The Assembly of Lovers hosted by Osama Janakat
First Assembly: Monday, November 17th from 7 pm – 8 pm
Contribution: Sliding scale donation $20–$40 (no one will be turned away)
This is a vibrant Community Drum and Chanting Circle, a space where rhythmic pulse meets vocal energy, similar to ones we’ve done in the past. This experience is open to absolutely everyone, regardless of background or belief system—all that’s required is an open heart and a willingness to connect through sound. The term ‘lover’ in this context refers to seekers on the Sufi path who are longing for union with the divine energy. You can think of this gathering as an expansion of the sema sufi meditations we used to offer. It is looser in form, more focused on music, and does not necessarily involve whirling, although it is welcome if you are called to it.
There is a rhythm older than thought. A pulse that moves beneath language, beneath belief, beneath the self that thinks it’s separate. The Mystics knew this. The Sufis practiced it in Majalis al-‘Ushshāq. The Assembly of Lovers. Not lovers of ideas. Not lovers of comfort. Lovers magnetized by the Beloved. Those who’ve tasted the Divine Honey and cannot forget. Whose hearts remember what the mind has been taught to ignore. This is a gathering for those who feel the pull. The Assembly of Lovers meets twice each month, a rhythm of remembrance. Each gathering deepens the last. The circle becomes a living pulse of devotion. If you have a drum, bring it. Medicine drums, frame drums, and ceremony drums are all welcome. The circle grows stronger when every heartbeat joins the rhythm.
The Flow
Opening (5 minutes)
We set intention. A short prayer to open the way. To align the heart toward what is Real.
Chanting and Rhythm (30-40 minutes)
Using the Sufi Chants of the Heart as a guide (our vision is for the chants to grow to what the individuals in the circle are inspired to invoke), we share simple chants. The drum holds the pulse. The voice follows. The meanings are offered, not explained.
Repetition is the technology. The heart softens through return. Through invoking the Divine until the one invoking dissolves.
Silent Resting (5-10 minutes)
After the chanting, we sit. No guidance. No instruction.
The echo of the words and rhythms settles. The heart rests in what was touched.
Closing (5 minutes)
A prayer of Unity. Of Oneness. We complete the circle and return to silence.
Gratitude for what was offered. For what was received.
Who This Is For
This is for those who’ve felt the pull and don’t know what to call it.
For those tired of spiritual talk that never touches the ground.
For those who suspect that the heart knows a language the mind cannot translate.
For those who long.
Not for something. Not for someone.
Just longing itself. The flame that keeps you moving toward what you cannot name but cannot forget.
Host: Osama Janakat
Osama studied Mathematics and Physics at Rutgers University, laying a foundation of analytical thinking that complements his creative pursuits. As a beat-maker and music producer, he explores the intriguing connections between music, philosophy, and spirituality.
Born in Jordan with Circassian roots, Osama’s move to the US in 2004 sparked a journey of inner exploration and spiritual discovery. An avid student of the Sufi tradition, he continues to seek wisdom that bridges cultures and disciplines, finding harmony in the interplay of art and spirituality.
