Sufi School East
Sufi School East is an annual teaching and community event held at the Farm of Peace. Sufi School East is a special event we have built since our first gathering in 2001 in Frederick, MD to our first gathering at the Farm in 2003–with big outdoor tents and lots of camping–to our current beloved Teaching Barn where we have come together since 2005. We have served love and wisdom to thousands of hungry hearts over the years and look forward to many more!
Sufi School is a place of learning, family, community, development of the deep mysticism and inner learning of our Shadhiliyya Sufi way. We spend the weekend immersed in the Sufi teachings, our ancient practices, and participate in a sacred overnight khalwa retreat. Community meals are available and enjoyed by all. We also offer a tuition-free children’s camp with programs for children from 5-18 years old and a robust tuition-free program for those new to Sufism, through our “Path of Love” program hosted by the University of Sufism.
The Path of Love Program
The Path of Love:
Sufism Explained, Explored and Experienced
When: September 4th to 7th, 2020 (Labor Day Weekend)
Where: The Farm of Peace, 1212 Haven Lane, Warfordsburg, PA 17267
Experience the Divine Secret inside of you through the teachings of one of the world’s great Gnostic Sufi Masters, “Sidi”, Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal, of Jerusalem, may God sanctify his secret and grant him peace.
This workshop is for newcomers to our annual Sufi School gathering, held Labor Day weekend 2020, and is open to newcomers seeking healing and a closer connection to God. This is a rare and wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Sufi Path of Love with eminent Sufi teachers. This special 2-1/2 day beginner’s program runs Saturday through Monday.
In this workshop, you will…
Dates: September 4th – 7th (Labor Day weekend, Saturday – Monday)
We strongly encourage you to come for the entire event, as each day’s teachings build on the previous day, and you will have a deeper, more satisfying and meaningful experience.
Tuition
This year’s program is again tuition-free, for newcomers* attending the entire program! You only pay for meals and lodging.
*A newcomer is someone who has not taken the Sufi Promise with Sidi al-Jamal (raa) or any of his teachers, or did so only recently and has not attended other programs or workshops grounding them in our path and practices. We will allow someone to repeat the program once, if they still meet this criteria.
Location
The Farm of Peace, 1212 Haven Lane, Warfordsburg, PA 17267. Near Berkeley Springs, WV and Hancock, MD. Approximately 2 hours from Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C.
Meals
We serve lovingly prepared, delicious and healthy organic meals, including produce and meat from our own CSA garden! We also provide some vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options at every meal.
Accommodations
We have limited dorm space and plenty of on-site camping space available. There are also several hotels and motels in the area. You can register for onsite accommodations when you register for the event. See local hotels.
Youth Program for ages 3 to 17 – FREE!
We provide space for parents and children under three, but do not have any childcare or babysitting services available for this age group.
We have a free Youth Program for ages three (must be toilet trained) through seventeen.
Questions? Email programs@farmofpeace.org.
Our site is a working farm, so outside of program hours, children and teens must be under adult supervision. Donations are welcome.
Payment Options
Online registration, when available, will be processed through PayPal and you can pay by credit card, debit card or bank draft. You may also opt to pay by check. This year we have a three-month payment plan for paid in full registrations by July 30.
If you need to register by phone, or for questions not answered by the information posted on the website, please call Raja Kropff at (717) 573-4722, or email: programs@farmofpeace.org Please care for our busy volunteers by reading all the information before calling. Thank you!
TUITION
We encourage everyone to attend the entire event! Each day builds on the previous day’s teachings. To receive the most benefit from the retreat, please plan to attend all three full days! We invite you to stay until Monday early afternoon, when we end with our wrap-up session and closing dhikr. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served Monday.
Important:
Please pre-register! There are increased tuition and meal costs for on-site registration.
Newcomers Tuition
FREE, if you attend the entire newcomers program. Regular meal and lodging rates apply. Generally, the Path of Love classes begins Friday afternoon the weekend of Sufi School beginning at 1:30 pm for those who would like to join us then. Friday attendance is not required for the free tuition offer.
If you are a newcomer but do not wish to attend the Path of Love program, regular tuition rates apply.
Young adults: (18-24 years old) may attend tuition-free, but pay for meals and lodging.
Teens: aged 13-17 pay for meals only ($30/day).
Scholarships and work-study are available.
We’d love for everyone to join us. Please don’t let funds be the barrier, contact us and we will work with you, as best we can, to open the door for you to come.
For those who can work, see the Workstudy section for more information on how this can defray some costs.
For scholarships, please email programs@farmofpeace.org.
Registration for Sufi School is currently closed.
A link to the online registration form will be here once registration opens for the 2020 session.
Work-study credit is available for a portion of your tuition. It does not cover meals or lodging. First, read about work study below. If you have questions or wish to arrange work study, please contact workstudy@farmofpeace.org.
Please read the work study policy in entirety. You will need a work study contract in order to complete your event registration.
DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING FOR WORK STUDY IS TBA for 2020.
Sufi School East is a very large undertaking staffed almost entirely by committed volunteers and work study participants. These committed volunteers and work study participants are crucial to helping our community host our teachers. Without your participation, Sufi School East and other events would not be possible!
Work study credit can cover all or part of the tuition for Sufi School East, depending on the job and the number of hours worked. Please note, however, that work study credit does not cover food and lodging.
If you need work study credit for the entire tuition cost, please consider helping with site preparation ahead of time, or site breakdown afterwards. It is not possible to work the amount required to cover the entire tuition during Sufi School itself without missing significant class time.
In addition to helping set up and break down the event, we have positions during events to help with various logistics including food prep and clean up, teaching space setup, trash and recycling, and youth program.
Many of the jobs available during the event itself will require you to miss some of the teachings. As much as possible, we try to allow everyone to go to class when teachings are going on.
There is a $10 credit towards tuition for every hour worked, with some jobs receiving a $14/hour credit if they require the person to miss significant amounts of scheduled classes. For example, if you work 10 hours ahead of time in site preparation, you would receive a $100 credit towards the tuition. If in addition to that you worked for the four days during the event helping with the teaching barn logistics you would receive an additional 16 hours of work study credit at $10 per hour ($160). Thus your total work study credit would be $260.
Please note, the work study contracts are set up ahead of time and will be based on the anticipated schedule. However, the event does not always strictly follow the schedules, so things may not work out completely as anticipated.
Due to the responsibility carried by our work study participants during the event itself, we give work study preference to those who can work the entire event, or a minimum of 3 of the 4 days. There may be some work study credit available to fill in the gaps for someone only attending 2 days; however, those jobs will be allocated near the start of Sufi School, as the gaps in our staffing are clarified.
If you have questions or wish to arrange work study, please contact our Work Study Coordinator at workstudy@farmofpeace.org.
Please view our lodging information on our Guest Information page.
If you need transportation from an area airport and do not wish to rent a car, here are some options:
1. Farm of Peace Shuttle
The cost for our shuttle, driven by beloveds in their personal vehicles, is $90 each way for one adult (18 and older), or $75 each way for each additional adult; $40 each for under 18.
We shuttle to/from all three major area airports: Baltimore (BWI), Dulles (IAD), and National* (DCA).
To make a reservation for an airport shuttle ride (or for a pickup from Hancock if you are taking the Bayrunner Shuttle), please complete that section of the registration form. If you have questions, please contact programs@farmofpeace.org.
Note: Please make your reservation by August 26th. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide shuttle service for you. Please note that we will do our best to meet your arrival and departure times, but some waiting may be unavoidable, especially if you arrive after the event begins, or need to leave before it’s over. Thank you for your understanding.
Click here for info about public transport options from DC region airports to Frederick, MD MARC Train station which is 1 hr from Farm and a more convenient pick up/drop off for our volunteer drivers. Public transport includes DC Metro and MARC train services. Travel time is approximately 2.5 hours to Frederick. Shuttle costs from Frederick, MD: $45/adult, $25 each additional adult, $15/child under 18.
*Traffic makes this airport choice the least preferred, as it can add 1-2 hours of travel time. Travel time is approximately 2 hours for Dulles and BWI.
2. Bayrunner Shuttle – Western Maryland
Bayrunner operates a daily shuttle from/to BWI Airport and Western Maryland with various stops in between. Note: Women traveling alone or with small children may not be comfortable using this shuttle due to the nature of some of the other passengers.
If your travel schedule fits, please book directly with them for transport to/from BWI and BWI MARC station. We will provide transport to/from their stop in Hancock, Md. to the Farm of Peace at the following rates: 1 person $5; up to 4 people in one trip $10.
Bayrunner can take you from BWI airport or BWI Amtrak train station to Hancock, Md. (about 15 minutes from the Farm of Peace.) It also stops at the Baltimore Greyhound Bus station, and the Frederick, Md., MARC train and bus station.
Schedule: Please see the Bayrunner Shuttle website for current schedules. Note that you want the WEST schedule, not the East which goes to the Eastern shore of Maryland.
Bayrunner Fares: One person/one way: $53; 2 passengers $85; 3 pass. $108; $20 each additional person. Please reserve directly with Bayrunner on their website or by calling 855-229-7867. Then notify our shuttle coordinator that you’ll need a pickup in Hancock: shuttles@suficentereast.org
Link to Bayrunner Shuttle web site.
Our site is a stunningly beautiful and yet rustic working farm, with dirt roads for strolling, port-a-potties, and picnic tables. We will be setting aside many modern conveniences and worldly cares during the time we gather. Our hope is that with preparation, you can use this natural setting to deeply walk closer to Allah. Teachings take place in our beautiful mosque/teaching barn, inshaAllah. Temperatures in the fall can range from the high 80’s during the day to the low 60’s at night. Or it might be warmer than that … or cooler … possibly some rain.
For specifics on what to bring for, dependant on the season, please view our Guest Information page.
For the health and safety of your pets, our visitors and our livestock, please make arrangements for them offsite.
Please note that we maintain a drug- and alcohol-free environment at the Farm of Peace. Smoking in designated areas only. And, we’re sorry, but no pets on Farm premises. Please make arrangements to leave them at home. Thank you.
Suggested Clothing
We request that everyone who attends the events dress in a modest manner. Please be mindful of the other guests coming from different cultures, and be aware that modest attire is requested because the teachings are in the same space in which we pray.
Trash Policy
We are committed to walking lightly on the earth, protecting our environment and minimizing the amount of trash resulting from our event. We invite everyone who comes to the Farm of Peace to leave no trace. Our goal is for Sufi School East to become a zero waste event.
We provide dispensers with drinking water in multiple locations, so you can leave your bottled water at home. Instead, bring a re-usable bottle or cup with a lid.
Before you pack something disposable, ask yourself, ìIs it recyclable? Is is compostable? Is it reusable? If it is not recyclable, reusable or compostable, we request that you please take it home with you (coffee cups, food wrappers, plastic bags, etc.).
Thank you for helping us care for Allah’s creation while enjoying your stay!
If you recently misplaced an item at the Farm of Peace, please call Jamila Davies at 240.441.8715 to claim it.
If left unclaimed for more than several weeks, items will be donated. We just don’t have the space!
by Heart Light Digital