Born: February 2, 1935 URS February 6, 2024
My dearest beloved Mikhail,
I have been blessed beyond measure to have been your beloved these
past 33 years.
It has been an incredible journey into ever deepening realms of being,
intimate inquiry, ecstatic joy and refuge. Your love has been
steadfast and I both basked and grew in that love. My deep wish is
that all that you have imparted to me, I will emulate for the rest of
my life. Your soul has forever been imprinted on mine.
Mikhail was/is a rare and beautiful soul. His entire adult life was
in pursuit of a deeper truth and a search for the sacred, which led
him to many exotic places and experiences. He possessed unwavering
devotion and dedication in serving the Message in many different
capacities: ensuring his teacher Pir Vilayat’s talks were recorded and
later preserved for posterity, writing extensively researched memoires
of both Pir Vilayat and his father Hazrat Inayat Khan which consumed
him for the last 12 years of his life, and being there in
conversation with anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of the
Message. His exquisitely fine attunement to music led him in search
of sacred music from all over the world. This music was played during
Pir Vilayat’s retreats and seminars; it so beautifully and perfectly
evoked the deep experiences of ecstasy, peace, majesty and light
imparted by Pir Vilayat’s teaching.
Mikhail uncompromisingly followed his guidance; his sense of deep
surrender and trust in his ideal was truly inspiring. He passionately
desired to discover the cause behind the cause, not just on the
physical plane, but on the level of the evolution of consciousness of
humanity as One. Mikhail, may your search continue, may your work in
the higher planes be ever broadening. May you soar in ecstasy with
all the illuminated beings of the higher realms. May you rest in
peace in the arms of the Beloved.
Amrita
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.” -Rumi
Rest in peace dear friend!
Mikhail has given us so many beautiful notes and inspiring music.
May you now whirl in the heavenly spheres and may your final journey into the One eternal light be blessed and protected.
We will miss you here at the Abode and wish that you may now dwell in the music of the spheres and your true being.
Love,
Gayatri
I very much enjoyed talking with Mikhail at camps at the Abode years ago, and am most appreciative of all the music he provided at retreats and made available to all of us. He will be well remembered by many of us.
Mikhail, dear friend, as salaam aleikhum
I remember you, as the years rolled by, always so true to y(our)
dear Pir Vilayat, recording so many of his words so that we could
take them home and remember.
And, I have your beautiful book, the rose that flowered after all those years with him.
Mostly I will remember your ebullient spirit, always surging ahead with new possibilities.
You will always be in my heart.
Bon voyage,
Himayat
Inna allahi wa inna allahi rajayun.
For many years I meditated to the recordings of the tibetan singing bowls. Thank you so much for the music at the camps and the recordings of Pir Vilayat that I poured over so many times.
Your memory IS a blessing. Rest in Peace in the Galaxies with your beloved Pir Vilayat!
I hope you are already dancing in the sky and galaxies with Pir Vilayat. Incredible love story. All my love to your family. Tajalli from the Eagle Camp and Suresnes
Dearest Mikhail
You will be missed
Will never forget your dedication and devotion
To this path and our beloved Pir Vilayat .
The music you brought to us evoked so many
Heart and soul moments of joy, passion, cosmic
flight, and deep peace.
Remembering your jinn spirit raising you out of
Your seat into ecstatic dance when certain
music played…..so beautiful to witness.
May your continued journey through the heavenly
music of the spheres be Joyous
Godspeed
Dear Mikhail,
Although he made it clear that Sufism is meant to be lived in the world, Pir Vilayat designated several murids as monks or renunciants and you were one of them. I enjoyed watching you in a state of ecstasy while recording Pir Vilayat. Your boundless energy produced so many lively offspring. Besides the countless bags of tapes you produced by the end of camps, you established Sacred Spirit Music, offering the finest sacred music from the world’s great religious traditions. You created the film “Memories of a Mystic: Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan,” including intimate film clips only you could have taken. You wrote “Illumination,” a biography of Pir Vilayat. And these last years you were writing and rewriting a comprehensive biography of Hazrat Inayat Khan, drawing from many sources and integrating the material with your keen insight. You told me that you took up these projects only at the insistence of inner voices which would often give you no peace but would require you to revise and revise. You suffered in the end from unrelenting pain in your legs but you never let it slow you down. Thank you for the treasures you left behind. May you enjoy the companionship of rare company and rest now well pleasing and well appreciated.
Love, Suhrawardi
golden aspen buddha
leaves and bells
of yours
enliven
still
I have many fond memories of Mikhail and find myself smiling at the image of him, free at last, to be again with Pir Vilayat, unfettered by the mortal body.
His devotion to Pir Vilayat, to recording his teachings, and to bringing beautiful music to our gatherings touched me deeply.
Mikhail continued to record Pir Zia in the beginning of his teachings, as well as many other teachers in our fold.
Mikhail was a kind support for far flung teachers, who wanted to have tapes or CDs of Abode gatherings available for our Centers. Always willing to help, with infectious ecstasy.
May he dwell with Universel Choirs of Angels, carried out to the vast spaces of Light, and rest in bliss and peace.
with love, Aqdas
A wonderful person, tireless worker and bringer of joy.
Mikhail recorded many talks by Pir Zia Inyayat Khan, who I was deeply involved with and who initiated me on the Path. I obtained many recordings through him. I loved his dedication to the work. I am happy to have had the opportunity to enjoy our friendship at The Abode.
I love the photo of Mikhail up above. When I think of him, it is always in a state of ecstasy. I was a late 70’s, early 80’s resident of the Abode and then a frequent visitor over many years.
When I first came to the Abode it was for the Summer Apprentice program. I moved from San Francisco to deepen my inner life and who knows what? I remember being let off by a bus in New Lebanon and wondered how in the world I would get to this community of bearded, long haired Sufi saints in long robes. I was kind of terrified. I remember finding a payphone in town which was only a nickel back then and called the Abode number. Luckily, someone picked up the phone and said that they would come to town to pick me up.
Of course, it was Mikhail who came to my rescue. I thought that he was sweet and a bit unusual, but what was not to like? He took me around, showed me the place and introduced me to some people. Then we went right into a Family meeting that was already in progress. Now, I was even more terrified walking into this meeting with all these holy people present, but I survived and stayed for 3 years.
I was on the building crew with Hadi, Amin, Mahabhava,Fazil, maybe others I’m not remembering. My first project was to help finish up Pir & Taj’s house up on the hill. We made a good wood shop in the barn and did many of the construction projects around the Abode for several years.
One of those projects was to build Mikhail’s house in it’s downtown Abode location.
When I think of the Abode and what I carry wonderful memories about, it was the variety of music that I heard during prayers and Worship services in the meditation hall. The music was transformative for me and still brings joy and great memories to me. This was brought to us by our musical genius, Mikhail.
I thank Mikhail for all he did for me and wish him well on his next journey.
Peace to you,
Jan
In all my visits to the Mountain camps, there was always one unwavering constant…Mikhail. It always makes me smile to remember his barely bridled energy and joy, and his deep commitment of service to the Message.
May all peace and blessings be with you,
Zahir