Sufi Remembrance

Birthdate: April 20, 1927 URS date:  May 20, 2017

Zahira, in center, with  Talibah on left, Zubin on right.

In Memoriam Zahira Madeleine Bullock

Zahira was born Madeleine Mary Newport Tinley in United Kingdom on 20th April 1927, and passed away in the presence of her family at Canberra Hospital on 20th May 2017.
To my knowledge Madeleine devoted her life to her family and to peace. Although she kept meticulous records, and tolerated my interest and questions, she had no interest in being written about, so I am seeking her indulgence for this tribute to her life of courage and devotion. Madeleine married David in 1954, becoming Madeleine Bullock. They had three children, Coralie, Christopher and Katrina. After being widowed in 1986, Madeleine travelled for a year to relatives in South Africa, United Kingdom and United States. She returned to Canberra with her inner guide telling her she “must sing and dance”.
Madeleine discovered the Dances of Universal Peace, hosted dance leaders in Australia, and travelled to United Kingdom and the Glastonbury Festival in 1992. There, on Midsummer Day at the local Sufi meeting she was initiated and named Zahira by Amida Harvey.

Zahira Madeleine Bullock embodied the dances, led dance circles, and mentored dance leaders. Those touched by her passion for the dances and her hospitality, recall with affection the years when the dance meetings were held at her home at Weetangera early on a Saturday evening, and she would be shooing twenty or more people home at midnight.

Zahira was made a Life Member of the International Dances of Universal Peace. Her training with international leaders of the Dances of Universal Peace, the retreats she organised, the newsletters she wrote for a decade, and the support she offered generously have sown the seeds for the foundations of the Dances of Universal Peace community in Australia. She truly lived up to her Sufi name – Zahira – often translated as brilliant, shining, luminous, radiant and also helpful, supporting, blossoming and flourishing.

When Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz established the Abwoon Study Circle Zahira was drawn to this Native Middle Eastern tradition which offered “a path that transcended political and religious conflicts”. Zahira studied this wisdom and with Saadi’s agreement led in Aramaic, the Lord’s Prayer, the Beatitudes, and the Nuri Mohammed Cycle particularly at Christmas, Easter or Eid.

From 2006, Zahira opened her home to a weekly Sufi study group, where her belief in unity, and “simple presence” shaped her leadership and hospitality to all-comers. She was instrumental in the weekly vigil of Women in Black in Canberra, and an early member of a Chorus of Women who sing for the purpose of achieving peace through justice. Zahira extended her friendship practically and internationally.
In her 80’s Zahira joined the GOLD (Growing Old Disgacefully) community dance class for movers and non-movers over 55. Her commitment to fitness, inclusion, participation and creativity were demonstrated and shared in the context of increased confidence and well being for seniors.

From 2013 – 15 Zahira continued meeting on a weekly basis with members of the Canberra Abwoon circle. Although by this time she had suffered a mild stroke which affected her ability to speak fluently. Through the practice of singing the Aramaic Lord’s Prayer, Zahira’s voice grew strong so as to powerfully embody the heart of the prayer for all present.

Over three decades the inner guidance that she “must sing and dance” uncovered her natural voice and developed the inner feeling of unity, patience, gratitude, interest and indifference which she directed to all that was brought to her and all that she met in the course of being cared for. The greater the challenge the more Zahira she became.

In 2017, Zahira wanted ‘everybody’ to attend her 90th birthday and ideally to wear purple. The party went according to her wishes on a beautiful autumn afternoon at the hall in Corroboree Park, Canberra on 22nd April.
A proliferation of well wishers in purple regaled her with flowers and celebrated her life with memories of shared friendship. The GOLD dance group and Chorus of Women gave performances that honoured her place as a foundation member of those communities.

Zahira’s birthday cake make by her daughter Katrina, and iced using healthy mauve blueberry jelly crystals by granddaughter Rebecca focussed the ceremony. When Zahira’s son Chris proposed a toast to her 90th birthday, he acknowledged Zahira had “had a long journey”, beginning with her inter-war birth (1927) and including travel to Australia. Coralie added that her own emigration to America had shown her the not insignificant challenges her mother experienced with emigration to Australia. Katrina was appreciated for being resident in Canberra and providing that ongoing support. Everyone of the near ninety people present raised their glass in a rousing toast to Zahira.

When Zahira was ready to leave her 90th birthday gathering, her wheel chair was brought, and Chorus of Women drew everyone into a circle while singing a beautiful song. Chris guided the wheelchair to do three rounds of the circle, during which Zahira made strong eye contact with most people in the circle. As Chris backed the chair out of the circle Zahira gave that queenly wave of Unity with the One.

“Send upon her Spirit Thy Mercy Thy Compassion and Thy Peace Amen”.

The link below will take you to photos & detailed text on Dances of Universal Peace Australia website celebrating Zahira’s 90th birthday, and achievements for DOUP and in the Canberra community.

http://www.dancesofuniversalpeaceaustralia.org/post/reflecting-with-zahira-madeleine-bullock