July 5, 2008 

"All beliefs are simply degrees of clearness of vision. All are part of one ocean of truth.
The more this is realized the easier is it to see the true relationship between all beliefs,
and the wider does the vision of the one great ocean become." — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Welcome to the HeartStream Pulse Newsletter!
The HeartStream Pulse is sent as a service to our HeartStream Sufi Community as a communications forum. The Pulse will include: notices whenever a personal need arises, services to offer, housing availability, items for sale, notices about interest/discussion groups, and community-related information to share.

Dedication of This Month's HeartStream Pulse
We dedicate this issue of the Pulse Newsletter to the memory of Hazrat Inayat Khan on his birthday this July 5th. We honor his great and tireless work of supporting our liberation by bringing Sufism back to its universalist roots in the West even at the cost of tremendous opposition and inconsistency among his followers.

This month's HeartStream Pulse may have events not yet posted on the current HeartStream Local Events Calendar.

Community Events and Classes:

"The Gathering" held on Summer Solstice

On June 21st we celebrated “The Gathering” and the Summer Solstice. It was a delightful, vibrant evening honoring the fullness of the Divine Mother and Father.

New Dance in Carmel - Come, Come Whoever You Are!


The new Carmel dance kicked off with more than 50 people. These dances are being held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula 490 Aguajito Rd, Carmel, 93923 every second Saturday beginning on June 14, 2008,
at 7:00PM. Led by Nancy Norris & Friends.

Specializing in LomiLomi Touch Therapy, Deep Tissue/Rolfing, Reflexology for Feet and Hands, Thai Stretch, and Shiatsu. His work has been experienced as “deeply profound and life changing”. A true master “bonesetter”. Appointments available 9 am-9 pm both days at The Garden 3070 Prather Lane, Santa Cruz. Call Janice Thurston 831-588-7496 for an appointment.

"Artemio is the most skilled healer I have been fortunate enough to meet. His level of trust and intuition breathes through his hands. He has the ability to "bone set" without pain or effort. Muscle relaxation and liberation for the body that lasts and lasts! A true master" Janice Thurston

The Vedic Birth Chart of Hazrat Inayat Khan
written on July 5, 2008 by Willa Keizer

Exactly 126 years have passed since the auspicious occasion of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s birth. This birthday in 2008 is particularly interesting from a Vedic perspective, as 126 years is considered the full life span of a human being in our current dark eon known as Kali yuga. In this article I will point out a few configurations that show us how the great blessings he gave to the world show up in his birth chart.

His rising sign, indicating his basic identity in the world, is Pisces, the sign of the Rishis, indicating the ocean of universal consciousness where all is One. We recall this concept with the invocation that we recite at the beginning of the Dances of Universal Peace and most other Sufi gatherings, “Toward the One….”

The lord of the ascendant, Jupiter, is in the third house of communication with disciplinarian Saturn and spiritual renunciate South Node (Ketu). This shows that Hazrat Inayat Khan had the discipline and the drive to write and communicate on spiritual matters.

Mercury in its own sign of Gemini in the fourth house of consciousness is a special combination that makes Hazrat Inayat Khan a “Maha Purush” or “Great Being” especially in the Mercurial areas of learning, writing and communicating. Indeed, he was a voluminous writer, to the great fortune of his followers. The Sun is also in Gemini, showing that his soul was dedicated to learning, making connections between ideas, and writing.

The planet that indicates his soul’s path in this life is Venus, showing a path of Bhakti yoga (devotion) and a loving compassionate heart in the maternal sign of Cancer. Cancer in the fifth house of students, containing Venus, is also the Arudha lagna or the sign that show his image in the world, and how he relates to others. Venus in Cancer also indicates the importance of music, and harmony on all levels, in his life and his work.

Saturn, South Node, and Venus all aspect each other in a special combination known as Tapasvi yoga, which is often prominent in the charts of spiritual renunciates, as well as people who have the devotion (Venus) discipline (Saturn) and selflessness (North Node) to accomplish something significant.

The North Node (Rahu) indicates going beyond boundaries and association with foreigners. It is placed in the ninth house of dharma or spiritual path. In Vedic tradition, North Node in the ninth house is considered a negative placement as it indicates a heretic who “pollutes” the “purity” of traditional teachings. From an outsider’s viewpoint, it shows someone who is willing to go beyond the boundaries of strict tradition, and combined with the Pisces ascendant, teaches the Oneness of all beings and all religions. Jesus, Buddha, and many other spiritual lights were also heretics in their time as they challenged the religious establishment with unconventional ideas, as Hazrat Inayat Khan did.

In Vedic Astrology, the placement of the moon (consciousness) is of utmost importance. Hazrat Inayat Khan’s moon is alone in the twelfth house of loss and suffering, aspected only by malefic planets that bring pain: Mars (anger) and Saturn (sadness). Moon is the lord of the fifth house of students, showing how he suffered greatly due to his students before meeting Murshid Sam. Moon alone in the twelfth shows a great deal of loneliness and isolation, which can be fruitful for a spiritual giant like Hazrat Inayat Khan; but terrible pain and desolation for average people. His teachings about the heart softening and opening through bearing suffering come from his personal experiences as indicated by this moon.

The Nakshatra (lunar constellation) occupied by the moon also gives insight into the primary state of consciousness of a person. Hazrat Inayat Khan’s moon is in the constellation of Purva Bhadra. This lunar constellation gives the power of spiritual fire, leading to an elevation of consciousness (yajamana udyamana shakti).

Purva Bhadra grants a universal view through internal purification. This raises up spiritual aspirations in life and takes one out of the domain of selfish behavior. It is ruled by Aja Ekapad, which is translated as a one footed goat and also indicates the Unborn One, the source of life, and the sacred fire (Agni) that is the source of all creation. Aja Ekapad is also known as a sea serpent, which is a symbol of the Kundalini serpent and shows the rising of spiritual energy up the spine as Kundalini Shakti.

Purva Bhadra means the auspicious front feet of a funeral cot. In India this funeral cot is used for cremation, at which time the soul achieves liberation from the body and the physical form is purified through fire. Therefore this constellation indicates fiery purification that leads to an awareness of Divine Oneness. This we know that Hazrat Inayat achieved as we know so well from his beautifully eloquent writings. With gratitude we thank the Great One for sending us such a compassionate teacher to share Divine Universal Truth with all.

Sally, Tessa and I were an inseparable trio. Together we traveled across America. Tessa, a Great Dane shared my home for twelve years. Sally, a thirty year old horse who had shared my life for the past twenty-five years was rarely far from sight. Sally treated Tessa as if she were her foal and Tessa would lay at Sally's front feet under her neck just like a foal does. They would play tag all the time together. Tessa died a year ago. I had the privilege to be with Sally when she died this month.

In the last weeks of Sally’s life, I noticed that my younger horse, Hobbit, remained close by her side. Sally had a tumor on her udder that I had to clean. Cleaning it was very painful for Sally and she would drop her head with the pain. When she did that, no matter where Hobbit was in the pasture, she would come running, nicker to her and stand so close that she would be touching Sally. Sally would lean into Hobbit until the pain subsided. I witnessed this act of love and caring every time I cleaned her wound. This to me was amazing to watch and a sacred experience to share with these two stunning horses.

I knew that Sally was dying but had postponed making an appointment with my veterinarian. However, I knew I was witnessing her final moments on the morning I went out to feed the horses and saw Sally leaning against Hobbit. What was unusual was that they didn't come up to where I feed them. They both nickered to me but didn't come over to the feeder. I knew that something was wrong so I walked out to them. Sally put her head into my chest and just leaned into me. I knew in that moment that she was dying.

I stayed with Sally while Hobbit went up to the feeder and began eating her breakfast. It was time to call the Vet. As I stood up to go Hobbit whinnied and came running down to where Sally was and just stood with her. Now for anyone who knows horses it’s a given fact that horses don't just walk away from their food. But on this morning Hobbit left her food to be with Sally. I watched this and was amazed. I noticed Hobbit kept looking up at her food but she wouldn't abandon Sally. They were totally in love with one another.

There are two other horses who share the same pasture. The older mare, after a little while stopped eating and came over and stood by Sally so Hobbit could go and eat. I watched these two mares take turns staying with Sally while the other went and ate a little. Never was Sally left standing there alone.

After I had made all the arrangements to bring Sally to the Vets I returned to the pasture. Sally was laying down and couldn't get up. I put a halter on her and tried to help her up. She just couldn't rise. The other three horses were standing near Sally so I went to catch them with the intention of putting them in their stalls but they wouldn't let me catch them. You have to understand that these horses are “pocket horses” which means they would crawl into your pocket if it were possible. Show them a halter and they put their heads in all on their own. So when I went to catch them and none of them would let me catch them I was shocked and, yes, kinda mad that they wouldn't let me get them away from Sally. Eventually I gave up on catching them and turned my attention back on my dying mare.

As Sally lay kicking and trying to get up, I stood as close as possible, holding her lead rope taut so she would know that I was there, keeping that physical connection while avoiding being hurt by her kicking. I just started to talk and calm her down. I told her that I wasn't going to leave her; that she knew how to do this; and all she had to do was go towards the LIGHT. “Go towards the LOVE” I repeated over and over and she calmed down and we entered the death process. With every kick and moan I could feel her leaving.

She started telling me how much she loved me and she shared some of her memories of our adventures together that I had forgotten. She went through our whole life together with me sobbing and listening to her as she showed me our life together. As I kept telling her that I loved her, my Great Dane, Tessa, came into our presence.

Sally saw her and told me “Look mom, Tessa's here” and Tessa said “Yes I am here and I have come to get you.” Sally raised her head and looked me in the eye one last time, told me thank you and how much she loved me and then said that she was going to go with Tessa now. She let out one last breath and she was gone. I saw her spirit rise up and go into this mercury energy veil and as I watch her go into this energy I saw her come out on the other side. She jumped up and she and Tessa rubbed their noses together, jumping around with joy to be together again. Then they both looked back at me and told me how much they love me and then they took off running just like they had done in the past. Then they stopped, turned around, looking at me once again. Sally did her famous nicker, Tessa barked, and they took off together. I was sobbing and, at the same time, so grateful to see the two of them together again. And to have been a part of both of their lives.

They both taught me what LOVE IS. Now comes the most amazing part of this experience. I was so focused on Sally that I didn't noticed that the other three horses were right behind me. As I was kneeling still holding tightly onto Sally's lead rope, the young filly that was standing right behind me came up and nuzzled me on my back. I turned to look at her and told her “thank you”. She looked me in the eye and bowed her head. Then I looked over at the other two mares and they too looked me in the eye and bowed their heads as well. I found myself bowing with them and in that moment a stillness came over us unlike any I have ever experienced. Everything was still. The ground was still, the trees were still, the air itself was still. There was TOTAL STILLNESS as the three horses and I bowed in love and respect to Sally.

Then there came this beautiful yellow hue over our whole property. It was in this moment that I knew what REAL REALLY IS. THIS MOMENT WAS REAL. Watching these three amazing horses bowing in love for the one who died is an experience that I will not ever forget. I NOW KNOW WHAT REAL IS.

Thank you to Hobbit, Poka Dot and Lexy for reminding me what REAL really IS. Thank you Sally for all the truth that you taught me during our life together. I will miss you. It was with you that I experienced ONENESS for the first time. The bond between us was unlike any I have ever experience with anything or anyone else. You changed and saved my life. May my life forever be changed and may I continue this change in all that I do with every breath that I take. May I take this experience with me always.

LOVE IS THE ANSWER
Sage

Sharing Baraca - The Talking Stick
Do you have something to share? We want to hear what inspires you, fills your heart, and makes you go Ahhhhhla. Please submit your article or story or ideas for an upcoming issue to Tofah Eileen.

Wish to Give it Back...

Over the past year a fair number of items have been left at The Garden. If any of these items sound like they might belong to you, please contact Jay Lev Shalom at jdravich@yahoo.com to have them returned. If Jay does not hear from you within a month he will either begin to wear your clothing or donate it to Goodwill Industries.

• A blue zippered sweatshirt, medium with 2 zippered pockets
• A thin black medium length woman’s jacket with hood. Size large (Liz Clairbourne)
• A light blue blouse with a Hawaiian type design
• A yellow and black rubberized rain coat- fairly heavy. (Joes Outdoor)
• A brown suede jacket. Lots of map quest papers in pocket and peace literature
• A red knit stocking cap
• A blue and red knit stocking cap
• A woman’s watch
• A pair of blue knit socks
• A woman’s black leather jacket

Happy Hunting!

SUFI EVENTS