The seven stages became
apparent to Seraj (from Tous), a 10th Century Sufi Master and teacher.
Through his own experience and through helping his students, he came
up with the notion of the seven stages of the path (his book is called
the Book of Flashes).
It is important to understand that the seven stages are
not sequential. Seraj referred to the seven stages (also known as steps
or stations) as a spiritual condition, not as a means to assess progress;
for example, if you’re on the second stage, it doesn’t mean
that you necessarily have five stages to go. Likewise, if somebody else
is on the third stage while you’re on the first stage, it doesn’t
mean they’re further ahead than you. It doesn’t work like
that.
Let’s make it clear, because it is important –
the Sufi path is a circular path; it is not a straight path up or down.
You start with your self and you go to your self – your self being
part of the Beloved.
In fact, you may experience several stages together –
or you may be deluding yourself to think that you are experiencing any
stage at all! Our intelligence is there to pigeonhole (through comparison)
and to support our naffs (ego). Using the intelligence, you might consider
that you’ve covered the third stage and now you’re on the
fourth. Some spiritual paths work in this way, but on the Sufi path,
it is not a measure. The seven stages are there simply to help you understand
and develop yourself.
The first stage is repentance.
Seraj says that repentance (al Tobeh) refers to our having
neglected the Beloved (in our forgetfulness) while He has been with
us, loving us, continuously. This is the meaning of repentance –
it does not refer to moral or religious meanings, as you might have
expected.
How does repentance begin? Saying that you repent is
one thing, but action must accompany that – you have to mean it.
Indeed, a lot of people they mean it, but how do you identify that?
