River of Guidance

RoG Class Hub

This is the place to find course materials, videos, and any supplemental guidance.

About Jahanara

Jahanara is a Sheikha in Sufi Ruhaniat International. She serves as a Sufi guide, Dance leader, teacher, and supporter of the Murshid Sam Dargah at Lama. She is a longtime student of Bolad’s Kitchen (Martin Prechtel’s international school), and an international recording artist whose music has appeared in the movies: Argo and Son of Aram. Jahanara is a mother, daughter, sister, partner and 3rd generation Colorado native living in Boulder, CO. An artist in multiple mediums (textiles, metalwork, painting), Jahanara is also a storyteller, instrument maker, author and teacher.

Mother Seeds
with Sheikha Jahanara Mangus

In this three-class series we will explore the roots of the Hail Mary Prayer as direct experience of Her.

One of the earliest stories about the origins of the rosary opens us to the beauty and transmission of this poetry. The deep wisdom that this story points us toward is the experience of the embodiment of the creative power of sound and the fertility of sacred speech.

When we offer the gifts of our breath and attention, we activate this holy germ of Becoming, awakening the creativity and intimacy carried within these sound-seeds. Through music, story and practice, we will get curious about how we make and experience sound, discovering how we can begin to relate to these Mother-Seed sounds with our whole being, giving us direct access to a different level of prayer, language and attunement to the Mother. When we consciously experience these ancient building-blocks of a felt language, a direct language, we spark an intimate and embodied conversation between our heart and the heart of Mother Mariam…and we return Her holy echo... as flowers. Prayers are flowers and flowers are prayers. 

To Watch Course Video Recordings (usually within 48 hours after class)

Click Here to Watch

Supplemental Materials for Course

  • View and download PDF

    Aramaic Version of the Prayer‍ ‍ (Western Syriac dialect)

    QUESTIONS to ponder and explore for each sound: 

    Mother seeds: (SH/M/B/O/H)

    How does the Mother-seed sound inspire you to move and feel and perceive?

    What does the Mother-seed sound taste like in your mouth and whole being?

    How does your mouth, lips, face and body move when you make the sound?

    How does this Mother-seed sound inspire you to Become, to flower more fully?

    Where does the Mother-seed sound take you inside yourself, what kind of journey?

    What images, stories, memories, sensations arise with this Mother-seed sound?

    What are your favorite SH/M/B.O/H words - how do they make you feel?

    Where do you hear these sounds in nature? In your world?

  • The Maples - 

    “I asked the stand of maples behind the house,  

    How should I live my life?  

    They said, shhh shhh shhh…  

    How should I live, I asked, 

    and the leaves seemed to ripple and gleam.  

    A bird called from a branch in its own tongue,  

    And from a branch, across the yard, 

    another bird answered. 

    A squirrel scrambled up a trunk  

    then along the length of a branch.  

    Stand still, I thought,  

    See how long you can bear that.  

    Try to stand still, if only for a few moments,  

    drinking light breathing”

    By Marie Howe

  • Prayer-Poem built on the Mother-Seeds

    Mariam, Ever-flowing Holy Mother waters,

    your interiority 

    so full, so ripe and bursting!

    Freed by the Holy sight 

    who, drawn like an echo

    to the aroma of your readiness,

    embraced you, clothed you in the

    “with-ness” of Alaha, 

    The fire of your surrender 

    annealed your fear…

    leaving freedom in its wake.

    Mother, blessed are you, 

    a woman AMONG…

    whose cycles of bowing and building 

    have become your superpower - 

    the power to bless.

    Oh

    Lady of the highest nobility, Bringer of the Breast,

    Mother and Birther of God, 

    of Love-in-Matter,

    we see you. 

    Let our utterance of your name 

    continue to grow the flower of your story.

    Holy Queen, 

    please breathe our names into the holy book of your heart,

    lighting a beacon for us as we live and learn,

    fail and grow,

    as we also surrender - 

    releasing our souls grip on the material

    and enter into the Now of your Eternal Song.

    Jahanara would love to hear from you:. Email her at: 13jahanara@gmail.com

    Web: http://www.jahanaralauramangus.com