A Day of Dances of Universal Peace to Celebrate the Approach of the Spring Equinox
With Jilani and Robert
Saturday 15 March 2025 10.30 for 11 am start, 4.30pm finish
Cilgerran Village Hall, High Street, Cilgerran, Cardigan, Wales SA43 2SQ
In between the pillars of the Day and the Night We walk through the doorway from the Dark to the Light: the Light of Renewal, the Light of Rebirth – Light of the Earth!’
The Spring Equinox is the time of the transition from the dark of winter to the lighter half of the year. It is also the time of new birth, when daffodils bloom, lambs leap, and the earth warms with hope for a new season of growth as tender green shoots begin to appear.
On this day we will dance with simple steps and chant sacred phrases together, with our focus on our own tender shoots, and on how best to support and nourish our growth at this time. We will call on the Light of Renewal, the Divine Light, to sustain us and guide us as we grow.
All welcome! Croeso i bawb!
£30 full day (£25 if paid before 16 February) £16 half day (ask if you’d need a concession) Please bring vegetarian food to share for lunch. Teas will be provided. Tasty snacks are welcome too!
Jilani will also lead a Sufi Zikr on Friday evening at 7.30pm, at a venue near Newport, for an additional donation (we suggest around £10, but according to your means). Numbers are limited so booking is essential.
If you would like to join us for the Zikr, please contact Emma: emmaoftheearth@hotmail.com 07887 622188 or 01239 821118.
For bookings and practical information about the Saturday workshop including the venue, please contact Sally Davies: saldavies@hotmail.com or 07766 213606
For information about the content of the workshops, please contact Jilani: jilanicordelia@gmail.com or 07966 451534
‘You don’t need to have any experience of this type of group to enjoy it and feel uplifted…The movement and singing is spiritual and peaceful.’ – Lorraine
“Their events that I have experienced are really uplifting and thoughtful and make me feel like I’ve found a soul family.” – Claire
Jilani Cordelia and Robert Salik lead dance events and retreats around the UK, across Europe and beyond. Their workshops are always a safely held space to explore more of who you really are, supported and enchanted by beautiful live music and gentle, meditative movement. Both Jilani Cordelia and Robert Salik are dance leaders certified in the Leaders Guild of Dances of Universal Peace International. Jilani is also a dance mentor, and a guide in the Sufi Ruhaniat International. Jilani and Salik are delighted to be returning once again to Wales, to a land and a community very close to their hearts. We are looking forward to dancing with you!
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.
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.
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.
3 days Dance Deepening and Leadership Training, and 5 days Retreat.
Yarrawarra is an indigenously owned retreat centre in a stunning location near the beach. Nearest airport is Coffs Harbour. We will also enjoy cultural activities.
All welcome! No experience required.
For registrations and enquiries contact the Registrar: Sabira Jane +61 499 652 804
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.
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.
Guided by Christina Gulzar Lausevic and Jilani Cordelia Prescott
A two year course including four residential retreats in beautiful and comfortable venues
This programme is for everyone who is interested in the Dances of Universal Peace, including mentored leaders, and also those new to the path of Dance Leading.
We invite you to embark on this deeply enriching and exciting journey with us, not only on your path as a Dance Leader, but also as an opportunity for profound personal development, spiritual growth and self-discovery. Jilani and Gulzar are currently the only mentors offering a Dance Leader training course in the UK. After running our highly successful course in 2017/18 and again in 2020/21 we are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity for a third time in 2024.
YOUR GUIDES
Jilani Cordelia Prescott trained as a classical musician, and has over 30 years of teaching experience. Her main focus is now leading the Dances. She has led Dance and Sufi retreats, teacher trainings, and camps across the world. She is also a Sufi guide, and acts as the Facilitator on the Board of Trustees for the Sufi Ruhaniat International. Her passion is to work with people, enabling them to shine more fully as themselves, and to share their gifts with others.
Christina Gulzar Lausevic is a highly experienced teacher, having been a teacher and teacher educator in her first career. She is engaged in Dance Leading and developing Dance Leaders in many countries. Trained as a Facilitator in personal and collective transformation, she founded Emergent Space with her partner, with whom she runs Retreats. Gulzar is passionate about how the Dances help people heal and awaken to their highest potential.
ASPECTS OF DANCE-LEADING TO BE STUDIED
Breath Practices
Voice Work
The Sacred Phrase
Leadership Skills
Developing Magnetism
Spiritual Walks
Dance Repertoire
Musicianship
Confidence
The Dances as a Healing Practice
Energetic Holding Skills
History and Background of the Dances
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS TRAINING PROGRAMME?
We will guide and support you on this journey every step of the way. Included in this 2 year training are:
Four residential training retreats, including 16 nights full board accommodation. The retreats are held in comfortable and beautiful venues with expansive grounds. We will have sole use of these country houses for our own group. Between these live trainings, you will be supported in your unfolding development with regular group video conference calls (16 calls, or 24 hours in total).
As a Dance Leader, you will:
Find and develop your unique voice as an expression of your heart and soul
Expand your Dance repertoire and deepen in the spiritual traditions and practices of the world
Develop an understanding of the power of sacred mantra and the energetic and healing effects of sound
Develop your musicianship and learn how to embody a greater sense of rhythm
Explore how different Dances support our grounding and expansion in different ways
Understand group harmonisation and how you can use this to support healing and transformation
Expand your energetic range so that you can embody different qualities, elements and polarities at will
Develop your capacity to speak to peoples’ hearts and open them with your words
Allow your gift to flow through you from a place of empowered surrender and magnetic presence
Discover practical marketing tools to help you to take your transmission of the Dances out into the world
Explore how to adapt the Dances for various situations and needs, to support a wide range of communities
Many Dance Leaders, even those who have already completed a training, still feel held back in their leading, or in putting themselves out there in their communities. In this particular training, with its added focus on supporting you with personal development as well as leadership ability, we aim to help you from the start to discover and overcome potential obstacles to being a successful and magnetic Dance Leader. Both Jilani and Gulzar are trained and very experienced teachers and guides, and a particular skill they share is to see your gifts and to let these unfold joyfully and with ease.
We will help you to be the best Dance Leader you can possibly be.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
Residential Retreats in two beautiful country house retreat centres, in Northumberland and Cheshire, both easily accessible by air, rail and road.
Please also let us know when you have completed the form. If you are successful we will offer you a place and send you payment details.
Prices
Investment: £3670
Reduced price for full payment received by 18th October 2024: £3470
Supplement for a guaranteed single room on all retreats: please add £240
Subsidised price for people who have completed a training with us before: Deduct £200
Deposit to secure your place: £400 (non-refundable – this is less than what we need to pay the venues to book your place)
Absolute deadline for all bookings: 5th February 2025
We prefer people to pay in full if they are able to do so, due to the high non-refundable deposits we have to pay to the venues. If you need to set up an instalment plan, please contact us as soon as you can. We will work to find a suitable arrangement for you and for us, taking into account our fixed expenses and costs.
Bursaries: We hope to be able to offer some generous bursaries to those who would really need one in order to attend. Please contact us to discuss your needs. And if anyone would like to donate to our bursary fund, to support someone else attending, it would help immensely – please let us know.
For more information, click on the links to contact Jilani or Gulzar
TESTIMONIALS
I really value and honour the visible and invisible work you’ve been doing, inviting me in a very sensitive way to explore some paths where I wouldn’t have been by myself. I felt really safe and joyful about the way you’ve been holding the group and all the training.Thank you. (Solène Garrin – France)
Your capacity of listening and channelling all the situations was impeccable. Keep going please! Congratulations! (Juan Nuraddin – Spain)
I grew up so much! Thank you!!!!! I’m so grateful…(Paloma – Belgium)
Jilani and Gulzar know what they are doing. You can trust them. (Sarah McCulloch – UK)
“Wow! No words! It was amazing”
“A very sensitive way to explore some paths where I wouldn’t have been by myself.”
“I would highly recommend this pair of very gifted and experienced dance leaders. Thank you so much.”
“Beautiful holding of a very diverse group.”
“I have attended two training courses before, and on this one my heart has felt safe enough to open fully to feel joy and pain, and to connect with the Divine within.”
“Gulzar and Jilani create a safe, warm, heart-centred, non-judgemental space in which to overcome fears about leading dances.”
Jilani and Salik warmly welcome you to join us for our celebration of the return of the Light this year at Om Yoga Works.
Gather together with like-minded friends in a heart warming celebration at the Celtic festival of the Winter Solstice.
Using chant and movement, with the Dances of Universal Peace, we invite you to open your hearts to the light and to each other.
The Winter Solstice can be a time to look back and reflect, but also to look ahead, to dream into the coming year, and to rejoice in the light returning. We will feel into and explore the nourishment and regeneration of this time of fertile darkness, and we will rejoice in the rebirth and returning of the light. We will work with simple sacred chants and movements, beautiful live music, powerful breath practices, and sharing; and the power of ritual and ceremony.
Everything will be clearly guided and held. All are welcome, whether you are new friends or old.
If you’d like to join us for a shared meal afterwards, please bring a contribution of something delicious to share. Read more about the Dances of Universal Peace at www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org
The Khankah of the Heart is a vision of a Sufi community, a Khankah, based not in a building of bricks and mortar, but in the relationships between the deep and loving hearts of its members. All fervent seekers are welcome to join, whether new to this or having been walking the path for many years. The core of this community will be the practices and teachings of Murshid Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti (Samuel Lewis) and the Sufi and Dance lineages that he birthed. Dances of Universal Peace will be central to our group practice. In our experience and understanding, the Dances of Universal Peace are rooted in the whole of S.A.M.’s teachings and practices including the Walks and that they will flourish more fully, firmly attached to their roots from which they can not be separated.
Last year Jilani Cordelia Prescott & Shamsia Sandra Sunfire initiated our gathering together with a shared purpose. The Khankah of the Heart is envisioned to meet in different places at different times with different people guiding us through retreats. We are living in the UK but retreats here will welcome those from other countries and future retreats could also be held in other countries. This particular retreat will be 16th-19th January 2025, from supper on Thursday to after lunch on Sunday, at the Oblate Retreat Centre, Crewe, UK. Further details are on the attached flyer. The retreat will happen just after the Urs of Samuel Lewis, the anniversary of his death, of when he returned to the Source from which he came. There is a hope to expand this to a week long annual retreat, with other online and in person gatherings keeping us in touch in between. The retreats are envisioned to serve and nourish the Sufi community and friends, wherever we may call home, returning to our home in the heart, our Khankah of the Heart, where we can gather to “eat, dance and pray” together.
We are guided by our teachers.
“One who has learned friendship has learned religion; the one who has learned friendship has attained spiritual knowledge. The one who has learned friendship need learn very little else; morals in Persian is friendship” (Hazrat Inayat Khan)
“…real meetings are mergings; they change the parties involved leaving them more fully themselves.” (Murshid SAM)
We follow in their footsteps, walking with them.
As Mentors and Dance Leaders we strongly feel that in order for the transmission of the Dances of Universal Peace to be healthy and complete, we need to provide opportunities for Dance Leaders and potential Dance Leaders, to deeply experience SAM’s Dances & Walks, teachings and practices. This can provide strong roots for DUP to grow and bloom anew, setting new seeds for future growth in our young people.
We are applying for grants to start an ongoing bursary fund to enable us to support those encountering financial difficulties to be able to join us. This will be available to all including those who will in future serve and support our communities, the young people. We recognise that these are challenging times and that financial challenges are becoming more widespread and that a bursary fund will help our community to be more supportive and inclusive. If you are experiencing abundance and feel inspired to support our bursary fund, please contact us.
We are grateful for the grant we received from Dances of Universal Peace International for this retreat. If bursary help would be necessary for you to be able to join us, please get in touch.
We are committed to exploring sustainable ways to continue to gather as a Sufi Community, financially and based on caring for the Earth’s limited resources. This venture has been unfolding in our hearts and our lives each and every time we meet, we nurture and pray for its past, present and future.
