As a young Sufi mureed, I was gifted a copy of Spiritual Architecture by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis. The text is an unpublished work included in the archives of the Sufi Islamia Ruhaniat Society, where the murshid discusses the subtle lessons contained within the architecture of the past which might be used to inform the land and architecture we are designing today.
First, allow me to introduce you to the Sufis, in case you are not already aware of their importance. They are the gentle, ultra-compassionate esoteric sect of Islam, much as the Kabbalists are to the Jewish tradition and the Gnostics are to the Christian tradition. They study the texts of all religions, not just Islam, and they teach about the wise counsel from all the great teachers, including Jesus, Mohammad, and Buddha, among many others. They see every breath and every moment of life as an opportunity to connect to Spirit. They sing their prayers, and spend a great deal of time reading and meditating. Because of their commitment to their practice, and years spent doing it (theirs could be described a culturally-integrated monastic existence) - they are very enlightened souls.
I honor the gift of this work, and in agreement with my initiator, will not post direct quotes from the work here. Rather, I will try and convey some of the lessons so that you might use them to benefit the spiritual essence of your Kin Domain. My own comments are included in parenthesis hereafter.
The Guidance:
First and foremost, believe that what you are creating in your space is infused with the essence of the Universe. Call it God, Spirit, animator, Allah, universal life force... whatever it is to you... just imagine that its is flowing like air all around you. (because it is!)
Designing a structure is not like crafting a piece of art. Art may be individual, and therefore subjective. Architecture is the work of a collective - no matter how it is accomplished - and is therefore a work of Spirit. As the Bible says, "When two or three are gathered in My name, there so am I..." So in creating a physical space, we are creating spiritual space which is naturally infused with the essence of life. We can use that to create spaces that are full of intention and that satisfy more than just a need for shelter.
We have been borrowing ideas from the cultures we have come across for millennia. Even the Romans copied the Etruscans and Greeks, who had already copied the Egyptians, who had already copied the Mesopotamians... and on and on before them. Today we have the entire world's architecture as a guide. What may have been solved in your area one way may have been solved an entirely unique way somewhere else. It is completely acceptable to evolve our consciousness, tap into the grid - learn, and then mediate on ways to integrate far and near, past and present.
Decoration - or what is more commonly called "Beauty," is the work of man. Animals build structures that are utilitarian. Only man makes them lovely. This is also a spiritual practice, as the creation and beautification of space is a form of ceremony in itself. We honor the purpose, as well as create a home for words, thoughts, ideas, actions, sounds, and colors. (Not from the book, but from my own experience, I cannot help but recall that in Japan, the landscape is treated as if it is the heaven of the Gods. In even the tiniest garden, there are waterfalls, trees, flowers, ponds, fish to clean it and give it life... all the things that might delight the Gods and invite them to stay for awhile.) We can use this concept even today in land and space design.
Every building will have a life of its own - defined by the ways its occupants use it - therefore every structure should be treated as if it is a living creature - which is, on one hand, for the users, and on the other, an accommodation for Spirit. This concept in Sufism is called a theba, or the ark of refuge.
Disease comes from fetid atmosphere. A home's ability to be opened so that it may breathe is critical to good health. Since life is about meditation, which is about breathing... participating in the living process of "home" can ultimately be a form of prayer.
We change our world into a prison when we lose the idea of "home." Murshid points out that we are not pigeons who can be locked (with our hundreds of peers) in our little slot in the dovecot every night.
The difference between architecture and building is intention. A place that is created for you and Spirit to abide is architecture. A place for your tools to abide is a building. Even early primitive societies (like early cave dwellers here in New Mexico) carved niches for their gods into their home. Space can and should take the form of a temple.
Design for specific environment is critical (see links to Climate and Vernacular Zones in early-release chapters of the book) to the successful creation of space.
The kitchen is a sacred space which is used to prepare the offerings for Spirit and the inhabitants, therefore special attention should be paid to its design. It is possible to restore brotherhood among men when we sit down and eat together. A kitchen designed - as in Europe - like a living room can facilitate this more effectively. To cook outside is better than to cook in a kitchen that is not designed for spiritual purpose
Early man's diet consisted of fruit, nuts, grains and vegetables. If and when they ate meat, it was hunted and often not killed until it was brought back and sacrificed to the gods first.
Overcrowding in a space leaves little room for personality or character development.
The place where you sleep should also be the place where you meditate/read/grow, therefore it will always infused with Spirit.
Color can connect you to Spirit within space. Yellow = earth, Blue = air, Red = fire = heart, and Green = water = peace! Too much use of red can be overly stimulating and result in reduced rest, but is perfect for social spaces where activity is encouraged. Greens and Blues and more soft colors encourage meditation and stillness and are perfect for spaces designed for such purposes.
When we divert our attention away from manufacture and merchandise and focus instead on social and aesthetic improvement, we create jobs and space for people to interact. This heals woulds, creates security, and fosters friendships.
A city can be a place that is dead. It can be a loosely repeated copy of the hundreds of buildings around it, therefore study of only one is necessary.
There is no need to create anything new, for there is no such thing, and what is new may not speak to the soul. (As is evidenced by computers, cellphones, Facebook instead of real conversations, etc...)
People should not trust the architect to know what it is their spirit needs. (Architects are rarely trained for this.) Your participation is key.
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It is incredibly interesting to me how closely this advice echoes Anastasia's guidance for design.
Speaking of... Anastasia's guidance will be my next article, to be posted here soon!
