Dear friends,
I am saddened by the unexpected and sudden passing of our colleague and
brother Munir Voss. Especially here in Europe, this dervish will be
greatly missed. He has been such a presence at our Alps camps, Easter
retreats, leaders trainings, journeys to India, and countless other
opportunities for lovers of the mystical to meet. As a teacher and guide
to countless mureeds, Munir had a real gift in helping people rise to the
higher planes – and to experience the freedom of the soul. I will really
miss him, as we have known and worked alongside each other for so many
years. But finally, his soul is now free, his work has been completed on
Earth….and he joins his beloved Pir Vilayat in the ecstasy of the
galaxies…
*with love and blessings, *
*Saki *
Here are various comments culled from the IO list serve upon hearing of Munir’s passing:
Ya Munir! His dedication, his mystical insight, his incisive wit, his sparkling eyes, his ecstatic spirit. What an extraordinary being. May he live in our hearts!
Shams Kairys
…Munir was unique, in his teachings, his meditations and his way of life.
I came direct from Chile to the Swiss Camp 14 years ago , having no idea if I would like it or not , I had meet Pir Vilayat in Chile 12 years before, so I just told my Cousin Halima in Germany, may I stay a couple of days or the whole camp. I choose Munir’s program and since the first moment I knew that I wouldn’t separate from him and his teachings. Since then I spend the 4 weeks each year at the camp.
At this moment I’m so glad to get so much from him and my deepest gratitude to him.
Sure that he will join Pir Vilayat and that they will continue meditating now together.
Thank you so much dear Munir….
Ya Shakur, ya shakur, ya shakur
Peter Latif (Chile)
We remember him with deep affection and appreciation from his time at the Abode.
With prayers,
Aimée
in fondness I honor his light.
Aziza Barker
I remember Munir’s incredible
devotion and understanding of the retreat process.He was a tremendous
teacher in this and his Being reflected the depth of his explorations.
May his travels on the caravan of light continue with Pir Vilayat,
Murshid and all our Beloved friends of light. Much love to all his
Murids, close friends and to our German family,
Naima Khabira
Fly in the light brother, dance with our beloved.
Aqil Brown
What a great loss for us all. We will miss Munir. May his soul dance and dance in sublime ecstasy.
Love,
Misbah Noor
Munir and I used to play chess together on.Somet Bucher. He followed me to our community near Cazorla Spain and meditated in my cave after I moved on during my 40 day wandering retreat. He was a great camp director and of the retreat area at Olivone. He was the only one to pass the retreat guide trainer test given by Puran at the 84 camp. The rest is history. What a wonderful being. His smile. His presence. His constant light. He is more present now with us than before. This is going to be interesting.
Akhbar Quddus James Cumming
Munir – truly a great soul!
Himayat Inayati
May his journey into the light be swift and filled, filled, filled to the brim and beyond with joy and ecstasy!
“‘When our guides and those who are cherished by us
leave and disappear, they are not annihilated,
they are like stars that vanish
into the light of the sun of reality.’
(Rumi)
Shams Richardson
Dear Munir,
Thank you for the inspiring lessons and retreats. That the twinklings in your physical eyes may turn in an effulgence of light in the heavens.
Latifa and Akbar (Belgium)
Dear Munir
Thank you so much for the beautiful meditations in Gersfeld
and i wish a wonderfull journey to the light of god
My dearest friend in the caravan…
Our meetings were in silence and communication by heart and eyes. You know me and I know you… one day I met you in an airport in Mumbai India. A few days before we were in Delhi for the Urs of Mûrshid.. it was amazing and I remember your your face when you recognize me…you love life….
You will stay in this caravan for ever and you will give your Light from where you are now dear Mounir.
You will stay in my heart.
Ya QUDDUS
Arifa
Dear Munir
from you I learnd meditating 25 years ago at the Sufi camp in the Alpes. I didn’t know anything about sufi and meditation. Than later I made a Retreat guide training with you and it was great. Thank you very much.
KarimRafi, Switzerland.
I am very sad to hear about Munir’s death. Possibly the most treasured memories of my life are of zikr with him and his group every evening in the retreat area in the Alps. I loved, especially, his commitment, concentration, seriousness and humour together.
Of course it is nice that there are many devotional types among the Sufis. But at a time of such astonishing levels of corruption in the world I think we also need Dervishes who have the courage to seriously piss people off and in the words of Pir Vilayat say ‘Wake Up!’. Love to all Michael Sclater.
Dear Munir,
you have been a lamp indeed. Thank you for the years as my guide on the path. You taught me a lot of precious lessons. Hope you had a god reunion. Kun.
Qalbi
Dear Munir,
Although I had only rare opportunities to be in your presence (during the Suluk and at the camp) – having met this sufi path only for five years -, you made a deep impression on me and evenings of zikr have been so full of divine strength and light : it was a real inside journey.
You have to go on with yours, in the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty !! Gratitude forever
Rabi’a
Es macht mich sehr betroffen, von Munirs Tod zu erfahren. Ich erinnere mich an ihn als Lehrender an den unvergesslichen Veranstaltungen mit Pir Vilayat und auch von Seminaren in Österreich. Ich bedanke mich von Herzen für die Lehren, die ich auf meinem Sufi-Weg von ihm bekommen habe. Mariam
Good journey, dear Munir to the eternal light. You taught me a lot on many levels. I am very grateful for that. Many memories and pictures appear and weave together to a carpet. There are joy, tears and laughter, disappointments, silence and healing, thousands of Zikr, light-filled atmospheres, deep abysses, evening skies in Dossenheim and standing together under the umbrella at the camp.
Majida
Dear Munir,
ya fatah!!!
The first memory I had of Munir was in Gangotri, at one of the sources of the Ganges, during a pilgrimage guided by
Pîr Vilayat in 1983.
It was a moment of free time. While walking, I suddenly saw Munir poised on a rock, near the Ganges, apart.
His presence was strong, striking, emanating great independence, merged so far… in deep meditation.
Within the various teachings he assumed, years after years, in his center, at seminars here and there, at the Summer Camps, in France as well as in Switzerland, in other sessions, Munir appears to me as having deeply dedicated himself.
His being, his personality, his knowledge were specific.
They leave a specific wake…
That his soul be in the blissful Light,
in this new travel for him toward the Source, the One.
With prayers. Satya – Paris
Zahllose Bilder durchziehen meinen Mind, seit ich von deinem Hinübergehen erfuhr. Immer wieder taucht eine innere Fotografie auf. Und ich lasse sie wieder gehen, die erinnernden Momentaufnahmen an DEN Meditationslehrer, den ich 2002 augenblicklich als MEINEN Lehrer erwählte. Über 20 Retreats schenkten mir die Möglichkeit auf deinen ruhig und exakt vorgetragenen Spuren zu lernen. Vielschichtig zeichnete sich der über die Jahre durchlaufene Weg ein.
In allen Dhikrs der Zukunft wird etwas von deinem Rhythmus enthalten sein, den ich insbesonders in mittelgroßen Gruppen im Retreatzelt in CAMPRA oder in Cala Jami als geschulte Musikerin mitschwingend für passend empfand. Deine Morgenmeditationen haben sich unendlich kostbar und tief eingeprägt, sie sind somit bei entsprechender Konzentration ein immer wieder abrufbarer Schatz. Die Vornehmheit deines Beispiels beim Reinigen des Atems bleiben mir ein stetes Vorbild.
Dass es auch Befremden und Unverständnis gab, erlebte ich wie in früheren Lehrer-Schüler-Beziehungen genauso mit dir. Die Auseinandersetzungen mit Widersprüchen wiesen mir den Weg und waren Indikatoren, wie stark und zunehmend schwächer die Bindung zum Lehrer sein sollte. Schrittweise löste ich mich von den Mustern, um die eigene Synthese entfalten zu können. Dass das Gespräch im letzten August sich so endgültig anfühlte, bestätigt die Tatsache, dass ich die angebotene Lektion als assimiliert betrachtete.
Ich empfinde mich als Teil deiner im Diesseits entwickelten Arbeit und trage dieses Erbe gerne in mir und zum Du weiter.
Im tanzenden Sternenlicht tief verbunden. AMIN
Demnächst führen wir die h-moll Messe von Bach in Wien auf. Ich werde diese Darbietung innerlich dir und meiner Hochachtung für deine jahrelange präsente Meisterschaft widmen.
Munir
If you have been to the Zenith Camp, during the last 28 years, you most certainly will remember Munir. How could you not! You might remember the early morning meditations, this was Munir’s domain during most weeks, or you might remember the Thursday night Zikhrs let by him, you might even have been guided by him on an individual or a group retreat. Or maybe you just saw this non-conformist dervish wandering around, smoking a cigarette; drinking a coffee. But you certainly couldn’t miss him.
Of the the 4 original pillars of Camp Zenith, Pir Vilayat, Waliha, Zamir and Munir, he is the last one to leave the camp behind; Pir Vilayat passed, Waliha and Zamir retired, and now Munir moved on to other spheres.
Munir was strong in his way, and for many it was not easy to work with him on a constant basis, he had his path and he stuck to it, no matter what difficulties came up. Our relationship in all those years of leading the camp was one sustained through mutual respect, a respect that went beyond issues of disagreement and opinions. This is not always easy to keep up, but when it keeps working for almost 30 years, it is very special.
After the passing of Pir Vilayat, Munir made it his duty to be at the Dargah for every Urs celebration, to show his respect and to keep the memory of Pir Vilayat alive.
Just like his Pir, Munir was very interested in Science and Physics, not surprising that he passed away on the same day as Stephen Hawkins, and on the birthday of Einstein.
Munir, may you travel and rediscover all those spheres that you explored in your meditations, may you meet up with Pir Vilayat and all the dervishes that you admired, may you dance through the galaxies.
With deepest respect.
Zamir
Munir, Illuminator of the Universe –
for sure for my Universe! Somehow, each word seems to be too much and too little at the same time, to express what your presence in my life has been, as long as you prevailed on earth, beloved Guide – and what it is now, without the borders of your persona – still guiding me in tremendous love, care and luminosity – minitious on the way to real meditation – and beyond.
Your impact on generations of serious seekers on their path to the place, where we all belong, and where you finally were allowed to return fully, is not measurable – but the light, you kindled in our souls is shining bright – and we will carry it on, to the best of our possibilities!
Missing you every moment, when turning within – but then, you are there, closer, than ever!
With love and gratitude beyond words
Amaité
Lieber Freund und Helfer, lieber Bruder. Du wohnst in unseren Herzen. Und wir gehen auch mit Dir. Wir packen zusammen deinen Rucksack. Und wir lachen und weinen dabei. Und wir singen unseren Dank für jeden schönen Moment,den wir hatten. Und dein lieber Humor wird uns umschweben in Momenten, wo wir eine warme gute Stimme brauchen, die uns daran erinnert, wo eigentlich oben und unten ist.
Ich danke Dir, lieber Freund.