The Bowl of Saki Commentary

Book excerpt: The Sufi master, mystic, and royal musician Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan (1882-1927) traveled from his native India to the West in 1910 bringing a message of spiritual liberty-"the heart that is receptive to the Light of God is free." He traveled, spoke, and performed all over Europe and the United States, touching hearts and inspiring minds. His book of 366 daily aphorisms, "The Bowl of Saki," first published in 1922 and later updated in 1936, is a wealth of spiritual wisdom to help illuminate the sometimes rocky path of daily life. The Saki (or Saqi in the original Persian) is the pourer of wine in Sufi poetry, symbolizing the bringer of ecstasy and the longing of the Divine to be deeply known. Spiritual commentaries on "The Bowl of Saki" by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis (1896-1971) were published in 1978, and reflect Lewis's lifelong devotion to and study of the teachings of his beloved spiritual guide. Murshid Sam, one of Hazrat Inayat Khan's foremost disciples, was the first American Sufi master, the originator of the Dances of Universal Peace, and the founder of the Sufi Ruhaniat International. In his commentaries on "The Bowl of Saki," he draws out hidden meanings in Hazrat Inayat Khan's pithy sayings, exploring multi-dimensional philosophical, historical, and spiritual contexts. This volume, newly edited by Murshid Sam's esoteric secretary, Wali Ali Meyer, presents the sayings and commentaries for deeper study, so that "the overarching purpose of becoming what is meant by truly being a Sufi, a Buzurg, or a Bodhisattva stands forth...and...we are led to see how we are all interconnected in such a way that our thoughts, feelings, and realization affect the whole of creation. "May you, dear reader, drink deeply of this Bowl of Saki, the cup of the wine of the presence of God, being offered you by these great souls, who through their inspiration have brought forth the nectar of the Spirit of Guidance." (from the Introduction)