Songs of One Breath is a weekly online space with Jilani Cordelia Prescott to explore the direct, joyful experience of mysticism through practice. Each Friday she shares chants, mantra, breath practices and body prayer drawn from a range of traditions, offered as grounding, comfort, and a pathway of the heart toward deeper connection and spiritual freedom. You are warmly invited to join live on Zoom (or via Facebook Live) at 2.30pm London time, and it is free. If you enjoy the class or the podcast, and would like to support Jilani’s work, donations are welcome via PayPal.
‘Those who love, and loving, pour forth radiance;
These are the Sons and Daughters of God-‘
(Murshid Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti)
Excerpts from Githas on Dhyana: Meditation by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis
One going to one’s meditation feeling, “God is my Teacher, I have something to learn, I will listen attentively,” will be rewarded with the greatest blessing, receiving in the Silence and Meditation that which they are capable of understanding, and by this gradually their purpose of life will be unfolded. [Series I, Number 4 (A)]
One can never meditate too much. This does not mean going into one’s closet, but it means keeping the heart fixed on God, to keep the mind fixed on the invocation, every moment day and night, so the very breath will keep on calling, “Towards the One.” Then the hour will arrive some time when the Talib will realize their true being. And what is that true being? It is God, the Only Being. [Series I, Number 5 (A)]
Spiritual practices that purify the breath make it possible for the breath also to be used as a vehicle of the soul…. the more the breath is purified, the easier it is for the heart to illuminate the mind.
One physical aspect of this is that the whole being is in rhythm in meditation. The body is at rest, the flow of the breath and blood is rhythmical, the mind vibrations become quiet, and gradually through long practice, all the functions of the mind such as thought, reason, memory, I- ness, become dormant. Sitting at ease or in posture, holding a divine thought, the heart gradually controls the mind and the inner light becomes visible, so to speak, before the naked eye. [Series III, number 1]
Allah is beyond all Attributes and Qualities, being All Essence. Understanding this, every breath can become a meditation wherein one puts full dependence upon Allah and there will be no moment which will not be a meditation, no moment of separateness from God. [Series II, number 3(A)]
Yet there is always need to enter into the silence above sound, and find the peace which is all-inclusive….As a person enters the silence, so does the silence enter into him or her. As one unites with the universe, so does the universe manifest in them. This is true, no matter what be one’s path or training. Ultimately one arrives at this destination. [Series II, number 7]