Where Do My Stories Come From?

A reader recently asked me about where the stories I share in this blog come from. I will tell you what I can about their sources.

They don't come from a single source, I have been collecting stories (especially teaching stories) for most of my life. Many of them come from Sufi sources, some of my favorite teaching stories are about a character named Nasrudin. He is sometimes a fool, sometimes a wise teacher, and the stories are often very funny. You can find many stories about Nasrudin here: Nasrudin Stories Collections by Idries Shah. (Idries Shah also wrote many other books, one of my favorites is Learning How to Learn.)

I was initiated into the Sufi Order in the West by Pir Vilayat Khan. Hazrat Inayat Khan, Pir Vilayat's father founded the Sufi Order in the West, and some of the stories I tell come from their writings, as well as personal encounters with other members of the Order. Pir Vilayat wrote a book The Message in Our Time about the teachings of his father, it is a good introduction to Hazrat Inayat Khan's teachings.

I have also collected stories at workshops, including Taoist meditation, the Sufi Healing Order, Zen Buddhist meditation and The Omega Institute.

Other stories some from story tellers I have met throughout my life and travels, and my eclectic reading of far too many books to mention here. I average about three books a week, more if they are short. (The Nasrudin stories are usually very short, and make quick reading.)