Spirituality in Social Work - intro

Intro: Fazeel Chauhan (He, Him, His) for class...

Fazeel Chauhan posted Jan 26, 2021  

I have been interested in spirituality since childhood. So I am happy to be taking this class. As they say, no one religion has a monopoly on wisdom, and there are many sources of learning. Based on my life experiences, I realize that spirituality can be an important part of a person's way of being, and as a therapist I want to learn more about how to better understand, counsel and help people of different belief systems. Spirituality is a rich topic, and I expect to learn more about various faiths, beliefs, lifestyles and world views, so that I can become a better social worker. I expect to learn a lot to expand my heart and mind. What I'm most connected to: is to be a responsible global citizen and to serve a higher purpose through self-development and community service. In other words, to educate, entertain, heal, serve and tell the truth through poetry, music, videos, and counseling, etc. 

Whom I'm most connected to: is the legacy of my teachers, ancestors, and to the global community. My ancestors are from the ancient civilizations of the subcontinent India/Pakistan/Kashmir, where there is a long history of a variety of sub-cultures, hundreds of languages, mixed races (with Mongolian, Arab, Greek) and blended spiritual beliefs. I was born in Pakistan and also raised in Saudi Arabia and then in New Orleans (after 1981). I was raised as a Muslim, then became agnostic in America for 12 years. I have explored other spiritual practices like Transcendental meditation, Yoga, Reiki, chanting, QiGong, and Buddhism. I returned to Islam about 25 years ago and practice its spiritual path called Sufism. My spiritual practice helps me to connect with the Creator, and with the universal life force, and with humanity, specially through music, prayer and being in nature. I feel most connected to the world views of sages and teachers like Cornell West, Malcolm X, Hamza Yusuf, Fela Kuti, Frantz Fanon, Thich Nhat Hanh, Howard Zinn, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Robert Bly, and Sufi poets from the last 800 years, like Rumi and Muhammed Iqbal.