Kabir and Camille Helminski

Kabir Edmund Helminski and Camille Helminski, founders and directors of the Threshold Society, have been working within the Mevlevi tradition of Sufism for about twenty years. Kabir is the author/translator of three books of Sufi poetry, and Kabir and Camille have collaborated on two collections, Rumi: Daylight and Jewels of Remembrance, 365 Selections from the Wisdom of Rumi. Kabir's Living Presence, A Sufi Way to Mindfulness and the Essential Self, was published in 1992 by Jeremy Tarcher/Putnam Publishing Group. A collection of essays, The Knowing Heart, was published by Shambhala in August 1999. Their books are now translated into at least seven languages.

Kabir began his Mevlevi training as a student of the late Shaikh Suleyman Hayati Dede. In 1990 he was subsequently appointed a Shaikh by the late Dr. Celalettin Celebi of Istanbul, Turkey, head of the Mevlevi Tariqa (Order) and twenty-first generation descendant of Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi. Under Kabir's direction The Threshold Society is working to apply traditional Sufi principles to the conditions of contemporary life.

In addition to her work with Kabir, she has helped to increase awareness of the integral contribution of women to the spiritual path of Islam with her book, Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure and is the first woman to translate a substantial portion of the Qur’an into English with her book of passages for daily reflection: The Light of Dawn. Camille has also collaborated with Refik Algan on a translation of Ahmet Hilmi's classic, Awakened Dreams.

Rumi's Sun, The Teachings of Shams of Tabriz, a new co-translation by Camille and Refik Algan has been published by Morning Light Press in January 2008. Love's Ripening, a new book of translation of Mevlana's ghazals translated by Kabir and Ahmad Rezwani will be forthcoming from Shambhala Publications also in te Fall of 2008.

As part of a new spiritual curriculum project for The Book Foundation, Camille and Kabir have also recently authored several books: The Book of Language and The Book of Revelations by Kabir, and The Book of Character, Writings on Character and Virtue from Islamic and other Sources and The Book of Nature, A Sourcebook of Spiritual Perspectives on Nature and the Environment by Camille. As part of the Spiritual Paths Foundation which promotes peace and mutual understanding between peoples of diverse religious traditions, they are also currently involved in the creation of a graduate program in Interspirituality rooted in contemplative practice.

Kabir and Camille are closely associated with Sufi teachers from other tariqahs in Turkey, India, Iran, and Syria, all of whom are committed to integrating the classical methods with modern needs.

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