“Did you know that the word for mystic path in Sufism – tariqah – means the path in the desert that the Bedouin takes to travel from oasis to oasis? Obviously such a path is not clearly marked like a highway and isn’t even a visible road. But it is there to those who know. “
An unnamed Sufi teacher in Harvey, A. & Hanut, E. (1991). Perfume of the Desert, Inspirations from Sufi Wisdom. Wheaton Illinois: Quest Books p. xiv
Openings
Note: All posts that appear on this site are the work of ‘qartouche’ and represent his own views.
“Truth is a Pathless Land. No one can take you there” (Jiddu Krishnamurti )
It was just this ‘proposition’ that was addressed for more than a millennia by the subtle metaphysics of the various Sufi Tariqah’s (pathways between oases in the desert). Middle Eastern Sufis became ‘Wayfarers’ when they set out on these hidden ‘pathways’ and their stopping or resting places (‘stations’ or gathering places), were called ‘Caravanserais’.
Much of what I intend to explore in the following pages is a recapitulation in many ways of these early ‘traveller’s tales’, and much also will be new, but only in the sense of Yahya’s response to Ibn ‘Arabi’s question of him when they met at the ‘Station of Aaron’ on his own famous ‘Night Journey’ or ascension, thus:
Q: How is it that I have not seen you on the path [to this point]?
A: Because everyone’s path is unique.
Q: Then where are they, these different paths?
A: They come into being through the walking.
Thus is Krishnamurti’s statement seen, in the light of this dialogue between John the Baptist (Yahya) and the Sheikh al Akbar (the ‘Great Sheikh’ Ibn ‘Arabi), to be – if not false – then also not the complete truth!
You may not see their tracks – these other ‘companions on the Way’- never the less, they are there; likewise this journey to the ‘Ultimately True’ is taken by each of us, in truth, alone. Indeed, no-one can take us ‘there’; we must walk seemingly ‘alone’, yet in this very ‘aloneness’ are we held in this network of invisible companionship, dare we open our subtle organs (the heart’s ‘mirror’) to see this fact. There can be no ‘dependency’ (on other than the ‘One’) on this journey, however, for it opens its doors only to those with the courage, the tenacity, and the willingness to walk alone, if needs be, in the face of the opposition of the entire world and all that it contains. Thus ‘knowers of the Way’ were often referred to as God’s ‘Fools’, and many would dress in rags as symbols of this relinquishment of worldly things. Yet these outer ‘symbols’ are not to be followed slavishly by those who are easily captured by outer ‘forms’ of devotion or ‘dedication’ to the Way, thus Krishnamurti’s warning, ‘Truth is a pathless land’. If this were not so, then every fool would be a Fool, and mimic the deep inner changes that underpin this outer display, when they play ‘dress-ups’ like little children.
Understanding requires subtlety of the heart, and to arrive at this ‘state of being’ in turn requires work, thus – on first meeting with my own teacher and Initiator on ‘the Way’ I was told: “Now, the Work begins!”
*It has been brought to my attention that the contact details below did not allow visitors easy access to a response. This has hopefully now been fixed. Just click on the connection below and send your comments/questions to “qartouche” and I will attempt to answer them where necessary.
To communicate with Qartouche, kindly email: ‘qartouche47@gmail.com‘
Tracks in a Pathless Land 