David Less

Shahabuddin David Less is a meditation teacher, author, American mystic, and Senior Teacher (Murshid) in the Sufi Order International. He is the founder and spiritual director of Rising Tide International, an interfaith spiritual community in Sarasota, Florida; co-founder of The Abrahamic Reunion, multi-faith group of spiritual and religious leaders working together as peacemakers in Israel and Palestine; and serves as International Head of The Universal Worship,[1] a universal religion that honors and invokes all the world's religious and spiritual contributions to humanity.[2]

Biography

Less received bayat (spiritual initiation) as a Sufi in 1968 by Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, son and successor of Pir-O-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan, and was a close student and friend of his for 37 years until his death in 2004. In 1970 he received bayat with Murshid Samuel L. Lewis of San Francisco, and began to lead Dances of Universal Peace, which he continues to lead to this day. He received also an initiation from Mother Krishnabai of Ananashram in 1978, and in 2012 was given the name and title Satchitananda Swami from Swami Sundaranand Ji. Living in San Francisco, he was a close friend of the American mystic Joe Miller.

Less has sought, studied with, and/or befriended spiritual teachers from many traditions and paths, including: Wallace Black Elk (leader of the Lakota people), Suleiman Dede of the Mevlevi Order, Pir Zahoormian of the Gudri Shah Baba Sufi Order, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Beautiful Painted Arrow (Joseph Rael), Pir Rasheed Kalimi of Hyderabad, Elias Jabbour of House Of Hope, Israel; and American mystic Shamcher Bryn Beorse.

Works

Serving as international head of The Universal Worship, Less has worked with the board of directors and overseen training of Cherags (Reverend Ministers of The Universal Worship) worldwide since 2002. He was appointed to this position by Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan in Suresnes, France.

Less has recorded and released over 100 audio guided meditations for free.[3]

Since 2004, he has worked with religious and spiritual leaders in Israel and Palestine - Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Druze - to form The Abrahamic Reunion, which convenes inter-religious meetings promoting peace and harmony amongst people of all religions in the Holy Land.[4] Other notable members of The Abrahamic Reunion he has worked with include Rabbi Menachem Froman.[5]

Publications

Universal Meditations: Recipes for a Peaceful Mind, 2009 Universal Meditations: A Program for Quieting the Mind, 2013[6]

References
  1. "SOI: Who We Are: Activities - Universal Worship". Sufi Order International. Archived from the original on 2015-02-28. Retrieved 2015-02-19.
  2. "Sufi Order International - Traveling Teachers". Sufi Order International. Archived from the original on 2015-03-01. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
  3. "Meditations By Teacher". Winter Feast For The Soul. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
  4. "The Abrahamic Reunion - About Us". The Abrahamic Reunion. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
  5. "Abrahamic Reunion Peacemakers". The Abrahamic Reunion. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
  6. Less, David (2013). Universal Meditations: A Program For Quieting The Mind (2nd ed.). Florida: Hooh Press. p. 229. ISBN 9780989343411. Retrieved 19 Feb 2015.
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