On January 27, 2018, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism® in Dallas hosted an Open House event highlighting the history and teachings of M.T.O, centers around the world, and the M.T.O.'s efforts in energy efficiency. Attendees included the Mayor of Frisco, The Honorable Mayor Cheney, ...
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On January 18, 2018, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas participated in an interfaith event with Pastor Neil White, Rabi Benjamin Sternman and Mufti Wasim Khan to discuss women’s rights and the unfortunate violations that occur, specifically highlighting #metoo. The discussion topic was suggested by th...
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On January 12, 2018, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas participated as a sponsor in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay & Oration Scholarship Gala. The event was supported by the Frisco Mayor Honorable Jeff Cheney, Frisco Mayor Pro tem John Keaton, State Senator Van Taylor, County Commissioner Susan ...
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On December 20, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Dallas expressed holiday wishes by presenting flowers and cards to various Frisco city dignitaries including the Police Chief, Mayor, City Manager, Independent School District Superintendent, and the Fire Chief. The recipients ...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Dallas held a toy drive in collaboration with the Frisco Police Department for the holiday season. M.T.O volunteers provided toys for a variety of ages including toddlers, young children, and teens, and also provided educational and sports items. Th...
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The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Sufism® in Albuquerque presents the Barrett House women's shelter with items such as clothing, food, paper products, cleaning supplies, medical supplies, and other necessities on December 11th, 2017, in support of their continuous contributions to the Albuquerq...
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On December 3, 2017, members of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Los Angeles were invited by Kevin Taylor, District Director for Senator Henry Stern, to attend the event “Homelessness Interfaith Community Action", hosted by the Congregation Or Ami in partnership with Senator Henry Stern and Many Mansions L...
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On December 3rd, 2017, the students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® participated in the 4th Biennial Interfaith Art Exhibition, “Collaboration and Connection” hosted by the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC), sponsored by the interfaith alliance of the Faith...
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On December 1 2017, the members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® held a special session for students participating in the Tamarkoz® (Sufi Meditation) classes at U.C. Berkeley. The session was attended by over 30 students. In addition to Tamarkoz®, the students had a chance to practice Zikr (Sufi C...
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The M.T.O Sufi Association® was cordially invited by the LEAD Center at UC Berkeley, consisting of faith-based leaders in Berkeley, the East Bay, and the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion. The event, Who is our Neighbor? An In-Depth Look at Community Across Interfaith Systems of Belief, i...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® and U.C. Berkeley Graduate Students Assembly held a Tamarkoz® retreat for graduate students on November 11-12, 2017. Eighteen students arrived at the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® retreat center in Sacramento to get a reprieve from the strain of being a graduate student. The ...
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On November 10, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas hosted a private visit for the mayor of Frisco, The Honorable Jeff Cheney, and his Chief of Staff, Lorie Medina. During this visit, volunteers shared information about the center’s green initiatives including onsite solar energy production, water...
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The Sufi Psychology Association® hosted a two-part educational meditation workshop for university, college and high school students, as well as university professors. The event was held at M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Chicago/Milwaukee center on Sunday, November 5th, 2017 and at the University of Chicag...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in Ohio was pleased to hold a Sufi Zikr event at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Columbus on October 28, 2017. The program included short talks on “What is Sufism?”, “Existence”, and “What is Sufi Zikr?” The program was well-received and the audie...
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On October 21, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism®, was invited by the Plymouth Church UCC to be among the faith representatives at the annual Interfaith Workshop in Milwaukee. The main purpose of the Interfaith Workshop was to educate, inspire and bring forth an action plan for...
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On October 19, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Sacramento participated in the 6th Annual Interfaith Night of Music and Spoken Word, which was sponsored by Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento. Over one hundred guests gathered in the spirit of oneness to share the theme of charity, hope, and kindn...
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On October 15, 2017, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® St. Louis center was invited by the St. Louis North County Interfaith Group to give a presentation on Sufism as part of a 2-hour program. The presentation started with two speakers, each sharing how they were introduced to M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Schoo...
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On October 15, 2017, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Chicago-Milwaukee center members were invited to attend a program at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. A play titled "The Who & The What" was shown, which involved concepts of Identity and Religion, particularly in Islam. Following the showing was an ...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas hosted a series of Tamarkoz® workshops in Dallas and Frisco, Texas during the three-day period of October 15-17, 2017. On Sunday, October 15, one Youth and two Adult sessions were held at the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas Center. Close to seventy individuals participat...
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On October 14, 2017 the M.T.O. Sufi Association® participated in the Southern California Parliament of the World’s Religions (SCCPWR) 10th Anniversary event. SCCPWR is one of the premier interfaith organizations in Southern California, recognized by LA Mayor, Eric Garcetti, for its significant co...
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On October 2, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas (Frisco) hosted a luncheon meeting with the mayor of Frisco, The Honorable Jeff Cheney. During the meeting, possible areas of cooperation between the School of Islamic Sufism® and the City of Frisco were discussed. The topics included M.T.O Shahmag...
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On September 29, 2017, members of M.T.O Shahmaghsoudi® in Denver organized a community drive by providing hygiene products, water bottles, snacks and more for a non-profit organization: Denver Coalition for the Homeless. A significant number of needed products were collected, packed, labeled by M...
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On September 10, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Los Angeles participated in the first annual San Fernando Valley Interfaith Solidarity March in commemoration of Patriot Day and in hopes of coming together to celebrate and promote our common humanity. Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims an...
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On September 10, 2017, the September Gala, an annual fundraising event, was held at the Glendale Civic Auditorium with close to 400 attendees. It was a great evening filled with joy, camaraderie, music and an enjoyable sense of coming together for a good cause. September Gala was created 20 years...
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Hurricane Harvey was the first major hurricane (Category 3 or above) to make landfall in the United States since 2005, with a record rainfall of over 50 inches and winds above 130 miles per hour. Despite the aftermath of this massive storm, on August 30, 2017, members of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®...
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This season's Tamarkoz® Retreat took place on August 25-27, 2017 at the Sacramento Retreat Center. Participants began to learn and focus on their sense of hearing by listening to a wide range of familiar sounds that were not-so-easy to recognize at first. Everyone then indulged in a music relaxat...
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On August 12, 2017, M.T.O. School of Sufism® in Sacramento participated in an annual Rosemont community event called Celebration of Community. We were able to make contact with dozens of our neighbors and invite them to our center. We passed out roses with an M.T.O. card attached to the stem. Thi...
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On August 11, 2017, Houston City Council Member Larry Green, along with the District K Council office, collected supplies and donations to create school care packages for the staff of Willowridge High School. It schools 1,460 students with many coming from an economically disadvantaged background...
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On August 6, 2017, The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® St. Louis center was invited to participate an event hosted by Pallottine Renewal Center for the purpose of a United Peace Prayer. The program proceeded with verses from the Bible combined with music in between prayers. M.T.O. presented a 20 minute pro...
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The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi School of Sufism® Albuquerque center presented the Barrett House women's shelter with a dozen assorted elementary school backpacks on July 31st, 2017—in time for the coming school year—as well as other necessities such as clothing items, snacks and drinks.
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On July 28, 2017, the M.T.O. Shahmahgsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Atlanta center hosted an open house, geared at raising Interfaith awareness within our community. The open house began with an introduction outlining the evening’s agenda, followed by a presentation regarding the history, origi...
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Sufi Psychology Association® (SPA) participated in the 8th World Congress for Psychotherapy: Love and Life in 21st Century at UNESCO in Paris, France from July 24-28, 2017. SPA presented four papers at the conference spanning a wide range of topics including Sufism: the Science of the Soul, the u...
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On July 22, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® members of Atlanta joined in lending a hand towards one of Atlanta’s Back-To-School community campaigns hosted by Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry (HOSEA). The event was a success, assisting over 3,000 families with their back-to-school needs and basic food a...
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On July 20, 2017, members of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® attended a Press Conference by Los Angeles City Mayor, Eric Garcetti. The event was held at City Hall to discuss the mayor’s program called “Days of Compassion.” The Mayor’s office reached out to us directly inviting M.T...
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On Sunday, July 16, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Sacramento held a special community event titled "Sufi Zikr: Polishing the Heart." The focus of the event was on the power and transcendence of the practice of zikr. The zikr choir beautifully performed four different selections leading the audie...
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On July 4, 2017, The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® members in Dallas joined the Plano Independence Day Unity Walk. The City of Plano invited all churches, community, religious, and social organizations, regardless of ethnicity and religion, to join in a positive display of unity.
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On June 26th 2017, the youth and young adults of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® hosted an open house with the intent of sharing a Sufi perspective on Ramadan. The event had an attendance of about 100 individuals including police officers, school teachers, PhD students, co-workers...
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On June 20th, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® hosted an interfaith gathering to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan. Individuals from different faith groups attended this interfaith gathering and learned about Islamic Sufism and its teachings. We formed interfaith discussion gro...
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One June 4th, 2017, in honor of the Holy Month of Ramadan, the students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center held an interfaith event focused on fasting. The event commenced with a brief introduction to Islamic Sufism and the history of the M.T.O. Shahmaghso...
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This year's annual young adult retreat that took place from May 18-21, 2017 was enrolled to maximum capacity, and participants from across North America expressed their experience of joy and relaxation from the ambience upon their arrival at the Sacramento retreat center. Each morning began with ...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® is an active member in the interfaith community at Frisco, Texas. In response to the invitation of the Frisco Police Department, members of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Dallas center attended the National Police Week Ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2017. A...
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On the National Day of Prayer, May 4, 2017, the city of Plano hosted an interfaith event. The mayor and city council asked all citizens to remember that all faiths can pray together in their own way. The event began with a welcome by the City Chaplain, Police Department Color Guard, and the City ...
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On April 26th, 27th, and 28th, 2017, the members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® held open houses and field trips at the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Berkeley center for the students participating in the Tamarkoz® (Sufi meditation) classes at U.C. Berkeley. The program included an introduction to Sufism...
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On Sunday, April 23rd, 2017, the students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® held their annual Spring Interfaith Open House, in Franksville, Wisconsin. The main interfaith discussion was focused around the question: “Do we need religion for day-to-day life?” The seventy guests, wh...
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M.T.O. Publications® participated in the 22nd Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 22nd and 23rd, 2017 at the University of Southern California campus. This annual book festival is the largest of its kind in the United States. Every year over 150,000 are in attendance at the festiv...
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On April 22, 2017, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas center hosted an event titled “Sufism, A Bridge Between Religions". In this event, distinguished members of the City Council and City's Multicultural Committee, professors and community's religious leaders were present. The program began with an...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® organized a food drive in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The goal to fill a barrel with non-perishable food items was exceeded, and a second barrel was filled. On April 7th, The Storehouse food pantry sent a truck to pick up the barrels, which they will p...
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Members of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® New Jersey attended a four-week forum for building interfaith understanding and communities at the Senior Resource Center in Princeton, NJ. The creator of this seminar, Joan Goldstein, asked members of M.T.O. to give a brief background on Sufism. Through conversat...
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On March 24, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Dallas hosted an interfaith gathering, where individuals from various faith groups were present. The event began with introductions, followed by participants defining the meaning of Spring from their own perspective. A brief description about Sufism, th...
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On March 19th, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Los Angeles hosted an interfaith event in observance of the U.N. International Day of Happiness and the Iranian New Year (Norouz), which is also a U.N. recognized day. The event began with guests enjoying gourmet Persian appetizers and meeting new fri...
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On March 4, 2017, M.T.O. Sufi Association and Temple Isaiah presented a collaborative interfaith chant and meditation service, titled “Generous Heart”. The goal of this collaborative service was to come together in unity with our Jewish friends in Temple Isaiah to share the teachings of Islamic S...
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On March 4, 2017, M.T.O Shahmaghsoudi® Los Angeles hosted a Norouz kids event celebrating the Persian New Year. The kids enjoyed a day full of activities such as making a sofreh haftseen, coloring eggs, Persian dancing, singing songs, and zikr. Making the sofreh haftseen was very special for the ...
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On February 28, 2017, members of the Frisco Islamic Center Interfaith Group visited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Dallas, Texas. The guests shared their interest in learning more about Sufism and the teachings of the School. They also admired the artwork and decorations at Khaneghah. During the discus...
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As a member of the West Valley Police Department's Clergy Council, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® was invited to attend a forum hosted by the Los Angeles Police Department on strengthening trust between communities and police officers through collaboration with faith groups to keep Los Angeles safe. Mayor...
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Three members of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Center in Princeton, New Jersey met with a local talk show host and producer. During this interview, the M.T.O. members introduced the origins of Sufism as a bridge between religions, its practices as a discipline, and the history of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi...
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On February 12, 2017, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® center in Houston, Texas hosted an open house. Nearly 70 guests were in attendance, including members of the interfaith community, local university professors and teachers, and students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®. The program...
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The Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater extended an invitation to the students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center to attend a two-part event called the Milwaukee Intercultural Dialogue Dinner. The event, which ex...
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The World Interfaith Harmony Week was established in 2010 by the United Nations. On February 4th, 2017, the Tri-City Interfaith Council, Alameda County Human Relations Commission, and 'Compassionate Fremont' hosted an event to celebrate this observance. The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was invited to...
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On February 4, 2017, in honor of the date of birth of Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, the students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism®, Chicago/Milwaukee center partnered with the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, WI to build and fill 800 boxes of basic needs for low-income senio...
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On February 4th 2017, members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® at the University of Southern California (USC) volunteered at the Meals 4 Refugees event hosted by USC CRU and the Global Aid Network. The M.T.O. members along with 800 USC students from various organizations gathered in the Caruso Cat...
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On February 2, 2017, In honor of the date of birth of Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, the students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center volunteered at the Ronald McDonald house near Lurie Children Hospital in Chicago. The Ronald McDonald House provides a ...
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On February 2, 2017, the members of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Vancouver Center hosted an Open House with the intent of showcasing the newly renovated Center. Invitations were extended to contractors involved in the renovation process, and neighbors who patiently observed during this period. The progr...
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On January 28, 2017, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® joined Mayor Garcetti, Senator Henry Stern, Councilman Bob Blumenfield, and the West Valley Mayor's Youth Council at the Canoga Park Community Walk. The event served to inform community residents about valuable city resources and services, such as the MY...
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M.T.O Shamaghsoudi® at Denver, Co. center participated in Communities in Conversation Co-Sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, at Denver Islamic Society on January 24th. It was open to public and people from various faith and background were present . The mission of the event was to c...
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On January, 20 2016, an M.T.O. Sufi Association® student presented on Islamic Sufism and M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® at a religious studies course at Whittier College where Sufism was being taught. The topics covered were Sufism & Islam, its practices, and the value Sufism pla...
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Members of M.T.O Shahmaghsoudi® at Denver, Colorado organized a community drive by providing winter clothing for Colorado Coalition for Homeless (a non-profit organization). A significant number of winter clothing were collected, sorted, and packed in large boxes labeled by M.T.O Shahmaghsoudi®, ...
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On December 17th, 2016, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® of Los Angeles held a Winter Solstice Kids Event. Over 20 kids participated in a fun-filled afternoon where they shared lunch, got to know each other better by playing ice breaker games and decorated cookies. They also exerci...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® of Los Angeles collected large numbers of canned goods, new toys and blankets for children in need and the homeless for Councilmember Bob Blumenfield's December 2016 Holiday Drive. Councilmember Blumenfield represents the district in which M.T.O. is...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was approached by the Graduate Assembly (GA) to help address the problem of graduate student well-being and take steps to educate the graduate student population about stress-management. We have teamed up with the GA’s Graduate Student Wellness Project to organize a s...
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On December 8th, 2016, students from the M.T.O. Shamaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® attended and participated in Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield's Holiday Open House. Residents of the district, including members of various religious and social organizations attended the event. ...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association®, the Christian Science Organization of Berkeley, the Holy Hill Interfaith Coalition, and the Rotary Club of Berkeley hosted an interactive banquet to create a safe space in which our different faith communities in the Bay Area can discuss the diverse cultures, religio...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was cordially invited by Temple Isaiah to observe Mussar (soul-trait practice) and Jewish meditation service on December 3rd, 2016. The theme for Mussar was "Loving-Kindness". During this service, members of Temple Isaiah shared what love and compassion meant to them ...
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The 46th Annual Luncheon of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee was held at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee, WI. Eight students of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago-Milwaukee Center attended this event and the main subject was the critical need for ...
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On December 1, 2016, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism® was invited to an interfaith service held in honor of World AIDS Day 2016, at the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The goal of this event was to acknowledge the effects of HIV/AIDS and to bring the com...
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On November 30th, December 1st, and December 2nd, 2016, the members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® held open houses and field trips at the Berkeley Sufi center for the students participating in the Tamarkoz® (Sufi meditation) classes at U.C. Berkeley. The program included an introduction to Sufi...
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On November 26th, 2016, an interfaith gathering took place at the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas center. Guests from various faith backgrounds were present. The event began with participants introducing themselves and, in coincidence with the Thanksgiving holiday, defining gratitude from their own ...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Assocation® was cordially invited to participate in the Thanksgiving Interfaith Service and food donation drive hosted by the Interfaith of San Ramon Valley Organization. This year's theme was Embracing Hope: Living Beyond Fear at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church. Thirteen groups...
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On November 21st, 2016 the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center was invited by the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition to participate in a world touring photography exhibition entitled “Capture the Spirit of Ramadan”. The event was held at Milwaukee City Hall an...
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On November 19th, 2016 the M.T.O. Sufi Association® participated in the 6th Annual Student Multi-Faith Leadership Conference, which was held this year at California Lutheran University. Students and faculty from local universities participated in this interactive conference. The morning sessions ...
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NewGround A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change equips Muslims and Jews in America with the skills, resources, and relationships needed to improve Muslim-Jewish relations and cooperation on issues of shared concern, through a young professionals fellowship, public programming and consulting. One...
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The Universal Love and Peace is a grassroots movement at U.C. Berkeley that aims to bring awareness to human rights and social justice issues, currently focusing on mental and physical wellness. In that spirit, they invited the M.T.O. Sufi Association® to give an introductory lecture on Sufism, T...
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Members of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® New Jersey center joined together to create a Thanksgiving food drive for the less fortunate families in our local community. We all collected non-perishable foods for four weeks, and the donations were delivered to the community center on the week before Than...
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On November 5th 2016, the youth and young adults of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Vancouver gathered at the Vancouver Sufi center to host a youth-focused Open House. Their event, from Heart to Heart, had an attendance of over 70 individuals including their family, friends, and p...
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Students attending the annual Silent Tamarkoz® retreat on November 4-6 at the Sacramento Retreat Houses enjoyed a real getaway: 40 hours of rest, relaxation, contemplation, delicious food and self-discovery, all in silence... and they loved it! The elements of Movazeneh®, Concentration, Deep Brea...
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On November 4th, 2016, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas volunteers delivered over 400 articles of clothing, shoes, and hygiene products to Frisco High School to start a "needs closet" for underprivileged students at the school. The items were donated by volunteers over the course of several weeks pri...
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On October 23rd, 2016, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center hosted an open house focusing on the True Face of Islam. The presentation was attended by more than 70 people, which included students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, college professors and students, as ...
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A day of rest, relaxation and release was enjoyed by those enrolled in the 18th Annual Sufi Psychology Association Workshop: Inner Peace, held in Eureka Hall, CSU, Sacramento on October 8th, 2016. Activities included a presentation on the Power of the Heart by a cardiologist, as well as soothing ...
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For several weeks, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Los Angeles collected gently-used household items, such as pots, pans, clothing, pillows, bedding, rugs, toys, and shoes for individuals or families living in poverty or struggling with homelessness. On September 24th, 2016, the M.T.O. Sufi Association®...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® holds two board member positions at the Reseda Neighborhood Council. On September 25th, 2016, the annual Congress of Neighborhood Councils was held in Los Angeles' City Hall with over 800 registrations. Mayor Garcetti and Councilman Blumenfield were present. The mayor emphas...
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On September 25th, 2016, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism® was invited by the Plymouth Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to participate in their one-day interfaith conference entitled “Reviving Peace: Inspiration, Education, and Action for Change”. Students from the M.T.O. Shahmaghsou...
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The West Windsor Township Human Relation Council invited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® of New Jersey to give a presentation at the 2nd Annual International Day of Peace event titled, "Peace and Cultural Understaning". Members of M.T.O. presented on Sufism and Peace, based on Hazrat Salaheddin Ali Nader A...
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On September 17, 2016, Mayor Garcetti revisited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Los Angeles to mark the start of the Big Move-In Day of his Welcome Home Project. In participation of the project, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® took lead in mobilizing community action towards helping the recently housed homeless h...
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On the National Day of Service and Remembrance, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Councilman Bob Blumenfield attended M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in Los Angeles with recognition and appreciation of M.T.O.’s collaboration in helping to end the homelessness crisis. M.T.O. led...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was invited by the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church to participate in an interfaith peace vigil called “Resisting Despair” on the anniversary of September 11, 2001 and in honor of approaching the international day of peace on September 21st. We presented zikr ...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in Los Angeles hosted an interfaith meeting for Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti’s “Welcome Home” project for the unsheltered. Mayor Garcetti's West Valley Representative joined the meeting along with members from the Emerson Unitarian Universalist, First...
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On August 16th, 2016, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® center in Berkeley, California held its first interfaith open house. The distinguished guests were prominent members of interfaith community from various faith groups in the Bay Area such as Calvary Presbyterian Church of San F...
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Los Angeles' Mayor Eric Garcetti and First Lady of Los Angeles Amy Elaine Wakeland hosted an Independence Day Barbeque in their home at the Getty House for leaders of the Neighborhood Council. The event was held on July 5th, 2016 with approximately 280 people. M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® has representa...
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On June 30, 2016, The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® invited the Congregation Shir Hadash to break fast for Ramadan. The event took place at the Chicago/Milwaukee center where over 50 individuals from both M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® and Congregation Shir Hadash attended. The evening c...
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The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in St. Louis, Missouri hosted an Open House on June 26th, 2016. The program began with a brief introduction to zikr, which was followed by the audience’s first experience of zikr. Speakers of the program talked about the main message of the mont...
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On June 4th, 2016, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas center hosted an event titled “Sufism and Islam – The Essence of Love“. At the request of the leadership of the Frisco Police Department, the event was held to foster a connection between one of the Neighborhood Associations and the M.T.O. Shahm...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® Tamarkoz® retreat, with this year's theme of "Celebrating Life!," took place from May 26 - 29 2016 at the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Sacramento retreat center. The attendees were students and young professionals from all across North America, many of whom had never met bef...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® was invited to join an interfaith event held by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the city's First Lady Amy Elaine Wakeland and the Getty House Foundation Board of Directors in commemoration of National Day of Prayer 2016. The event was themed, "City of Compassion: Lifting...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was invited to perform a zikr and to give a presentation about Islamic Sufism by the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County at their Interfaith Celebration. This year's theme was compassion and the various groups presented prayers, poetry, songs, and stories to com...
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Students from M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee attended an event held at Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee on April 27th, 2016 entitled “Understanding Islam: Addressing Difficult Questions.” The audience consisted of more than 200 people of varying faith...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Los Angeles was invited by the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church to provide a presentation on Sufism on April 19th, 2016. After the presentation, attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, including inquiries on the status of women in Sufism, the lack of hijab as...
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On April 17th, 2016, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Los Angeles participated in the local Elections Day of the Reseda Neighborhood Council with volunteers in the election poll to cast votes for new neighborhood council board members. As an At-Large Stakeholder, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® holds two positions...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® participated in the 21st Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 9th and 10th at the University of Southern California campus. This annual book festival is the largest in the country! There was an estimated 160,000 attendees at the festival, and they had the oppo...
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On April 4th, 2016, M.T.O. Sufi Association® students presented on Islamic Sufism and their personal experiences with Sufi teachings of M.T.O. School of Sufism® to a religious studies course at Whittier College. After the presentations, students asked very engaging questions about the teachings, ...
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On April 3rd, 2016, the M.T.O. Sufi Association® hosted a tour and open house for a group of 24 college students from California Lutheran University. Their professor coordinated the visit as a field trip for her "World Religions" course. The students enjoyed the informative presentation on the s...
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M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Columbus, Ohio hosted an open house at its center on April 2nd, 2016. Guests from the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio (IACO) were present. Topics such as Sufism: A Bridge Between Religions were presented as well as Sufi zikr. Guests were invited to participate in p...
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M.T.O. Sufi Association® participated in USC’s Peace Week Multicultural potluck at USC, to present how Sufism relates to peace. The goal of the event was to bring students of different ethnicities, races, and beliefs to celebrate and learn about one another through intellectual conversation, and ...
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Upon invitation from the Asian Studies Center, at the Global Institute of the Georgia State University, students of M.T.O Shahmaghsoudi®, School of Islamic Sufism®, in Atlanta, Georgia held their fifth Sufi Chant (zikr) event. The purpose was to introduce Islam, Sufism, and zikr to the students o...
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As the Persian New Year was approaching, we saw this as a wonderful opportunity to introduce Sufism and our culture to our community. Therefore, on March 13th, 2016, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center hosted an open house involving over 80 people from dif...
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The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in St. Louis, Missouri hosted an Open House on February 21st, 2016. The event was announced by Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis, Dr. Oughton, and Sister Carla Mae. The program included presentations on Sufism, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi...
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On January 30th, 2016, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Dallas Center hosted an event in honor of the hundredth birthday of the great Sufi Master, Molana Al-Moazam Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha. The event, titled "The Light of Love, the 100th Anniversary of the Life and Teachings of a Renowned Islam...
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In honor of Hazrat Molana Shahmaghsoud Sadegh Angha's 100th birthday, the M.T.O. Sufi Association® organized a kid's day celebration for children of ages 5-13. The day of activities provided an opportunity for the youth to gather and interact with each other, and partake in educational and fun ac...
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On January 24th 2016, the M.T.O. Sufi Association®participated in the Daily Free Meals Program at Glide Church in San Francisco, California. The members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® as well as other volunteers from the community helped package 750 pre-packed lunches for the homeless. Individua...
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M.T.O. Sufi Association® with the support of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in Los Angeles organized a successful and month-long clothing and shoe drive for the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission. A significant amount of boxes of clothing and shoes were donated to help those in n...
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On December 17th, 2015, the M.T.O. Sufi Association® co-sponsored "Spotlight 2015: Digging Deep", along with the Newground organization. At this event, hundreds of people from Muslim and Jewish backgrounds came together in Los Angeles to connect and learn more about one another through story-tell...
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We hosted a day-long, meditative study hall for the students of our Tamarkoz® class to prepare for their final examinations in a quiet, peaceful environment. Our goal was to provide the crucial elements of a successful study session: relaxed ambiance and music, snacks and beverages, outlets and i...
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The members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® held a number of open houses and field trips for the students of the Tamarkoz® class at U.C. Berkeley. These involve a tour and introduction to the local Sufi Center in Berkeley, explanation of the Islamic calligraphy and other artistic elements of the ...
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On December 3rd, 2015, nine students of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Chicago/Milwaukee center attended the annual fundraising luncheon for the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee. M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® was invited to set up a table at the event so the interfaith community of Wisconsin can lea...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was invited to give a TED-style talk at the first annual TEDx Talks hosted by the DeCal (Democratic Education at Cal) program. We spoke about the Tamarkoz® course at U.C. Berkeley, covering topics such as the difference between Tamarkoz® from other meditative practice...
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On November 18th, 2015, the Frisco Police Department hosted an open house and invited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® of Dallas members to attend. M.T.O. members were given a tour of the police facility and had the opportunity to interact with the Mayor, Police Chief, Deputy Police Chief, detectives, Swat ...
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On November 15th, 2015, we hosted the Interfaith Youth Council of Los Angeles County (IYCLAC) at the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Los Angeles center. The council is comprised of high school students, two of which are members of M.T.O. The IYCLAC holds monthly meetings at variou...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® co-sponsored the first ever Interfaith 101 event at UC Berkeley on November 14th, 2015. Representatives from 5 major faith groups were invited to provide workshops introducing their faith and practices to increase understanding and dialogue. The M.T.O. Sufi Associatio...
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On November 11th, 2015, members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® presented on Sufism and Islam during the Introduction to Islam class at Claremont Graduate University. We spoke to the class about the teachings and practical aspects of Islamic Sufism. In particular, we shared about the profound ben...
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On November 10th 2015, the M.T.O. Sufi Association® participated in the bi-annual Interfaith Taizé Prayer hosted by St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Long Beach, California. Guests entered a beautiful candlelit sanctuary after their busy workdays, leaving behind the distractions of everyday life to ...
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On October 23rd, 2015, The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in Chicago/Milwaukee was invited to speak at an interfaith event held at Plymouth Church in Milwaukee, WI. This event was sponsored by the Jewish Congregation Shir Hadash and was held during the congregation's weekly servi...
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On October 23rd, 2015, the U.C. Berkeley M.T.O. Sufi Association® along with the Interfaith Action Initiative, Catholics at Cal, Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association, the Jewish Student Union, and Berkeley Hillel co-sponsored the Fall 2015 Interfaith Shabbat Dinner and Dialogue. The theme was Roo...
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The M.T.O. Sufi Association® was approached by the Graduate Assembly (GA) to help address the problem of graduate student well-being and take steps to educate the graduate student population about stress-management. We have teamed up with the GA’s Graduate Student Wellness Project to organize a s...
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On October 21st, 2015, The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® in Chicago/Milwaukee was invited to speak at Saint John’s On The Lake as part of a 2 week-long series about the Middle East called “MOSAIC: Visions and Voices of the Middle East”. Two students presented on the topic “Sufis...
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On October 11th, 2015, the M.T.O. Sufi Association® hosted a tour and open house for a group of 15 college students from California Lutheran University. Their professor, Dr. Rose Aslan, coordinated the visit as a field trip for her "Sacred Space and Ritual in Islam" course as well as her "World R...
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On September 27th, 2015, The M.T.O. Sufi Association® at Sacramento State University sponsored a conference presented by the Sufi Psychology Association on Balancing Your Life, noting the importance of inclusion of non-linear elements such as music, art, motion, etc., in our lives. The program in...
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On September 25th, 2015, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Chicago/Milwaukee center was invited to speak to students of Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, the largest Catholic seminary in North America. The hour long presentation on Sufism took place in Franklin, WI and drew in about 50 studen...
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On Friday, September 25th, 2015, the M.T.O. Sufi Association® at UC Berkeley co-hosted and attended the Fall semester's first Interfaith event. Along with the Interfaith Action Initiative, Cal MSA, Hillel, and the Jewish Student Union, we gathered on Memorial Glad at UC Berkeley for a picnic and ...
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On September 25th, 2015, in honor of Eid Ghorban, 14 students of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Chicago/Milwaukee center volunteered to work on the farm of the Hunger Task Force in Franklin, WI. This farm grows fruits and vegetables to feed the hungry people of the Milwaukee community. M.T.O. Shahmaghsoud...
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From August to December 2015, the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism® Chicago/Milwaukee center conducted a food drive through the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The goal was to donate 583 meals for the hungry within the Chicago community. M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® achieved 193% of its g...
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On July 25th, 2015, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Ohio hosted a second Sufi zikr event at the Christ United Methodist Church in Dayton, Ohio. The program included speeches on “Sufism on Prayer”, “Universal Law”, and “Sufism, a Bridge Between Religions”. There were a number of questions and positive fe...
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On July 1st, 2015 there was an Iftar hosted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office, Young MALAC which is comprised of Muslim Young Professionals, which also include members of the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® School of Islamic Sufism®. The Iftar was held at the Sheriff's Head Quarters, where various...
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On May 18th, 2015 the M.T.O. Sufi Association® was invited to offer Tamarkoz® to the "Cognitive and Brain-state Training" course at UC Berkeley. The students were introduced to Sufism and Tamarkoz® followed by an experiential Tamarkoz® session. The session concluded with a short poem from Hazrat ...
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On May 3rd, 2015, Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi® in Dallas held an event titled "The Message of Peace". The distinguished guests included local dignitaries including high-ranking members of Frisco Police and Fire departments, board members of the neighborhood home owners association, univ...
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On May 3rd, 2015, The M.T.O. School of Islamic Sufism® in Chicago/Milwaukee was invited to speak at an interfaith experience held at the Islamic Society Mosque in Brookfield, Wisconsin. This event was sponsored by the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee and the Brookfield Elm Grove Interfa...
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On Tuesday, April 28th, Thursday, April 30th, and Friday, May 1st, 2015, the members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® held open houses and field trips at the Berkeley Sufi center for the students participating in the Tamarkoz® (Sufi meditation) classes at U.C. Berkeley. The program included an int...
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On the morning of April 21th, 2015, MTO Sufi Association® participated with other faith leaders and members uniting together at the LA City Council Chambers to present a resolution to establish the first-ever Religious Pluralism Day! At this event, MTO Sufi Association® had the opportunity to mee...
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San Diego City College’s World Culture Program invited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® to present on Islamic Sufism. On April 28th 2015, over 100 students and faculty participated in the presentation given by Dr. Farnaz Khoromi, PsyD, called “Islamic Sufism, the Meaning of Jihad.” The students received cre...
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The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® of Columbus, Ohio hosted a Sufi zikr event on the evening of April 18th, 2015 at Christ United Methodist Church. Attendees came from various regions, including members of Interfaith of Greater Dayton (IFGD). The program included presentations on What is Sufism, The Heart...
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On April 12th, 2015, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® was the proud host of The Amazing Faiths Dinner Project at its Chicago/Milwaukee center. The event, which was sponsored by the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, consisted of two intimate dinners for people of varying faiths. Individuals who ide...
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The Sufi Psychology Association and the M.T.O. Sufi Association® hosted a half-day experiential retreat and conference on April 11th at Anna Head Alumnae Hall at UC Berkeley entitled, "Living a Balanced Life." The event was dedicated to cultivating balance by learning through the use of music, st...
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In commemoration of the birthday of Hazrat Shahmaghsoud Sadegh Angha, the 20th century eminent Sufi Master, Vista Public Library invited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® for a presentation on Islamic Sufism for the general public. The event took place on January 31, 2015. The event, with over 50 attendees, ...
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USC's Interfaith Council brings together student leaders of different religious and non-religious traditions to foster dialogue and friendship between those of different backgrounds. This is particularly important on USC's campus as we have the most religious organizations of any school in the U....
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On March 5th, 2015, members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® attended the monthly board meeting of the Young Muslim American Leaders Advisory Council (Young MALAC), in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Muslim Community Affairs Unit. During this March meeting, members of ...
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On March 4th, 2015 there was a dinner held at the Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation in Los Angeles, where members of the F.B.I., including the Assistant Director-In-Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office was in attendance, along with members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office Young M.A.L.A.C...
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On March 3rd, 2015, members of the M.T.O. Sufi Association® were invited to speak on Islamic Sufism at two undergraduate Introduction to Islam classes at California Lutheran University, near Los Angeles. The Sufi Association® members spoke to the students about the definition and meaning of Sufis...
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The theme of the Spring 2015 semester's interfaith shabbat was "What calls you?". Each co-sponsoring student group each presented a prayer or poem. Students selected and discussed what calls them most from subjects such as compassion, spirituality, knowledge, and kindness. The campus faith groups...
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On February 8th, 2015, M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® in Houston held its first Open House. The guest list included local religious figures, medical professionals, a TV news reporter, as well as professors from distinguished universities around Houston with backgrounds in philosophy, political science, an...
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St Paul’s Women Together invited M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® to present on Islamic Sufism. The presentation, given by Dr. Farnaz Khoromi, PsyD., took place on April 9, 2015, with more than 80 women gathered to learn about Sufism by listening to “Islamic Sufism: The Path of the Heart.”
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The M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi® Columbus, Ohio Center was pleased to host its first Open House on January 24, 2015. Members of Aramic Yeshua and Sufi Group in Ohio attended this event. The program included short talks on the following topics: What is Sufism, Jihad, Hijab, and the meaning of Gratitude. ...
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