Maryam Quadri has been on a journey to discover what speaks to her soul the most. In our conversations, she shares her experiences with various religions and her embrace of the Sufi mystic tradition. Her firm belief is that we are all interconnected and the one reality of God is moving through everything.
We talk about what Sufism is and how she has integrated beliefs from different traditions. She has practiced religion in both an inclusive, liberal way and also in a literal, legalistic way. She has learned to embody a deep feeling of connection, compassion, self-awareness, and God’s love through her current practice. We also get real about mental health for middle-aged women, the importance of kindness and acceptance of others, and the role family and friends play in discerning our beliefs.
Don’t miss her unique take on listening to pop songs as a spiritual practice. And her beautiful recitation of opening lines of the Quran.
Meet Maryam Qadri
Maryam Qadri is a sociologist by degree, a Sufi in training, and describes herself as an “unconventional Muslim.” In 2004, she was initiated into the Qadiriyya Order of Sufism associated with Sunni Islam.
Her first book The Voice of Truth was commended by the late Grand Mufti of India, Akhtar Raza Khan Azhari. She has since worked with Sufis and Islamic scholars across the globe and is the author of multiple books on Islamic Sufism for adults and children.
On her website Essential Spirituality, she shares wisdom and resources from the Sufi tradition to help people become more self-reliant and live a balanced life. She also writes a weekly newsletter called Productive Wisdom inspired by all things perennial, universal, holistic, productive, and fun!
Subscribe to Productive Wisdom
Connect with Maryam on Twitter or Facebook.
Resources We Mention
- Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by Dr. David Burns
- Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety by Dr. David Burns
- The Road Back to Me: Healing and Recovering From Co-dependency, Addiction, Enabling, and Low Self Esteem by Lisa A Romano
- The Rule of St. Benedict
- The Heart of Sufism: The Essential Writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan (summation of universal Sufism and the very first teacher to bring Sufism to the Western world)
- You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life by Jeffrey Schwartz
- Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr
We recommend Bookshop, an online bookstore committed to strengthening the fragile ecosystem and margins around bookselling and keeping local bookstores an integral part of our culture and communities.
As an affiliate, Soul Care receives a 10% commission on every sale and independent bookstores receive a matching 10%. Bookshop wants to give back to everyone who promotes books, authors, and independent bookstores!
Visit the Soul Care storefront on Bookshop
DID YOU LIKE WHAT YOU HEARD?
Thank you for listening to this episode! If you enjoyed it, please feel free to share it using the social media buttons on this page.
We would appreciate you rating and commenting on Everything Is Spiritual on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
And if you have any comments or questions, leave a comment below!
Other episodes of the podcast about different faith traditions:
I could say I’ve known Maryam for more than 6-7 years but I feel listening to this conversation has really helped me to ‘meet’ the real Maryam..through her hearty giggles…a soul-full combination of strengths and vulnerabilities all packed in one whole-some persona. Thank you for this Kelly and Maryam ❤