brother. This is a point you must always remember my loving bother. What a wonder this power of God is my loving brother. What a wonder this creation of God called True Man, this example of God to the world, this source of the seeds of God, this source for the world of souls, is my loving brother. What a wonder this creation of God called our soul, this example of the seed of God within God, is my loving brother. What a wonder this creation of God called our life, this purified vessel for the virgin birth, is my loving brother. .And what a wonder the relationship among them is my loving brother. Alhamdulillah, all praise be to God. 71. Our Inside versus Our Outside - in this way, our wisdom must reason over our fate, the qualities of our inner selves must win over the qualities our outer selves Physical seeds and trees may come and go but the eternal seed of a tree and the eternal tree do not come and go, they are eternal. Like that, the physical life of man and the example of a true slave of God in the world may come and go, but the seed of God is eternal and the tree of God called True man is eternal. The physical life of man is but an example of the eternal seed of God. And a true slave of God in the world, the physical life of Jesus (A.S.), the physical life of Muhammad (Sal.), and the physical life of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him), and perhaps the physical life of each of us, is but an example of the eternal tree of God called True Man. Our physical life is but a seed of another life, a true life, an eternal life, a light life, an example of the eternal tree of God called True Man, the example of God to the world, and a life that has merged and ended within God. But like any seed, our physical life, this example of the eternal seed of God, if it does not germinate, it had no point, it had no value no matter how much we decorate it. Like this, Bawa teaches us that the only point of our life is God. If the example of God to the world does not happen within our own life, then our life had no point. The fact that Jesus (A.S.) was an example of God, and that Muhammad (Sal.) was an example of God, and that Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) was an example of God is really of no real value to us. It is only if we become an example of God to the world that our life will be of value. It is only then that these earlier examples were of value to us. If the example of the eternal seed of God, called our life, does not germinate and grow into the example of the tree of God, called True man, then our knowing about Jesus (A.S.), and our knowing about Muhammad (Sal.), and our knowing about Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) and our knowing about what was said by God at each of these times will have been of absolutely no value to us. We must understand this point. It is only if we become Jesus (A.S.) and it is only if we become Muhammad (Sal.) and it only if we become Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him) that any of these examples of the tree of God called True Man will have been of value to us. Please my loving brother, never forget this point. As the seed of a tree is really eternal, as the tree that emerges from the seed is really eternal, and as the power that gives life to the tree is really eternal, so the seed of God, called our life, is really eternal, the tree of God called True Man is really eternal, and the power which gives life to True Man, called God, is also eternal. All that we are really experiencing when we look at a tree is this eternal relationship between the seed of God, the Tree of God, and God, between our soul, the wisdom and qualities of God, and Truth, between the Truth and that which consciously emerges from the Truth, that which consciously emerges from the soul, as the wisdom surrounding the soul, the consciousness of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (may God be pleased with Him), is awakened within us. This is who we are my loving brother, we are the example of the seed of God within God and we must become the example of the tree of God within God, within our own life time, and as that example of the tree of God explain and demonstrate God to the world. There is no other point to our life. We and God are one, two aspects of the one, the Truth of God and the wisdom and beauty of God that explains and demonstrates that Truth of God to the world. And if we do this my loving brother then we will merge and end within God. What a wonder my loving brother. Alhamdulillah, all praise be to God. 72. Why Do We Germinate? - to complete God's intention within us After we realize this truth about our life, my loving brother, the question of our life, the point of our life, the focus of our life, becomes making this happen within our life, becomes making this example of the seed of God within our own life, germinate. Like this my loving brother, Bawa teaches us that we grew within God and now God must grow within us. But for God to grow within us the seed of God within us must germinate. When we look at ourselves we do not see the seed of God, but it is there. Bawa tells us it is there. When we look at ourselves we see a life, not the seed of a life, but the seed of the life of God, the life of True Man, is there. Bawa tells us it is there. We must find out what it is we are really seeing when we look at ourselves and what it is that is really there. This is the path of wisdom my loving brother. Bawa tells us that nothing is as we see it, and that everything is as wisdom see it. Bawa teaches us that until that wisdom, that True Man, is born within us, all that we are really seeing is the state of arrogance, karma, and illusion that has grown within us, the state of the elemental lives that have grown within us. In this state we are not seeing who we really are. We are not seeing the seed of God within us. Therefore, in this state of ignorance, this state without wisdom, everything that we see is but a reflection of our own ignorance. So, my loving brother, if we look at ourselves and see a life separate from God and a life separate from each other, then what we are really seeing is not who we are, but the life of separation, of selfishness, and of differences that is separating us from who we are. Bawa teaches us that the first step on the path to God is faith and trust in God. Standing on this faith and trust in God, we must reject all that we have previously placed our faith and trust in, other than God. My loving brother, this is how Bawa teaches us to walk back to God, this is what Bawa speaks of as the remembrance of God, the Zikr. 73. The Two Parts To The Remembrance of God - to the Zikr, are "I am not", and "You Are" Bawa teaches us that there are two parts to the remembrance of God, this Zikr. The first part is the understanding and rejection of the falsehood within us that is covering the truth within us, and the second part is the embracing and affirmation of the truth within us. Bawa tells us that the first part of the Zikr is the understanding and rejection of the elemental lives that have grown within us, the life of self and selfishness within us, the life of arrogance, karma, and illusion within us, the rejection of who we think we are, the rejection of what we think we know and what we think we have done, and the rejection of all that we have previously placed our faith and trust in, other than God. Bawa teaches us that the second part of the Zikr is the embracing and affirmation that God is the true life within our own life, that our life is the seed of God within God, that only God can make that seed germinate, that only that Sun of God, that light of God within us, that which is born out of that seed of God, that truth of God, can walk the path back to God, can understand and explain the wisdom of God to the world, or can demonstrate the qualities and duties of God to the world. Like this, my loving brother, Bawa teaches us that until wisdom dawns within us we have never seen anything as it truly is. We have only seen reflections of our own arrogance, karma, and illusion. We must realize that this is the state that we are in before that seed of God within us is germinated, that this is what we have so far experience within our life. Bawa tells us that we must realize with absolute faith, certitude, and determination in God that what we have experience so far in our life is not who we truly are, that what we have experienced so far in our life is but the falsehood within us that is covering the truth within us. Bawa teaches us that if we can but reject all that we see, and know, and understand, and have personally experienced as false, if we can reject our own life as we know it as false, and embrace what the wise man in our life has given to us as the ideals of God, the ideals that we have not yet understood or personally experienced, as true, simply because of our faith and trust in God, and simply because of the wisdom of God that has come into our life through the wise man, then we will be transformed into a new form of life, a light life, a life of wisdom, that lives within, understands, and explains the Truth of God to the world, and that demonstrates the Truth of God to the world as the qualities and duties of God. This is faith in God my loving brother. This is the remembrance of God my loving brother, this is Zikr. This is the eternal life of God that can dawn within us and bring comfort and peace to the whole world. Bawa teaches us that this is our true birthright, this is our true heritage, this is our true roots. 74. What Prevents Us From Germinating - is our desire for anything other than God, for anything other than the "Oneness" that is God, that keeps our soul, our "Oneness" separated from God, that keeps our soul, which is Jesus (peace be upon Him) crucified on the cross of our elemental body, so we can sin, so we can continue to live a life of "separation and differences" with our brothers and sisters in the world that we collectively see in our ignorance as existing on the "outside" of us So, in this state of self, this state of arrogance, karma, and illusion, when we look at ourselves, and when we look at our brothers and sisters, we do not see the seed of God, we see the life of darkness that has grown over the seed of God, the life that prevents the seed of God from germinating. On day Bawa said, "Falsehood only occurs by covering the truth". This means that falsehood has no life of its own, it only occurs because there is truth. If there were no truth there would be no falsehood. Falsehood is that which has the duty of hiding, of concealing the truth. So, falsehood cannot occur unless truth is there. Like that, my loving brother, this life of self that we are experiencing, this life of separation, of selfishness, of differences, of arrogance, karma, and illusion is but the life of falsehood covering the truth within us. And this life of falsehood that we are experiencing could not occur if the truth were not within us. We must realize that this life of falsehood can only occur because the truth is within us. To wisdom, the falsehood within us is proof that the truth is within us. What a wonder my loving brother. Alhamdulillah, all praise be to God. So, my loving brother, the reason we do not see the seed of God within us is that we are in the state of ignorance, the state of self, the state of arrogance, karma, and illusion. And in this state of ignorance we tightly hold onto this life of falsehood as the answer to the question "Who are we?". And then from this life of falsehood, this life of self, we try to answer the question of "Who is God?" and we pray to and worship that answer. However, in the state of falsehood, the state of self, the only God that we can pray to and worship is the god created in the image of the self, a god of falsehood. Bawa teaches us that God has no self, that God is selfless, that God is one with all life, that God is love and duty, that God is the life within all life, that God is what understands and helps all life. This is not a God created from the state of self, this is the God understood and worshipped from the state of wisdom. And this is the path that we must walk if our intention is truly for God. End of Page 14 of 16 of Spiritual Letter 01 - outline & summary version - ...................................... or Go To Spiritual Letter 01: Table of Contents Original Version Related Material or ( a top-down version of the Library Home Page) (a bottom-up version of the Library Home Page) |
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