Our Mission:
The Farm of Peace/Shadhiliyya Sufi Center East is a spiritual community dedicated to bringing God's Peace, Love, Mercy, Justice and Freedom to all of creation. We seek to bring peace and healing to individuals and the world by putting into practice the Love at the core of all religions.
Dear Friends,
This month marks a great celebration for the Farm of Peace, as it is our 10 year anniversary! We hope you can join us on April 28th as we take a walk down memory lane, in gratitude for the abundance of growth and blessings that have unfolded in the past decade. The 150 acres of rolling pastures here are now home to the International Peace Center, alive with many spiritual and healing programs; a Community Supported Agriculture Program serving nourishing produce to many families; an expanding flock of sheep currently birthing lots of healthy little lambs; and new homes that have been built on the farm. The community has continued to flourish, both here at the Farm of Peace and across the nation, as we continue to welcome friends and visitors to enjoy the peace found here. Please come to celebrate with us, and offer a prayer of gratitude as we enjoy a day of community, fun, and lots of surprises.
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Early Days at the Farm of Peace
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Spring is a beautiful time to visit the farm. Immersing your self in the scenery is healing in itself. A stroll through the farm to visit the baby lambs and by the gardens to see the new life emerging can be enjoyed as the natural world around begins to unfold and share it's beauty with us.
Many spiritual and healing programs are on the calendar, that are highlighted to the right. We welcome you to the International Peace Center to attend a program. Please read on to hear the experience of recent workshops attendees and workshop host.
During our recent Community Nourishment Weekend we were grateful for yet another gathering of beautiful hearts and souls. People came to receive spiritual nourishment from Abdul Rahim's teaching on Saturday, physical nourishment from delicious shared meals, and the joy of working together on community service projects to help beautify the farm that continues to welcome us to drink in so many ways. On Sunday morning Nuh Ross reviewed the recently published Sufi Center East strategic plan with the group. During this session, Jamila Davies shared an excerpt from her journal with us (see article below) that opened hearts and brought holy tears to the eyes of many.
As we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Farm of Peace, we thank Allah, the provider, the most generous, and the sustainer of life for this gift., and for the deep love and peace that is fabric of our existence.
With peace and blessings,
Halima Willett (editor)
Reflections on Living and Being at the Farm
by Jamila Davies
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The Farm of Peace is an oasis, a place of rest and refreshment. It is a hope, a dream, a prayer. It is a sanctuary. We create it for ourselves, for our friends, our brothers and sisters, our children and their children, for the world's children. It is a quiet place away from a dizzying world.
Who is the Farm of Peace? We are the Farm. We carry the message. We carry it in our hearts and convey it in our thoughts, our words and deeds. We come to the Farm to drink and to refresh ourselves, our sense of purpose and our connection; and we carry that into the world.
We are stewards of this beautiful gift. Those who live on or near the Farm and all those who visit, strive to honor the deep commitment made to this vision and to keep the physical place vibrant. There are roads to maintain, clear, plow and resurface. There are animals to feed, lambs to birth, and sheep to slaughter. There are bees to raise, honey to extract, eggs to gather, gardens to hoe, plant, weed and harvest. There are fruit trees to nourish, protect and enjoy. There are berries to plant and pick, pies to make and muffins to bake. There are lessons to plan, children to teach, games to play and hikes to take. There are trees to fell, logs to split, wood to carry and fires to build.
And then there are hearts to mend. There are workshops to hold, announcements to make, mailing lists to update, newsletters to write, messages to send, phones to answer. There are windows to wash, beds to change, floors to mop, laundry to wash, dry and put away. And there are meals to prepare, shopping to do, menus to plan, tables to set and kitchens to clean. There are practices at dawn and prayers five times each day, dhikrs twice a week with Jumuah on Friday. And there are special events each summer when our holy guide pays us a visit or children come to play in week-long camps.
And all this is done in service to the vision, to create a place of peace and renewal for all those who wish to come. But the land in Warfordsburg is not the Farm. We are the Farm. Each of us is the Farm. The Farm of Peace, the non-profit is you and me and we are what make up the Farm of Peace.
Living Peace
by John Abd al-Qadir Davies
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One of the secrets that I learned in my peacemaking work in over 30 countries in 30 years, is that it is deeply personal - governments don't make peace: people do. There is an inner shift of perception and insight that allows a person to recognize that the choice for peace is real, requiring integrity, courage, commitment. The shift is from seeing the other as enemy, the source of our problems, to recognizing their humanity, with needs like our own that we can understand, caught like us in a destructive or difficult relationship but capable of moving with us into a new partnership. The realization liberates and empowers us, opens our heart to connect in new ways, and is contagious among those around us.
So when our guide Sidi said it's time for me to come home, to make peace in my own country where it is sorely needed - I knew what he meant. Peace is made one heart at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time. Helping people understand that their personal choices for peace (with themselves, with family, friends, beloveds, colleagues) are not just the most direct and powerful way to make a peaceful world - it's the only way.
Peace can't be sustained as just absence of violence or abuse. Only when it becomes a living reality through which we are inspired and passionately engaged, discovering meaning, divine purpose, love and beauty with partners, family, neighbors and all whom we encounter - only then are we truly at peace, at one with all that is, living peace, and with every breath helping to sustain it at home and in the world.
Going Home
by Marci Moberg
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 I had been hearing about the Farm of Peace for one or two years before my first visit. A place and community known for its warmth, welcoming arms, and ultimately...Love. I was curious about this mythical oasis in the middle of Pennsylvania farm country that was only a two hour drive from the Washington, DC area where I live. However, every time I considered going to the Farm an obstacle was put in my way. A work trip scheduled, another retreat I signed up for, illness, family visits. The timing was never just right and so it seemed not meant to be. I have experienced a lot of transition over the last year. A year of death and rebirth, of losing love and finding Love, of sowing seeds for the future. Through this space in between in my life I started to reconnect with the speech of my heart through writing. An unexpected tool with immense healing powers. And so when I received an e-mail about the Writing from the Heart workshop with Jamila Davies, I knew I had to attend. Visiting the Farm can be best described as walking into a huge hug, an embrace of immense Love that comes pouring out of the walls of the International Peace Center and every person you come in contact with. There is a special energy that is unique and Sacred. And Jamila's workshop was no different. She had a special ability to help each attendee connect with the voice within to be translated onto the pages of our notebooks in ink. It was a meeting where the Beloved was felt through our writings, conversations, and sitting together. During my visit, Jamila and the Farm gave me the confidence to find my voice again and to stand within my own experience. An experience that carries the rubies of wisdom and knowledge that we often overlook, looking to others' experiences as our teachers rather than our own. I was so moved by my experience on the Farm that I knew I had to come back and attend the Community Nourishment weekend. I was introduced to more beautiful souls and experiences, sharing meals together, serving through completing chores, and sharing the names of the One who created all on our tongues. And so coming to the Farm each time has been like going to a family reunion. While not connected through blood, it is clear everyone is connected by the most potent element of creation...Love. After years of difficulty finding community in my spiritual path, I finally felt like I found the "grandmother's house" of my path. A place where I know I can go and be held. Where I will be filled with Love and the opportunity to give Love away. Where I will find immense healing. The Farm is a special place indeed and I know I will be back to visit it soon. What's Happening on the Farm
by Halima Willett
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"And a sign to them is the lifeless earth of winter. We give it life and bring forth from it seeds, so that from it they may eat." Q36:33  | |
Lamb from our first set of twins 2013
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How grateful we are to see the return of growth, nourishment, tender young life, and the blossoming of beauty. Spring is unfolding itself from the shell of winter, and it's signs are abundant on the farm. The first two baby lambs were born late March! We welcome these two healthy little lives to our pastures along with all the little lambs that will be birthed in the coming weeks, God willing. There are 15 more pregnant ewes, we pray the pastures will be graced with many healthy, energetic and adorable lambs this spring, and visitors will find nourishment for the heart from watching them pounce around. The seed shed is brimming with young plants, filling every space available as they mature for their migration into the garden later in the spring. Many seeds have been sowed into the earth under tunnels, protecting them from the chill  | |
The Childrens' School visits to plant seeds
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of early spring. It is truly a joy to witness this miracle unfold every year, as so many delicate young plants emerge from their hard shells, and continue to grow by the mercy and grace of Allah's will, into nourishment and healing for our bodies. I can feel how health seems to radiate from my being with a little more vibrance, when my kitchen is full of fresh vegetables from the garden. We welcome the return of the CSA season! Shares of the nourishing harvest are available with many delivery locations. Please feel free to give me (Halima) a call with any questions or request about our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) at the farm house, 717-573-2956. We truly enjoy growing and sharing the garden's gift with our members and welcome the expansion of new members this spring. Reserve Your Share of the Harvest Here!
Allah Responds to Our Needs
by Rifqa Parrino
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We recently donated some lamb meat to an area Muslim women's shelter.
A friend kindly agreed to transport the donation for us. She called
today to relay their thanks and a small story:
One of the women was beside herself with gratitude. She said, "Thank
you so much, I have been praying for lamb! I didn't know how I could
afford it, I just asked Allah to please send me some lamb." She is 5
months pregnant and can't afford to buy much meat.
Our friend called to share how beautiful it was that Allah knew of
this woman's need and took care of it -- none of us knew the woman who
would receive some of our lamb was pregnant and craving lamb. Not the
person here who decided to make the donation, not the one who brought
it to the shelter, yet Allah knew and orchestrated it all to meet the
need of one who turned to Him in prayer.
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Sunrise over the sheep shed during our snowy winter
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From the Kitchens' Bounty
Cream of Asparagus Soup
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The asparagus should be arriving any day now and we hope to have plenty to share with IPC guest and at the first farmers' market of the season. What a gift to see the shoots emerging after a long cold winter! 2 lb fresh asparagus 2 C water 1 1/2 T butter 2 C hot milk 2 C chopped onion 2 t dill 1 1/2 t salt 1/2 t tarragon 3 T flour white pepper to taste
1) Chop stalks into one inch pieces. Put tips aside.
2) Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add onion, asparagus stalks and salt. Saute for about 10 min over medium heat. When onions are clear and soft, sprinkle in two T flour, while constantly stirring. Continue to cook on lowest heat, stirring frequently for 5 - 8 min.
3) Add water, stirring constantly. Heat to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. After about 5 min, sprinkle in the remaining 1 T flour, mixing well. Cook another 8 - 10 min, stirring frequently.
4) Puree the soup with the milk, bit by bit, in a blender. Return the puree to a large saucepan, and season with dill, tarragon and white pepper.
5) Cut the reserved tips into small pieces. Add to the soup, heat very gently (don't cook or boil).
Your service makes a difference
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Thank you to all who give their time and talents in service at the Farm of Peace. There are so many to acknowledge and we are grateful to you all.
 Greg Habib Reineke has graced the farm with another beautiful building project. A new apprentice suite is underway, thank you for all your hard work and talent!
During our last community nourishment weekend, many hands helped out. Amin Whalen generously agreed to care for all the children at the farm house, along support from his daughter Kate! It was a rainy day and they did an amazing job keeping the kids entertained indoors with many creative games.
Thank you to Abdul'Rahim Keeley and Jana Hamida Amsellem for helping split fire wood! Marci Moberg and Marianne Scudder helped to clean and prepare the yurt for our farm apprentices. Many more helped prepare nourishing meals, wash dishes, and lend a helping hand wherever needed.
We are very appreciative for the generosity of all those who have given their time and resources to support the Farm of Peace. Thank you! Farm of Peace
1212 Haven Lane
Warfordsburg, PA 17267
717-573-4722 (International Peace Center) 717-573-2956 (Farm Operations) www.farmofpeace.com www.suficentereast.org
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Upcoming Events
Living Peace
with Abd al-Qadir and Jamila Davies
April 20-21
Healing Retreat
with Salima Adelstein
May 1-5
Writing from the Heart with Jamila Davies
May 11-12
Medical Qigong with Isaac Goren
May 17-21
Living Peace
with Abd al-Qadir and Jamila Davies June 8-9
Steps on the Journey of Laa'with Dr. Jeanette Hablullah June 22-23 Contact us at 717-573-4722 to reserve a space in any of the above programs.
Everyone is welcome to our weekly gatherings listed below.
Dhikr Circle
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.
Every Friday, 1:30 p.m. Gather in community for prayers and teachings from the Qur'an and Sidi's writings.
Qur'anic Study Classes
Gather at the IPC with
Dr. Jeanette Hablullah, held bi-weekly on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please contact the IPC at 717-573-4722 for information on joining this gathering.
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Living Peace
April 20-21
Too often we think of peace as just an absence of violence or abuse - whether in our relationships, family, community or world. Yet peace can't be sustained as absence: only when it becomes a living reality through which we are inspired and passionately engaged, discovering meaning, intimacy, divine purpose, beauty and completeness with partners, brothers and sisters, are we truly at peace, at one with all that is, living peace and with every breath helping to sustain it at home and in the world.
The Living Peace workshop is led by Dr. John Abd al-Qadir Davies and Jamila Davies. John is a faculty member at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism. The workshop opens the door for anyone to taste the reality of peace, to move painful relationships to where they support us in our journey. It is also a gateway to specialized "peace partners" workshops that help build skills in transformative mediation, reconciliation, family dynamics, integrative decision making, opening to divine love, and more.
Program Details and Enrollment
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Healing Retreat
with Salima Adelstein
May 1-5
Join Salima Adelstein along with other healers for a very special 4 day spiritual healing program for those suffering with chronic physical or emotional illness. Our healing retreat integrates ancient Sufi Spiritual Healing with alternative medicine to reawaken the heart's awareness of the Divine and bring healing for the body, heart, and spirit.
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Writing from the Heart
with Jamila Davies
May 11-12
"I want to speak to a soul that is open, to enter into my own intimate heart, to enter into the knowledge of who I am and who Allah would have me be. I want to discover the intimacy where no "otherness" resides, allowing that immense vulnerability where I cease being and only You are. I long to know You intimately, using writing as a tool, like a spade in the garden, digging deep to uncover Your divinity." -Excerpts from Writing from the Heart When I was a kid I spent hours daydreaming, making up stories and imagining great triumphs and exploits. As I got older those daydreams and stories became harder to access, other things got in the way, school, business, work, things that matter but that were not as much fun or as satisfying. In my early twenties I began writing in journals as a way to release some of the pent up feelings, thoughts and emotions that over the years had become a barrier to insight and creativity. In the Ministry Masters at USHS, writing showed up as a tool for helping others access their own deep, spiritual insight and it became obvious what I wanted to do. I want to help others open to their own deepest wisdom through writing. Writing from the Heart helps to do that. It clarifies who you are meant to be and allows you to share that uniqueness with the world. Program Details and Enrollment |
Medical Qi Gong
with Dr. Isaac Goren
May 17-21, 2013
Students of the Medical
Qigong Practitioner Program are trained in the ancient and subtle energetic wisdom of Chinese Medicine. The skills of diagnosis and treatment are learned by experiencing different exercises, meditations, and hands on instruction. Open to all health care professionals, students of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and those interested in Chinese energetic medicine. The certification program is designed to teach the theory and practical application of Medical Qigong Therapy. The certification program is based on the curriculum that has been established at the Medical Qigong College at the Hai Dian University and used clinically at the Xi Yuan Medical Qigong Hospital in Beijing, China.
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Steps on the Journey of Laa'
with Dr. Jeanette Hablullah
June 22-23
Return of the Heart....
This is a spiritual retreat focused on clearing, cleaning and re-centering the heart to that which is of utmost importance - the strong connection with Allah (God).
Cost is $200 for the workshop, which includes an overnight stay on Saturday night, and 4 meals (lunch/dinner on Saturday and breakfast/lunch on Sunday).
Please contact the Farm of Peace at 717-573-4722 to register.
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Farm of Peace
Community Supported Agriculture
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Join us to receive an abundance of fresh, locally grown produce.
Directly from the farmers field to your table.
Delivery is available to many locations near the farm and in the DC Metro Area.
Visit our website
to make your reservation.
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Giving is something only the heart can do.
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Please consider what your
heart wants to contribute
to help the Farm of Peace
continue to give to
everyone who seeks spiritual nourishment, a haven for peace, and the real love.
We pray that you receive
many blessings for your giving, knowing that your donation will make a difference in bringing the
message of Peace, Love, Mercy, Justice and Freedom to the world.
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