Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart

by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

Sufism, the Transformation of the Heart gives a clear and accessible outline of Sufism: its basic principles, historical background, and recent development in the West. While exploring the spiritual and psychological processes of transformation, this book offers practical guidelines to help the seeker. Sufism, the Transformation of the Heart is a valuable introduction to a dynamic spiritual path that is attracting growing interest in the West.

Genres: Spirituality, Islam, Religion, Nonfiction, Mysticism, Philosophy, Theology

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee is a Sufi mystic.

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee (born 1953, London) is a Sufi mystic and lineage successor in the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya Sufi Order. He is an extensive lecturer and author of several books about Sufism, mysticism, dreamwork and spirituality.

:: History
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee was born in London in 1953. He began following the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya Sufi path at the age of 19, after meeting Irina Tweedie, author of Daughter of Fire: A Diary of a Spiritual Training with a Sufi Master. He became Irina Tweedie's successor and a teacher in the Naqshbandiyya Sufi Order. In 1991 he moved to Northern California and founded The Golden Sufi Center to help make available the teachings of this Sufi Lineage (see http://goldensufi.org).

:: Works
Author of several books, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee has lectured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe on Sufism, mysticism, Jungian psychology and dreamwork. He has also specialized in the area of dreamwork, integrating the ancient Sufi approach to dreams with the insights of Jungian psychology. Since 2000 the focus of his writing and teaching has been on spiritual responsibility in our present time of transition, and an awakening global consciousness of oneness. More recently he has written about the feminine, the world soul, the anima mundi, and the emerging field of spiritual ecology (see http://workingwithoneness.org). He has also hosted a number of Sufi conferences bringing together different Sufi orders in North America (see http://suficonference.org).
His initial work from 1990 to 2000, including his first eleven books, was to make the Sufi path more accessible to the Western seeker. The second series of books, starting from the year 2000 with The Signs of God, are focused on a spiritual teachings about oneness and how to bring them into contemporary life, with the final book in this series being Alchemy of Light.
Llewellyn has been featured in two films, One the Movie & Wake Up. He has also been featured in the Tv series Global Spirit and in August 2012, he was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey as a part of her Super Soul Sunday series. He also writes a blog on the Huffington Post.

:: Books
* The Lover and the Serpent: Dreamwork within a Sufi Tradition (1990: out of print)
* The Call and the Echo: Sufi Dreamwork and the Psychology of the Beloved (1992: out of print, reissued in 1998 as Catching the Thread: Sufism, Dreamwork, and Jungian Psychology)
* The Bond of the Beloved: The Mystical Relationship of the Lover and the Beloved (1993)
* In the Company of Friends: Dreamwork within a Sufi Group (1994)
* Travelling the Path of Love: Sayings of Sufi Masters (1995)
* Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart (1995)
* The Paradoxes of Love (1996)
* The Face Before I Was Born: A Spiritual Autobiography (1997, 2nd Edition 2009 with new Introduction and Epilogue)
* Catching the Thread: Sufism, Dreamwork, and Jungian Psychology (1998)
* The Circle of Love (1999)
* Love is a Fire: The Sufi's Mystical Journey Home (2000)
* The Signs of God (2001)
* Working with Oneness (2002)
* Light of Oneness (2004)
* Moshkel Gosha: A Story of Transformation (2005)
* Spiritual Power: How It Works (2005)
* Awakening the World: A Global Dimension to Spiritual Practice (2006)
* Alchemy of Light: Working with the Primal Energies of Life (2007)
* The Return of the Feminine and the World Soul (2009)
* Fragments of a Love Story: Reflections on the Life of a Mystic (2011)
* Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism (2012)

Reviews

[Yelda Basar Moers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sufism is a mystical path of love in which God, or Truth, is experienced as the Beloved...Through love the seeker is taken to God. The mystic seeks to realize Truth in this life and God reveals Himself within the hearts of those who love him. The mystical experience of God is a state of oneness with God."

People have heard the word, they have heard of Rumi, but sometimes I think they wonder, what really is Sufism? This book gives a good explanation of the fundamentals of this mystical faith.

I was born in Turkey, the home of Rumi, we call him Mevlana. I was raised in a spiritual type of Islam that was very much Sufism. I believe the Islam of Turkey is very much influenced by Sufism as our Ottoman rulers (both men and women) were Sufis, belonging to Rumi's order, and so were our soldiers, belonging to a Sufi order called Bektashi. I really believe that the Ottoman Empire was able to thrive for hundreds of years ruling half of Europe because of the Sufi faith. It is how Christians, Jews and Muslims all lived together. The Turks were so tolerant of their subjects and their respective religions and I believe this is because they followed the Sufi beliefs of tolerance and truth. Sufism comes from Islam and at its heart is the essence of the Qu'ran, but it is not religious in that it does not have dogma and preach Sharia law. Famous Sufis in the past have not even followed the five pillars of Islam. Some have been executed for their beliefs. This is a faith of the heart.

The author is one of the foremost experts on Sufism and writes beautifully and intelligibly. This is a very readable book about Sufism, trust me, many are not! He also adds an interesting Jungian take, which makes it all quite compelling!

For anyone smitten by Rumi and wanting to learn more about Sufism-- this is a wonderful place to start. Another book about Sufism that I love is called The Knowing Heart by Sufi expert Kabir Helminski.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was, for me, a very nice introduction to Sufism. This is the mystical sect of Islam, where they believe that you can only hear the voice of God through love, and abandoning your ego. This process of transformation is described as similar to Jung’s individualization. Sufism is often considered blasphemous by other Islamic sects. A great read for seekers of all beliefs.

[Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book expecting to learn what are the essentials of the form of Islam known as Sufism, about which I knew virtually nothing. I was surprised to find that aspects of Sufism overlap with the type of Christian spirituality found in the tradition of contemplative prayer.

At the heart of Sufism, and all of Islam, is the shahada, or oath, that “There is no god but God.” The negative part of this oath, “there is no god”, is that the “god” of this world, full of things and distractions, is not to be worshiped. One thinks of Moses returning from the mountain with the Ten Commandments to find the Israelites worshiping the “golden calf” of material things.

The true “God” that is real and lasting is Allah, a reality that transcends the illusions of this world. It is Allah who has created and who sustains this world, and is entitled to authentic worship, to be distinguished from the false worship of the things of this world.

The pathway to transcendence requires help. Just as the ego cannot transcend itself, neither can the mind go beyond the limits of the mind. There are helpful practices that put true worshipers in a receptive mood, but in the end, it is only the “grace of God” that takes a person into a state of divine union. In the words of an early Islamic guide, Kalabadhi, “The only guide to God is God Himself.”

Much of the book attempts to point the way toward meditative practices which aim at “an inner attention at all times, attentive to the voice of the Beloved, always receptive to His hint.” What Sufism represents emerges in different forms and at different times, such as the influential 13th century poetry of Rumi, and cannot be easily categorized.

Sufi sheikhs, or leaders, can appear to be great men, or they may lead indistinguishable everyday lives, but all have an interior life of of “poverty” that cuts through the false “wealth” of illusion and self-deception. The author emphasizes that they do not teach primarily through words which are easily distorted or forgotten, but through lives which are in a “continual state of inner attention and surrender.”

The book, I think, is a good introduction to Sufism, and while it gives some sense of the aims of Sufism, it is no means complete, especially as to how Sufism relates to broader Islamic practices and beliefs. But the lack of specifics is inevitable as Sufism cannot be reduced to verbal dogma; it iis centered in a more general spirituality.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing book with amazing ramifications. It beautifully introduced me to Sufism - the most mysterious, at leats to me, of all the mystic paths. And it did it addictively!!! And he related it to Jung, the whole time, which, to me, is always a plus. Very good book.

[James W Brede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee is a renowned Sufi teacher and author in the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya Sufi Order. Born in London in 1953, he has been a prominent figure in sharing Sufi teachings with Western audiences. Vaughan-Lee trained under his Sufi teacher, Irina Tweedie, who brought the Naqshbandi tradition to the West. He has written extensively on Sufism, spirituality, and dreamwork, emphasizing the transformative power of the heart and the divine connection in everyday life. His works blend mystical insight with accessible, poetic language, making complex spiritual concepts relatable to a broad readership.

Sufism, often described as the mystical branch of Islam, focuses on the inner, spiritual dimension of faith. It emphasizes direct experience of the Divine through practices like meditation, prayer, and devotion, aiming to purify the heart and cultivate a deep, personal relationship with God. Rooted in love, surrender, and unity, Sufism transcends religious boundaries, appealing to those seeking universal spiritual truths. Its teachings often use poetic and symbolic language to express the soul’s longing for divine connection.

Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee is a captivating introduction to the mystical world of Sufism, perfect for newcomers and spiritual seekers alike. The book’s poetic, spiritual, and deeply mystical language draws readers into a contemplative space, evoking profound emotions and inviting reflection. Each page feels like a devotional, offering insights that resonate with the heart’s longing for a divine love affair with God.

Vaughan-Lee’s writing is both accessible and profound, making complex Sufi concepts approachable without losing their depth. The book is structured in a way that encourages readers to open it, read a page or two, and pause to ponder the spiritual truths within. This meditative quality transforms the reading experience into a practice of spiritual contemplation, akin to a daily devotional. The focus on the heart as a vessel for divine love is both inspiring and transformative, leaving readers with a sense of connection to something greater.

For anyone seeking an introduction to Sufism or a guide to deepen their spiritual practice, this book is a treasure. Its evocative prose and heartfelt wisdom make it a beautiful companion for those yearning to explore the divine through love and introspection.

[Seeker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully written book about "Sufism", the mystical branch of Islam. There seems to be a dearth of books on Sufism for the layperson in the West, so this is certainly a welcome addition to this literature. Personally, as someone who increasingly believes in a higher power but is not sure whether one path is more valid than another, I am intrigued by Sufism's message of universal love and non-adherence to strict religious rituals. From that vantage point, I certainly appreciate this book and particularly appreciated the following recurring themes that emerged from it:

(a) the way to reach God is to remove our "ego" and visit our "higher self",
(b) understanding the differences between our "higher self" and "ego" can help us make better decisions; for example, sometimes we're afraid of making a decision because of what others may think of us but recognizing that it's our ego, rather than the higher self, that is speaking to us out of fear, can help us take necessary risks in life,
(c) sometimes what we view as a heartfelt thought or decision is actually our ego (rather than our heart) speaking to us and
(d) few people may understand our inner struggles and craving for a relationship with a higher power, so while the true mystic keeps burning inside for God, they ought to lead an undistinguished and practical life on the outside and honor the dualities of spiritualism and materialism simultaneously.

Given the nature of these discussions, the book "integrated" some discussions of Jungian psychology (no pun intended, readers of Jung might be able to grasp the reference to "integration" here). That being said, the discussions of Jungian psychology often seemed contrived; even the author's use of terms such as "duality" seemed arbitrary, as it was applied to some situations but left out of others that seemed comparable. Much of the content also felt "new agey" and somewhat incoherent and could have been easily condensed to a third of its current length. The other concern I have with Sufism (more with the school of thought rather than this particular book) is that it recommends "annihilating" our ego (through a process known as "fana") by trusting ourselves to a spiritual teacher and letting them make decisions for us until we reach a higher stage of spiritual enlightenment. To me, suspending our own independent thinking and letting someone else make decisions for us is a dangerous idea and is one reason why religions cause so much strife around the world.

In sum, 3.5 stars for me.

[Jasmin White · Rating 4 out of 5]

its about historical background and basic principles without ignoring the recent development in the West. While exploring the spiritual and psychological processes of transformation, this book is like a guidelines to help the seeker. Sufism, the Transformation of the Heart is a valuable introduction to a dynamic spiritual path that is attracting growing interest in the West. ...Yet its only my opinion...

[traveler, learner, lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw a reel on Insta, showing the author talking about spirituality. Then I found out he’d written books on Sufism, right up my alley. So that’s how this book found me, at the right time.

Mystically, while reading this book in public, it has garnered lots of attention like a magnet, often from unassuming people, not like any other book I’ve held in my hands.

Another reference book, I wish to reread often, and more importantly slowly digesting.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful read

[Andrei Gheorghe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too verbose and, like someone said below, kind of dry - felt like reading an introduction on golf rather than spiritual enlightment :). Still, plenty of new ideas and new things.

[J.L. Vasche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought it was an interesting look into Surism.

[Adrian Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a treatise on the Islam sect if Sufism, which is the mystical branch of that religion. Sufism has been looked upon as nonsense and even heresy by the theological institutions of Islam, and it's followers persecuted and slaughtered by the followers of those same institutions. Like many seeking freedom to follow their own beliefs, the surviving members of this sect have made their way to the West, coming to live among us here in the U.S. And, as with other religious expressions, Sufism has been introduced, and found popularity and new followers, among the American public.
Sufism, like Hinduism or Buddhism, believes that the path to God includes meditation and self-examination to rid oneself of earthly desires and attachments. Sufism believes that this eradication of ego is necessary to find the truth that God lives in the hearts of all people, and that only when the individual is fully surrendered to emptiness can they hear the voice of the divine speaking to them. The various traditions that can lead to this state are ruled over by a series of masters, called sheikhs, who act as teachers along the mystical path, much as a guru would in Hinduism.
This book gives a rather complete outline on how the enlightenment that is sought can be obtained. However, it is written by a follower of the religion, and can become somewhat immersed in its own particular and confusing way of speaking. For any that are interested in learning what this religion is about, this book is very good, as it can be read quickly, though one might want to go back and review some areas where the wording may be difficult.

[Defne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very helpful as an introduction to Sufism- linking the concepts to Western psychoanalysis was quite interesting, allowing for further contrast with the books I usually read and study. However some parts were a bit clunky and repetitive and I would have linked to read more about links to Persian literature and poets such as Rumi rather than such an intense concentration on Freud and Jung!

[Maria Lancaster]

This is a beautiful overview of sufism and I warmly recommend it.

[Tristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to Sufism, but a bit dry.

[Payam Ghassemlou Ph.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Vaughan-Lee writes so beautifully. I always enjoy reading his books.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Read

[Muhammad Tahir]

Have already written five reviews direct to the author publisher