The Art of Being and Becoming

To indulge or not to indulge, to be or not to be, is the question. The essence of this book is to be found in the Holy Qur'aanulQariim, if one dived deep enough to discover, and the paths afortuned by the messages propagated by 126,000 prophets {May Peace Be Upon Them All!} and the Saints {Auliya}.Sheikh put it in a language contemporary humans can understand, or humans who are likely less to touch the Qur'aanulQariim for fear of a better change for themselves. - To be a human, especially one who proclaims having intelligence and a heart, is one of the most difficult thing for any human to be-come, especially so in a world bereft of chaos, madness, deceit etc.Apart from the Qur'aanulQariim, this book would make a wonderful companion. It explains in simple English, the reason one is here on earth, and what one needs to do in order to attain "perfection" {InsanulKamil} so to speak. It reminds you of a past you are likely to have forgotten due to cultural and political conditioning.It took me a full month of April reading this in Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, and I wish I had brought more than just one copy to pass it along to friends I've made during my journey to the CIS. This is a worthwhile book to consider, if you consider going "HOME" in a good package.

There are no words to explain how important this book is.....Just buy it, read it and feel it. The author is amazingly articulate in translating the Sufi belief system. I have studied Shamanism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism/Brahmanism, Zoroastrianism and most Eastern religions. I have to say after many decades of searching for a belief system that felt like my own, I have finally found my fit. I have read almost every major religious book and I will say the Bible and this book are the only ones that have literally opened up my heart to feel God.This book is common sense, simple and logical yet extremely deep and fulfilling...We are all different and what works for one may not work for another, but please read this book as soon as you can..The path to God is not rituals, astral planing, magic and fun...the path to God is to open your heart and be a genuinely good person who abstains from ego and indulgence through will-power, service and meditations (not preaching just paraphrasing the book)

A truly inspiring read...as a student and practitioner of Sufism, this book offers a beautiful array of lessons that invite the reader into the inner dimensions of the mystical world without imposing difficult language or vague terminology in order to do so. This is a rarity among spiritual texts, as many are caught in the difficulty of putting the incomprehensible into the limited form of the written (or spoken) word. Typically, this results in over-generalizations on one hand ("Be the Universe", etc.), or on the other hand getting too far into the weeds on the minutiae of mystical practice and being, which most readers of this genre will immediately recognize.In this text, Hazrat Inayat Khan manages the rare feat of walking the line between too little and too much information, and he does so in a way that clearly transmits his own extraordinary character, and on a more global scale, the significance of Sufism as an invaluable spiritual resource. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to the serious spiritual aspirant.

In this modern age of advanced science and technology looks like we have all forgotten the very basics of a civil society - moral science! This was a great refresher and a reminder of what is really important for a human being to really "evolve".

I love Hazrat Khan. He is a great teacher. The book is reminding me of the importance of the "heart" principle & the need to remember the "journey" has many bumps but is the only true course of living.

I can't say enough about this book, I postponed writing a review, thinking I can't explain it well enough to do it the justice it deserves. This is my all time favorite book. I quote it often when giving support or encouragement to others. I have bought it for all my friends and family. And they thank me for it. And I will make my sons read this book when they are old enough. It too is my personal bible. I received so much guidance and inspiration from this book. Its wisdom is delivered in short, profound and inspiring bouquets. This book had the answer to so many of my prayers and questions about life, and helped me cope with my darkest period in my life. It's your parents lessons that you never received, guiding you in how to cope in this harsh world and how to love, accept and live an ego free life. Please buy it, you won't regret it.

I'm going to keep it short and sweet because the previous reviews are dead on. I find myself highlighting page after page. I already want to give the book away and buy another copy. Totally worth it. A lot of what Hazrat Inayat Khan talks about in this book isn't new or groundbreaking material. The key is in the way he presents it. He leaves the impression that he truly cares for all of humanity and his feelings come through in his words. I would probably recommend this book above any other I've ever read. I would end by saying that I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who cannot take something of deep value away from the reading of this book.

I found the book brimming with words of wisdom. Many of my personal questions were touched upon. I also found it to be a hopeful reading, one that gives you a sense that - even in this harsh and consumerist society - your life is worth living.

Very insightful. Found it helpful in seeing one's life from a different perspective, a guide to how to face challenges in life and still, infused with lots of inspiration within the anecdotes. Highly recommended!

It is a book for the really few people,who already have understood once and for all that those values in our world which are prevailing,like fame money and position will lead to utter frustration in the end and then mostly it is to late,although it is never to late when one understands what I mean,because it is about the real goal of life,which is LOVE ,beyond so called dimensions and Hazrat Inayat Khan is showing the way from early all the stages one has to pass explaining and leading through all the pitfalls and failures,pointing out the necessary helpful attitudes,giving the knowledge you need to develop the important traits on the way like kindness ,friendship,openness and softness of heart,going from the Ego all the way to where self-importance,vanity through self-effacement leads to respect,consideration and graciousness and going through pain,difficulties and also desperation,that all will help to make its way to exaltation,happiness ind further into more subtle realms and finer and finer levels of living and knowing into gratefulness and further beyond non ending everwhen you understand what i mean.This I has to disappear.

Anything written by the late Pir Hazrat--and anything by his late son, Pir Vilayat, and his grandson, Pir Ziat, for that matter--deserves the highest praise. Besides the uplifting content of these collected talks, this particular edition has the added benefit of being very beautifully formatted, with large font and crisp pages.