My meditation teacher, Baba Muktananda, always emphasized the importance of Svadhyaya, scriptural study, as a compliment to one’s practice of meditation. Hindupedia is a great place to discover pathways of study in your pursuit of meditation, as many of the meditation principles and techniques have their roots in Hinduism.

1 Allah (The) God

2 Ar-Rahman The All Beneficent

3 Ar-Rahim The Most Merciful

4 Al-Malik The King, The Sovereign

5 Al-Quddus The Most Holy

6 As-Salam The Peace and Blessing

7 Al-Mu’min The Guarantor

8 Al-Muhaymin The Guardian, The Preserver

9 Al-Aziz The Almighty, The Self Sufficient

10 Al-Jabbar The Powerful, The Irresistible

11 Al-Mutakabbir The Tremendous

12 Al-Khaliq The Creator

13 Al-Bari’ The Maker

14 Al-Musawwir The Fashioner of Forms

15 Al-Ghaffar The Ever Forgiving

16 Al-Qahhar The All Compelling Subduer

17 Al-Wahhab The Bestower

18 Ar-Razzaq The Ever Providing

19 Al-Fattah The Opener, The Victory Giver

20 Al-`Alim The All Knowing, The Omniscient

21 Al-Qabid The Restrainer, The Straightener

22 Al-Basit The Expander, The Munificent

23 Al-Khafid The Abaser

24 Ar-Rafi The Exalter

25 Al-Mu’izz The Giver of Honour

26 Al-Mudhill The Giver of Dishonour

27 As-Sami The All Hearing

28 Al-Basir The All Seeing

29 Al-Hakam The Judge, The Arbitrator

30 Al-`Adl The Utterly Just

31 Al-Latif The Subtly Kind

32 Al-Khabir The All Aware

33 Al-Halim The Forbearing, The Indulgent

34 Al-Azim The Magnificent, The Infinite

35 Al-Ghafur The All Forgiving

36 Ash-Shakur The Grateful

37 Al-Ali The Sublimely Exalted

38 Al-Kabir The Great

39 Al-Hafiz The Preserver

40 Al-Muqit The Nourisher

41 Al-Hasib The Reckoner

42 Al-Jalil The Majestic

43 Al-Karim The Bountiful, The Generous

44 Ar-Raqib The Watchful

45 Al-Mujib The Responsive, The Answerer

46 Al-Wasi The Vast, The All Encompassing

47 Al-Hakim The Wise

48 Al-Wadud The Loving, The Kind One

49 Al-Majid The All Glorious

50 Al-Ba’ith The Raiser of The Dead

51 Ash-Shahid The Witness

52 Al-Haqq The Truth, The Real

53 Al-Wakil The Trustee, The Dependable

54 Al-Qawiyy The Strong

55 Al-Matin The Firm, The Steadfast

56 Al-Waliyy The Protecting Friend, Patron and Helper

57 Al-Hamid The All Praiseworthy

58 Al-Muhsi The Accounter, The Numberer of All

59 Al-Mubdi’ The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of
all

60 Al-Mu’id The Reinstater Who Brings Back All

61 Al-Muhyi The Giver of Life

62 Al-Mumit The Bringer of Death, The Destroyer

63 Al-Hayy The Ever Living

64 Al-Qayyum The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All

65 Al-Wajid The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing

66 Al-Majid The Illustrious, The Magnificent

67 Al-Wahid The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible

68 As-Samad The Self Sufficient, The Impregnable, The
Eternally Besought of All, The Everlasting

69 Al-Qadir The All Able

70 Al-Muqtadir The All Determiner, The Dominant

71 Al-Muqaddim The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward

72 Al-Mu’akhkhir The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away

73 Al-Awwal The First

74 Al-Akhir The Last

75 Az-Zahir The Manifest, The All Victorious

76 Al-Batin The Hidden, The All Encompassing

77 Al-Wali The Patron

78 Al-Muta’ali The Self Exalted

79 Al-Barr The Most Kind and Righteous

80 At-Tawwab The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting

81 Al-Muntaqim The Avenger

82 Al-’Afuww The Pardoner, The Effacer of Sins

83 Ar-Ra’uf The Compassionate, The All Pitying

84 Malik-al-Mulk The Owner of All Sovereignty

85 Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram The Lord of Majesty and Generosity

86 Al-Muqsit The Equitable, The Requiter

87 Al-Jami’ The Gatherer, The Unifier

88 Al-Ghani The All Rich, The Independent

89 Al-Mughni The Enricher, The Emancipator

90 Al-Mani’ The Withholder, The Shielder, the Defender

91 Ad-Darr The Distressor, The Harmer (This attribute
can only be found in hadith)

92 An-Nafi’ The Propitious, The Benefactor

93 An-Nur The Light

94 Al-Hadi The Guide

95 Al-Badi The Incomparable, The Originator

96 Al-Baqi The Ever Enduring and Immutable

97 Al-Warith The Heir, The Inheritor of All

98 Ar-Rashid The Guide, Infallible Teacher and Knower

99 As-Sabur The Patient, The Timeless

*The 99 Names of God are not copyright and may be reproduced and reprinted in accordance with these guidelines

Yahweh

Elohim

Adonai

Ehyeh

El

Elohim

Elyon

Shaddai

Explore the meaning behind the 72 Names of God in more depth by visiting the Jewish Encyclopedia.

YHWH

YHWH, or also Yahweh, is the personal name for the God of Israel. This name, above all others is considered the holiest of holies and is referred to as the Tetragrammaton, in order to prevent actually having to use the Name of God, which is strictly taboo. The name, Ha Shem, which means ‘the Name,’ is commonly used when referring to God.

The Importance of Hebrew

The 72 Names of God and their meanings are tightly linked with the original language they were spoken and written in (Hebrew) and closely connected to the esoteric tradition of Kabbalah.

YHWH

Learn more about the Hebrew Language and its connection to the 72 Names of God by visiting Hebrew for Christians.

Sufism is the mystical tradition of Islam. But you don’t have to be Islamic to gain benefits from its practices. Wisdom exists in everyone, from your local grocer to the Pope. You just have to be open to experiencing it. I’ve never formally studied religion, so what I share with you, I share from the heart of my understanding.

I was introduced to Sufism by my personal life coach, Marilyn Gustin, who is the author of many books on the Christian spiritual path. What she shared with me was the poetry of Hafiz and Rumi, two of the most well known saints of this mystic tradition.

The heart of Sufism is the belief that you can have a personal experience of God, namely in the form of love. Consequently, Sufis try to discern and experience love in every thought, word and action. Every experience becomes an opportunity to experience love, and thus, experience God.

Sufism also believes in God as both manifest and unmanifest. Here’s the way I see this: God is so great and amazing that our limited human mind cannot possibly conceive of Him in His entirety. However, God is omni-present, meaning he is a part of everything. Consequently, while one cannot conceive of God, one can experience God in the world through different people and objects that are manifest, because God is a part of everything, from a rock to a flower to a newborn baby. Sufis make an active effort to experience God in everything, primarily through the experience of Love.

Sufi Poetry

The poetry of the Sufis is powerful. Just consider this; the Sufi saints (mostly from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries) were persecuted for their beliefs. They met secretly and shared their knowledge through poems. Each poem is a metaphor, with hidden symbols that describe the spiritual path.For example, a state of drunkenness is often used to describe the love a Sufi feels when he or she is closely connected to and aware of God’s presence. The drunk is used to symbolize the Sufi and wine symbolizes the spirit of grace.

Sufi poetry often describes the Sufi’s mystical experiences of God, but in a hidden way, using the symbols mentioned above, as well as other metaphors. Reading their words often propels the reader into a state of meditation, because the words themselves contain within them a piece of the mystical experience the poet is describing.

Practice the art of poetry as a part of journaling by writing poems about your personal experiences of Love or God. This can also provide you with a wonderful record to look back on.

The Practices of Sufi Meditation

Repetition of the Name

Sufi meditation is called Muraqaba, meaning to observe, guard or control one’s thoughts and desires. Sufi meditation has many different practices.Repeating the Name of God is one way a Sufi enters into a state of meditation. By focusing on the Name of God, you connect with the divine power manifested through the name of God.

To understand this practice of Sufism within the context of the Western, Judeo-Christian background, we can compare this to the Jewish Tetragammaton, which is the personal name of the God of Israel. In the Jewish tradition, from which both Christianity and Islam arise, God has many names which represent a conception of the divine nature.

In Islam and Sufism, the word Allah is used to describe God, which means “God without a second.” Muslims see Allah as the same God of Christianity and Judaism, and Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use the word Allah when speaking of God.

In addition to the name Allah, Islam and Sufism have 99 Names of God which describe His attributes. For example, The Most Merciful, The Most Holy and The Ever Forgiving.

These names arise from the concept of the manifest and unmanifest. While there is only one God, that one God is impossible to conceptualize in Her entirety. Consequently, in order for you and I to talk about God, we must use words, hence the 99 names. It’s like me calling God a him or her. God isn’t either, but in order to talk about Him in the English language, we usually end up assigning Her a gender.

Instructions for Practice

To practice repetition of the Divine Name, choose a name of God to remember, either from Sufism or from your personal religious tradition. Sit comfortably and in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Close your eyes and repeat the name with the understanding that you are repeating a word that represents a divine quality or conceptualization of God. Try to feel the meaning of that word within you with as much feeling and power as you can at this moment.For example, if you are repeating “God the Most Merciful,” try to feel that aspect or quality of mercy within you.

Focus intently on the Name to the exclusion of all other things. If thoughts arise, or you find yourself daydreaming or thinking about something else, return your mind to the repetition of the Name.

As you deepen your practice, your experience of the Name will unfold naturally and spontaneously. The Name of God contains an aspect of divinity; Just as God is a part of everything manifest, God is also a part of all words. So the name itself contains an aspect of God, which can be experience through the repetition of Her Holy Name.

Experiencing a piece of God is like experiencing His entirety. My meditation teacher uses the analogy of a mountain. It might be very difficult for you to experience a mountain in its entirety, but if you pick up just one piece of rock off that mountain, you experience the entire mountain through the rock.

Remembrance of God

Sufism also has the practice of remembering God, called Dhikr. This practice is found in many other mystic traditions. In it, you make an active effort to remember God in every thought, word and action.This practice can be implemented by reminding yourself throughout your day that God is part of everything, and hence everything offers the opportunity to experience God.

It can also be implemented through the use of the repetition of the Name throughout your day, even when you are not engaged in formal, sitting meditation.

Whirling

You’ve probably heard of the Whirling Dervishes. If not, check out the link and consider going to see them when they’re in your area. The Whirling Dervishes are a performance group that whirls, which is a spiritual practice of Sufism. I’ve seen the Whirling Dervishes perform at Centennial Hall in Tucson, Arizona. When I saw them, I didn’t understand the spiritual significance of the whirling. Since then, I have come to understand it as a true spiritual practice. Read about the specific aspects of whirling by clicking here. In essence, whirling is a ritual whose performance opens you to experiencing the divine bliss of God. I have not been formally trained in whirling. However, I do practice whirling in my own way by setting a central focal point and dancing around it while chanting God’s name. This is a powerful practice and lends itself to opening the practitioner to an experience of great Love.In my experience, as I chanted and whirled, I lost my sense of limitation, and felt deeply connected with those around me. I fell to the ground in tears of joy and love as I recognized that God was in everything, and consequently, was also in me. I had read the ecstatic love poems of Rumi and Hafiz, and admired them and their experiences. In that moment, I felt as if I was Rumi, I was Hafiz. I was all the great Lovers of God who I had ever written love poems to God. In that moment, I let go of my individual self and embraced my Higher Self, the part of me that is connected to everything else, through God.

Going on Retreat

In Sufism, going on retreat is encouraged to heighten your connection with God. In other religious traditions, going on retreat is something that great men and women did to connect more deeply with God. Christ did it…Muhammad did it…even Moses did it. Don’t you think you should too?Going on retreat is just setting aside an extended amount of time to be with God. It could be a day, a weekend, a week, or more, where you shut yourself away from the outside world and turn your attention inward. Turn off your phone, refrain from watching T.V., don’t take visitors. Turn all your attention to your spiritual practices. Read scripture, meditate, contemplate, or include any of your personal spiritual practices which you find meaningful and enhance your sense of connectedness with God.

In addition to doing this yourself, many people find it’s easier to go to a retreat center for a retreat program. This has several benefits as opposed to doing it at home. First, you get a change of location, which helps break old habit patterns associated with your space of living. Second, you gain access to the insights of the teacher of the retreat. Third, you get to share the experience with others who are also interested in the spiritual life. All of these things lend themselves to enhancing your experience and strengthening your personal spiritual practices beyond what you could do on your own.

Continued Learning

You can practice Sufism on your own through repetition of the name, whirling, and retreats, or you may wish to seek out a Sufi spiritual teacher in your area. A Sufi teacher is a spiritual friend who has walked the Sufi path, and in turn, provides you with the teaching and guidance necessary to help you follow the same path. I do not know any Sufi teachers personally, although my spiritual teacher, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, borrows from many of the teachings and practices of Sufism. If you find or know of a good Sufi teacher, I would love for you to share it with me.