The Chasm of Fire: A Woman's Experience With the Teachings of a Sufi Master (Element Classic Editions) (Paperback)

by Irina Tweedie (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
One of the true classics of women's spirituality. Distraught by the untimely death of her husband, Irina Tweedie awakened to a religious and spiritual quest which took her to India, where she found a Sufi teacher who was to revolutionize her life. This book was written from the diary she kept while under his tutelage.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Element Books (July 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185230040X
• ISBN-13: 978-1852300401
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #488,232 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A seeking woman's Seeker!, June 12, 2001

By	"dmichlin" (Berkley Lake, GA USA) - See all my reviews

What an amazing woman and brave soul!

Friends, this well-told odyssey of spiritual discovery, purification and awakening will put both sweat on your brow and a smile in your heart. As we are all learning, there is no easy recipe for finding, and then appropriately surrendering into, a new spiritual path, practice, community, teaching or relationship with a worthy teacher. And yet most of us, at some point in our journey of Self-discovery, will feel called to do just that.

This amazing testament to the sacred, and deeply mysterious, nature of the ancient Master-disciple relationship is so fresh, so telling and serving. Ms. Tweedie's journal clearly illustrates that while any healthy relationship with a spiritual teacher necessarily begins with a period of mutual inspection and the building of necessary trust, seldom does truly deep transformation occur without giving rise to moments of intense (egoic) frustration, confrontation or dispair. Thus the "fire" of which she speaks is itself the very same warmth with which her many meaningful breakthroughs and insights shine.

Not by any means only a seminal work for "woman's spirituality" but truly a quality read for all those begining or already on the path. (...especially those who's path has or will ever require the unspeakable grace that true teachers facilitate and are).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great synopsis of self realization, January 13, 2000

By	Ishkiia "ishKiia" (CA, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are interested in self growth in spirituality, this is a great way to see a deep and high path of spirituality and what it takes to get there. Her master seems cruel, but what she went through was for her process and her process only. Not everyone went through what she did, and it wasn't all because she was looked down upon because she was a woman. Although, there is a purpose in her being a woman and going through all of this. God wastes nothing. It was neccessary to open her eyes to many things that are not fully explained in the book. Being on a similar path myself, I can validate that what she went through was critical to HER mastership. I challenge anyone that is serious about reaching the highest potential in their spirituality to read this book and consider that there is more than meets the eye, and is definately worth it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chasm of fire, by Irina Tweedle, June 2, 2001

By	Paresh "rajvadu" (India) - See all my reviews

This book is the most honest account of a westerner's encounter to the Indian spirituality and also to the method and practices of the Master's of these Science and Art. The experience is real without colourful imaginary miracles and illusions on this path.The whole process of transformation of an individual through all kind of cultural and psychological resistances is deeply interesting and involving. The author has been endowed with the skills and perception to draw the picture of her experiences and also draws us to her experience.The whole book makes us believe about those esoteric world and confirms that every individual with a deep yearning is entitled to this evolution irrespective of one' race and circumstances of life