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Hazrat Ateşbâz-ı Veli (Yûsuf bin İzzeddin/Şemseddin Yusuf) was the cook of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (Mevlana/Rumi) and an influential figure in the Mevlevi Order. He died in 1285 AD (the Seljuk era) at the age of 100. His tomb is in Konya, Türkiye. Not only the cook, Hz. Ateşbaz Veli was...

Hi there. It's been a long time since I posted. I found a few more resources to read on the 99 Divine Names, which I wanted to incorporate for Al 'Aziz, and that took some time. This project is such a labor of love - and a work in progress - that I am finding my way through it as I go along. And...

I remember when I became pregnant with my son I was overjoyed, but panicked. My anxiety was off-the-charts terrible. I know some women who have told me that they had wonderful pregnancies in that they felt this joy - but most of my joy was eclipsed by sheer panic. I was terrified that I would not...

Suggesting Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) is difficult for me because it is critically endangered. It is no longer a sustainable option to use for aromatherapy and essential oil meditations. It is unfortunate. But, there is no other oil that I find comparable. Some suggest Vetiver (Vetiveria...

The fifth name, or attribute, of God is Peace / the Giver of Peace, As-Salaam. As-Salaam-Alaikum & Wa-Alaikum-Salaam - one of my favorite greetings comes from Arabic - peace be with you and peace also with you. Other times I’ve been greeted with peace - at church and at the end of yoga, om...

The fourth name of God is Al Quddus, defined as "The Holy" and "The Sacred." One of the things I try to remember when reading about the names of God is that at first they may seem to be describing a noun, but they also describe a verb. Meaning, God is so beyond our human comprehension that we...

Whether it's questioning our own abilities (imposter syndrome), or feeling like our fate is in the hands of others, or downright issues with those who had control over our lives growing up, it all comes down to authority. Are we an authority? Do I have to answer to that authority? Who do I place...

Although these are two names - Ar Rahman and Ar Rahim - they are often recited together. Translated, Ar Rahman describes God as Most Gracious and Ar Rahim as Most Merciful. According to Sufi thought, these names convey the “Sun and Moon” of Love, meaning, the compassion which we radiate outward,...

For awhile now I have been wanting to share how Sufi practices and Aromatherapy can be merged together for a more connected spiritual practice. I truly believe, and have experienced for myself, the powerful effects of adding essential oils to prayer and meditation. One Sufi practice is to...

Isn't this an incredible illustration? It's of Tapputi-Belatekallim, considered to be the world's first recorded chemist - not first female chemist - but first chemist. She was a perfume maker for the Royal Palace in Babylonian Mesopotamia around 1200 BCE. Her perfumes weren't just for cosmetic...