Responding to the Global Ecological Crisis

Submitted by Shams Kairys Over the last year-and-a-half, the Kinship Activity has presented a series of virtual gatherings hosted by Shams Kairys that bear witness to current threats to the natural world while fostering a sense of the sacred and a spirit of positive engagement. The upcoming event on December 17 at 3:00 ET featuresContinue reading “Responding to the Global Ecological Crisis”

Prison Book Project

Submitted by Deb Hirabai (USA) The Prison Book Project (PBP) continues to serve incarcerated people around the country, reaching out to prison libraries, pastors, and organizations such as the Human Kindness Foundation to find inmates needing great reads! They can choose one of our three recommendations or pick any book by Hazrat Inayat Khan. AsContinue reading “Prison Book Project”

Daena Thelen-Daniel Supports Flood Victims in Germany

from Batina Sheets Mid-July 2021 brought extensive flooding to parts of Germany and Belgium. Wahhab and I inquired about the welfare of our dear friend, Daena Thelen-Daniel, who lives in Cologne. She responded with a series of emails and photos, which she has agreed to share with our Kinship Community. In response to our originalContinue reading “Daena Thelen-Daniel Supports Flood Victims in Germany”

New Zealand Kinship Weekend

by Majid David Vowells, Kinship Coordinator, New Zealand There are many rhythms in our lives marking the passage of time, and those of an annual event bring a particular sense of anticipation and pleasure. So it was when we met on another Saturday morning in July for Kinship weekend, celebrating Hazrat Inayat Khan’s birthday, andContinue reading “New Zealand Kinship Weekend”

Kinship, Music, and the Arts: An Interview with HuDost

Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines – Interviewed by Batina Sheets, member of the Kinship Council. Batina: Your music, and what I know of your activities, seem to me to be very kinship oriented. What you’ve done with your music, the arts, and your activism in general feels like your way of reaching out toContinue reading “Kinship, Music, and the Arts: An Interview with HuDost”

Racial Inquiry Groups Conclude after 9 Months

Last September the Kinship Activity organized Racial Inquiry Groups to bring together people who were interested in reflecting upon our personal awareness of race, racism and the process of racial acculturation. We utilized some of the contemplative questions and processes developed by the Buddhist teacher, Ruth King, who wrote the book, Mindful of Race. More thanContinue reading “Racial Inquiry Groups Conclude after 9 Months”

Community Updates June 2021

On May 15, 2021, family, friends, colleagues and community members celebrated Onaje Jua Eagle Heart Muid on his extraordinary journey to becoming Dr. Muid. This celebration was in honor of Onaje’s persistence in self-development and as shining example for his community. Onaje received his Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California and hasContinue reading “Community Updates June 2021”

Inviting Spiritual Conversations: enlivening the “horizontal dimension”

by Wali Via In 2016 I initiated a new activity in our community simply titled “Spiritual Conversations”.  My motivation was three-fold, all closely related. I felt there was tremendous wisdom within the membership of the community that was not being given adequate opportunity to be heard. The typical format for our varied Sufi offerings wasContinue reading “Inviting Spiritual Conversations: enlivening the “horizontal dimension””

A Model for Community Interfaith Connection

by Batina Sheets I wish to share with you some information about a long-standing program of the Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT). This Interfaith group includes the Austin, Texas and surrounding cities area. On a monthly basis, they provide a program which they call “The Red Bench.” I offer this information with the thoughtContinue reading “A Model for Community Interfaith Connection”

The Interfaith Cooperation Central of Central Virginia (ICCCV) – A “Kinship Circle”

by Zakir-Amin Povich I’m pleased to share an experience that was close to my heart for several years: a functioning Kinship Circle, a porous group of people from different faith and spiritual expressions engaging in heartfelt conversation. This grew out of monthly “Interfaith Pray for Peace” gatherings of song, prayer and meditation, that began inContinue reading “The Interfaith Cooperation Central of Central Virginia (ICCCV) – A “Kinship Circle””