Wazifa - volume 1

Sacred Compositions to Accompany
The Sing of Sufi Chants

Volume I, 2 CD's € 10,-

About This Recording

These sacred compositions by Sufi composer Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan are intended as accompaniment to the singing of the ancient practice of Wazifa. The word Wazifa comes from the Islamic tradition although similar practices are found in many spiritual systems. Wazifas are often practised sitting cross-legged on the floor with eyes close and the Wazifa phrase is either repeated for a set number of times or for a certain lenght of time. The pieces in this collection are approximately ten minutes long followed by a three minute period of silence that ends with the sound of a Tibetan bowl being struck.

From a Lecture on Wazifa by Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan.

Every word spoken is a re-echo of thought and every thought is a re-echo of an emotion.
As the activity from within manifest on the surface, so the word spoken takes the reverse process: it is reproduced on the mind and from the mind it is reproduced on the heart, the factor of feeling.
That which comes from within comes involuntarily and that which enters from without enters voluntarily. Therfore Wazifa is taught by the Sufis as a voluntary production of a certain thing on the mind and in the heart, mind being powerful to produce that which is impressed upon it from within and without, and the heart being a still more powerful factor to produce that with which it is impressed from within an without. As many times as a word is repeated, even in a whisper, so many records it has produced in one's mind and in the heart.

Sacred Compositions to Accompany
The Sing of Sufi Chants

music by Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan
produced by Jelaluddin Gary Sill

Disk One

1. The Invocation of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan
spoken by Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan.

2. Allah Hu Akbar
God is great

Quality: A sense of the vastness and immensity of the Divine.
Purpose: Courage and acceptance.

Melody: Organ
Introduction: six phrases
Concentration: Tip of the nose
Colour focus: Yellow

3. Bismillah, Er Bahman, Er Rahim
We begin in the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Quality: Blessings of Peace and serenity.
Purpose: Deepening sensitivity.

Melody: Guitar
Introduction: two phrases
Concentration: Bridge of the nose
Colour focus: Green

4. Dhul Jelal, Wal Ikram
Towards the Lord of Splendid Power

Quality: Divine Protection
Purpose: Mastery

Melody: Piano
Introduction: Three and a half phrases
Concentration: Tip of the nose
Colour focus: Yellow

5. Ya Rasul Illah
O Messenger of God

Quality: Inspiration
Purpose: Attunement to the Spirit of Guidance

Melody: Oboe
Introduction: four phrases
Concentration: Above the head
Colour focus: Smokey grey

6. Ya Shafee, Ya Khafee
O Thou Divine Healer,
O Thou All Sufficient Dive Healing Power

Quality: Receptively
Purpose: To Gain help for others.

Melody: Piano
Introduction: three phrases
Concentration: Top of the head
Colour focus: Blue

Disk Two

1. The Invocation of Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan
spoken by Pir-o-Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan.

2. Al Hum Dul Illah
All is the Grace of God

Quality: Resignation to the past and hopefullness for the present.
Purpose: To develop gratitude.

Melody: Oboe
Introduction: two phrases
Concentration: Centre of forehead
Colour focus: Red

3. Ishk Allah Mahbud Allah
God is Love, Lover and Beloved.

Quality: Radiance
Purpose: To direct the intelligence to seek love.

Melody: Oboe
Introduction: four phrases
Concentration: Centre of forehead
Colour focus: Red

4. Ya Suban
God is Pure

Quality: Sincerity
Purpose: To revivify

Melody: Oboe
Introduction: six phrases
Concentration: Top of the head
Colour focus: Blue

Description of Wazifa Practice

The practice of Wazifa has a particular form and focus. Sitting cross legged on the floor with straight back and eyes closed, the participant begins by reciting the Invocation of Hazrat Inayat Khan:

Toward the One,
The perfection of Love, Harmony and Beaty,
The Only being,
United with all the Illuminated Souls who form the embodiment of the master,
The Spirit of Guidance.

If performed by a group, the participants are in a circle and join the Wazifa leader in the Invocation. After a short pause, the music begins with an introduction of serveral repetitions of the musical phrase. A bell cues the beginning of the chanted section which is approximately 10 minutes long. The words of the sacred phrase are sung to a melody that is different for each Wazifa. Some of the compositions have secondary melodies.
As long as there are sufficient voices in a group to maintain a strong primary melody, some participants may choose to sing "Allah" or "Hu" to the secondary melody.

During the singing, the particpant may concentrate on a particular point and imagine a colour at that point. Each Wazifa has it's own focus and colour: the tip of the nose with the colour yellow, the bridge of the nose, green, the centre of the forehead, red, the top of the head, blue, and above the head, a smoky grey colour.

The end of the singing is cued with the sound of a bell after which the tempo gradually slows to a stop. There follows a three minute meditation which ends with the sound of a Tibetan Bowl being struck. When the sound of the bowl has died away, the group rises with the Wazifa leader. Each participant then bows to the Divine Presence in the middle of the circle. The bow is performed by placing the right hand on the left shoulder, the left hand on the right shoulder and by bending (without exaggeration) toward the centre

 

 

copyright 2004© Soefi Beweging Nederland