597. Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri

Sufi mystic and visionary Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri is an enlightened spiritual master. His life and works serve as a reminder that spirituality is a science and an art vitally relevant to our times. Shaykh Fadhlalla grew up in an environment where religious scholars, as well as Sufi and mystics, were part of his formative experience. His love and understanding of the universality of the Qur'anic message have imbued him with respect for other religions and spiritual paths.

Websites:

shaykhfadhlallahaeri.com
zahrapublications.pub

Books mentioned during the interview:

Son of Karbala: The Spiritual Journey of an Iraqi Muslim
Sufi Encounters: Sharing the Wisdom of Enlightened Sufis
Spectrum of Reality: Sufi Insights
The Garden of Meaning

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 1, 2021

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview
00:03:45 - The Curiosity of a Child
00:07:51 - The Dichotomy of Earthly and Spiritual Desires
00:11:57 - The Inner and Outer Self
00:15:55 - Preparation for Infinite Life
00:19:44 - The Filter of the Brain
00:23:28 - The Shift into a Higher Consciousness
00:27:16 - The Progress of Consciousness
00:30:58 - The Influence of Consciousness on Animals
00:34:36 - Awakening to the Higher Within
00:38:38 - Reverencing the Divine Light within us
00:42:15 - Learning from a Spiritual Teacher
00:46:01 - Celebration of the Soul's Journey Beyond
00:49:57 - The Decline of Fundamentalism and the Rise of Universal Spirituality
00:53:48 - The Emergence of Spirituality and Technology
00:57:27 - The State of the Garden Within Me
01:01:22 - Losing the small self
01:05:07 - Living a Full Life without Denial
01:08:58 - The Cosmic Justification for Suffering
01:12:31 - Wealth Distribution and the Future
01:15:53 - The Value of Suffering
01:19:12 - The story of the scorpion and the saint
01:22:48 - Liberation and Freedom
01:26:42 - Inner Freedom and Liberation
01:30:22 - Inner Freedom and Reconciliation
01:34:04 - Creating a Community in Messina, Texas
01:37:35 - Books and Connections with Shaykh
01:41:19 - Trusting the Cloud and the Aversion to Institutionalizing Things
01:44:43 - The Essence Within Us
01:48:06 - The Outer and Inner Self
01:51:48 - Awakening to the High Treasure