Dhikr (Remembrance) is a central practice of the Sufis, and each order has their own unique version. It is often defined as a practice which involves rhythmic repetition of the name of God or his attributes. This can be done either out loud or silently.
The version I use is from the book, The Illuminated Prayer by Coleman Barks and Michael Green, and is based on the teachings of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. This book is incredible and the main portion of it is dedicated to The Prayer, or Salat, but, overall, it is a true gem and would be an inspiration to anyone to deepen their relationship with God. Likewise, dhikr is universal and can be used by anyone. I’ve found it to be particularly powerful and effective so I’ve continued to use it and have made it one of my core spiritual practices
Beyond my own experience, the effectiveness of this technique has been attested to by many other spiritual teachers throughout the ages. For example, when one of his students asked what he should do in order to see God Ramakrishna answered:
“Living in solitude now and then, repeating God’s name and singing His glories, and discriminating between the Real and the unreal – these are the means to employ to see Him.”
Dhikr involves both repeating God’s name and discriminating between the Real and the unreal. And it helps to purify our hearts so that we too can see God.
Dhikr
Take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, letting your body relax more deeply with each exhale. Then start by paying gentle attention to your breath for a couple minutes before slowly moving into the practice. Don’t try to control it, just observe.
When you are ready, start with every exhale to visualize all of your fear, envy, lust, clinging, greed, and other afflictions discharging as a cleansing feeling, beginning in your fingertips and toes, across your hands and feet, flowing through your arms and legs into the body, through the heart and out the left nostril. The words, La illaha or “The ‘I’ is an illusion,’ should accompany each outgoing breath in your mind.
And with each inhale, breath the radiant light in through your right nostril, up into the Third Eye between your eyebrows, further upwards to the crown of the head, then flowing down and filling your heart with light. The words, Il’ Allahu or “God alone is real,” should accompany each incoming breath.
❤🙏☀