12. World Reconstruction (2), Part 2
Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
If we are to serve humanity and conditions in the world, Hazrat Inayat Khan teaches that we must learn the “art of being”, saying, “it is an art which is known to the soul, but it is his own being, it is the deepest knowledge that he has in his heart.” May we contemplate this teaching and his words in the prayer “Khatum”.
“Disclose to us thy Divine Light
which is hidden in our souls
That we may know and understand Life better.”
With Loving Regards and Prayers for an enlightened world,
Our Workers
Social Gatheka no. 12, Part 2, World Reconstruction (2)
by Hazrat Inayat Khan
We shall not understand the life outside if we do not understand ourselves. It is the knowledge of the self that gives the knowledge of the world. The politician, the statesman, however qualified, will dispute about things for years and years, he will never come to a satisfactory conclusion unless he understands the psychology of life and the psychology of the situation. And so the educationist will try a new scheme and will never come to a satisfactory conclusion, unless he has the psychological knowledge of life, which will teach him the psychology of human nature, what is the manner to solve the problem.
What is today called psychology is not what I mean. It do not mean by the word psychology what they call psychoanalysis. I call psychology the understanding of the self, the understanding of the nature and character of the mind and the body. Friends, what is health? Health is order. And what is order? Order is music. Where there is harmony, rhythm, regularity, cooperation, there is harmony, there is sympathy. The health of mind, therefore, and the health of body depend upon the preserving of that harmony, upon keeping intact that sympathy which is going on in mind and body.
And remember that life in the world, and especially as we live it amidst the crowd, will test and try our patience every moment of the day, and it will be most difficult to preserve that harmony and peace which is all happiness. For what is the definition of life? Life means struggle with friends and battle with foes. It is all the time giving and taking, and it is most difficult in this to keep the sympathy, to keep the harmony which is health and happiness.
Now you will ask, “Where are we to learn it?" My friends, all education and learning and knowledge are acquired, but this one art is a divine art, and man has inherited it. But, absorbed in the outer learning, he has forgotten it, but it is an art which is known to the soul, but it is his own being, it is the deepest knowledge that he has in his heart. No progress in whatever line that man will make will give him that satisfaction which his soul is craving for, except this one, which is the art of life, the art of being, which is the pursuit of the soul.
In order to serve the reconstruction of the world the only thing possible and the only thing necessary is to learn the art of being, the art of life for oneself and to be an example oneself, before trying to serve humanity.
What is the Sufi Movement? What is Sufism? It is that art of which I have just spoken, the art by which that music and symphony of life can be preserved, and by that man can enable himself to become the proper servant of God and humanity.
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