Sufi Heart with Omid Safi

Omid Safi and mythology expert Joshua Michael Schrei explore the shared threads of spiritual traditions, discussing ecstasy, discernment, and the courage to cultivate a heart that becomes a refuge for others.This episode was originally recorded for The Emerald, a podcast that explores the human experience through a vibrant lens of myth, story, and imagination. Brought to life through the wise, wild, and humorous vision of Joshua Michael Schrei — a teacher and lifelong student of the cosmologies and mythologies of the world — the podcast draws from a deep well of poetry, lore, and mythos to challenge conventional narratives on politics and public discourse, meditation and mindfulness, art, science, literature, and more. Subscribe to The Emerald on your favorite podcast app for more conversations like this!In this episode, Omid and Joshua navigate:The connecting thread between different faith traditionsThe mythic, the ecstatic, and the embodiedMaking contact with the mysteryBuilding spiritual rhythm through daily practiceReal friendship: holding up the mirror to one anotherStaying consciously open but maintaining wise boundariesSpiritual naivety, working on discernment, and being aware of self-justification  Political activism and taking accountability for our own rolesMaking our hearts a garden in which others can seek shelterAbout Joshua Michael Schrei:Josh Schrei is a podcaster, myth teller, teacher, and a lifelong student of the cosmologies and mythologies of the world—in particular the Indian subcontinent.  Throughout a lifetime of teaching, study, meditation, and yogic practice, wilderness immersion, art, music, and public speaking, Josh has sought to navigate the living, animate space of the imagination and advocate for a world that prioritizes imaginative vision. Josh has taught intensive courses in mythology and somatic disciplines for more than 20 years. Keep up with Joshua on his website and stay tuned for fresh episodes of The Emerald. "When we re-find that ecstatic thread, then we find that thread unifies so many things that we once thought were disparate. The divine has always been accessed musically, through story, through art, in so many different ways, through mythic study. All of this is a different way of getting out of agitated consciousness and into a place where we can find that ecstatic experience."  –Joshua Michael SchreiAbout Omid Safi:Omid Safi is a teacher in the Islamic mystical tradition of Radical Love, and serves as a professor of Islamic studies at Duke University. Omid’s passion for teaching has been recognized by his ten nominations for Professor of the Year awards. Omid has published extensively on the foundational sources of Islam and Sufism. His Memories of Muhammad is an award-winning biography of the Prophet Muhammad. His most recent book is Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition. He teaches online courses through Illuminated Courses on topics ranging from Rumi to the mystical dimension of the Qur’an.  Lastly, he offers for the general public Illuminated Tours , spiritually oriented contemplative journeys and retreats which have brought more than 2,500 friends from over twenty countries to Turkey, Morocco, Andalusia, and now Umrah since 2002.  "There is such a thing as the dark side of the force and there is tremendous power in it. There are people who derive their reason to live and ability to get up in the day from that very negative energy. I don't think it's the healthiest one, I don't think it's the most beautiful one, but to pretend that it's not real and merely an illusion I think that's setting yourself up for a very rude awakening. Maybe what you want is to hold up the mirror and say yes this has power, but is this the most beautiful way to live?   –Omid SafiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Omid Safi, a scholar of Islamic mysticism and director at Duke University, explores the feminine heart of faith and divine love. He reflects on love amid global suffering. He speaks on the womb metaphor in Islam, embodied spiritual practice, breath as shared unity, the central role of women in freedom movements, and tender, ethical living rooted in beauty and mutual care.

A lively tour of Ibn ‘Arabi’s life, travels, and mystical writings. Conversations about kashf, unveiling, and the prayer of opening. Reflections on presence, humility, and the blurred lines between seeker and teacher. Poems and paradoxes that explore love, sensual alchemy, and being seen by the divine.

A tour of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s Sufi vision of radical love, universal harmony, and beauty as a path to the divine. Music is framed as a sacred bridge between cultures. Discussions explore perception and breath as portals to God, the unity behind multiplicity, and how inner disharmony mirrors global unrest. The power of beauty and contemplative practice to open hearts and transform communal life is highlighted.

Joshua Michael Schrei, podcaster, mythteller, and teacher of imaginative cosmologies, speaks about the pulse between ecstatic union and separation. He and Omid explore sensual spirituality, nature as spiritual teacher, balancing transcendence and immanence, longing as sacred fuel, and how lover-beloved imagination might re-enchant the world and inform compassionate activism.

Omid Safi, a scholar and teacher in the Sufi tradition of radical love, speaks about love as divine action and the heart as a sacred place. He explores interspiritual bridges across traditions, the Francis–Sultan encounter as a model of compassion, the balance of contemplation and action, and how language, art, and humility can heal divisions.

Getting down to the basics of Sufism, James Cooke and Omid Safi discuss the mystery of love and our enmeshment with God.This time on the Sufi Heart podcast, Omid Safi and James Cooke discuss:Sufism and mystical IslamGetting closer to a divine realityTypes of love within SufismRecognizing that we are interwoven with all thingsPure love as the antidote of egoHow we are enmeshed with GodMaking our daily life our practiceThe diversity within traditions of IslamMisrepresentations of Islam in mainstream mediaExtending love to absolutely everyoneSelf-love and growing in our practice of lovingAbout James Cooke, PhD:James Cooke started the Inner Space Institute with the aim of helping greater numbers of people to access spiritual growth, without any of the unscientific beliefs that are common in spiritual circles. James trained as a neuroscientist after an awakening as a teenager that showed him the reality of spiritual states of consciousness. He holds three degrees from Oxford University (a PhD and Masters in Neuroscience & a BA in Experimental Psychology). He has conducted scientific research for over a decade at institutions such as Oxford University, University of California, Berkeley, University College London, Trinity College Dublin, and Riken Brain Sciences Institute in Tokyo. James is the author of The Dawn of Mind: How Matter Became Conscious and Alive (coming December 2024), which synthesizes science and spiritual insight to offer a radical solution to the Hard Problem of Consciousness.“I feel like for some people, this emphasis on love can be quite healing to hear, because I grew up in a time where there was a kind of grotesque, simplified caricature of Islam…it’s healing to have contact with the reality of these traditions.” – James Cooke, PhDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A reflective talk on how faith can feel strange in a world of suffering and hypocrisy. Sacred sound, dhikr, and poetry are used to reclaim prophetic freshness. The countercultural roots of Islam and solidarity with the poor are highlighted. Listeners are invited to consider exile, belonging, and forming compassionate communities.

Omid Safi dives into the mystical connections between Sufism and modern myths like Star Wars. He draws parallels between Moses and Yoda, emphasizing how mythic narratives carry spiritual wisdom. The discussion also covers how movies can fulfill spiritual needs when traditional religion falls short. Safi highlights the concept of the Force and Sufi teachings, celebrating the interconnectedness of existence. Listeners are invited to embrace the mystery of the universe and discover the divine in everyday life.

A meditation on Hazrat Inayat Khan’s teaching about radical love and the heart as the direct place of presence. Topics include finding God in scripture, nature, and the self. Reflections on breath practice as antidote to distraction and the tension between mystic experience and formal religion. Stories and metaphors—wings, water, pilgrimage—illustrate an inclusive, living path of love.