October 7, 1978, a postcard

October 7, 1978

Dear Mansur,

The thumbnail moon is so bright tonight over the redwood tree, against the pink guaze of cloud, that now is the perfect time to thank you for your letter of Oct. 4 and the very fine drawing of you. [Done by a mureed of Mansur’s that Mansur used on workshop promotional flyers.]

With the star above your head and the crescent moon cradling your bust (meaning chest, shoulders and head), one can only see a countenance reflecting the universe of Heart—the perfect atmosphere of Grace in the empyrean known by Sufis as “Grand Night.”

A Sheikh who contemplates thus is a Sheikh indeed!

Good Night, Mr. Johnson [how sweet Moineddin concludes with me with the words of Inayat Khan when he bade goodnight to Nyogen Sensaki]

Moineddin