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Dear Sufi Trail friend ,

Autumn winds of change often bring messages for your soul. The physical change of season has its effect on human nature as well. We all have a chance to go local these days, the Sufi Trail team in this respect developed a pilgrimage of 40 days in Heiloo and Egmond. The Sufi Trail has happy news from cyclists on the Sufi Trail and our parandeh’s shared stories that warm our hearts in these chilly times of year. Hope your personal autumn messages are enriching you and keeping you cool and in high spirits.

love,
Sedat & Iris

Items October edition

Marian Brehmer floating in Konya

The versatile journalist Marian Brehmer surprised us with a beautiful report and Sufi Trail final photo in Konya of his cycling trip to the Syrian border. Because he lives in Istanbul, a pilgrimage in his own country was a logical choice, corona is good for something. Marian Brehmer writes for German magazines but he also has a website with wonderful articles about his travels and reports. You can find his stories on the website sacredjournalism. Marian is fluent in Turkish and Farsi, he made a special contribution to us. He was very enthusiastic about the bike tour and Marian Brehmer will be more intensively involved in refining the route and adding important points or improvements. 
Marian Brehmer and Ali Birgolu
with his Sufi certifaicate @Nar-ı Aşk
A walking or cycling route lives on through maintenance and travelers who share their findings with us. Especially in this time, when fewer pilgrims are on the road. The stories Marian brings are, as he puts it himself, not facts but stories. Marian has endured saddle pain and in a private conversation he told us: “I feel like floating, you must know the feeling of floating in Konya". We still have to wait for his story. When he gets back home to Istanbul we love to know and share more...  

Sacred Journalism, Marian Brehmer

We had the honour of being interviewed by our parendeh Marian Brehmer. You can read the result of our get-together on his website Sacred Journalism. Before his Sufi cycling adventure we reunited only to be reunited again and again and again through his lovely stories.

Aslınur's dream journey

Through writing and translating, by painting and crafting, and by hosting pilgrimages and online classes, Aslınur desires to contribute to the revival of Anatolian wisdom culture. Anatolia literally means 'full of mothers.' In ancient times, this geography hosted societies in which a matriarchal culture flourished. Anatolia is a cradle of civilizations and religions, a place of cultural cross-pollinization. However, this wisdom has been largely forgotten. But the potential of Anatolian culture is still alive. Turkey needs to remember its Anatolian heritage right now, especially its feminine aspects. 
In college, she received training in English and Turkish Literature. This helped her connect West and East through the power of words. She received her MA degree at the Islamic theology department to immerse herself into Anatolian Sufi literature. This made her discover another passion: Translating texts of Anatolian Sufism from the past into languages of today, such as modern Turkish and English. For her, this is a sacred work towards collective healing and peace.

She transcribed a 17th century commentary on Rumi’s Masnavi into modern Turkish. She focused on the first 18 verses, known as the story of the reed flute. It's a perfect story for our times. It tells of separation, of loneliness, of complaining, of longing for love and community, and of attaining unity in the end. This first book of hers which has been recently published carries the title 'The Shining Gems of the Masnavi.
Right now she is working on her second book 'Returning Home.' It will be a guidebook for modern readers to journey from separation to unity in their personal lives with the help of practical exercises from the Sufi tradition. Besides her book projects, she has been producing podcasts and essays in which she reflects on the Sacred in Anatolian Sufism. A series of online classes on Sufi culture and literature is on its way starting in 2021.
For years she has been facilitating circles - Awakin Circles, women circles and online learning journeys. She has guided women through dream work. She is deeply inspired by Mother Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Mohammad, as a source of the divine feminine. She has received the inspiration to create a brand named 'Dowry of Fatima.' Her vision is to design objects for rituals, rites of passage and celebrations based on divine feminine principles.
If you would like to check and support her work, you can visit her Patreon page 

Afbeelding

Afbeelding

Rabia, The First Woman Sufi Saint


If you feel some time to relax and watch the wise words of Sufi Saint Rabi'a al-'Adawiyyah click on Sufi


Tamana Daqiq (Graduate Islamic Studies) gives a great lecture about the ancient mystic Rabia.

Yalova cycles on

We started pedaling from Yalova. We are now in Eskişehir. Our goal is to go from sufi road to Afyon .... or Konya Aksehire and move from there to Isparta Eğirdir. We would like to thank mr. Ahmet (Yalova), Mr. Hakan (Bilecik), Mr. Ayhan (Sogut) who cared about us on the road and shared their Sufi Trail knowledge... More cyclists on the Sufi Trail who found a great campspot! Right next to Seyit Battal Gazi, under the stars in Seyitgazi.

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 Anatolia, 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)

 Sufi Trail app in Hiiker

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, Aslınur Akdeniz Brehmer, Paul Finley

Sufi Trail

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