Sufi Service Committee of Boston
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Sunday Brunch Coordinator Manual (PDF) Volunteer Application Form (PDF) U.S. Code 1791 - Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act |
Every Sunday from 10 am to 1:30 pm we get together at Noor Oriental Rugs, Inc. 769 Concord Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 to sort, organize clothes for homeless children, women and men. Please join us to share your love with them while enjoying a tasty colorful brunch over friendly conversation with other passionate volunteers.
Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh, Master of Nimatullahi Sufi Order & Founder of Sufi Service Committee: Caring for Others: Sufism and Altruism
Altruism has been a central aspect of Persian Sufism since it was developed by such figures as Ibrahim Adham (d. 782), Shaqiq Balkhi (d. 810), Bayazid (d. 874), Abul-Hasan Kharaqani (d. 1033) and Abu Said Abel Khayr (d. 1049) in the region of Khorasan, now the north-eastern part of Iran. Altruism, as developed by these early Khorasanian Sufis and practiced by Persian Sufis for centuries down to the present day, advocates that Sufis - indeed all human beings - should serve God by remaining in society and helping and serving others. It stands in stark contrast with the Sufi tradition that was developed in Baghdad by Junaid (d. 910) and his followers, which advocated the practice of renunciation and withdrawal from society as the central tenet of Sufism...
Recent studies in neuroscience suggest that there is a neurological basis for altruism, that this trait is inherent in us. These experiments show that when we generously place the interests of others before our own, a primitive part of our brain - usually stimulated in response to food and sex - becomes activated, suggesting that altruism is not a superior moral faculty but rather something hard-wired in our brain, that when stimulated makes us feel good (see note 1). In other words, it is natural for us to behave altruistically; it is not instilled in us through religion or moral teachings. It comes to us as easily as eating food.
Altruistic behavior is rooted in empathy, in the ability to put oneself in another's position and identify with his or her state or situation. Again, recent studies in neuroscience have shown that observing another person's emotional state activates parts of the brain that are involved in processing the same state in oneself (see note 2). Thus, when we are confronted with the pain of another person, we tend to feel pain ourselves. Research has also shown that in people suffering from certain types of psychopathology the components of neural circuits involved in empathy are impaired, causing them not to care about other people and their feelings...
If we are to survive as a species on this planet, we need to embrace views or belief systems that are inclusive of others, that emphasize the essential similarities among people rather than the differences, which we know with a moment's reflection to be superficial and insignificant in comparison. Our views of the world should reinforce our basic instincts of altruism and empathy. Take, for example, the notion of sin that is an element of many religions. Once one views a person as sinful, one creates a chasm between oneself and that person, thereby blocking the path of empathy. By contrast, consider the concept of compassion, which is an integral part of Buddhist practice. Here we are encouraged to direct our compassion equally towards all beings, without distinction, which is in complete agreement with our natural instincts of empathy and altruism.
Sufism also is known for its inclusive nature. All living creatures are essentially manifestations of one being, one reality, and therefore the entire cosmos is in essence one and the same thing - a reflection of the divine. One who experiences the unity of being will embrace all of humanity and all living things with the utmost feelings of empathy. It is in the spirit of such altruism that Kharaqani placed a sign at the entrance of his khaniqah with the following message: "Whoever comes here should be given food without being asked about their creed and religion."
The altruism practiced by the early Khorasanian Sufis went beyond the practice of altruism as I have described here. In fact it was defined in terms of caring for the welfare of others before and prior to one's own welfare and comfort, without any expectation of reward.
Attar, one of the greatest Sufi poets (d. 1221), relates the following story about Ibrahim Adham. One day three people were performing their devotional practices in a ruined mosque. After they went to sleep, Ibrahim stood by the door of the mosque until morning. When he was asked later to explain his action, he replied that the weather was very cold and a harsh wind was blowing. Since there was no door to the mosque, he stood in the threshold to make it possible for the people inside to sleep.
Some Sufis have gone so far as to say that one's altruism is the most important disposition in reaching God. Kharaqani relates the following story to his disciples: There were two brothers, one who devoted himself completely to God and the other who dedicated himself to their mother. After a while the brother who devoted himself to God had a vision in which God tells him that his brother has reached salvation through serving their mother. He was puzzled and asked God for an explanation. "Because," God replied, "He served the needy and you served the One who has no need."...
There are, of course, many methods to overcome such negative states, ranging from psychiatric drugs and psychotherapy to the practice of meditation. In the Sufi tradition, however, the main remedy to cure oneself of such negative states is to actively engage in altruistic actions even when one is not inclined to do so. This enforces our natural instincts. Persistent altruism towards one's spiritual guide and other people, regardless of how one feels or what one wants for oneself, will help the spiritual traveller to rid himself or herself of negative states. This is also borne out by recent psychological studies that indicate there is strong correlation between altruism and the general well-being of an individual. People who engage in helping others suffer significantly less depression and anxiety than those who do not. Clearly altruism plays a key factor in our psychological health.
The early Sufis of Khorasan discovered something fundamental about spirituality as well as the biology of our humanity: that the path of enlightenment converges with our basic instinct of empathy and altruism. Their discovery was as significant then as it is relevant now. With the world population increasing at an alarming rate (by the year 2050 it is estimated the world population will be nine and a half billion), and with limited resources in many poor countries, it seems inevitable that conflicts will increase throughout the world. Though we may never be able to eliminate conflict between people, we can certainly contribute to its decline by following the path of the Sufis from Khorasan.
Though we believe that our work with local charities has been successful up to this point, we always need more help. There are two main ways for you to get involved. If you'd like to serve brunch with us, we'd love to see you on any given Sunday afternoon.
First time volunteers need to submit their application form first for an informal interview. Advance notice is also helpful; you can reach us at
sufiserviceboston@gmail.com. If you would like to make a donation, you can mail a check to
SSC and include the word "charity" in the space for a memo (our mailing address is 84 Pembroke St., Boston MA 02118), or you can send us money via PayPal (once again, our e-mail address is
sufiserviceboston@gmail.com.)
We welcome volunteers of all ages, cultures and religions to join us in this important effort. Brunch Update Issue 113 - December 2018 Sufi Service Committee (Boston) Addressing the most pressing needs of our commUNITY "Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life." ~ Rumi Happenings The third Sunday of November was a special day for both the volunteers of the Sufi Service Committee and the residents of the wet shelter. It was turkey day! Thanksgiving this year was all about showing gratitude for the multiple blessings we have and sharing our love and a home prepared meal with the underprivileged. Preparation for this special day started well in advance with volunteers purchasing all the ingredients and cooking various dishes, including three big turkeys. We are very proud and feel privileged to have Kat a new volunteer who joined us in October. Kat took on the very important task of cooking three delicious turkeys, the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving meal at the shelter! Not only that, she made outstanding stuffing and gravy. Another volunteer, Raoufa took on the task of preparing a wonderful green bean casserole, which everyone at the shelter loved. The Saturday before the feast, everyone came together to organize the event and be fully ready for the next day. As always, Mr. Noor was among the first people to arrive and with the help of Harrison cooked us a delicious breakfast to be full of energy for the day. Maria, the leader of the endeavor, showed exemplary leadership skills by delegating tasks among the volunteers including Mr. Noor who humbly took on Maria's request to go out on a cold day to buy tofu to include as a vegetarian food option. The Sufi Service Committee house was filled with aromas of sweet potatoes being baked and gravy being prepared. Thanksgiving was official! The following day was a big day. All the volunteers assembled at the Sufi Service Committee house, ready to meet the shelter's residents with love, a big smile and some delicious Thanksgiving meals. At our arrival, approximately 60 residents were present and awaited our meal offering. There was a lot of action at the kitchen: Matt and Kathryn were busy slicing the turkeys, Hanane and Harrison were preparing the baked vegetables, Brian was in charge of making apple cider, ovens were filled, the stove top fired up and hearts filled with joy to share our meals with the residents. Let's not forget Maria who was the conductor of this fine-tuned orchestra! It was time to serve the meal and nothing compares to the joy in the residents' faces. It was a moment of selfless giving, love and gratitude for both the volunteers and the residents. It is important to note here that each member of the Sufi Service Committee exhibited genuine and sincere care and love in serving the residents. This is a good reminder of the Founder of Sufi Service Committee-Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh's- words: "It is through love and service to others that the Sufis contribute to lifting the veil of the ego, thereby experiencing the sacred." The Sufi Service Committee volunteers have once again exhibited actions of good for the sole purpose of good. At the end of the day we all walk back to our homes with only the awareness of a good deed well done. Many shelter residents walked up to the volunteers to give them warm thanks and praise the quality of the food. Thank you Harrison for these delicious and healthy breakfast sandwiches! Thank you Maria for your stellar leadership skills and thank you Matt for driving some of us and the food to the shelter. Thank you Matt and Kathryn for slicing up those turkeys! And the award of the most productive goes to Harrison! He not only helped with baking the vegetables and making the apple cider but also figured out how to use the coffee machine too! Thank you Hanane, Kat, Maria, Raoufa, Matt, Harrison, Kathryn and Brian for pulling off an awesome Thanksgiving meal for the wet shelter. Let's not forget to thank Sally for her wonderful cornbread muffins. "I couldn't be more thankful for the universe and god that has allowed me to be part of this group. Every day we're able to help the homeless community through the help of one another. To see the thanks and affection they show when being given homemade food makes me even more thankful to be part of this group of volunteers. Looking forward to the next service. See you guys soon!" -Maria "Every time I volunteer at the shelter I am reminded how lucky I am to have a place to call home, a place to be with my family and a place to feel safe and comfortable. Helping at the at this shelter to provide an afternoon of good food, respect, and hopefully some joy for those who don't have a home or much stability is a small but very meaningful contribution to a much greater societal problem. I found this Sunday's service to a lovely uplifting experience. It was so nice when some residents hugged me afterwards to say thanks. Everyone worked so well together and we even figured out the coffee machine!! I so look forward to our next service as we enter the holiday season and hopefully as the weeks progress we can get to know the residents more. Thank you all." -Kathryn "No greater joy exists than to connect with others in service. [...] Start by SEEING everyone - to look into their eyes, to give a smile, to wish them peace, to imagine sufficiency for all and to give what you can. Find others who can see and let love make us One." -Kat Menu The menu was made of a traditional thanksgiving meal. Kat oven baked (over three days) three large size turkeys and prepared gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Raoufa made a green beans casserole with mushroom cream and crispy onions. Hanane and Harrison baked seasonal vegetables and boiled corn cobs. A tofu stew and sweet potatoes were also available as a vegetarian option. Let's not forget about the mashed potatoes! For dessert, residents had the choice between pumpkin pie, apple pie and corn bread muffins. HOW TO GET INVOLVED You are welcome to get involved by volunteering, making financial contributions, or donating clothes, gift cards, and non-perishable food. Contact: Mo Nooraee Sufi Service Committee (Boston) 84 Pembroke Street, Boston, MA 02118 (617) 938-3680 The Sufi Service Committee of Boston is a 501(c) charity organization. All donations are tax deductible.
We always enjoy sharing our work with new volunteers! Please consider joining us when we serve brunch at a shelter. Members of the community we serve are also occasionally hospitalized. When they are, company proves even more important, so making hospital visits is also a valuable service; please don't underestimate how much you can help just by saying hello to someone in need of companionship.
There are also ways to help that involve less direct contact with those we serve. These include helping us recover food to donate, helping with the project's administrative work, sorting and delivering donated clothing, and, of course, donating food or money.
