Forty Days: The Diary of a Traditional Solitary Sufi Retreat

By Michaela M. Ozelsel

Book Overview

This is a woman's firsthand account of a Sufi halvet, a forty-day retreat conducted in complete isolation, along with strict fasting from sunrise to sundown. Voluntarily confined to a sparsely furnished room amid the bustle of Istanbul, Michaela ?zelsel will occupy her time with reading the Qur'an and works of Rumi and Ibn 'Arabi, and with praying and practicing the powerful Sufi exercise known as zhikr, the rhythmic repetition of names of God or other sacred formulas, accompanied by movements of the head or body.

In intimate detail Dr. ?zelsel shares her experiences as she strives to attain true "Islam" in its meaning of surrender or unconditional acceptance of the will of God. Her daily journal ranges over the frustrations of noisy neighbors, power outages, and a poorly heated room; her inner longings, doubts, and memories of the life course that has brought her to this moment; and the most inspirational philosophical insights, dreams and visions, and ecstatic raptures.

The second half of the book is devoted to the author's psychological and cultural commentary on her experiences, including observations about the methods of Sufi schooling, sexuality and spirituality, and the relationship with the spiritual guide. Forty Days is unique in the literature of spiritual education because it is informed by her knowledge of contemporary research from several disciplines, thus creating a bridge between ancient wisdom and scientific investigation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159030053X
• ISBN13: 9781590300534
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

An Experience In Itself

I read this book while observing the fast of Ramadan. The first half of the book wherein the author takes us on a day by day account of a spiritual retreat, seemed oddly in sync with what I was experiencing with the privations that Ramadan imposes upon those who observe it. I found the whole of the author's experiences eloquent and instructive. The second half of the book was a scientific analysis of the experience that was both eloquent and heroic. I say heroic because there are truly no scientific concepts that can properly encompass the spiritual and mystical experience. Yet the author achieves this. In this day and age when Islam is maligned with such irrational vehemence, this book is a welcome addition to a pantheon of literature both ancient and modern.

A Sufi Practice Witnessed from Hearts Eye

MICHAELA OZELSEL deserves our credit on revealing us to the most private moments that she experienced during her taking a 40 days Sufi retreat. Several books on various Sufi practices are available but most of these books talk about the descriptive and/or prescriptive side of these practices. This book details a witnessing of thoughts, feelings, and events that Dr. Ozelsel experienced herself. This book is unique as it exposes to the reader firsthand experiences (away from theories on this subject) of this Sufi practice. In the second half of this book Dr. Ozelsel tries to map her experiences in the light of contemporary multi-disciplinary scientific knowledge. This second half is just like looking into traditional and sacred practices from scientific looking glass. This book is very original and it is hard to putdown till one completes the diary portion of this book.