181. Puran and Susanna Bair

Puran and Susanna are successors to Hazrat Inayat Khan and Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan in the lineage of Universal Sufism: the mysticism independent of any religious tradition and the essence of all. They are one of the few married couples who teach together in the field of personal development and social change. IAM is celebrating its 22nd year! In the last four years, Puran and Susanna have led 30 to 40 seminars a year, reaching thousands of people a year. They are frequent presenters at conferences on the heart, sound, subtle energy, healing, psychology, relationships, business development and sustainable futures. They have been teaching for 35 years and have directly influenced tens of thousands, who have in turn gone on to spread the techniques and principles of the heart to many more. IAM began in 1988 when Pir Vilayat Khan asked Puran and Susanna to start a new school to bring the message of the heart to the public through a professional and scientific approach. This message, as taught by Hazrat Inayat Khan, includes the unity of all religious ideals, the one single family of humankind, the divinity of the human being, the unending progress toward perfection, and the fulfillment of every person's unique purpose. The message of the heart integrates the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of self; the heart is the regulator of the body, the seat of emotions and the temple of the soul. Website Books: Living From The Heart Energize Your Heart Follow Your Heart Transcript of this interview Interview recorded 6/22/2013 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Levels of Understanding and Spiritual Growth 00:05:11 - The Path to Peace: Emptiness and Wholeness 00:09:28 - Progress on the Path of the Heart 00:13:55 - Sustaining ourselves on light 00:18:00 - Experiencing the Divine Within 00:22:31 - The Method of Samadhi and the Heart's Role 00:26:48 - The Awakening Process: Steps to Stay Grounded 00:31:21 - Finding and Pursuing What You Love 00:34:53 - The Awakening of Collective Consciousness 00:38:43 - Reason for Optimism and the Exciting Shift in the World 00:42:53 - Exploring Different Perspectives 00:46:35 - Nourishing Different Expressions of Spirituality 00:50:30 - Leading by Example 00:54:39 - Recognizing Steps on the Path of Life 00:59:17 - The Three Stages of Behavior and Connection 01:03:32 - The Cleveland Experiment and Crime Reduction 01:07:09 - The Mind-Body Connection 01:10:57 - The Effects of Meditation on Crime Rates in Cleveland 01:15:53 - The Power of the Heart in Shifting Behaviors 01:19:59 - Searching for Something More in Life 01:24:05 - The Nine Steps of Spiritual Development 01:28:16 - The Five Steps of Self-Development and the Power of the Heart 01:32:51 - The Dark Night of the Soul and the Power of the Heart 01:37:24 - Themes of Alien Encounters 01:41:50 - Chasing the High and the Temptation to Meditate 01:46:25 - Communication with the Universe 01:50:10 - Making Light for Those in Need 01:53:55 - The Nine Steps of Service 01:58:05 - Becoming an Instrument for a Larger Purpose 02:02:28 - Developing Health Relationships and Accomplishments 02:06:33 - Thank You for Your Work