DOC Tales of the Dervishes: Teaching-Stories of the Sufi Masters over the Past Thousand Years by Idries Shah in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Interesting collection of Sufi talesBy JustPlainBillThese Sufi tales not only entertain; but contain lessons or meanings underlying the stories (often subtle); giving the reader something to explore afterwards by pondering what has been read. The tales are completely independent of one another; and since only a few are longer than a page or two; an individual tale can be read in a short sitting. Following each tale; the author has added a paragraph or two of commentary containing the provenance of the tale; and perhaps a hint or two of what it is trying to teach or what the reader is intended to think about. As the format lends itself so well to the practice; I have found it works well to read one early each day; and then spend a little time thinking about it. Although the writing style makes this very easy to read; it is not the kind of book one should read cover to cover in a single sitting. The reader will get the most benefit and pleasure from it by taking it a little at a time and then thinking about what has been read.Sufi masters used these tales to teach. Indeed; one of them (“The Story of Fire”) concludes with the following; which I think lays out this philosophy quite well: “You have to learn how to teach; for man does not want to be taught. First of all; you will have to teach people how to learn. And before that you have to teach them that there is still something to be learned. They imagine that they are ready to learn. But they want to learn what they IMAGINE is to be learned; not what they have first to learn. When you have learned all this; then you can devise the way to teach. Knowledge without special capacity to teach is not the same as knowledge and capacity.”Most of these tales were completely new to me; but many readers with a Western background may find a couple of them familiar; such as “The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant” and “How to Catch Monkeys.” I cannot say what the original source is; but do not find it surprising that a number of folk tales have experienced cultural bleed-through and are now part of more than one cultural tradition.This would be a great addition to your personal library; as many will want to read these tales more than once.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Teaching Stories to Ponder OnBy Cheryl A. StephisonI like this book because it presents the teaching in a way that causes you to think about it indirectly. Sufis are famous for being obscure; and no one is more obscure than Idries Shah. But this book is just tantalizing enough to give the reader a 'hook' to grasp--that there might be another meaning. I would recommend it to Sufi seekers everywhere.32 of 32 people found the following review helpful. Dare to question everythingBy Pablo R. VitaverStories that will shake your assumptions and strict belief in the established; conventional; trusted and safe relationship between cause and effect. These stories; if nothing else; open your mind to a different way of thinking. By doing that; it awakens parts of your brain that normally stay dormant. A fresh look at everyday occurrences; unquestioned practices and established thought-processes. It has an invigorating value. You don't have to 'believe' anything the author says: he is not selling anything; not even ideas. Just read and observe what happens to yourself; since these stories are about you.