Origins
She is not that kind of beloved most imagine;
[Mathnawi I, 2434–2437, from Love’s Ripening: Rumi on the Heart’s Journey, translated by Kabir Helminski & Ahmad Rezwani]
she is a ray of God.
She is not just a created,
she is creative.
Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi was one of the gateways to our path with the Sacred Feminine. Through his beautiful guidance, translated and shared by dear teachers of this moment in time, we now find ourselves seeking and reflecting those rays of God in circles and spirals all around us.
These words affected our hearts and led to a deep inquiry into the face and voice of the Feminine, shining through creation in all Her myriad ways, and through the wisdom of our spiritual ancestors and contemporary teachers.
RAY was co-created by Saimma Dyer and Fatimah Ashrif, soul-sisters in spiritual community and students of the Mevlevi Sufi tradition. We met many moons ago at a Threshold Society retreat, which led to co-facilitation of Threshold circles, the forming of Rumi’s Circle, and finally the emergence of RAY.
Fatimah is currently a doctoral student researching women mystics across different religious and spiritual traditions. Saimma offers retreats, prayer circles, and spiritual life coaching.
We are grateful for the guidance, support, and mentorship of our elders along this journey, especially Camille Hamilton Adams Helminski and Kabir Helminski from The Threshold Society, and Elizabeth Anne Hin and Blaine Glass from The White Rose Foundation.
We continue to be guided by the grace of our elders and other fellow companions on the path of love. And always less than a half-breath away is the support of Daniel Thomas Dyer, for all that we might “cook up”.
Cover photo: Women in Zhikr by David John Ward
RAY of God is registered under Chickpea Press Ltd.