July 2010
 
 
The Farm of Peace Newsletter
The Farm of Peace and Sufi Spiritual Retreat Center, Warfordsburg, PA

community

Our Mission: The Farm of Peace is a spiritual community that provides love, peace, healing, nourishment and spiritual guidance to all of creation. We seek to bring peace and healing to individuals -- adults and children -- and the world by putting into practice the Love at the core of all religions.

Dear Friends,

Lots of happy hearts from the community (pictured above) gathered at the Farm in May for a day of fun, a picnic and to learn more about the Khadijah Mosque project.

The Khadijah Mosque Circle has met several times now and is working to develop all the aspects of this project. For anyone who hasn't heard, Sidi has given the direction for our community to build a mosque at the Farm. Inshallah, the project will encompass not only a sacred site in which to pray, but a dining facility, showers and restrooms, space just for children, and much more. The vision is still being formed, and if you would like to be part of this project, please contact Abd al-Qadir Davies, Planning Manager (240-441-8712) to express your interest.

In June, the Unity Music Festival took place here at the Farm for the third consecutive year. It was a great time for everyone to be together to enjoy fabulous music, picnic lunches, a weekend of camping, making new friends, and a lot of fun. If you weren't able to be with us for this year's Festival, you will want to save the dates for next year, June 10-12.

Summer is really the time for growth here on the farm: the garden is expressing God's abundance and the lambs are quickly growing. We have some dedicated volunteers and residents who are diligently working to keep up with mowing the grass, trimming weeds, caring for the farmhouse gardens and the many other tasks that keep everyone busy at this time of year.

The Farm of Peace Kids' Camp is back again this summer! This will be the fifth year for this fabulous summer day camp. Ahmed Tyson and Halima Willett, both parents and talented teachers, will provide two weeks of fun and learning for your children. This year's theme is Journey to the New World, focusing learning, games and cooking on cultures of the Western Hemisphere. Camp sessions are July 12-16 and July 19-23. Cost is $25/day for the first child; $20 a day for siblings. Tuition includes teachings, crafts, meals and snacks. What a gift for your childen and for you! For more information, call Ahmed at 301-906-2422.

Looking ahead to August, we are already planning to welcome Sidi and our dear Sufi teachers for Sufi School East, four days (and more) of teachings for our hearts. There is lots of information about Sufi School East in this newsletter, so read on and come, bring your friends and be part of this beautiful time together.

As Sufi School approaches, you may be thinking about how to dive more deeply in your walking in preparation for Sidi's teachings. This month is a perfect time to come and be in the zawiyah, taking time to be with our guide's teachings and prepare the ground of your heart to receive from his blessings during Sufi School. Come and drink from this sacred retreat. Zawiyah is ongoing; please call 717-573-4722 to schedule your retreat or for more information.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Farm! Come and make a day of it -- have a picnic and visit the sheep, work in the garden, reflect and refresh in zawiyah -- there are so many opportunities here. All are invited to come and share the peace and beauty of Allah's creation.

Peace and blessings to all,

Halima Reilly, Editor


Sufi School East Is Coming Soon!
by Wahida Kass
Sufi School

Sufi School East is a little less than two months away, and planning and preparation are in full swing!

There are many wonderful aspects to Sufi School East, including making new friends, camping in the rolling hills, enjoying delicious meals together (see photo), delighting the children with a special program just for them, and allowing your heart to taste more about the Sufi Way, the Way of the Love.

One of the beautiful gifts offered during Sufi School at the Farm of Peace is that our dates for Sufi School East, August 19-23, come during the holy month of Ramadan, when we fast together and focus our love and attention in service to Allah, and then each evening break our fast together with ifthar (evening meal).

Being together with Sidi at any time is a great blessing, but especially during Ramadan as his transmission of love and mercy is decibels higher. You surely will want to take this opportunity to be with the Guide, in the pastoral surroundings at the Farm of Peace during Ramadan. It is a gift that only you can give yourself, insha'llah.

As Sufi School approaches, we encourage you to invite people you know to introductory talks that will be offered throughout our community. You also will want to explore the Love of Love blog that Mastura Graugnard has created with people's inspirational stories about Sidi and this path, video clips (including "Truth of a Sufi") and more. There is a link to the blog below. If you'd like to host a small gathering at your home to introduce your friends, family or coworkers, to Sidi and the Sufi Way, please contact Mastura at [email protected] or 301-514-0113.

Please stay tuned for more details about Sufi School East, including kids' program, work-study, and online registration. All this information will be posted at www.suficentereast.org very soon.

What's Happening on the Farm
An Update from Kamila Dinning, Farm Manager
Garden

Our CSA garden is thriving; pictured above, Amin Mills and Isa Konecki work among the flourishing rows. Amin, with the help of Isa, Ahmad and Tayyab (one of our regular volunteers), has taken the garden from a third of an acre to two acres, so there is lots of space to plant -- and, inshallah, harvest -- an abundance of produce this summer. Yum -- there are lots of tomatoes in the forecast!

"Saturday's delivery was a treat. The radishes were incredibly good; sprouts were a nice surprise. Everything arrived very fresh -- thanks. Can't wait to see what the next one brings." It's gratifying to receive responses like this from our CSA members. We're making weekly deliveries to Silver Spring, D.C., Frederick and Hagerstown. Thanks so much to Amina Knox and Nura Heyward for hosting CSA deliveries on their porches.

The orchard is looking great under Maryam Hand's loving care; the trees are pruned and weeded, and Maryam has kept the orchard mowed, so walking is easy and it looks beautiful.

Our two new bee hives are doing well. Experienced beekeepers Hassan and Wahida Kass are helping us learn how to care for the bees. Anyone who would like to experience pure Love, we invite you to come with us and sit with the bees! For the beloveds who are interested in apitherapy, Shamsa Houck is holding group bee-sting therapy sessions at her home weekly.

Last year, the pastured poultry raised at the farm was tremendously well-received. We are looking toward having chickens again, and the beloveds in the Pastured Poultry Circle are working on a business plan for future poultry production at the Farm.

Habib Reineke and Rifqa raised over 50 broilers for the zawiyah freezer. This was a volunteer project that yielded more than 300 pounds of poultry from nice, plump birds averaging over five pounds each. Habib and Rifqa provided the birds to the zawiyah at cost.

The lambs are growing up and the sheep are enjoying the pleasures of the pasture this summer.

Summer is such a wonderful time to be at the Farm; if you'd like to come and experience the excitement of all the growth that is happening, come and volunteer for a day in the garden -- you will love it! Call Farm Manager Kamila KG Dinning at 301-788-3632.

Hearts of Joy -- A Special Family Gathering
by Sabura Daphne Howard
Sabura family Photo by Kimm Jolly

When my family asked me a few months ago what I would like to do for my bridal shower, I answered from my heart, "a women's retreat at the Farm of Peace." I normally would have answered with something easier for everyone -- logistically, financially and emotionally -- since these are busy people who would be traveling from far away for this occasion. All that mattered to me was spending meaningful time with these women from my family. But when I listened to my heart, it was clear, I wanted to gather these women together at the Farm of Peace for a retreat.

The initial response was supportive of my wishes although no one was jumping for joy. This is not a Sufi crowd; some are spiritual, but others are not accustomed to taking time for their spirits or hearts. They have careers, families, activities, travel schedules, and "it's how far out of the city?" However, they all wanted to honor my heart and so they opened to the idea. I was both overwhelmed and overjoyed by this response.

Thus began the planning process. IPC schedule? Work schedules? Flight schedules? How much? How long? What will we do? With age ranges from 30 to 80 and various health conditions, how do we make space for everyone? Nevertheless, through date changes, travel logistics, and even my passing kidney stones the week prior, we were headed for an overnight retreat at the Farm!

We arrived in the late afternoon and heard everyone's travel tales from Australia, Arizona, North Carolina, DC and New York. After dinner, we gathered in the teaching room where Mastura offered us massages for our travel-weary bodies. As our bodies relaxed and our hearts opened, Salima read us Sufi love poems. We swam in the love that evening. Everyone was surprised by the beauty and truth that emerged from them in that space. They experienced a deep peace in their beings. Highlights from the next day included a tour of the Farm, Rifqa's recipes, sharing from the heart, dancing our way to the lunchroom to Moroccan music. We connected deeply with each other and discovered our depths and strengths.

Initially, everyone had come for me, with a curiosity about the Farm and Sufism as being important parts of my life. Their parting comments touched me deeply: each person felt a deep meaning brought to her own life that she would not have had the chance to experience had I not suggested this retreat.

A month later I am still receiving emails from my family:

"Daphne, thank you so much! The weekend has inspired all of us. A gift to us all in giving to you. That's how gifts are, aren't they? Many thanks to you for wanting this incredible weekend together. Much love, Kimm."

"D, What a beautiful gift for all of us! Thank you. E"

"I am so glad we have now connected, and will have many chances to celebrate love, happiness, and this phenomenal sisterhood!!!! I feel complete with this strong bond that keeps us together despite the distance. Clau"

In addition to our own experiences, my family was touched by the kindness of all the people they encountered working at the Farm. I hope this is just the beginning. With more planning I will organize childcare so that people with children can come. One of the gifts of living in this community is having a place where we can invite all types of hearts to drink with us. The Farm of Peace and the beloveds in our community create a beautiful container for these moments.

The bridal shower pretext gave me the strength to stand in my truth and ask others to join me there. For some it may be birthdays, or anniversaries, or recovery from an illness, or a life milestone. What I realize now is that these are specific doorways, but the opportunity is always there to let our hearts invite those we love to drink together from the source of love.

The Farm of Peace is available to all of us to create such special moments. We have a talented and varied community that can offer many different experiences, from healing arts to cooking to spiritual teaching to art and writing to farming and much more. Please contact Sabura at [email protected] about how to create your own special retreat at the Farm of Peace.

Hope, Vision, Music, Unity
By Camela Widad Kraemer
UMF pix

The Unity Music Festival just became that event that I will look forward to every summer. It's like it became its own creation and just sent love, celebration, hope, vision, music and unity into all of us! Maybe it was the expansion to three days. Maybe it was camping under the clearest Pennsylvania skies (stars so clear like I remember as a kid), and taking a hot shower after a long festival day. The whole weekend seemed to create a magical space in my heart that will forever be my Unity Music Festival memory.

Or maybe it was having, for the third year in a row, a collection of amazingly talented musicians and artists coming together to share their message of Unity. Each one brings something unique but at the same time all express Unity. Some new additions were big highlights for many who came. We brought a community contra dance that had us dancing, laughing, learning and connecting with each other as we learned to do-si-do, swing your partner, and promenade. My favorite dance was the Virginia Reel. Another addition was an open acoustic jam that we had in the barn after all organized festival activities were done. All were welcome regardless of experience, and each shared a song around the circle. The connection with each other has created a Unity Music Festival family that has been our goal from the beginning. We also added a campfire this year, which created great memories, especially for the children -- think roasted marshmallows!

Some music highlights were Sharon Katz and the Peace Train. They have a polished performance that really connected with the crowd, strong melodies and song structure and got us involved, singing, dancing, and, as well, taught us about South Africa and some of its history. They held a workshop early Saturday morning that had us moving, singing in their native language and laughing to start our day. We hope to have them back.

More goodies were Cello Fury, formerly CelloFourte, who blew us away once again. Beaucoup Blue is a father-son duo that knows their music so deeply, plays their instruments with such mastery that they brought the history of our culture into full experience. We danced the night away with the Afro Funk beats of Elikeh on Saturday night and had an easy Sunday morning with talks, workshops and Kevin Neidig and his band delighting us with their talent

The workshops this year brought a great depth to everyone's experience: Managing Everyday Conflict with John Abd al-Qadir Davies; Guitar 101 with Kevin Neidig; Heal Your Voice with me, Camela Widad Kraemer; and a surprise impromptu talk with Sheikah Maryam Kabeer Faye, one of our vendors, author of Journey Through Ten Thousand Veils and a lover of Sufism who studied with Sidi in Jerusalem 30 years ago.

We ended with a sing-along, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," which was such a crowd favorite that we will continue to end each festival creating an unbroken circle, singing together as we leave each other until the next year.

All in all, there is so much more to share. The love and peace that have been created will continue, inshallah, each year of the Unity Music Festival. Every year audience members and musicians say to me, "What is this place?," asked with a dreamy look on their faces. When they stay to hang out it's as if they let down their "worldy" guard knowing they are safe here, that they are loved here, that they are accepted here no matter what because each year at the Unity Music Festival we give a little more Hope, Vision, Music and Unity.

We are excitedly looking forward to Unity 2011 and invite you to come along! Make your plans, book your flights and join us June 10, 11, 12 next year! Find us on Facebook and the Web via the links below.

Reflections on the Zawiyah
Participants Share Their Experiences
Page Zahra My Spiritual "Mom"-cation

Recently I had the pleasure of attending zawiyah at the Farm of Peace. My practices were feeling flat, my connection to Allah felt weak, and I was feeling overwhelmed by the needs of my family. I needed a spiritual tune-up. So -- I left my beloved and my two daughters to fill my cup and realign with the One for six amazing days.

I stayed at the new International Peace Center. It was a beautiful place to leave my responsibilities and to dive deep into the Sufi teachings and practices. The zawiyah team was very supportive and helpful in guiding my heart into closer proximity to Allah.

They say that after zawiyah you are a new creation, and it is true. My heart feels lighter and more connected to Allah. I feel like I have more to give my beloved and kids. I am grateful to all of the people who made my zawiyah a wonderful and transformative experience.

Al-hamdu li'llah!! -- Zahra Janeff

The Kitchen's Bounty
A Favorite Recipe from the Farm of Peace
Rifqa serves our guests such wonderful meals -- everyone appreciates them so much. She reports that one of the most popular dishes is this tasty offering from The Sonoma Diet by Dr. Connie Gutterson. It's a versatile recipe -- Rifqa sometimes substitutes chicken for the shrimp. Enjoy!

Shrimp with Zucchini and Asparagus

  • 8 oz. fresh or frozen peeled, deveined medium shrimp
  • 5 small zucchini (about 1 1/4 pounds)
  • 8 oz. fresh asparagus spears
  • 1 fresh jalape�o chili pepper, seeded & finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Thaw shrimp, if frozen; rinse; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Cut zucchini into long, thin strips. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces.

Steam asparagus for 2 minutes using a large pot and steamer basket; add zucchini and steam 2-3 minutes longer or until vegetables are just crisp-tender (don't overcook). Drain well; keep warm.

In a large skillet, cook jalape�o, ginger & garlic in hot oil on medium heat for 30 seconds. Add shrimp. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, stirring often. Stir in the cilantro, sesame seeds, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Add zucchini and asparagus & toss gently to coat.

Transfer to serving platter; if desired, sprinkle with additional cilantro and/or sesame seeds. Serves 4

Life at the Farm of Peace
by Maryam Hand
Maryam

Every day, as I walk up and down the hill from the farmhouse to the International Peace Center, where I serve as caretaker, I feel my heart swell with gratitude as I take in the physical beauty of the farm. I pass the donkeys, saying to them, "As salam alaykum boys," and if the sheep are close by, I greet them, too. Max the barn cat throws himself over on his belly so that I can scratch him as I pass by.

Lately, I have been able to forage from the wild blueberries and blackberries growing along the road. The beauty changes constantly, depending upon the time of day that I am making my "commute." In the early hours of predawn, on my way to do the fajr practices with our zawiyah guests, the mists roll over the hills and sink into the valley with a certain eerie beauty. During the day, I sometimes hear the wild turkeys gobbling in the fields while I walk the sun-dazzled gravel road to the farmhouse to meet my beloved, Ahmad. Later, after I've enjoyed the evening practices, the moon lights the road in front of me and the sounds of bullfrogs and peepers fill the air. Last night, I had to run, amidst wild flashes of lightning, when a sudden thunderstorm caught me by surprise late in the evening. From the time I was a child, I have particularly loved God through nature and animals and I feel ever grateful that Allah has placed me in this place of incredible richness and beauty.

I met my beloved, Ahmad, soon after coming to the farm. I heard he was a master gardener and I thought I was wooing him to help with the gardens around the IPC. As it turned out, I found my husband and more, my best friend.

I also fell in love with our orchard and began to care for it, and with Shakir Hayes's assistance, we have mulched, weeded, mowed, pruned and generally cared for the trees. The trees began to take on the appearance of being loved and the joy we give each other is palpable. This past weekend, I mowed a wide path to the orchard gate, both from the bridge at the farmhouse and from the road, and would like to invite you to come and walk amongst the trees, giving them your love. It is my hope that you will find beauty and peace there and that the trees will benefit from the attention.

What I most appreciate at the Farm of Peace are the opportunities to pray in community. The check-ins, dhikrs, healing sessions that we exchange, and the guidance we receive from Salima and many other wise souls, make for a "Sufi University" of its own sort. The light here is amazing and the opportunity to walk, to reach, to love, to grow is all I could ever want.

Thank You!
Your Giving Makes A Difference
donkeys Thanks to everyone who gives to nourish the heart of our Farm of Peace community.

Thanks so much to Rifqa, who constantly gives to the donkeys, the sheep and the laying hens (among her many other contributions at the farm). She cares for the animals with loving kindness and experienced attention. They share the love they receive with everyone. Thank you, Rifqa!

Many volunteers are responsible for helping the CSA garden to be such a success. Thanks to Tayyab and Isa for helping with the garden; Rifqa and Halima Mills help with picking, washing and packing the CSA produce. Also thanks to Mu'min Shay for supporting the CSA with vegetables.

Maryam Hand has devoted many hours to caring for the orchard. Halima Mills cares for the farmhouse lawn and gardens (where there are some beautiful cabbages coming up!). Thank you.

Many thanks to Amina May, who comes regularly to help keep the IPC clean. Thank you as well to Isa Konecki and his son, Josh, who mow the grass and keep the weed cleared around the IPC.

Isa, Shamsa, Rifqa, Abd'allah, Habib Greg and Salima volunteered their time to raise and process over 300 pounds of pastured poultry for the zawiyah kitchen. Thank you all! Thank you to Mu'min Shay for replacing the Haven Lane street name sign -- now everyone can find the way.

Many thanks to everyone who helped to make the Unity Music Festival a success, including Widad Kraemer, Mu'min Shay, Halima Mills, Sabira Geraghty and Shamsa Houck. Thanks as well to all who contributed financially to support the UMF. We are so grateful to have this yearly event to celebrate together and to welcome our beloveds and many new friends to the Farm of Peace.

We are grateful to all who are making financial donations to help the Farm continue its mission to bring the real love to the world and to care for the creation. For everyone whose heart is called, your donations are most welcome. You may send your check made to "Farm of Peace" to 1212 Haven Lane, Warfordsburg, PA 17267; or call us at 717-573-2956 and we will take your credit card information for your donation. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

Aug. 19-23: Sufi School East. Four days of teachings with Sidi al Jamal and Sufi teachers; morning wrap-up session on Aug. 23. Special prayers for Ramadan; camping; delicious meals; children's program; special teachings for newcomers. Find out more at www.suficentereast.org

Zawiyah Spiritual Retreat: Give your heart the gift of walking more deeply in proximity to God. Zawiyah is ongoing at the Farm of Peace. Cost: $130 per day includes teachings, room & board. Call the Farm for information and to register: 717-573-4722.

Dhikr: Sundays, 5:30 p.m. & Thursdays, 7 p.m. Sufi healing circle for healing of body, mind, heart and spirit. All are welcome! (Potluck supper follows Sunday's dhikr.)

Jumah: Every Friday, 1:30 p.m. Gather in community for prayers and teachings from the Qu'ran and Sidi's writings.

Community Free Healing Day: Second Saturday of the month at the Farm of Peace, 2-4 p.m. This is a great way to introduce your friends to Sufi teachings and healing. There is no charge. Next: July 17 (third Saturday this month). Call 717-573-2956 for information. Community Free Healing Day also held in Silver Spring, Md. Next: July 25 (fourth Sunday this month; call 301-565-7878 to RSVP).

Salima Healing Seminar. In this individual five-day seminar, Salima offers a unique opportunity for deep healing. You'll receive individual assessments and healings with Salima, and a series of complementary sessions and bodywork. Call the Farm at 717-573-2956 to schedule.

Farm Vacations: Enjoy a vacation in the country for a weekend -- or longer. Guests age 16 & older are welcome to stay at the farm (in the IPC) and enjoy the woods, fields and animals in a peaceful, secluded environment, restful and revitalizing in all seasons of the year. Call 717-573-2956 to make your reservations. The Farm of Peace is a member of the Pennsylvania Farm Vacation Association, www.pafarmstay.com.

phone: 717-573-2956 or 877-FOR-SSCE

Ideas for future newsletter content? Would you like to write an article or share a photo with us? Please let us know how you would like to contribute.