Is this a kind of New Age practice?
Is there one main idea involved in your teachings?
What is the main element in the mind/body work that you teach?
What do you mean by Sufism and Mysticism?
Does becoming involved with Amberlight mean that we follow a Sufi, mystical or
religious path?
Is this psychotherapy, or some other form of psychiatric or mental
health practice?
Is this a kind of New Age practice?
No. In our view, new age practices are an often random collection of techniques and beliefs borrowed from
various traditions without a sense of "lineage". Our approach emphasizes finding and experiencing the
central meaning that unites
various traditions, and is encountered within modern sciences as well.
This thread of unity follows a clear history, tracing a
line which can be followed and extended in a meaningful way to provide direction and
mastery. The experiences and practices which derive from this are neither static and
rooted in the past or even the present; nor are they a more confused and random
scattering of concepts and practices. These would be, at best, an idiosyncratic
grouping, meaningful perhaps for one or a small group of individuals. Rather, following
this thread of unity leads to a dynamic, ever changing and evolving tradition rooted in the integration of the
essential wisdom of the past as it gives meaning to the present and directs us
into the future.
Is there one main idea involved in your teachings?
This is a flexible approach, with many elements, but integrated.
What is the main element in the mind/body work that you teach?
This is a flexible approach, with many elements, but integrated.
The "relaxation response" serves as a container for the other learnings to follow, especially those
related to wellness, like stress reduction.
A participant will learn “to follow the central thread”, as
expressed in the various theories and practices which are encountered.
A participant will learn to attain a greater internal realization of the relaxation
response, then practice applying that to multiple situations encountered in life.
There is a sincere attempt to teach a variety of techniques so the practitioner develops
a menu from which he or she can choose as the situation requires. The theories and practices
are derived from well-established philosophical and other traditions and from modern psychology.
What do you mean by Sufism and Mysticism?
Mysticism refers to developing an individual experience of connection with whatever the person
feels is a power of the universe greater than themselves. The emphasis is on individual experience
related to, but not necessarily the same, as the experience of others. To guard against idiosyncratic
beliefs, not rooted in "real" experience, it is usually best to follow a particular mystical path with
a trained guide.
The Sufism which informs much of our teaching was brought to the West by Inayat Khan, an Indian mystic
who travelled throughout America and Europe in the early 1900s. His major contribution was to clarify the
central thread of wisdom found in many mystical traditions. He integrated this thread into the tradition
of Sufism.
In our present time, Sufism is often tied to Islam. In the tradition inherited and continued by Inayat Khan, as
with others of his Indian Sufi predecessors, the path of Sufism is not tied to Islam or to any other
"exoteric" tradition. A person is free to practice any or no religion while involved in Sufism, as presented
by Inayat Khan. This modern Sufism is a universal approach meant for our present time and needs.
It is often referred to as "the message for our time". The expectation is that it will continue to
evolve and change while still acknowledging and using all that it has integrated in its past.
Does becoming involved with Amberlight mean that we follow a Sufi, mystical or religious path?
No. Amberlight integrates applicable practices from many traditions and the physical and social sciences, in
order to deal with issues related to wellness and well-being. Just as there is no "psychotherapy", there is
also no ongoing spiritual guidance within Amberlight. Our aim is educational only. If the participant wishes
to follow a spiritual path with individual guidance, they will seek that separately from the training in
Amberlight itself.
Is this psychotherapy, or some other form of psychiatric or mental health practice?
No. Although we are trained mental health professionals, Amberlight involves education only. There is no
diagnosis, treatment, doctor-patient or therapist-patient relationship. If the advisability of mental health
treatment arises, participants will need to seek that elsewhere.
