Thomas Merton on Sufism (CD) – Recordings of Thomas Merton’s lectures on Sufism to Novices from 1966-68

Product Description “For more than a year now I have been giving weekly talks on Sufism to the monks here.” Merton 1966-8 In the last two years of his life, Merton spoke to the novices on Sufism, which were recorded by brother Paul Quenon. That these are finally available is both remarkable and a truly moving gift to us all. In Merton’s words: “Sufis are after what we’ve after: the dissolution of one’s present status in order to be reintegrated on a new level.” “Actually, the ground of everything is within me and it is God, it’s within eerybody, too. There’s one ground for everyody, and this ground is the Divine Mercy. The people of the “unveiling,” that is to say the Sufis, ask the Mercy of God to subsist in them. The Mercy of God is not arranged in good and bad events for me, but it is subsisting in me all of the time.” “I am tremendously impressed with th solidity and intellectual sureness of Sufism. I am stirred to the depths of my heart by the intensity of Moslem piety toward His names, and the reverence with which He is invoked as the ‘Compassionateand Merciful.’ May He be praised and adored everywhere forever.” “This weekend – momentous visit of Sifi Abdeslam…I was so moved by the visit. he said I am very close to mystical union, and the slightest thing now can so to speak push me over the edge.” “Here’s frankly intellectual mysticism- with real roots. The Truth Itself smashing vanity and with no separation of knowledge and love.” Reviews Let it be said first of all the Merton's knowledge of Sufism was authentic and genuine. he saw in Sufism a living tradition in which techniquesof meditation, concentration, contemplation, invocation had been well preserved leading ultimately to principal and unitive knowledge (al-ma' rifah) which ultimately transcends the realm of multiplicity. Any study of the relation between Merton and Sufism is therefore of much value for not only a better understanding of Merton himself but also for the creation of deeper modes of comprehension between the inward and contemplative dimensions of Ilam and Christianity. -S.H. Nasr What Merton discovered was an opening into a spiritual universe parallel to his own. -William Chittick Merton] deeply appreciated the Sufi analysis of the human spiritual condition, the stages of the Sufi path, the struggle with the self, the question of inner authority, the matter of trials and testing, the final stage of extinction, and the prayer method called dhikr. -Bonnie Thurston