Quotes from Kabir Helminski

The person who makes all cares into one care the care for simply staying present will be cared for by that presence which is creative love.

Don't put it off, don't wait too long. When we truly commit ourselves to a spiritual path and practice, something in Reality rises up to support us. The destiny of what we're designed to be becomes real, and the fate of unconscious behaviors is avoided. Or, even if not avoided, our mistakes become learning experiences, blessed by some invisible Mercy. As Yunus Emre said, "Ever since the glance of the mature fell upon me, nothing has been a misfortune." (p. 5)

In our Tradition, we use the body to experience the presence of God. We can teach the body what it feels like to surrender to the Divine as our forehead touches the ground during prayer. This is something the body needs to tangibly experience. (p. 6)

One of our teachers in the early days of our Path said that one of the things not allowed of the dervish is fear. We cannot afford to be defeated by our fears. We may experience some really rough times so that we can come to know this. The rough times are a gift too. Everything can become a good. Sin can lead to virtue and fear can lead to something beyond fear. The truth is that everything ultimately is a mercy. (p. 9)

Silence is not a lack of words. Silence is presence itself. (p. 26)

Whatever any moment may bring, there is that unconditioned Reality, the Infinitely Compassionate, ar-Rahman, the Infinitely Merciful, the ar-Raheem. (p. 10)

Our first murshid (spiritual guide), Suleyman Dede, never claimed to do anything himself. When Suleyman Dede visited the United States, he said, "God brought me to this country, and He has taken me to all these different places, and He has arranged for these meetings to occur, for people to come, and He has made me say certain things. It is really amazing because I am not doing anything." (p. 10)

There's a transformative power that exists in the nature of Reality. There is something that can almost miraculously transform human beings. We need that. (p. 3)

Furthermore, we exist in a psychologically fragmented state, a state of continuous inner conflicts among the parts of ourselves. We have lost the principle of unity within ourselves. We are not only psychological polytheists, worshipping gods of our own creation, we are "polyselfists," because we have many selves and have not known our essential self.

Traditional Sufi wisdom teaches that we are the creation and manifestation of Infinite Love, and that every event and circumstance of our lives serves to awaken us and remind us that true happiness and security is to be found in the deepest center of ourselves where we are closest to that Infinite Love, where our true needs will be met. ~Shaikh Kabir Helminski

A drop that knows itself, knows the Ocean. (p. 80)

The word for paradise is actually "garden" or jannah in Arabic. Paradise is not just something that comes after this earthly life. The Qur'an says, The Garden will be brought near to all those who are in a state of Godconsciousness (Surah ash-Shu'ara 26:90). To all those who deepen in their remembrance, deepen in presence, The Garden will be brought near. (p. 101)

Coherence comes from a deep center, which is the heart. Ultimately it's the heart of the human being connected to Infinite Spirit. When the self is connected to the heart, and the heart is connected to God, you have coherence. It's really that simple. The practice we call "the remembrance of God" is the channel to that coherence. (p. 14)

In our tradition, God says, "The heavens and the earth cannot contain Me." We know there are billions of stars and galaxies. Yet the Divine is saying, "No, all of that cannot contain Me. Only the heart of my faithful servant, the knower, is expansive enough to contain Me." It's a very high truth. (p. 80)

All life is one and everything that lives is holy. Holiness is Reality. (p. 80)

When one whole human being meets another whole human being, there is no antagonism. Even if there is difference, there is respect, because the wholeness of one is not in conflict with the wholeness of the other. According