Atom from the Sun of Knowledge [Paperback]

Lex Hixon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1993

This comprehensive volume is an initiation into Sufism by a Western teacher of Islamic mysticism who saw in this ancient tradition a universal path to enlightenment. Atom from the Sun of Knowledge explores the spiritual secrets of the practices of Islam and interprets the spiritual wealth of its sacred book, the Quran, and the sayings (hadith) of the Prophet Muhammad. The volume also contains modern ecstatic Sufi poetry and spiritual discourses that illuminate the essential unity of all existence and the immense love at its heart.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Lex Hixon is a rare presence among us. This book comes from the fire of his devotion to Islamic life, and from his longing to unwrap the inner meanings." -- Coleman Barks, author of Rumi: We Are Three, and The Essential Rumi

"Lex Hixon's book is a testimony to love that transcends the limitations of ordinary relationships. It is about Unity Consciousness, the ultimate truth that lies at the heart of all creation. This truth, coming from one of mankind's most sacred traditions will liberate all those who surrender to it in innocence." -- Deepak Chopra, M.D., author of Quantum Healing and Unconditional Life

"This spiritual book reflects some of the divine light entrusted to its author, our beloved Lex Hixon, and reveals some of the many secrets contained within his heart. He has tried to show the many paths to Truth taken by the mystic orders of Islam. This is in accordance with the saying of the Prophet, God's blessings and peace be upon him: 'The paths to God are as numerous as human breaths.' " -- Shaykh Muhammad Nazim, author of Mercy Oceans' Pink Pearls

About the Author

Lex Hixon called himself a "spiritual citizen" of four different religious traditions: Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. His books in these various traditions include Coming Home: The Experience of Enlightenment in Sacred Traditions, Living Buddha Zen and Great Swan: Meetings with Ramakrishna. He was also the Sheikh, or spiritual teacher, of the Halveti Jerrahi Sufi Order located in New York City from 1985 until his passing in 1995, and started numerous branches of the order throughout the United States and Mexico.

Product Details

• Paperback: 410 pages
• Publisher: Pir Press (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879708051
• ISBN-13: 978-1879708051
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #661,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Testament of a Passionate Muslim Mystic, July 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Atom from the Sun of Knowledge (Paperback)

It's unfathomable to me that this book has not yet been reviewed! Lex Hixon was a well-known spiritual seeker who was open to every authentic tradition, yet who came to embrace Islam as the deepest expression of his faith and life. He did this in an amazing, open way. He encouraged his disciples to be, as he was, holders of "multiple spiritual citizenship" -- I knew a dervish of his who was also a practicing Orthodox Christian, for example. When I myself after having taken hand with him, had powerful dreams drawing me to Christianity, he told me: "Then go and be a Christian dervish!" This is to let you know what kind of Muslim he was: to my mind, a true Muslim, utterly intoxicated with the love of God, seeing God everywhere and in everyone. And this book is a manifestation of that love and joy. Yes, sometimes it's just over the top: too much, too inebriated, yet "atom" that it is, it is a powerful testament to the reality and power of the spirit and to the grace that filled this Sheikh. When he died, with "Allah" on his lips, tribute was paid to him by Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Muslims... If there is any antidote to the ills of Islamic extremism, perhaps it can be found in the pages of this book. Muslims, and all seekers, open your hearts to it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars journey to the atom, December 3, 2004

By 

cheekychic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Atom from the Sun of Knowledge (Paperback)

this book was my first real initiation into the sufi tradition and it was a fortunate one.

what distinguishes this book from any other book on sufism that i have ever encountered, is that it has what the arabic-speakers call "baraka". that is, "blessing", a kind of spiritual energy that can permeate a person or a place.

this book, then, delivers not only infromation about the path, but a kind of energetic pull into the world of universal Islam and sufism.

medicine for what ails us in this era. Nur/Hixon must have known we would need it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Depth of Islam and Sufism, June 23, 2011

By 

Karima V. Bushnell (Minneapolis, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Atom from the Sun of Knowledge (Paperback)

In this book you can find the real depth of Islam and Sufism and the organic connection between them. It's a kind of treasure chest, grounded in sound scholarship, in direct spiritual transmission from a lineage of Sufi shaykhs, and in decades of immersion in world religions, which the author considered to be different expressions of one reality. The book itself is more like a series of experiences than it is like reading *about* something. You may connect with some parts more than with others, which is fine; there are different gifts here for seekers of love and knowledge with different tastes and at different stages in their journeys.