Beshara in South-East Asia
Since 2000, 6 nine-day courses have been run in Jakarta and the mountains of west Java (2 courses were run in parallel on 5 occasions). More than 70 people have attended, many of them returning annually.
A group now meets regularly in Jakarta to study and converse.
Although most people attending the courses in Java have come from Indonesia, others have come from Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Spain, USA and Mexico.
Upcoming Courses
Nine-day Introductory Course
Near Jakarta: October 25 - November 2, 2008
Nine-day Reading Course
Reading of the Fusus al-Hikam
Near Jakarta, October 25 - November 2, 2008
Contacts
Rayanti rayantib@mitratriatma.com
Murida arida.wahyuni@se1.bp.com
Report from the Nine day introductory Course, Jakarta March 2008
The 9 days began with a common understanding of the reasons for attending the course. We were reminded that our purpose was not to seek anything other than the realization of who we are, where we come from and where are we going. The course built upon the ideas of Ibn 'Arabi. “Reality is ultimately One, and Being (existence as a concept) is identical with the One Existing Reality which is the source of all that has existence.” (The Twenty-nine Pages, Chapter on Being).
However true this may be, and lying within the deepest recesses of our hearts, there still remains in our minds the deeply rooted belief and idea of our self, intertwined with beliefs about religion and the culture in which we reside. Our misconceptions and misunderstandings occur on both sides, in our ideas about Ibn 'Arabi on the one hand and religion on the other. A lot of these beliefs and ideas have to be clarified and cannot just be swept away. Questions about good and evil, heaven and hell, sin, free will, and destiny are only some of the examples that need to be examined.
And so they were examined throughout the 29 pages. Each page was diligently read, each paragraph studied, every sentence scrutinized and the meanings of words uncovered. It was not always easy as tears flowed freely, patience was shown, a stance needing to be defended and submission a necessity. In the telling it sounds perhaps as though a battle took place, but actually it was peace that was being negotiated.
All of this was delivered and achieved in Love and Beauty. The inherent difficulty of the subject was made easier when patience assisted understanding, in a venue that was pleasant and a host most gracious.
The event ended with a heavy downpour, which not only added to the sadness that the course was ending but also the feeling of freshness and clarity shared among us. It was not 29 pages in 9 days, rather 9 days with the 29 pages. We were taken by a gentle hand and led through a journey.