Soul in the Desert

With Alan Heeks and guest leaders

"But the silence of the desert remains most potent
to bring to light again the sacred treasures...
above all, those hidden treasures of the heart."
(Samuel Lewis) 

We invite and welcome you to join us on these outer and inner journeys into the Tunisian Sahara

The word for 'Soul' in the
native traditions of the
Middle East is Ruh,
which also means breath,
spirit, air and wind.

In the endless width of the desert our soul can expand, our breath can become refined, surrender to and unite with the One more easily and profoundly - and find peace.

Our tools will be concentrating on breath, wazifas, prayers, dances, and Sufi mysticism - the remembrance of the wonder of love, which we are. Also soul work, where we connect to the divine guidance (High Self) and faithfully invite all our inner selves to the table of hochma - Sophia - Divine Wisdom, for a meal together, communication and communion, for an integrated 'I AM' (Inana).

Much of the power of this retreat will come from the experience of the desert, and of being with Bedouin guides who still embody the nomadic wisdom and traditions, for example in their songs. So the programme will leave plenty of time free for this.

Alan Heeks has a deep passion for the
desert's spiritual traditions, Sufi, Christian and
Islamic, and for the Sahara and its people.

This will be the eighth journey he has organised with these Bedouin guides. He has co-led many vision quests and other groups, seeking alignment with nature and higher purpose. He is also leading an eco-village project in Dorset, see www.thevillageforest.com, and is the author of The Natural Advantage, a guide to organic growth for people and organisations.

This retreat is open both to Sufi initiates and to others who can share in this process.

Everyone in the group will be asked to participate in the retreat.

THE DESERT

The Sahara is vast, beautiful, tough and inspiring. It offers you a profound experience of wilderness, the space and silence to explore questions and renew yourself. The area in south-west Tunisia where we will be travelling is largely picture-book rolling sand dunes as well as gravel plains, scrub and occasional date groves.

Tunisia is a liberal Arab country with a secular government that is politically stable, safe, and very welcoming to visitors.

THE BEDOUIN

The Bedouin who will guide us regularly assist retreat groups from Europe. They live partly nomadically, partly in a village near Douz.

They own the camels that will transport our food and luggage,
they will cook for us and help
us adapt to the desert.

Several speak French, so this is a rare chance to communicate directly with people still living in a land-based native tradition.

The Bedouin are profound teachers. Their life is materially tough and basic, yet they are joyful people whose traditional culture is strong. Their days are a flowing dance uniting work, spirit, community and fun.

Their songs, that they sing and drum to around the fire in the evening on our journeys, move from praise of Allah through romantic ballads to children's play songs. Besides travelling in the desert with the Bedouin men we will also visit their village to meet their families.

Alan has organised and co-led many journeys to the desert, so the arrangements are well proven. Our payments go direct to the Bedouin, and help support them since their traditional income sources have been eroded by modernity.

NEXT: Letter from the Desert

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