Suluk Academy Overview

The Suluk Academy is a four-year spiritual training program offered by the Sufi Order International (SOI). The Academy provides an opportunity for members 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 guiding vision for the Suluk Academy has its origins in the spiritual orientation of Hazrat Inayat Khan, the founder of the Sufi Order International. Inayat Khan’s approach to spiritual development was one of balance and integration, emphasizing the soul’s natural unfoldment in life; his teachings provide an ideal foundation for the curriculum of the Suluk Academy.

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 four years, the Academy employs a methodic and heartfelt approach to the time honored disciplines of breath, sound, light, movement, concentration, contemplation, and meditation, with an initial emphasis on the essential stages of purification and awakening of heart, mind, and body. To complement these disciplines, significant consideration is given to the training of the ego, the art of personality, and the cultivation of the heart quality, to provide for an integrative spiritual experience. All 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 or mentor. 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

The program meets three times a year for four years. Each year is made up of one 8-day session and two 9-day sessions making up a total of 26 days of training. Each day consists of formal teachings by Pir Zia and another senior teacher, such as Aziza Scott or Gayan Macher. Participants experience a different senior teacher each year of the program, while Pir Zia remains a core teacher throughout the four years.

Each afternoon, students meet with their assigned Mentor Group and Pod. Mentor Groups are facilitated by respected teachers in the Sufi Order, with the purpose of exploring the practices in a more intimate and interactive format. Pods are small groups of 6-7 students who meet to process and share their experiences, or simply to share sacred space. Each person is encouraged to be fully present to themselves and others, 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 Sema, film nights, and classes with the Abode community are offered regularly throughout each session.

Individual Study and Practice

The Suluk Academy program strives to balance individual exploration with community development and group practice. In addition to daily group work, reading assignments, journal exercises, and practices to do in between sessions will be given, to facilitate a deeper engagement with the teachings. Each person is encouraged to discover how these teachings apply to his or her own life and to the ideal that one holds in his or her heart.

Participants also have the unique opportunity for private interviews with Pir Zia, the senior teachers and the Mentors.