Al Taballahi Minash Shaitanir Rajim Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alaminir Rahmanir Raheem Maalikiyum-e-Din Yaakana Budu wa Yaakana Stainan Dinah Siratul Mustaqim Siratul Ladinanam Ta'alaheem Hayorum Aktub Ya'alayhim Wa La'dalin Amin,
Amin This is Mark Silver with Heart of Business.
That was the full Fatihah invocation.
And this is our Monday Remembrance and Compassionate Accountability call for June 17th,
2019.
It's so easy to go rushing headlong into a week,
Especially a week that may seem really full,
Or has a lot of emotional content.
It has deadlines coming up.
And I just want to invite you,
And me,
Invite all of us to stop.
There's a Sufi teaching that says that the only power that the self has is the power to cover over the truth.
And so,
Uncovering the truth is often just about stopping,
Remembering,
And letting our hearts see the true path,
To see what's truly here.
Often when we feel like we need to do the most is when we need to stop,
Even when there is going to be a lot of action asked of us.
I'm inviting each of us to stop.
I'm inviting you to stop.
Stop everything.
And sometimes,
In order to stop,
We need to soothe our nervous system a little bit.
Sometimes I've asked myself,
Am I safe in this moment?
And I can scan my environment and I can see that whatever fears I might have about what's coming in the future,
That in this moment I am safe.
In this moment I am protected.
In this moment I am sheltered and that all is good.
It is okay to soothe your nervous system first before trying to leap into action,
Or before trying to leap into the tranquility of the heart.
It's okay,
Little one.
It's okay,
Self.
It's okay.
You're safe in this moment.
Allah.
And in that safety,
Bringing your attention to your heart,
High up in your chest,
And beginning to call the name of the Divine through the open doorway of your heart.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
And the voice of the self can pop up,
Is this enough?
Have I stopped enough?
Is it time to get going again?
And if you have any willpower at all,
Use your willpower to help yourself remain stopped.
Not doing harm to yourself,
But just staying focused.
There can be so much happening all around us.
And our nervous system is designed to help us find threats.
And so it's extremely normal for us to have our gaze and our attention flitting around like the predators and hunters that we are genetically.
And it's up to the heart,
To our Divine Self,
To the deeper awareness that is available to us,
To let that part of ourselves,
That capability to rest and to stop and to stay focused.
Letting our third eye stay focused on our heart,
And letting our heart stay focused on the source of love.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
And just taking your time,
Being with your heart,
And taking cues from your heart's attention on the source of love,
To see whether there's any movement or action that is being asked of you.
Not following your mind,
Not following outside signals,
Not following your antsiness.
What does your heart say,
As my Shaykh used to say to us?
Your heart,
What does she say?
Listening deeply,
Bringing your awareness there as your heart remains focused on Allah,
On the oneness,
The source of love.
Allah.
Allah.
Right now there's a fly buzzing around my room.
It can be so easy to give that fly my attention.
It's a practice of what someone I know used to call inclusive awareness,
To know that the fly is there,
To not shut the world out,
But to have your focus,
Your attention on love,
On the oneness.
Allah.
Allah.
Allah.
And as we come near the end of this particular remembrance,
Your heart,
What does she say?
What does she show you?
Hmm.
And finding any authentic gratitude or appreciation for anything that you've experienced here,
Letting yourself express that to the One.
Bringing your attention back.
Allah.
