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Dear Sufi Trail friend ,

We are "live" and proud to be part of the Hiiker app community. Ready to hike again, again and again. We also launched our Sufi pilgrimage in Heiloo and Egmond in the Netherlands.Three sacred wells, three monasteries, nuns, priests, ley lines, woodhenges, mystery hills it's all there in one round but the concept of 40 days hiking can be experienced anywhere, just start your 40 day pilgrimage from your doorstep. The first and the last day will not be the same, the same round doesn't mean the same experience. Make a pilgrimage for a day, then repeat 40 times...

We have some sacred news of our lovely friend Marian Brehmer, a journalist who started sacred journalism and will start to cycle the Sufi Trail as we speak! In Belgium Marcel Schuurmans tells about his Sufi journey at home. Love is blowing in the autumn winds and we are ready to send it out in our newsletter to you.

love,
Sedat & Iris

Items September edition

Sufi Trail in the Hiiker app
So happy that we have Hiiker. It’s complete, it's great and very affordable. Digital information collected and shared this way will make your hiking experience easy and smooth. All you need in one hand! It amazes me the technical era in this world although we travel off course to get away from it, but then please don’t forget to take your Sufi Hiiker. We like to thank the Hiiker team for their great work, we truly are amazed by your professional work and Hiiker friend for Sufi Trail parendeh’s.

Sacred Journalism, Marian Brehmer

Marian, one of our Sufi Trail friends, recently started his new blog "Sacred Journalism". After 10 years of working for mainstream newspapers and magazines, Marian feels it's time for writing new stories that uplift and connect. His blog focuses on articles from the Middle East and features reflective essays as well as interviews with inspiring people from around the world. You can also read a lot on Sufism, including an upcoming interview about the Sufi Trail. You can sign up for his blog for free on the start page (make sure to confirm your email address through your mailbox immediately): www.sacredjournalism.org 

My Friend Ali, in Aleppo

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When I met Ali in Aleppo, I would have never thought the city could soon descend into a terrible war. A story of friendship, loss and reunion read more...

Sufi Caps

A moment of “goal achieved”. Here in the picture we pose just after we have received our caps and pennants. Still a different sensation if it is there in your hand or on our heads. With great gratitude and a happy feeling we smile at the good man who takes this picture. Setting a goal and achieving it are a beautiful unity. One day a pilgrim decides, I am going here or there, or whatever idea one has before the journey begins. For us that was the ultimate goal of the cycling trip from Vienna: collecting the Sufi caps. Fortunately, the caps fitted in the bicycle bag. It even seemed like we were lighter on the return journey. We did donate our tent though. If you want to support these initiatives, but don't walk, the Sufi caps are on sale!

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Dutch 40 days pilgrimage


We launched a pilgrimage in Heiloo and Egmond in the Netherlands that will take you round and round for 40 days accompanied by your every day zikr. Mantra's are already integrated into our western society by yogi's. The combination of zikrs and hiking is suprime you can just hike your day from where you are and take your dairy with you. The starting package is made for the pilgrim and the book translated zikrs into Dutch by the renowned Dutch imam Abdulwahied van Bommel.

Belgium Sufi @home

On the Sufi Trail… AT HOME Without the arrival of the corana virus, I would now report on my experiences on the trail.

Staring at a map of the trail above my desk, I wonder if I can recall a quote from the Sufi tradition. I walk to my bookcase. They are still there: a number of works from more than forty years ago. Before I even start a job, the following statement comes to mind:
Oh God
If I worship you because of the fear of hell, throw me into hell
If I worship you out of longing for paradise, deny me paradise
But if I worship Thee for Thine own sake then withold not from me Thine Eternal Beauty


The author's name escapes me. I search and dive into Idries Shah's The way of the sufi. From the 1960s, this writer contributed to making Sufi wisdom known to the general public with his popular works. In the chapter Solitary Reflection Themes, given by Sufi teachers to their students for individual study, I find the pronunciation and the name to which she is attributed, namely Rabia of Basra, who died in 801. This famous Sufi woman was known for her amazing skill to get to the heart of any spiritual problem. I can wholeheartedly agree. Her statement, as already mentioned, opens avenues for any spiritual seeker of any tradition. And isn't the sufi trail an excellent opportunity to deepen one's spiritual life through lessons from other traditions? Now we have to wait for a vaccine to start the journey.

Marcel Schuurmans

Sufi on Bike

Ready to prepare your cycling journey on the Sufi Trail? We are very happy to offer the cycling guide with all the information you need to cycle from Istanbul to Konya visiting the ever-changing landscape of Anatolian Turkey. Get ready to Cycle to the light


Hike & Bike Events

Sufi Trail organizes hiking and cycling events on the Sufi Trail. They are events to promote slow travel and camp outside under the stars in Anatolian, Turkey.  

If you have questions you can call & app us on:
+31 6 440 447 90

Agenda

Turkey 2021:
Sufi Trail hiking caravan
10 May - 19 June
Sufi Trail biking caravan
10 - 26 September

Publications

Published by Sufi Trail:
Sufi Trail hike guide part 1 (English)
Sufi Trail hike guide part 2 (English)
Sufi Trail hike guide (Turkish)
Bella Coma - Natalia Mihai (English)
Leegte - Merel van Essen (Dutch)
Sufi on Bike (English)

Expected Books:
Hiking the Sufi Trail in Turkey - Susan Elliott (English)

Check out our shop for more 

Your Sufi Story

We love to hear your Sufi Trail story for the next newsletter. You can also send your Sufi (trail) related message or story. Keep it short. 300 words maximum and send it to sufitrail@gmail.com
And yes we love pictures and video's ❤

We hope that you like the work of Sufi Trail. You may also consider making a donation to the Sufi Trail foundation.

CONTACT

Stichting Sufi Trail, Friends of Rumi and Khorasan Saints
Hagestraat 10
2011 CV Haarlem
Holland

Email: sufitrail@gmail.com

Whatsapp & mobile:
Sedat Çakır:  +31 6 508 906 96
Iris Bezuijen: +31 6 440 447 90

Editor: Dorette Jansen
Contributions: Marian Brehmer, Marcel Schuurman, Paul Finley

Sufi Trail

 
Website Turkish
Website NL
Website Engels
❤ S u p p o r t S u f i T r a i l ❤