Sunday, May 7 at 9 am (coffee at 8:45) in the Annex

Cheryl Botts has studied in one way shape or form (literally) SUFISM since 1984. It all began in the early 1980s when she was seeking new traditions outside of her Presbyterian/Protestant upbringing. This seeking possibly began in her last year of college when she took a philosophy class. One day in Rochester NY she went to a circle dance called then “Sufi Dancing.” This began her search for what Sufism was all about. Within 2 years she had found her way to the original Sufi Order (Chishti Order) of the US based at the “Abode of the Message” in New Lebanon, NY. It was 1986 that she went to do a silent retreat and was clear to become an “Initiate” or a “student” of this Sufi Order which was then run by Hazrat Inayat’s son, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan.  Hazrat Inayat Khan brought Sufism to the West in the 1920s. Cheryl is a member of 2 Sufi Orders (the Chishti and the Mevlevi) and is a Certified leader of the Dances of Universal Peace, one of the many main practices within the Chishti Order.

In her talk, Cheryl will cover the origins of Sufism and its relationship to Islam.  She will cover what Orders do and what their focuses and pillars are.  She will use poetry, music, pictures, quotes from the Masters and Mystics and meditation within her presentation to give a tiny taste of what Sufis experience.