"THE ALCHEMY OF HAPPINESS" of Al-Ghazzali
An electronic class by Shaffia Laue (© 2003)

Part 1

I have recently been reading the ALCHEMY OF HAPPINESS by Al-Ghazzali, a Sufi mystic who wrote 100 years before Rumi and some of the stories which Rumi made famous appeared first in the writings of Al-Ghazzali. In reading this short abridgement of his greater works, which was fashioned for "popular use," I also found many ideas, which Hazrat Inayat Khan has brought forth to us in his body of teachings to bring this message to us across time and space in a language that is relevant to the current state of mind.

One of the stories he shares is that of the Chinese challenging the Greeks to a trial of skill in painting. The Sultan called them both to ply their art on edifices built facing each other for the purpose of this contest. Each day the Chinese asked for a multitude of colors in great quantity. But the Greeks asked for nothing. They both worked diligently in silence, keeping their work veiled from sight. Finally with great fanfare the Chinese signaled the end of their work. The King arrived to examine it and stood speechless at the wonderful beauty of the colors. In the meantime the Greeks, who had not used paint but sought to erase every color, pulled aside the cloth which hid their work. Because of the exquisite reflective surface they had created; the spectrum of the Chinese colors was seen, still more dazzling than ever, illuminated by the midday sun.

This teaching story is to illustrate in part the need to polish the heart to receive the intuitive knowledge of God. He explains that the "alchemy may be briefly described as turning away from the world to God, and its constituents are four:
1) The knowledge of Self
2) The knowledge of God
3) The knowledge of this world as it really is
4) The knowledge of the next world as it really is."

In the knowledge of self he states, " The aim of moral discipline is to purify the heart from the rust of passion and resentment, till, like a clear mirror, it reflects the light of God."

He is very clear to say that the heart he speaks of here is not the physical heart, "but that which uses all the other faculties as its instruments and servants. In truth it does not belong to the visible world, but to the invisible , and has come into this world as a traveler visits a foreign country for the sake of merchandise, and will presently return to its native land. It is the knowledge of this entity and its attributes which is the key to the knowledge of God." He goes on to say that the knowledge of the reality of the heart, or he also calls it spirit, could be obtained by closing ones eyes and, forgetting everything around "except his individuality."

Here I would suggest using the tool of the breath. First to be present to the breath, being aware of the in breath and out breath. Giving awareness to the ebb and flow as the breath changes direction. This is a fairly basic practice, which probably most of you have done, so I won’t belabor it. Watch for changes in the breath, as you are present to it. As you observe the breath, it changes, slows, becomes more regular, not because you change it, but with your presence and attention, it changes. After you have noticed this shift use your focus to breathe into the subtle heart in the area of the heart chakra, using the in breath to penetrate and soften the area and the out breath to facilitate opening and release. Just be present to the emotions or subtleties that arise. If by any chance it should feel overwhelming go back to focusing on the breath. Being present to the emotions that arise here is a way of a-tuning to and cleansing the "rust" that has gathered on the heart. It is a way of knowing the parts of oneself that have been buried and require attention to be cleared or discharged. (I apologize for this simplistic explanation, we could spend a full day seminar on this and just begin to scratch the surface. And yet it is worth pursuing, even in a simple way.)

As we pursue this inquiry, aspects of our being are revealed. Al-Ghazzali validates this inquiry; "An important part of our knowledge of God arises from the study and contemplation of our own bodies, which reveal to us the power, wisdom, and love of the Creator." He encourages further study and examination of the body for those who wish to become closer to God. Using the metaphor of the body being the steed on which the soul takes its journey into the physical world, "the body was created for the soul and the soul for the body." He encourages us to be aware of our weaknesses, and to be aware of the soul, as the rider of the steed, which will bring us to a greater knowledge of our Creator.
Take some time to be present to yourself, as a step on the pathway to the knowledge of God. Let me know what you find on the way, and we will share some further insights from Al-Ghazzali.

Part 2

As we continue our investigation into the Alchemy of Happiness, I would like to consider a situation that Al-Ghazzali mentions of an ant walking across a page and seeing black words appear on the page becomes curious as to their source. The ant then notices a pen that precedes the appearance of the words and the ant decides that the pen is the source of the words. He compares the physicist to the ant in his degree of knowledge of the providence of God. Al-Ghazzali then likens the astronomer to an ant of broader vision, who catches sight of the fingers moving the pen, "he knows the elements are under the power of the stars, but he does not know that the stars are under the power of the angels." Because of the differing degrees of perceptions in different people, we have disagreements arising in tracing the effects of the underlying cause. We also find disagreement as to the nature and substance of God.

He then relates a story, again which Rumi made famous of the blind men and the elephant. One handles the trunk, another the ear, another the leg or the tail, or the tusk and each according to their perceptions pronounce the elephant to be like a "column, a thick pole, or a quilt" or a rope, each mistaking a part for the whole.

I would like for you at this point to continue with the Elemental (or purification) breaths. Many of you may already know this practice, so just close your eyes and do it. However, as you are finishing the air breath, if you would touch base with what I have written in the instructions, because this will be a jumping off point for us. If you don't know this practice, then I have written out some instructions for you here.

Purification (Elemental) Breaths
Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty, The Only Being, united with all the illuminated souls who form the embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance.

Earth Breath:
In nose, out nose
Draw in earth magnetism; breathe out polluted magnetism to the earth to be detoxified.

Water Breath:
In nose, out small opening in lips
Standing under a waterfall of light washing away impurities.

Fire Breath:
In small opening in mouth, out nose
Breathe in fire in solar plexus
Burn the impurities. The light from the fire will rise up to the heart and radiate as you exhale.

Air Breath:
In small opening in mouth, out small opening in mouth
Spring breeze blowing between the atoms of your being, breathe in through every pore and let the wind carry away the last impurities. Imagine yourself carried up on the breeze like a kite tethered to earth by a string, yet rising up to a higher perspective. Looking down on the earth you see the situation of your life, but also you can see other factors, a greater perspective, broader more encompassing. With this lightness and greater perspective, you can see the unfolding of qualities in yourself that were previously hidden from your view. Continue to breathe in this arising awareness.

Beloved Lord, Almighty God through the rays of the sun through the waves of the air, through the all pervading life in space, purify and revivify me and I pray, heal my body, heart and soul.

Hold the attunement to this broader vision, which if one practices being present to the heart as we discussed in the last paper, will become easier with time. If we are the ant on the page we begin to see not only the pen and the hand but the author and the mind of the author at work behind the appearance of the words.

Al-Ghazzali continues:
"We have a common instance of this referring to second causes what ought to be referred to the First Cause in the case of so-called illness. For instance, if a man ceases to take any interest in worldly matters, conceives a distaste for common pleasures, and appears sunk in depression, the doctor will say, 'This is a case of melancholy, and requires such and such a prescription.' The physicist will say, 'This is a dryness of the brain caused by hot weather and cannot be relieved until the air becomes moist.' The astrologer will attribute it to some particular conjunction or opposition of planets.' 'Thus far their wisdom reaches,' says the Koran. It does not occur to them that what has really happened is this: that the Almighty has a concern for welfare of that man, and has therefore commanded his servants, the planets or the elements, to produce such a condition in him that he may turn away from the world to his Maker. " (pg. 36)

As we expand our awareness to encompass these greater perceptions and perspectives, we can begin to step away from the feeling of being a victim of the symptoms of an illness in our lives. This does not mean to say that bacteria or virus are not an operating process in the experience of a disease, but that they are the "second causes", rather than the "First cause" behind the illness.

Again we continue with Al-Ghazzli:
"The doctor, physicist, and astrologer are doubtless right each in his particular branch of knowledge, but they do not see that illness is, so to speak, a cord of love by which God draws to Himself the saints concerning whom He has said, 'I was sick and ye visited Me not.' Illness itself is one of those forms of experience by which man arrives at the knowledge of God."
Although this is not a simple singular path we begin to see how knowledge of self opens us to the knowledge of God. Many times I have had the experience of talking to someone who has struggled with a serious illness of some form and yet will say, "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, but I am grateful for what I have gained by it." They have acknowledged the existence of the "cords of love", they have felt the presence of God working behind the appearance of the words on the paper, and although they might not see the totally of God's purpose, they embrace the possibility of it unfolding in their life.
Be present to this unfolding in your own life.

Part 3

In our first introduction to the teachings of Al-Ghazzali, we considered his prescription for happiness which he said had four constituents, I) the knowledge of self, ii) the knowledge of God, iii) the knowledge of this world as it really is, and iiii) the knowledge of the next world as it really is. Having reviewed some of his thoughts regarding the knowledge of self and of God, he weaves this knowledge into the realization of the two worlds.

Sometimes we become so enmeshed with the physical world in our everyday life, that we identify with the physical and forget the world of spirit and of light that informs the physical world and directs its manifestation. There is a practice, sometimes called "sipping light", which helps us attune to being nurtured by manifested light by sipping through eyes as one gazes into sky. At different times of the day attune yourself to the light around you and drink it in through the eyes and with your breath. Be aware of the different light at different times of day. Attuning oneself to the vibrations of the cosmos. Find a way to remind yourself to do this throughout the day. Do it now for a few minutes.

In assessing the knowledge of this world Al-Ghazzali likens it to a stage or a marketplace, where travelers stop to replenish their provisions for the journey. It is through the use of physical sensations in the human body that one gains a knowing of the works of the Creator and through that knowing, comes knowledge of the one God. "It is for the acquirement of this knowledge that the spirit of man has descended into this world of water and clay. As long as his senses remain with him he is said to be 'in this world', when they depart, and only his essential attributes remains, he is said to have gone to, 'the next world.'"

He goes on to state that we have two necessities, the first the care and feeding of the soul and secondarily the care and feeding of the physical body. Just as a pilgrim to Mecca, must care and feed the camel that carries one to the destination, one must take good care of the physical body, which carries the soul in its earthly travels. However, one may get stranded at the oasis, if focused too much on the care of the physical transportation, and totally lose sight of the purpose of having a camel or a physical body. Yet at the same time the risk evolves for those who consider themselves to be too spiritual to be concerned with the needs of the physical body, and by not taking care of its physical needs for healthy food and clean air and water, interrupt the journey of the soul. However, as we saw in the past lesson that God has the"cords of love" by which our attention is obtained and focused.

In essence the world as it really is, is a deceitful illusion, if we cannot see it as an expression of the creator. In addition, as we have been made in "God's image", we have each been given a "little kingdom and charged not to be careless in the administration of it." This again is al-Ghazzali's way of helping us see our connection to God. The soul governs the body and sits on the throne so that in our little kingdom we begin to ascertain the kingdom of God. If one accepts the invitation to sit on ones own throne and be attuned to the governance of the soul, then we have become the rider of the steed or the camel rather than its stable caregiver.

By participating in the practice of attuning to light, we may become more aware of the presence of light in our being and its manifestation in our life. We can then be more present to our potential to sit on our throne in this kingdom.

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February 18, 2004
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