Living Presence

Sufism is a centuries-old spiritual psychology. Drawing on the words of the great Sufi poet Rumi, as well as traditional material and personal experience, this book integrates the wisdom of Sufism with the needs of contemporary life. LIVING PRESENCE shows how we can bring spirituality and psychology into a balanced system that honors and awakens the soul. This is an excellent book that explains spiritual principles and how to carry them into everyday life. Helminski, publisher of Threshold Books in Vermont, uses language that is simple, straightforward, and down to earth, yet profound. While the author’s viewpoint is Sufi and Islamic, the principles presented are universal, and few cultural overlays intrude on the text, making it accessible to Westerners. Presence is used to mean God or the all-pervading divine, and Essential Self for that part of us that connects most directly with the divine. Each chapter opens with a quotation, many from various Mathnawi of Rumi, which are used as sacred texts by the Sufis. Self-observation, remembering the divine in every moment, and dealing from the heart at all times are the means to becoming fully human. Highly recommended for spiritual, religion, and New Age collections