Thanksgiving Awaken to Presence Transform your life workshop series Dr. Eren Tatari December 2012, Orlando

Saying of Muhammad (p): “Oh Lord, show us things as they are.”

Living with Divine Oneness To see the attributes of the One in every thing. To open a window directly onto His light from every thing. To attain to perpetual awareness of the Divine presence.

Aiming for the Prophetic Path of Transformation Muhammad (p): “The utmost beauty (Ihsan) is to worship God as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, to be aware that He sees you” …to become certain of God’s Unity through confirming belief (iman = certainty) by personal witnessing/experience This is the secret of direct inner transformation

Taqleedi Iman: Blind Faith I accept that God is One I haven’t contemplated enough to see His signature in his creation/myself My faith is not directing the way I experience creation Tahqeeqi Iman: Witnessing the Divine Presence Requires internalizing faith through personal reasoning and contemplation – The Quranic invitation to every person I witness that His signature is in every thing I look at, that is why I have faith! My faith is embedded in my experience, it is directing my interaction with everything

.. اَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ.. وَسَنَجْزِى الشَّاكِرِينَ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ َلاَزِيدَنَّكُمْ بَلِ اللهَ فَاعْبُدْ وَكُنْ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ Will they not then give thanks? (Qur’an 36:35, 73) And we shall surely reward those who give thanks.(Qur’an 3:145) If you give thanks, I shall increase [my favors] to you. (Qur’an 14:7) Worship God and be of those who give thanks.(Qur’an 39:66)

God’s VISION for my life وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ And I have not created the invisible beings and men but to [know and] worship Me. (Qur’an 51:56) Experiential Knowledge of God Witness Divine Attributes Reflect Divine Attributes Thanksgiving

How do I become thankful? What is the secret to become more thankful? It all depends on my perception of everything I experience in this life… Not a task on my to-do list! but a natural outcome of contemplation awareness of “given-ness”

My perception changes everything… How beautiful it is How beautiful it has been made

My perception changes everything… How beautiful it is How beautiful it has been made

My perception changes everything… How beautiful it is How beautiful it has been made

My perception changes everything… How beautiful it is How beautiful it has been made Things bear meaning in themselves Feelings are unsatisfied… Ephemeral beauty Things bear meaning of another The Loving One is showing His Love Eternal beauty

This choice makes all the difference… Is what we have/own/are given? or Is it … just is?

The more I realize the Real Giver of what I claim to be mine, the more I feel thankful towards the Divine My property My abilities My life Everything

until I recognize that there is no thing that is not coming out of His grace… My property My abilities My life Everything

Then, my life becomes a life of thankfulness … = inner paradise… My property My abilities My life Everything

Who am I again? Someone who has infinite taste buds!! Why were these taste buds given? To feel the Divine Loving Compassionate Presence through gratitude and discover my real humanity…

Thanksgiving is life transforming How beautiful it is… How beautiful it has been made, thank you! I am by myself, life is dull, nobody loves me! I am loved, I am being taken care of, I am special!

Thank you to the One who is sustaining me through all the gifts I receive… Thank you my Sustainer, I love you, too! I adore you = worship

Sustenance… Pleasure is either… Divine Gift to know the Giver… Something I demand… My senses are pleased… My heart is pleased much more! Only my senses are pleased, very temporarily… Then, there is darkness! Infinite real joy Temporary, limited pleasure=pain

Thanksgiving comprises true faith and a sincere affirmation of God’s unity. When I eat an apple and say “Praise be to God!” – I am declaring: “This apple is a gift given directly by the Compassionate.” Ascribe everything to the One, by witnessing the reflection of the Compassionate in everything.

Thanksgiving = recognition that we are guests in this universe of the Loving Compassionate host…

ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ …However, he who is grateful [to God] is but grateful for his own good; and he who is ungrateful [should know that], verily, my Sustainer is self-sufficient, most generous in giving! (Quran 27:40)

How can thanksgiving transform our daily lives?