Sufism, the mystical path within the Islamic tradition, and depth psychotherapy, each gravitate around issues central to healing and human being – love, transformation, imagination, and the soul. Join four leading scholars, teachers, and analysts, at the intersection of these rich and diverse imaginal realms.

Rumi and the Secret of Being Human

Kabir Helminski

For Rumi, and the Sufi tradition in general, the “self,” our “I-ness,” is both the poison and the remedy. It need not be “annihilated” but transformed through ever finer levels of consciousness—seven according to one map of this journey. This transformation is made possible through a developing relationship between the individual self and Universal Intelligence. Intelligence and Love are not two, but different aspects of one higher order Reality. We will explore some of the practical aspects of this transformation and the coherent worldview and practice underlying Rumi’s heart-opening wisdom.

Sufism and the Healing Value of Love in Depth Psychotherapy

D. Steven Nouriani

Dr. Nouriani will be presenting on the healing value of love in depth psychotherapy and Jungian analysis from the perspective of Sufism. The profound deeper meaning of love from the perspective of Sufism has broad clinical applications. And, it can provide further implications for a deeper understanding of transference and countertransference issues in depth psychotherapy, which can improve the treatment process and lead to further consciousness and healing. Clinical examples will be provided.

Recommended Reading

Farid Ud-Din Attar, The Conference of the Birds, trans. Afkham Darbandi & Dick Davis (Penguin Classics).

Encountering the Imaginal Realm of the Soul

Sherri Mahdavi

Sufism has always stressed the importance of psychological work to create an inner space within which one can come to experience the imaginal realm of the soul and the deep mysteries of the heart. In this presentation, Dr. Mahdavi will describe the process of inner transformation among Sufi mystics, which aims towards a complete transformation of one’s psychic structure. She will then share how her personal inner journey led to the integration of Persian Sufi wisdom into her clinical practice, with each further illuminating the other.

Soul’s Journey: In Sufism of Ibn al-‘Arabi & Analytical Psychology of C. G. Jung

Mansoor Abidi

This presentation introduces the basic teachings of the theoretical Sufism of Ibn al-‘Arabi using the lens of Jungian psychology. Many religious scholars versed in Islamic psychology believe that Sufism differs from the major branches of the Islamic faith, such as jurisprudence, philosophy, or Shi’ism. This is because Sufism stresses ma’rifa, a direct mode of knowing the world, the human soul, and God. Similarly, Jungian psychology, which places great emphasis on the personal shadow and the archetypal or transpersonal aspects of the psyche, has been dismissed by mainstream psychology and religious traditionalists. This talk will attempt to illustrate the Sufi path to spirituality via the Jungian approach. Identifying parallels and outlining the soul’s journey, the discussion will draw similitudes from the inverse relationship of the Sufi notion of the soul’s descent (separatio, tanzih) and ascent (coniunctio, tashbih) to Jung’s model of the individuation process.

Learning Objectives for Continuing Education Credits (4 Hours):

• Demonstrate increased skill in conceiving and implementing clinical interventions based on Sufi theories of affect.
• Analyze transference and countertransference dynamics using symbolic thinking and demonstrate in at least one case study.
• Assess Sufi conceptions of self and apply to psychotherapeutic practice using at least two examples.