The Weekend Retreat 20 - 22 June 2008

Before the weekend retreat, Pir Zia gave a public talk to a capacity crowd of about 200 people at St Barnabas Church in Auckland. The subject of the talk was "Walking the path of the Dervishes". Many who heard him were moved to come to the Sharda Centre for the weekend.

Part of the Sharda Hall filled with participants waiting to hear Pir Zia.

It was a deep retreat with Pir Zia teaching practices at a very intense level. The participants were transported to a very meditative and introspective plane over the next few days. On Friday night, there was dancing. On Saturday afternoon there was a special blessing given to leaders in a private audience. On Saturday night there was a special gathering to link in with all the mureeds of Pir O Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan on World Invocation and World Prayer Day. On Sunday, there was Universal Worship and Pir Zia gave the address.

Initiations were taken and Ordinations performed with many participating. After that Pir Zia addressed the mureeds and answered questions.
A special award, the Golden Sufi Award, was presented to Hakim for his unselfish labour and time spent in his organising work.
At the end of the session, the Trustees of Sharda presented Pir Zia with a stone they searched for in the Sharda stream.

It was a jet black basaltic rock found where the stream had cut down through the thick local soil to bedrock.

Pir Zia asked that it be passed among those present so that their love and energies be carried to the Universel at the Abode where the stone will reside when the Universel is rebuilt.

Pir Zia then led the prayer for the Universel.

Pir Zia's New Zealand Visit - At Sharda 18 June 2008

After the ceremonial Powhiri in the late morning, we all had lunch together at the Centre. After that Pir Zia and his family took a walk to see the Sharda property accompanied by Sharda elders.

They went down the path that led through the Sacred Wood of native trees.
And through the native bush of tree ferns....
After saying prayers at the site where the Sharda Universel will be manifested one day, they came to the Peace Pole. It was here that Pir Zia proposed that an exchange of stones be made between the Abode and Sharda so that the Universel there and the Universal here be linked.
The photo above also shows Samantha Jade, Halima's great-granddaughter, playing the recorder at the Peace Pole.