Remembrance

The very first healing and spiritual practice that I teach to my students is doing the “Remembrance”.  This is also called “Dhikr of the heart” by my guide, Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal, in Music of the Soul (MOS).  This is a very easy practice to learn. It’s one you can do anywhere or anytime, yet essential to daily spiritual practice.

The first form generally taught is simply repeating the name of God over and over again – like a mantra.  You can do it out loud or silently.  Either way, the repetition of the name should be said from the heart, not the throat or the mind.  What does that mean?  Sidi talks about coming from the heart in everything.  He isn’t referring to our literal heart, but the heart of our soul.  Where is that and how do we remember from it?  If I were to ask you, “Who are you?” and you pointed to yourself, where would you point?  Usually everyone points to their chest.  This is the heart of the soul.  In order to transition from doing the Remembrance with my mind or my mouth, I used to imagine a mouth sitting in the center of my chest and having this “mouth” say the Remembrance.

Why do the Remembrance?  It does so many things for you.  Mostly it changes your focus from the outside world to the inside world, connecting you to your soul and to your connection to God.  It washes the heart of all the veils- the illusions that we have surrounded our heart that separates us from knowing who we really are and experiencing our connection to God.  Remembering the Name will change your state, if you let it, from confusion and chaos, to peace, love, and contentment.  One way to demonstrate this to yourself is to check the state of your heart before starting the Remembrance.  How peaceful do you feel, how far out does your heart expand, how safe do you feel, etc.   Then do the Remembrance for at least 20 minutes and then check the state of your heart again.  How much more expanded does your heart feel? How much more light is in your heart?

Each time you do the Remembrance you are asking Allah to come and wash you of anything that is not from the Light- to be “one with God”. The Remembrance connects your awareness into deeper and deeper levels of connection with the Divine. Sidi has used the metaphor that our soul is like a lamp.  Our lamps are so heavily covered in soot and rust that our light is barely visible.  Doing the Remembrance is like taking a Brillo pad and scouring those layers of dirt, soot, and rust off our lamps, inside and out, so that our lamps can shine brightly once again and give off light to help others can find their way through the darkness.

“When your heart is dark as iron, steadily polish yourself so that the heart may become a mirror, a beautiful shine reflecting from within. Although iron is dark and dismal, polishing clears the darkness away.”
– Rumi, “Mathnawi”

By regularly doing the Remembrance, the amount of peace and light that you carry in your heart will grow.  Sidi says that when a beginning student wants to know God, “he begins to remember the Name all the time. This remembering is necessary for him to become complete.  When he is complete he remembers Himself and no other.  Because he has become one with the Name, when he remembers the Name of God he also remembers himself.  He is the Mirror of God, for Him to see Himself reflected.  Each Remembrance cleans this mirror to reflect only the qualities of God.”

The Sufi word for remembrance is “dhikr” or “zikr”.  The perfection of the dhikr is a very high station.  In Music of the Soul Sidi says, “When the student makes the dhikr, he lives in the garden of the soul, in a high station.  As he says the Name, he speaks with his God, soul to soul.  It is necessary for him to be with his God all the time, not just when making dhikr; to be facing his God at any time, at any place, to be in constant dhikr.  For each person to be in remembrance of the Name continually, all his life, to be with God, not only in a certain time.  In this way he can reach God who is his Master.  Each time he remembers, he remembers himself, because he has returned to the source and there is no difference between him and his God.”  “When the Remembrance becomes complete in your being, you will see only one picture and know there is nothing, only He.”  “Everything becomes one in the deep essence of remembrance.”  “An hour of remembering is better than the worship of seventy years.””when you remember the Name of God, you live in the garden.  There are many gardens when you reach God, but He wants you to live in the garden of His Soul, now, not tomorrow! Not after you die, but now.”

“The Remembrance connects your awareness into deeper and deeper levels of
connection with the Divine. Through the process of Remembrance, your ordinary
awareness of life becomes extraordinary because you are no longer only living on the
surface of things. Your heart and your mind get connected into the Reality of God, and
you become attuned to the deeper movements of life. It’s like going from only hearing
the melody of a song to hearing the multi-harmonies that go along with it.
Many spiritual traditions talk about a phenomenon called “The Great Awakening.” It is
the moment when someone snaps out of a sleepy way of life and starts living as if the
connection between all of life matters. It is the moment when you go beyond the
monologue of personal experience and start to taste the richness of having your
version of reality be informed by a higher Intelligence, Wisdom, and Love. For many
people, that awakening is the greatest turning point in their lives. It orders everything
by a new set of priorities. It is what has brought to where you are in your life.
The Remembrance, then, is a way of acting on that awakening by deepening it, making
the experience of connecting more and more a part of your life, and utilizing it to
enrich and inform everything you do. ” – Adam Kayce

James Keeley teaches that “Spiritual Guidance has two signs: 1. It surprised us.  Insight is literally a new sight within.  It presents us with a perspective or information that we had not previously considered or seen in exactly that way. 2. It frees us from the trap of our dilemma.  As a result of this good news we no longer have only two choices.  A third option that we feel good about taking is now available to us.  These two characteristics are what distinguish Guidance from simply self talk or feeding ourselves a line.  Guidance results in resolution.”

From Sidi’s book, “The Secrets of the Heart”: “Among the qualities that lead to salvation, we can mention gratitude (ash-shukr), patience (as-sabr), fear (al-khawf), hope (ar-raja’), poverty (al-faqr), asceticism (az-zuhd), love (al-mahabbah, contentment (ar-rida), longing (ash-shawq), reliance on Allah (at-tawakul), reflection  (at-tafakkur), and accountability (al-muhasab) and there are many other good qualities.  These are the qualities of a heart inclined toward Allah (subhanahu wa-ta’ala) and this is the peaceful heart which Allah (subhanahu wa-ta’ala) mentions.   He says, “Hearts are made tranquil by the remembrance of Allah.” Qur’an 13:28″

Now that we have a glimmer as to why do Remembrance, let’s talk a little more about how to do Remembrance.  As I said earlier, Remembrance is simply repeating the name of God over and over again, like a mantra.  The name I prefer to use is Allah.  If you are like me and were raised in the USA, the name Allah is associated with lots of negative images of Islamic terrorists.  I eventually got over my preconceived illusions about the name Allah.  In fact, the name Allah predates Islam.  Initially when I started on this path, I was into feminism.  I chose to do remembrance with the name, Sophia.  You might be more comfortable with other names for God.  Try each of them for a while and just notice the what are the differences that each name brings.  Using sacred languages for the Names of God bring in a higher, purer light than names from more modern languages.  See my article about Sacred Language to get a deeper understanding as to why this is.

You can do the Remembrance using different Qualities.  There is a practice which uses seven Qualities known as “the Seven Words”, which are often used as a Remembrance practice.  Ya Hu (Oh He) * Ya Hayy (Ever Living) * Ya Qayyum (Self Subsisting) * Ya Haqq (Truth) * Ya Qarib (Near) * Ya Mujib (Responder) * Ya Latif (Tender, Subtle, Mercy).

Wayne Dyer teaches a spiritual practice called japa, using the sounds of “ah” and “om”.  He says that almost every religion’s name for God includes the sound of “ah” in it somewhere, ie Rama, Krishna, Jehovah, Ra, Allah, Isa, ‘Elaha, etc.  It is like we innately know the specialness of that sound.  If you say the sound of “ah” out loud, you might notice that your body will begin to vibrate in the chest area – just where we are wanting to clean.  The name Allah has the sound of ‘ah” in it twice.  It also flows much easier on the tongue for constant repetition more so than using Sophia or some of the other names you might use.  What is important is our intention.  As long as we are sincere in our intention to connect with God, He will hear our prayers and provide guidance on how to connect more deeply.

Sidi says to be in constant Remembrance.  How can you do that?  In the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, Achor talks about how to establish a habit.   He says that research shows if you do a behavior every day for 21 days in a row without missing a day (and it is important to not miss a day) your brain starts to hard wire that behavior into your brain’s autopilot.  If you do it 66 days in a row, that neuropathway becomes a super highway.  You no longer need to think about it, your brain just does it automatically.   This happened to me.  Years ago, I was spending a lot of time on the road making deliveries.  I got bored listening to the radio (this was before ipods) so I decided to cut up my time by working with different Divine Qualities or prayers.  I would set aside 20-30 minutes to work with a Quality, then move on to the next one.  At some point, and I don’t know when exactly, I no longer needed to consciously say the Qualities or even think them.  I could just “hear” them going on in the background all the time, no matter what I was doing.  It’s like a computer running a program in the background.  I can consciously choose which prayers or Qualities that I want to work with.  Now the Remembrance is doing me, not me doing the Remembrance.

Do the Remembrance for at least 20 minutes. 60 minutes a day is great!  Sufis believe the best time to do the Remembrance is in the middle of the night, between 1 AM and 3 AM.  The veils between the two worlds is said to be the thinnest then.  Other good times are when you first get up in the morning to start out your day remembering who you are, and at night when you get into bed.  I also like to do it when I’m in a situation that is stressing me out.  The light that comes in protects my heart when I feel like I’m under attack.  Years ago, when I first started this path and my husband would come home grumpy and seemed to be trying to pick a fight with me, I would go into silent Remembrance.  This would help me to stay more calm and peaceful and not fight back with him.  Eventually he noticed.  He said, “I don’t know what you’re doing over there, but I know you’re doing something and I want to learn how to do it, too.”

You can do the Remembrance out loud or silently.  If you are doing it for long periods of time, it is easier to do in silently from the heart.  Doing it silently means you can do it anywhere or anytime.  As you say the name, allow your heart to open more.  You can do this by simply saying “Yes” to the light that comes into your heart as you do the Remembrance.  Trust that God has your best interests “at heart” and is only bringing you gifts.  Focus on receiving God’s love and guidance.  Let go of trying to control things.  Your heart is like a beautiful rose bud and the light you receive from the Remembrance will nurture it and open it until it is in full bloom.

In the beginning, the Remembrance is something you do and say in your mind. Then,
it begins to awaken you at a deeper level, called the “heart,” meaning that it opens a more “core” sense of who you are. Then, after the level of heart, the light of your deeper
soul begins to come to life; and when you start having experiences on the level of soul,
you’ll come to know a reality that many people talk about, but few actually taste.
When you start the Remembrance, however, you may not feel as if anything is
happening. The more you remember the Name and trust what you feel, the more in-tune with the process you’ll get, and the greater experiences you’ll have.Your experience will be different each time you do Remembrance.  Sometimes you will feel very deeply connected, sometimes restless and distracted. Do not try to control it or direct it.  Trust in God and simply relax. Continue to say the Name and go deeper. As things/issues surface, just say the Name into whatever comes up.

As you continue to practice Remembrance daily, Sidi says, “As all the blood flows to and from the heart, so the mentioning of Allah in the heart begins to spread through the body and all of the being.  Then every action becomes an expression of the remembrance of God.  The hand begins to remember as it touches, the eye as it sees, the ear as it hears, and all of your body begins to remember.” “And so, starting from the tongue, it goes to the heart, and through the heart it spreads to all your body.  Then the hand touches only what God wants, the eyes see what God wants, the ears hear only what God wants, and then the tongue will begin to mention in a new way.  … When you reach this point, you are a holy tree, the Tree of Remembrance, and from this tree, everything is now clean.”

Here are a few surahs that refer to remembering:

Allah, Glory be to Him, has said: “O you who believe! Remember Allah often with much remembrance and glorify Him morning and evening.” (3.41&42)

“Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying down on their sides, and reflect deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! You have not created this without a purpose, Glory be to You.”   (3.191)

“Men who remember God much, and women who remember – Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward”.  (33.35)

“Therefore remember Me, I will remember you”. (2.152)

“Those who believe and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah: verily in the remembrance of Allah hearts find rest!” (13.28)

I will end with a quote from an unpublished book by my guide Sidi.

“In this continual ebbing and flowing of love between the Lord and His servants several essential qualities come into being, the first of them being, according to Allah’s words: ‘It is He Who shows you His signs and sends down tot you out of heaven provision, yet none remembers but he who repents.  So call upon Allah, making your religion His sincerely although the unbelievers are averse to it; yet none remembers but he who repents’. (40.13&14)  Here we are reminded of the relationship between the qualities of remembrance and repentance; for these two which are the “provision”, the “food” for our hearts and spirits, are essentially dependent upon each other; our repentance coming from our remembrance, and vice versa.  For, how can we see out need to repent, and not remember our Lord?  In the same way when we remember Him, how can we not then repent?  It was because the Prophet (s.a.a.s.) lived all his time in the remembrance, never forgetting his Lord for a moment, that he was able to say, ‘I repent to Allah a hundred times a day’.”

You can download an audio of me doing the Remembrance to follow along for practice by clicking here. Remembrance for 20 minutes

Related topics you might want to check out are: Repentance, Al Wird, La ilaha illa llah, Sacred Language and Ho’oponopono.

Dr. John Wadude Laird of The University of Sufism and Spiritual Healing, did an excellent teaching on the Remembrance and also a guided process using the Remembrance.  (each about 22 minutes long).

What is Remembrance?  by John Wadude Laird

Guided Remembrance Process by John Wadude Laird

Here are some suggestions from USHS on how to deepen your practice of Remembrance:

1. Say the name slowly.  Repeat it slowly.  Some people repeat the Name so quickly it’s as if they are “chopping wood.”  Try savoring the Name and the Reality it brings.
2. As you say the Name, place it in your heart.  In fact, it’s good to say the Name deeper and deeper in your heart as you continue with the practice.
3. Start the practice by saying the Name gently, out loud, barely audible to your own ear.  As you progress, transition to saying the Name silently with your heart.
4. Each time after saying the Name, take the time to “inhale” the Name into your heart. Just as you breathe in and out of your nose, you can also breathe in and out of your heart energy center.  So breathe in the Name. For this practice, it’s good to inhale!
5. The practice of Remembrance is all about Receiving.  Set your prayerful intention to deepen your receiving.  Relax.  Our hearts are thirsty for the Love.  Open your heart to receive.  Let your heart drink and drink, and drink some more!
6. After repeating the Name for several minutes, you will most likely begin to notice subtle changes in your heart.  You may feel more peaceful … or holiness … or light …  or a greater sense of well being.   Whenever you notice such a positive change, it’s good to recognize that this is “sent” by God and is a blessing.  Say “yes” to what is sent.  Inhale this blessing; literally breathe it in.  Let it stream throughout your heart and your body.
7. It’s one thing to inhale what God sends you; it’s another and deeper thing to open your heart fully and give God your permission/invitation to completely change or restructure your being.  Give the divine your permission and prayers to clean anything you carry in your heart that is not of the highest.  Let yourself be remade in the image of the divine reality.
8. From time to time, as your remembrance deepens, take a moment to intentionally “bow your heart” more deeply to God.  This is done simply by quietly reaffirming your willingness and desire to receive more deeply what God sends, to trust God more fully, and to surrender to your Lord out of your love for God.  Ask God to bring you closer, to deepen your trust and your humility.
9. If any of your issues about God come up, (beliefs, pictures, resistances, etc.), simply say the Name gently into them, allow them to open to the Name, and be willing to experience whatever the Reality of God makes with them.
10. Deepen your understanding of the depth and beauty of this practice by reading “Ad-Dhikr: The Meaning of the Remembrance” and “About the Dhikr by Tongue and in Heart” in Sidi’s book, Music of the Soul.

You can listen to the two passages listed in step 10 on the audio pages of this website. For “Ad-Dhikr: The Meaning of the Remembrance”  (it’s #7) and “About the Dhikr by Tongue and in Heart” (#60).

As your practice of the remembrance deepens, your being will transform in very beautiful and holy ways.  This is the vehicle for returning to God.  “As all the blood flows to and from the heart, so the mentioning of Allah in the heart begins to spread through the body and all of the being.  Then every action becomes an expression of the remembrance of God.  The hand begins to remember as it touches, the eyes as it sees, the ear as it hears, and all of your body begins to remember.” “And so, starting from the tongue, it goes to the heart, and through the heart is spreads to all your body.  Then the hand touches only what God wants, the eyes see only what God wants, the ears hear only what God wants, and then the tongue will begin to  mention in a new way … When you reach this point, you are a holy tree, the Tree of Remembrance, and from this tree, everything is now clean.”

Paul Werder, founder of LionHeart Consulting, wanted to provide support to both experienced and new practitioners of remembrance.  So he added scores of 30-minute recorded sessions he made weekly over the last year and a half in a program they titled, “Remember to Flourish”.  He decided to just make these available for free to anyone who wants to deepen their practice. The recordings include a short teaching on a topic and then a guided remembrance to help you experience and apply the teachings. When you go to the page with the recordings you’ll see topics areas to choose from. Here’s the link to all the recorded sessions: http://lionhrt.com/free-audios/.

“Know that by remembering God hearts find peace” (Qur’an, Surat al-Ra’d 14:28 ) Ala bi-dhikrillah tatma’innu l-qulub أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.  Here is a recent post of his about Remembrance:

God said, “I am the companion of whoever remembers Me”

(As reported by a variety of companions–in some cases as stated by God to Moses– a “hadith qudsi” in hadith collections of Bayhaqi, Daylami, Abu Shaykh, Ibn ‘Asakir’s Tarikh Dimashq and Abu Nu’aym’s Hilyat al-awliya’; Kalabadhi in Bahr al-fawa’id, Qushayri in Lata’if al-isharat, Imam al-Ghazali in Ihya ‘ulum al-din, Ibn al-Jawzi in Mawa’iz). Ana jalisu man dhakarani!

When discussing this, Ibn al-Jawzi, a key figure in the Hanbali and subsquently Wahhabi schools, amazingly states, “You should be addicted to dhikr (remembering God)!” (عليك بإدمان الذكر)