Guru Viking Podcast

In this episode I am once again joined by Dr. William Rory Dickson an associate professor of Islamic Religion and Culture at The University of Winnipeg and author of “Dissolving into Being: The Wisdom of Sufi Philosophy”. Professor Dickson discusses Ibn ‘Arabi (1165–1240), an important Sufi poet and philosopher. Ibn ‘Arabi was described as the greatest master of the Way but has increasingly been seen as a controversial and heterodox figure by some within Islam. Professor Dickson explores the historical tensions between the mystic and the cleric, describes Sufi meditation methods and the struggle to realisation, and considers extra-Islamic influences on Sufism throughout history. Professor Dickson also reflects on Sufism’s interaction with American culture including the universalist new age movement, the failure of utopian models of worldwide religious harmony, and the retraditionalisation of religious orders such as the Inayatiyya. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep277-master-of-the