SUFI DAY RETREAT
The Intimacy of the Soul
The Intimacy of the Soul
with
Lizelot de Stigter & Ulufer Çelik
An Encounter with the Essence of the Sufi
This day retreat offers you the opportunity to discover the essence of the Sufi within yourself.
The Sufi lives in the heart, intimately connected with the soul—the place where the personal and the universal become one. Everything revolves around Love.
Love comes alive within us and becomes a liberating force when the mind surrenders to the heart. As we turn inward, we reconnect with the sacred presence that has always lived within us.
Many people have been deeply touched by the mystical teachings of Rumi, Hafiz, Attar, and other great Sufi masters. Their words arise from a direct experience of the Divine—something beyond the grasp of the human mind, yet instantly recognized by the heart.
The transmission of the Sufis is timeless and universal. It speaks to what is essential in all of us.
Throughout the day, Lizelot will guide you into this depth and intimacy through embodied practices, contemplation, meditation on mystical poetry, music, mantra chanting, zikr (Sufi remembrance), and ecstatic movement practices such as whirling. Together, these practices invite a direct experience of presence, surrender, and the Divine.
Ulufer will then introduce you to the bendir, the traditional Sufi frame drum. She will share the Sufi philosophy of the instrument, teach its basic rhythms, and guide you in learning a Sufi song from beginning to end, exploring both its lyrics and deeper meaning.
The heartbeat is the first rhythm we encounter before we are born. The sound of the drum awakens this primordial memory, helping us reconnect with our source. Combined with singing, it co-regulates the nervous system, tunes the body, and gently returns us to the coherence of the heart.
Following the workshops, we will share a warm vegetarian soup and enjoy a potluck dinner. We warmly invite each participant to bring a dish to share.
The evening will continue with Sema, the sacred Sufi Whirling Ritual. Participants are welcome to engage in whichever way feels authentic to them—through zikr, whirling, singing, drumming, prayer, or silent witnessing. Every form of sincere presence is welcome within this sacred gathering.
Come and join us as we experience the intimacy of the soul with joy, surrender, and trust, held in the loving gaze of the Beloved.
Programme
14:30 — Arrival and Welcome
15:00 — Movement Practices
16:00 — Mystical Poetry & Meditation
16:45 — Break
17:00 — Bendir Rhythm & Sufi Singing Practice
18:00 — Potluck Dinner (Please bring a dish to share. Vegetarian soup will be provided.)
19:00 — Sema: The Sacred Sufi Whirling Ritual
20:30 — Tea, Sohbet & Closing Circle
Fee: €90 per person
Includes coffee, tea, and vegetarian soup.
reserve online or via email: info@humaplace.nl