"Book signings for me are the only really frightening thing I do, I can't really explain why, I think the main thing is that the responsbility of writing a book as an act of service is enormous. The most important thing is to give it back to the Source of all Life. So my work with you this afternoon is offering it back."
~ Reshad Feild, mystic, spiritual teacher, musician and author
In the following rare talk available in public domain, Reshad Feild, one of the most important contemporary Sufi Teacher of this time offers his insight, life journey and humor. This talk was recorded on 31 January 2004 at Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
Reshad Feild talks about his acclaimed best selling novel The Last Barrier: A Journey into the Essence of Sufi Teachings
and its sequel To Know We're Loved
, two modern classics of contemporary spiritual literature. If you haven't read "The Last Barrier," then I will suggest you must read it. Its based on true life account of Reshad Field (born Richard Timothy Feild; 15 April 1934) and is a very rare book of a Westerner coming in contact with a Sufi Master and become one of the People of the Path.You click on the video screenshot below to watch and listen to Reshad Field, may Allah bless him, sanctify his life's work and journey back to Source.
The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.
~ Sacred Tradition of Islam ~
ABOUT RESHAD FEILD
The Journey of a Lifetime
Reshad Feild’s journeys have taken him from his native England to the far reaches of India, America and Europe. Among other things he has been a pop star, a stockbroker and an antique dealer. His life has been a continual search for ever finer dimensions of Truth. Having been touched by the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff and P.D. Ouspensky, of Tibetan Buddhism and through his meetings with Tibetan Lamas, the Native American Indians, Shamans, as well as masters of the Sufi path, he finally met up with his true Teacher.
Singer, Author, Teacher
Born in England in 1934, Reshad Feild left college after receiving a typical British education and joined the Royal Navy for two years of national service that existed during that time. After he left, he went to London where, for a short period, he worked in the stock market and in the advertising business. During that time, he bought his first guitar and very soon was singing in a restaurant at nights. This led to the formation of the singing group called The Springfields, which became very famous and which was given the award for the best vocal group of the year in 1963. When the group disbanded, Tim, as he was then known, went into the antique business. Not long afterwards an event occurred which completely changed his life.
The Essence of Sufism
One morning when Reshad entered an antique shop, he met Bulent Rauf, (1900–1987), the man who, over the next years, was to become his spiritual teacher and to whom Reshad, in his first two books, The Last Barrier and To Know We're Loved (The Invisible Way), gave the name “Hamid.” It was through “Hamid” that Reshad met Suleyman Dede, (1904–1985), who was the Sheikh of the Mevlevi Dervishes in Konya, Turkey.
There, Reshad received training into many of their inner teachings, which go back over 700 years. It was also at this time that his name was changed to Reshad, which is very close to his original first name, Richard. Reshad Feild’s first book, The Last Barrier, became well known world-wide. It was followed by many other books as well as lectures, music tapes and years of extensive activity teaching and leading seminars. Reshad lived in the United States for 16 years before he went to Switzerland. In 2004, he returned to England.
In Search for the Inner Meaning of Life
The whole of Reshad’s life has been one of adventure and travel throughout the world in his search for Truth and the inner meaning of life. As we read the books of Reshad Feild, we realise that there is One Essential Truth, which forms the very basis of our existence on earth, and we are invited to share with him some of the questions that arise in the hearts of all true seekers. We are given a taste of the real freedom that can be experienced in our daily lives. We discover that real living is here, in this world, and not in the illusion of a spiritual dreamland.
Reshad now leads a secluded life in England, where he continues to write and advise seekers of what he calls “the Way of Love, Compassion and Service”. When asked which spiritual tradition or line this way follows, he says, “We seek for knowledge, but knowledge is not mere information. It is the knowledge of oneself. ‘He who knows himself knows his Lord.’ Little by little we have to discard all the labels and baggage that appear to have supplied our needs in the past, for there is only one Absolute Existence. In this sense we are just ‘People of the Way’.”
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* Chalice
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