Daughter of Fire: A Diary of a Spiritual Training with a Sufi Master

by Irina Tweedie

Little did Irina Tweedie know that her trip to India in 1959, at the age of fifty-two, would mysteriously lead her to a Sufi Master, and set her upon a journey to the "heart of hearts," the Sufi path of realization.

Her teacher's first request of her was to keep a complete diary of her spiritual training—everything, all the difficult parts, even all the doubts. He predicted that one day it would become a book and would benefit people around the world.

This diary spans five years, making up an amazing record of spiritual transformation ... the agonies, the resistance, the long and frightening bouts with the purifying forces of Kundalini, the perseverance, the movements towards surrender, the longing, and finally the all-consuming love.

From a psychological viewpoint, the diary maps the process of ego dissolution, gradually unveiling the openness and love that reside beneath the surface of the personality.

Mrs. Tweedie is the first Western woman to be trained in this ancient yogic lineage. Her story and experience testify that this teaching system can still be powerfully transformative today in our modern world.

First published in its abridged form as  Chasm of Fire  (which has sold over 100,000 copies and has been translated into six languages),  Daughter of Fire  is a unique account of a spiritual training with a Sufi Master and is the most detailed account of the relationship between disciple and teacher that exists in Western Literature. Written in diary form, this title has already sold over 30,000 copies worldwide and is now being published through The Golden Sufi Center.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Mysticism, Islam, Religion

822 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, although long and repetitive, diary of Irina Tweedie's training with Bhai Sahib, her Sufi teacher in the Nakshmandia line of Sufism.

Although there's a much condensed version of Tweedie's diary called Chasm of Fire, there was great value to the repetition, because Tweedie's journey was long and repetitive, as true spiritual journeys tend to be.

Tweedie's desire for God and for nothing but Truth is inspiring. Hers was a journey entailing complete surrender, which is very attractive to me. And this is clear from the very beginning:

“How do you swim?” he began again after a silence. “You throw water behind and behind you, that’s how you propel yourself. Spiritual life is the same; you keep throwing everything behind, as you go on. This is the only way; there is no other.” 19

“ . . . You want everything, but are not prepared to make sacrifices, to pay the price. Here they sit and say: ‘I was intelligent, now I cannot even think, where is my memory, what happened to me?” People are not prepared to give anything up. If you want to go anywhere, you will have to take the plane or the train—you are expected to pay the fare, is it not so?
“Be always a friend of the Almighty, and you WILL NEVER DIE! Prayer should be done always, even ordinary prayer should be done, but of course the only REAL prayer is merging, ONENESS with God, only this is a true prayer. Once we have reached this point within us, we do not need anymore factional support.” 73

Some other quotes that struck me (among many that I took down:

We must live within the very turmoil of life, but not be influenced by it. We must get rid of likes and dislikes. We must return to the very core of our primitive being in order to become whole. This will naturally produce conflicts, for we have to accept ourselves as we are and not as we THINK WE ARE. If you suffer from fear or some sadness, it means there are still attachments to get rid of. 132

“You injure your own feelings by creating habits. If for instance you are addicted to drinking tea, and you cannot get it, you suffer, don’t you? So your feelings are injured by the created habit. Never, never, to injure the feelings of anybody and never to create habits, is real Ahimsa. By creating habits we imprison ourselves; imprisonment is limitation. And limitation is suffering.” 198

“You will [see me again],” he said smiling with his eyes. “you surely will. But now you must go. Here you cannot work; and you must work. Remember, we are not given for ourselves, never; we are given for others. And the more you will give, the more you will receive; this is how the Essence works.” 326

There are many other quotes, of course, but these I like because they get the essence of the spiritual path Tweedie undertook: surrender, and spiritual growth for the world, for others -- not for one's own gratification.
For those interested in the Perrenial Wisdom, in the ways other spiritual traditions seek God, this book is quite wonderful!

[Jordan Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend lent me this book the past week. Sometimes with spiritual books I like to just open them up to a random page and see if the book speaks to me. That’s what I did with this book the past week.

There are so many beautiful paths in the world, and this book reminds me of the commonalities between all of them. The call to surrender the small tendencies of the ego, the spiritual experiences that may accompany sincere seeking, the struggles and dark nights of the soul. The gradual slipping away of past tendencies until it becomes obvious that all there really is behind it all is awareness. It’s less a seeking for the Self and more of a melting away of everything that isn’t the Self- I guess that’s what she may mean by the path of fire.

The first time I opened this book I saw this poem by Rumi, which speaks deeply in my heart-

I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels blest; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones, To Him we shall return.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing eight hundred page diary! Definitely not a quick read, yet worth every minute. This book is a very detailed description of what it takes to journey into mysticism. The reader cannot help but live in the world of the author as she describes her failings and triumphs. Faith, will, and surrender are hallmarks of Sufism. There is a lot to be said for the Naqshbandi Sufi path which combines yogic teachings, Kundalini, non-dual Sufi teachings of Hafiz, Rumi, and Sarmad, as well as dream interpretation. Dispelling superstition, the importance of listening to intuition, and the Jungian process of individuation are only a few of the highlights of this work. Ultimately like all mystical paths the complete dissolution of the ego is the goal of the author.
So many nuggets of wisdom, two of my favorites:

" When complete control of the mind has been achieved, you will know which thoughts are your own and which you pick up from the atmosphere around you." (p.475)

"Nonsense! There is nothing auspicious or non-auspicious. Those are man-made superstitions! They are made by us and we entanlge ourselves in ignorant beliefs! Sufis are free from them…" (p.580)

This book I will read over and over.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was on my reading list for years. When the time was right, the book was there, the money to buy it was there, the time to read and absorb the words were made easy and abundant. Her journey is the road less traveled and she was a pioneer during this time of the spiritual movement on the quest for enlightenment. One can appreciate her honest account but not the true sacrifice she made to surrender everything to find true love. The latter must be experienced, and only those who truly want to know God will understand.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not sure what i was going to make of this book. My friend Sheraz gave me this book, and it just did not seem like the kind of book he would read. I struggled with reading this book because her experience was very far afield from what i was expecting. I was filled with a lot more mundane struggle which both surprised me and made the book more difficult to get through. In the end, its actually an amazing read. Its a very detailed account and i wish i could say that there's something in here for everyone, but i think that it really focuses on the struggle, the truly massive amount of energy, thought, and daily focus and commitment that it takes to train. I will say there are moments that expresses that are absolutely beautiful - she captures a particular idea or expression with such clarity and perfection. This is definitely worth reading... but be prepared for a long journey yourself.

[Sumangali Morhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the death of her husband, Russian-born Irina Tweedie found her Sufi master during a trip to India at the age of 52. This book is the diary he told her keep, spanning five years of her spiritual journey. He insisted she included everything, including her doubts and struggles. Chasm of Fire is a shorter version of her journal, but I like the transparency of this complete version. I was not very familiar with Sufism when I first read it, so I found her unfoldment of its customs fascinating and beautiful. Tweedie was the first Western woman to be trained in this tradition, and above all I admire her courage. Hers was a challenging journey to say the least, but she stuck with it through thick and thin, and her inner rewards are plain to see.

[Weam Namou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book 20 years ago. I read it again shortly afterwards. Recently I tried to read it once more, but with two kids and a lot of my plate, I was not successful. I occasionally open its pages to read a quote here or there by the Sufi Master.

This diary shows how simple yet complicated spiritual journeys are.

[A'isha Rahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter of Fire is an amazing read with great insights of the path of spiritual development and the relationship with the student and the guide, surrender of the ego and the purification of the heart, leading to surrender and union with God.

[Cindy Ba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of the best spiritual books I've read. A lot of drivel, author feeling sorry for herself, crying a lot and feeling superior to other people.

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just reached (in this marathon read of 822 pages) the chapter where Irina carries out an enraged murder of a mouse in her room - which demonstrates how conceptual is her understanding of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence being the first step in Yoga training) and the two sides of the coin to her extraordinary passion... I might have stopped reading here but decided to continue because the words she quotes of her Bhai Sahib are insightful (and challenging to personal understanding).

Noted again the lack of compassion where Irina describes hearing the cries of an abandoned kitten on the other side of her wall and then later, the dogs in an excited barking frenzy as they found it - and ate it.

Skimming through the repetitive long descriptions of her nights of suffering, physical pain and oceans of tears (no sign of mental training to control her mind...) and close reading her time with her guru one wondered about the 'system'. She didn't follow the conventional Raja 'yoga' path of her friend who could enter the peace of Dhyana - Irina had chosen the Path of Love and seemed to suffer intensely from the burning out of karmas (and kundalini awakening).

It was rewarding not to miss the double rainbow (without yellow) and Irina's expanding love for others... and "the wife" described as being even more beautiful after having her big front teeth removed... and the little anecdote fitted in towards the end as she recalls in her early days seeing the astral world in Bhai Sahib's garden but the ability disappeared because her Guru said she became "blown up like a balloon" (her astral vision never returned)...

I liked Irina's vivid descriptions of the Indian household life that revolved round this Sufi Master. She was a tough old ego to crack and because of this her path seemed extraordinarily difficult. Her beloved guru never missed an opportunity to test out her understanding.

Most of all I benefited from being (through Irina) with Bhai Sahib - who though upholding Sufi wisdom within his karmic situation, made statements and gave answers which often reflected that he had gone beyond religion. Irina fulfilled the instructions of her Bhai Sahib to keep a diary and publish it and did the world a wonderful 'duty' in recording this extraordinary life that is a testimony to our capacity to change and attain to higher things.

[Timothy Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the style of a diary, the author details her Day by Day spiritual unfoldment under an unnamed Sufi Master in India. Often mystical and fantastic and always inspirational she describes her development in a way and direction those interested in Eastern Spirituality can relate to. The author is on fire and writes in a style reminiscent of Gandhi's Autobiography, full of humility and honesty.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I haven't read the book in it's entirety, but read a good portion for school research. Her day-to-day account of experiences with her teacher along her spiritual journey is inspiring and deeply moving.

[Maria Lancaster]

This is a book that can change your life.

[Nadia Roscoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This set me on 🔥!

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der Weg durchs Feuer ist die lange innere Reise von Irina Tweedie, die ich beim Lesen in all ihrer Beschwernis mitgegangen bin. Der Inhalt des Buches gestaltete sich in über 1000 Seiten zeitweise sehr langatmig und trotzdem konnte ich mich nicht dazu durchringen, das Buch einfach beiseite zu legen. Auch hier ist mal wieder der Weg das Ziel und am Ende angelangt, bemerke ich, dass es sich gelohnt hat durchzuhalten, denn Frau Tweedie vermittelt durch ihr Beispiel, dass innere Veränderung viel Zeit und Geduld benötigt und immer von inneren Kämpfen begleitet wird. Sogenannte Erleuchtung erscheint nicht plötzlich, vielmehr ebnet eine immer wiederkehrende Konfrontation mit der eigenen Natur und Selbstreflektion den Weg und wird von einem kompromisslosen Glauben an die Möglichkeiten unterstützt. Seelenfrieden bleibt fragil, da Weiterentwicklung durch Schwierigkeiten und Hindernisse einfach besser funktioniert. Es ist ein Tanz zwischen harter Arbeit und einer vertrauensvollen Hingabe an die Liebe und das Leben selbst, die durch einen Tropfen Gnade zur Vollendung gebracht wird. Fünf Sterne nicht zuletzt als Hommage auf ihren Lebensweg.

[Brian Wilcox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this book. There were high points, but rare and brief, especially considering the repeated non-essential minutia. Mostly, however, the story simply did not convince me.

I don't find, either, emotional abuse okay, simply because it is from a person supposedly enlightened and, so, floating in ethereal air unlike the rest of us spiritual second-rates stuck to dirt- like, "Well, the guru knows best, after all the guru is the guru, not you."

I do not question, however, Irina's sincerity or her spiritual status. She wrote her story as she saw her story, and I respect that.

Have a Lot of Fun Along the Way!

[Janny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The journey back to Source is full of trials and errors, loneliness, dark nights ,even despair yet the occasional glimpses of the sublime bliss, the experience of a complete , total , other worldly kind of love that makes every cell dances and rejoices turns the sacred journey into a single minded pursuit for the One and a unwavering willingness to die before we die a thousand times.
Irina Tweedie had walked this path before and left footprints for us to follow. Mystics of all traditions had gone before us and found mystical Union . We are no less.

[Angela Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone interested in the journey, of surrendering their ego-intellect, to the fire and mystery of the Sacred Heart. Mrs. Tweedie, a Sufi master takes you step by step, along with her own revered teacher, through the process. The honesty in it opens your own heart.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much needed roadmap to Sufi metaphysical tradition in followable journal form.

[Cherie · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - just too long and too detailed and this book was heavy AF!

[Manish]

Unsure, read this as a kid and was impressed but now feel maybe we just all make things up as we go along....

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stands up to reading over and over again, over a lifetime.