Sufism and Zensufism

Generally, I describe my school as a sufi school. This is not strictly correct, as many aspects of the teaching do not strike all sufi as particularly sufi. I make no claim to orthodoxy - my teachings are revealed understandings of not only the Qur'an and Hadith, but also of the mystic teachings of many other systems.

When needed, I differentiate from my orthodox sufi brethren by using the term zensufi, nothing changes in the path by this designation, but it does help to clear up misunderstandings. Quite rightly, some of my teaching will be challenged by other sufi. The long tradition of sufism provides for many lenses, and over time, many things have been codified as sufi/not sufi. Fair enough, and I have no quarrel with these interpretations.

There is, of course, no such thing as 'sufi' in the Arabic speaking world. Like the word 'mosque' it is derivative, and not what the sufi use to describe themselves in the muslim milieu.

At its heart, the Golden Path is summarized by Muhaiyaddeen ibn 'Arabi when he wrote: my religion is love. This simple statement is not mere sentimentality, and this path is no less rigorous than any other, but that is topic for later exploration.