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Dances of Universal Peace
When: First Sunday of each month, from 4–6 pm (no meeting in July 2025)
Where: Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 24 Fellowship Way, Bayside, CA
Donation: Suggested $5 per person to help with hall rental cost — but noone is turned away for lack of funds.
Directions: From Arcata, go 0.7 miles southeast on Old Arcata Road, turn left onto Jacoby Creek Road, and turn right at the blue HUUF sign and the green Fellowship Way street sign. Park in the large dirt parking lot. We dance in the larger building.
The Dances of Universal Peace are sometimes referred to as “Sufi Dancing” and are in essence a form of “meditation in movement.” They often take the form of circle dances and are intentionally taught before each dance begins. Holy phrases from many of the world’s spiritual traditions are set to simple patterns of movement which allow people of all ages (and most flexibilities) to enjoy the beauty of their attunement.
The Dances were developed through the inspiration of the Sufi master Murshid Samuel Lewis (1896–1971) in San Francisco during the 1960s with great contributions from his spiritual mentor Hazrat Inayat Khan and from his friend and an outstanding dancer of her time, Ruth St. Denis. By the time Murshid Sam passed he had manifested about 50 original dances. Since then the collection has grown to include more than 500 dances which celebrate the sacred essences of Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, among others. The Aramaic, Native American, Native Middle Eastern, Celtic, Native African, and Goddess traditions are also well represented.
In the past few decades, the Dances have spread throughout the world, touching more than a half million people in North, South, and Central America, eastern and western Europe, the former Soviet Union, India, the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. The Dances are spreading in South Africa and Bosnia. New grassroots Dance circles are continually springing up around the globe, with over two hundred dance circles meeting weekly or monthly in the United States alone.
The Garden of the Heart’s Dance Circle is among the oldest of these, having met since the early 1970s.
Dervish Healing Circle
When: Each Wednesday, beginning at 7:30 pm PT (arrive at 7:15 for conversation)
Where: To participate in this remote meeting, contact Noori at JamesBuschmann@gmail.com
Those drawn to the healing process, be it physical, mental/emotional or spiritual healing, gather weekly to enhance this attunement and share in an absent healing service given by Hazrat Inayat Khan.
Zikr
When: Third Thursday of each month, 7–9 pm
Where: 1124 A St in Arcata
Call Latif @ 707-834-3138 if you need more information
Zikr is a Sufi practice of remembrance of the Divine. It is often chanted or sung in groups such as ours.
Campout at Pamplin Grove
August 29–September 1, 2025
Pamplin Grove Camp, Hwy 36, Carlotta, CA
Check this website for further information this spring/summer.