There is a story that speaks of the time when the primordial sea that had covered the whole of the planet, became fragmented. Pieces of dry land came to divide sea and sea, and as a result of this the fish became separated  from each other. Now some fish longed to unite with their mates in the other seas. The longing for this reunion grew more and more intense. Gradually the longing turned to despair because the fish did not have the organs necessary to carry them to the other seas. The fish started languishing in this state of helplessness .Millenia passed but the longing did not subside. One day a miracle occurred, and the fish discovered that they had grown a tiny tail, small feet and claws to clutch the land with. Some of the fish with incredible will power lifted themselves out of the water onto the earth. Gradually they learnt the ways of the land; they could breathe, crawl, walk, run and climb now. They could now reunite with their lost soul-mates and also return to the primordial ocean from their little bit of sea. But before this reunion and fulfillment of their intense desire could happen, they had to die of despair. Only after that did the new organs to facilitate the fulfillment of their need appear. The cause of the miracle was the extreme intensity of need in the fish. [Taken from Sara Sviri’s book “The Taste of Hidden Things.”

“Mawlana Rumi says that when this need awakens , rather than being fulfilled it has to be sustained. It is need that creates the primary vehicle of change, evolution and growth. Without need there is no desire and without desire there is no movement.

Mawlana Rumi also says, “Where there are questions, answers will be given;
                                            Where there are ships , water will flow.
                                            Spend less time seeking water, and acquire thirst!
                                             Then water will gush from above and below.””
                                                                                                                         “The Taste of Hidden Things.”

Hazrat Inayat Khan says, “Those who have shown great inspiration and who have given to the  world precious words of wisdom, they were the farmers who ploughed furrows in the soil of the heart.”

The parable mentioned above is a representation of humanity’s condition on earth today. Man has become separated from man by the great land-divides in the ocean of his consciousness. These land-divides are the constructs of his ego-self that have convinced him of his individuation and taught him the religion of self-survival and aggrandizement.

It is only when the fire of separation’s agony will rise from within that the land-divides will be blown up by the erupting volcanoes of man’s inner longing…the longing for oneness, harmony, peace and love.
That is when this inner need will awaken the hidden organs of perception that the soul has already invested in the being of man. The eyes, ears and tongue of the heart will find their place and begin to function.

Hazrat Inayat Khan says, “When the lips are closed, then the heart begins to speak; when the heart is silent, then the soul blazes up, rising in a flame, which illuminates the whole life.”

When the suffering of humanity will reach the proper pitch then the intensity of that cry will of necessity break the barriers and tear down the walls of the limitations set up by the human mind. These are the limitations that translate into false prejudices, flawed understanding, distorted views of life and reality. These are the fetters that keep man imprisoned in the dungeons of his false understanding of life, religion, society, morality and whatever else makes up his puny existence in the whole scheme of existence.

The Real is beyond any understanding that our limited minds can ever proffer. The Real transcends the constriction of our personal faiths and beliefs. The Real is the Source of All; It is the Goal of All; It is All in All. 

Today we are fighting terror in the outer world. But how many of us remember that the outer is merely a reflection of the inner? Anything that appears as outward manifestation has its blue-print first in the inner plane. The terror that has appeared on the outer plane has its seeds in the inner state of man.

After great suffering comes great understanding, or at least it ought to. Great need similarly creates an efficient capacity.

The prolonged state of alienation from our Source, from the Roots of our existential reality has created a terrified psyche that is now manifesting in the exercise of terror on the world-stage. This state will continue until humanity recognizes its true purpose and that is the great evolutionary need in man’s psyche to become Whole again after having been dismembered. The terror is there to breakdown the old system in order to create anew that which is closer to the essence of existence.

The Holy Quran says, “That which is with you will pass away but that which is with your Lord will endure.”

That which is the accretion of the false self is like the growth of a cancerous tumour, unnatural and freakish. It does not fit in with the natural and healthy state of being. It has to be surgically removed and rooted out for the restoration of health and survival.

 

Spiritual Practice.

Let us consider the state of need in the heart of each one of us and in the collective heart of humanity today. Is our need desperate enough to call down the Help of the Almighty? What is the relationship between our need and the state of affairs in the world? How may we address this issue within ourselves?

My suggestion is to search within our individual hearts/souls the cause behind the apparent cause for what we are experiencing. Take time to think and realize what is our heart’s true desire or yearning. After that we must try to turn our hearts towards That which can facilitate the renewal or revival of that which has been lost.

The supportive Zikr would be of “Ya Batin, Ya Mubin , Ya Mo’eed”.

“Ya Batin” means the Hidden, “Ya Mubin” is the Clear or Manifest, and “Ya Mo’eed” is the Rebirther or Restorer. The practice would be to inhale on “Ya Batin” and at the same time be aware of turning within, entering the inner space that is connected to the Ground of Being. On “Ya Mubin” hold the breath for a comfortable moment of time and sense a light of clarity pervading your consciousness. On “Ya Mo’eed”  release the breath and at the same time feel the energy of revival and renewal thrusting forward the new dispensation awaiting expression.