The Taste of Hidden Things
Images on the Sufi Path

by Sara Sviri, PH.D.

In The Taste of Hidden Things Sara Sviri weaves a tapestry in which Sufi motifs and images are highlighted: the perfume of Attar's and Rumi's poetry, the boldness of Ibn al-Arabi's mystical speculation, the ecstatic experiences and dreams of old and modern seekers, and the richness of the Naqshbandi masters, past and present. A special place is given to al-Hakim at-Tirmidh”, a ninth century mystic from Central Asia. Many passages from his work, including his wife’s teaching dreams, are published here for the first time in English.

This book is based on Dr. Sviri's understanding of the Sufi tradition. This understanding has grown through her exposure to original Sufi texts, her interest in depth psychology and dreams, and her practical work along the lines and teaching of the Naqshbandi tradition.

Quality Paperback, 220 pages, $12.95
ISBN 0-9634574-8-9
Price in the UK: £9.95 plus £2 postage & packing
Price in Germany and Switzerland: SFR 25.-- / EUR 14.--; Bestell-Nr. SB 01

"A remarkable Introduction to the inner core of Sufism, combining the transtemporal wisdom of the sages such as Rum” with the actual experiences of contemporary seekers on this ancient path of truth and compassion. Sara Sviri does not limit herself to the scholarly approach - The Taste of Hidden Things provides glimpses of the luminous, transcendental mysteries which lie beyond the possibilities of rational understanding."
- Michaela Mihriban Özelsel, author of Forty Days

"What makes The Taste of Hidden Things unique among contemporary books on Sufism is the way Sara Sviri brings together her solid academic scholarship in the field and her profound personal experience on the Sufi path to provide a vivid, indelible, and heartfelt description of Sufism."
- Alireza Nurbakhsh, Editor of Sufi Magazine

"This is a book of extensive historical scholarship which can enthrall those who are open to the mystical experience. Sara Sviri has the gift of conveying paradox with lucid clarity. Her title, The Taste of Hidden Things, combines the sensuous with the invisible, preparing the reader for startling stories and images of the Sufi path. Sufi symbolism seems to carry the deepest psychological truths and is presented here in a style which is eminently readable."
- Mollu Tuby, Jungian analyst

"Sara Sviri draws on the Sufi tradition, especially the precepts of the Naqshbandi order... Her insights and informal meditations, which build on the teachings narrated by Irina Tweedie, form an attractive example of applying Sufi psychology to the contemporary situation."
- Carl W. Ernst, Professor of Islamic Studies at The University of North Carolina

Table of Contents and Chapter Excerpt