Roots of Remembrance
A winter gathering centered on dhikr, the Sufi practice of remembrance. Through sacred chant, breath, rhythm, and silence, we awaken our hearts and cultivate the spiritual stamina needed for collective liberation.
Centering SWANA, Queer Muslim, and Muslim experiences. Open to all who feel aligned with the work.
An open heart is an awake heart.
Roots of Remembrance is a contemplative gathering rooted in the Sufi path, centered on the practice of dhikr. Over three nights in the Berkshire winter, we live together in a private home, sharing sacred rhythm, vocal invocation, breathwork, music, and deep silence. In between, we share home-cooked meals by Chef Saira, hot tea around the fire, and honest conversation.
In the Sufi tradition, the true danger is ghaflah: heedless forgetting. We see that forgetting all around us in economic systems that treat human lives and sacred lands as disposable commodities to be exploited and erased. In a culture designed to keep us numb, distracted, and isolated, gathering to remember the Sacred is an act of spiritual defiance.
We do not retreat from the world to hide. We step into the circle to wake up. Through practice and companionship, we melt the cynicism and fatigue that hold us back, opening the heart so that our actions in the world come from clarity, courage, and genuine love.
“To remember is to refuse numbness. We gather to wake up our hearts so we can live and act with power.”
“The one who tastes, knows. The one who tastes not, knows not. Don't speak of a heavenly beverage; offer it at your banquets and say nothing. Those who like it will ask for more. Close the shop of debate and mystery. Open the tea-house of experience.”Khawaja Yusuf al-Hamadani
Dhikr points to a necessary shift: moving from the exhaustion of mental striving to letting yourself be carried by remembrance. You do not need to manufacture a spiritual high or maintain saintly perfection. The container allows you to set down your daily defenses and awaken to what is real.
This inner clearing is directly linked to how we live outside the retreat. When we reconnect to our spiritual center, we restore the inner flow required to resist oppression, care for our people, and build communities rooted in liberation rather than domination.
Awakening the Heart, Grounding the Work
The Arabic word dhikr means remembrance. We return to it because true liberation requires an inner anchor that cannot be shaken by the noise of the world.
Direct Encounter
Through repetitive sacred phrases, rhythmic breath, music, and quiet integration, we move past intellectual debate and drop into felt, embodied presence.
- Collective sacred chant
- Rhythm of breath and drum
- Stillness that settles the nervous system
Refusing Ghaflah
Modern culture runs on numbness and distraction. Dhikr breaks through spiritual fatigue, helping us stay awake, aware, and conscious of our responsibilities to one another and the earth.
- Breaking through numbness and cynicism
- Softening and opening the heart
- Cultivating spiritual wakefulness
Spiritual Power for Action
Rooted in the Sufi tradition and offered without dogma or hierarchy. We do not practice to escape reality, but to build the clarity, integrity, and vitality needed to take meaningful action.
- A living tradition for modern life
- Deep inner resilience for the long haul
- Sustaining our work toward collective liberation
Take one breath with us.
A Typical Day at the Gathering
Held at a private estate in Dalton, Massachusetts. Our rhythm feels like an intimate family reunion: shared meals, warm tea by the fireplace, deep morning and evening practice, and generous downtime to read, rest, and talk. Some days hold something extra. One afternoon, we make candles while doing dhikr.
Breath, Stillness, & Awakening
We begin with soft vocal dhikr, voices low, no instruments, and with conscious breathing to settle us into the day. Then the voice falls away, and we move into silent dhikr, dhikr al-qalbi, the remembrance of the heart. The house is still waking. So are we.
Breakfast & Spacious Mornings
Fresh morning nourishment, warm chai, and coffee prepared by Chef Saira. Unscheduled time to rest in the parlor, read, or journal.
The Circle: Chanting, Drum, & Discourse
Invocation, sacred rhythm, music, and shared discussion on presence, spiritual struggle, and community resilience.
Communal Table & Space for Muhasaba
A family-style lunch, followed by open afternoons for reflection, quiet conversation, naps, and integration. On one afternoon, this time holds candle making, offered alongside dhikr.
The Evening Hearth & Shared Music
Dinner together, evening dhikr by candlelight, and unhurried space for poetry, drumming, storytelling, and fireside companionship. The evening goes on for as long as it wants to.
“Listen to the whispers of the moment, and act accordingly.”
What You Take With You
Three nights designed to meet you in your full humanity, without asking you to perform.
Guided Practice Sessions
A full weekend of guidance through breathwork, sacred chant, drum, and silence.
An Intimate Family Reunion
Strictly capped at 15 people, living under one roof without hierarchy, where every person is known and welcomed.
South Asian Culinary Hearth
Fragrant, wholesome, vegetarian meals cooked fresh by Chef Saira, using food as an act of community care and hospitality.
Space for Muhasaba
Dedicated time for honest self-observation, ensuring inner shifts translate into genuine personal clarity.
Shared Fire for Justice
A room where political reality is not ignored, but brought into the sacred circle so we can sustain our collective work.
An Embodied Practice
Walk away with a tangible, somatic practice of remembrance that you can return to whenever life calls for courage.
A Private Berkshire Estate
For this gathering, we are staying in a beautiful private home in Dalton, Massachusetts, tucked into the hills of the Berkshires. Rather than an impersonal hotel or conference center, the estate gives us the warmth, privacy, and comfort of a family reunion.
Between sessions, you can sit with tea by the fireplace, curl up in one of the parlor chairs, or enjoy quiet time in the shared living spaces while snow falls outside.
Dalton Private Estate
Dalton, MA · Roughly 2.5 hours from Boston and NYC
Touch the ones that are true today.All of it is welcome here.
“I've found that Dhikr doesn't ask us to become someone else before we begin. It simply asks us to bring our real, honest, unedited selves into the practice, because that is the only version of us the practice can actually meet.”
Roots of Remembrance intentionally centers SWANA (South West Asian and North African), Queer Muslim, and Muslim experiences.
This means that the histories, traditions, struggles, and perspectives of these experiences inform the gathering. Those who have often had to explain, defend, or diminish parts of themselves to participate in spiritual spaces should be able to arrive without that burden.
Our practices and traditions are not cultural curiosities or spiritual aesthetics to be consumed. They carry histories, responsibilities, and a way of relating to the world.
Who is welcome
Everyone is welcome. You do not need to minimize yourself, explain your identity, or prove anything to belong. This gathering is shaped by SWANA, Queer Muslim, and Muslim experiences, and by a shared commitment to carrying remembrance into how we live, relate, and participate in the world. If you feel aligned with this work, there is a place for you in the circle.
The person holding the circle.
My name is Osama, and I am a student on the Sufi path.
I co-founded Bab Al Ilm, a community devoted to exploring spirituality and self-awareness across traditions, with my personal focus in the Sufi tradition. Over the years, this work has taken shape through book circles, open dialogues on liberation and love, practices of self-observation, and ceremonies centered on drum, breath, and invocation.
I do not host this circle as an authority figure or teacher on a stage. I show up as a companion in the practice, tending a perimeter where we can safely take off our masks, tell the truth, and wake up together.
“What happens when we become still enough to actually see ourselves, and courageous enough to act on what we find?”
In their words.
“Osama, thank you so much. I am still building the words to express my gratitude for how you lead such a healing and strengthening weekend.”
“Thank you all for creating such a beautiful and sacred space for connection, reflection, and spiritual growth. There was something very special about being together, sharing our hearts, and walking a little deeper into ourselves and toward the Divine.”
“Everyone's openness, welcomeness, and curiosity towards how we got there together contributed to that sense of belonging where one feels we are there together for something bigger than oneself.”
Reserve Your Place in the House
Every ticket includes 3 nights of lodging at the private estate, all meals and teas prepared by Chef Saira, and all guided circles.
Open Space
Communal living in the home's open sleeping spaces with comfortable floor mattresses, cozy linens, and shared bathrooms. Grounded, simple, and companionable.
- All guided practice
- All meals and teas by Chef Saira
- Comfortable floor mattress and linens
Double Room
A shared bedroom with two beds. There is only one double room in the house. Come with a friend or be matched thoughtfully.
- All guided practice
- All meals and teas by Chef Saira
- Shared bedroom with two beds
Private Room
A private bedroom for those who desire solitude and personal space during downtime.
- All guided practice
- All meals and teas by Chef Saira
- Private bedroom with queen bed
Join the Gathering in Dalton, MA
Select your preferred room arrangement directly on our registration platform. Spots are strictly capped at 15 to preserve the intimacy of the container.
Reserve Your TicketFrequently Asked Questions
Who does this retreat center, and can allies attend?
This retreat intentionally centers Muslim, SWANA, and Queer Muslim experiences. Anyone drawn to the Sufi path and aligned with the work is welcome. You do not need to minimize yourself or prove anything to belong. We ask everyone to make room for the fullness of one another.
What is the house and sleeping setup like?
We are staying together in a private estate in Dalton, MA, which gives our weekend a warm, family-reunion feel. Open space tickets are for comfortable floor mattresses with clean linens set up in spacious, communal rooms. The shared double room has two beds, and the private room offers full personal solitude. Bathrooms are shared among house guests.
Will sleeping spaces be separated by gender?
Sleeping arrangements depend on who joins. We will do our best to honor gender preferences and comfort, and we will ask about your needs at registration, but we cannot guarantee gender-separated rooms. The private room is the best option if this is important to you. Tell us what you need and we will work with you.
Do I need prior experience with Sufism, Arabic, or dhikr?
Not at all. You do not need to know the chants by heart, speak Arabic, or follow any formal orthodoxy. Every invocation is introduced gently with clear phonetics, English translations, and contemplative meaning. All you need is an open heart and a willingness to be present.
What kind of food will be served?
All meals are prepared fresh in the home by Chef Saira. All food is vegetarian. Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free needs can easily be accommodated with advance notice during registration.
Can I come on my own?
Yes, most participants come solo. Because our group is kept to just 15 people living under one roof, you will quickly find a warm, familial atmosphere where you are accepted as you are.
How do I travel to the estate in Dalton, MA?
Dalton is located in the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, roughly two and a half hours driving from both New York City and Boston. An attendee carpool board will be sent out several weeks before the gathering to coordinate rides from nearby cities and train stations.
Are there payment plans or sliding scale tickets available?
Tuition covers the private estate, all meals by Chef Saira, and the facilitation of the gathering. We are not able to offer payment plans or sliding scale rates for this retreat.
What is your cancellation policy?
Because space is strictly limited to 15 people and costs are committed directly to our venue rental and grocery provisions, full refunds are available up to 30 days before the retreat. Within 30 days, registration can be transferred to a friend or credited toward a future retreat.
Ahlan wa Sahlan
Step onto easy ground.
While often translated simply as welcome, Ahlan wa Sahlan carries a much deeper meaning: you have arrived among family, and you are stepping onto level, fertile soil. Come rest by the fire, wake up your heart, and remember what matters.
Reserve Your TicketStrictly limited to 15 companions · Dalton, MA · Jan 29 to Feb 1