Suluk Academy Overview

The Suluk Academy's Core Courses are spiritual training programs offered by the Sufi Order International (SOI). The Academy provides an opportunity for initiates of the SOI and other Sufi orders to participate in a focused study of the essential perspectives and spiritual practices of the SOI's esoteric school. The Suluk Academy's form and substance derive from the mystical teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan, the founder of the Sufi Order International. Inayat Khan's distinctive approach to spiritual development emphasizes the soul's natural unfoldment in life through the cultivation of balance and integration.

One-Year Training in Suluk Academy's Core Curriculum

This year, Suluk Academy is offering a unique opportunity to partake of the culture and teachings of Suluk Academy's Core Curriculum in an easy and accessible One-Year format. This is a chance to experience an integrated course of study in the universal Sufi teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan, more concise than the Four-Year format and limited to the space of a single year. We welcome families to Suluk Academy and will offer Child-Care during each of the training sessions, if there are four or more children signed up.

Trainings in Suluk Academy are structured to offer depth of study and an integrative environment. Over the course of the year, students will engage deeply with select study themes presented by the faculty. The creation of community amongst students is crucial to the integration and assimilation of daily teachings, and is supported by daily mentor groups.

The One-Year training consists of four 3-day weekends over the course of 10 months, for a total of 12 session days. Each weekend consists of formal teachings by Pir Zia and one other senior teacher. Dates and Faculty are as follows:

• September 27th-30th, 2007 with Pir Zia Inayat-Khan and Aziza Scott
• December 27th-30th, 2007 with Pir Zia Inayat-Khan and Taj Inayat
• March 6th-9th, 2008 with Pir Zia Inayat-Khan and Gayan Macher
• May 30th-June 1st, 2008 with Pir Zia Inayat-Khan and Zumurrud Butta

Due to the brevity of this program, students must commit themselves to attendance at all four sessions of the training, and be prepared for rigorous study between sessions.

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The Curriculum

The Suluk Academy's course of study is a systematic exploration and cultivation of the inner life. Students engage in a program that incorporates spiritual methodologies and perspectives that have evolved out of the traditional technique and theory of Sufism. In addition, the program is infused with insights gleaned from modern physical sciences and contemporary theories of mind.

Throughout the training, the Academy employs a methodic and heartfelt approach to the time-honored disciplines of breath, movement, concentration, contemplation, and meditation, emphasizing purification and the awakening of heart, mind, and body. To complement these disciplines, significant consideration is given to the training of the ego and the cultivation of the heart quality. Studies draw upon the prose and poetry of the Masters, Saints, and Prophets throughout the ages and across traditions.

The Suluk Academy is intended as a supplemental training to one's spiritual practice; it is not a replacement for the unique relationship one has with their personal spiritual guide. However, due to the scope of the training it is recommended that prospective students discuss attendance with their spiritual guide or mentor. Those not actively working with a guide or mentor are still encouraged to apply.

Program Structure

Each morning, all the students gather together with the faculty for the core teachings. The afternoons feature a second, more interactive teaching session with the faculty, followed by meetings with assigned Mentor Groups. Mentor Groups are facilitated by respected teachers in the Sufi Order, with the purpose of exploring the practices in a more intimate setting and building community. Mentor groups also provide students with an opportunity to process and share their experiences, or simply to share sacred space. Each person is encouraged to be fully present to themselves and others during these small groups, putting into practice the ideals of moral culture and respect taught by Hazrat Inayat Khan.

Days provide an opportunity for private time to study, rest or engage the practices. Fitness classes are offered in yoga and/or martial arts, to encourage awareness of the body and the need for physical expression. Evening programs such as sama', film nights, and classes with the Abode community are offered regularly at each session. Over the course of the year, participants also have the unique opportunity for private interviews with Pir Zia, the senior teachers and the mentors.

Individual Study & Practice Between Sessions

The Suluk Academy program strives to balance individual exploration with community development and group practice. In addition to the time spent together during the sessions, students will be given reading assignments, journal exercises, and practices to do in between sessions. The purpose is to facilitate a deeper engagement with the teachings as they apply the individual's own life and ideals.