Diana Lyon
Diana lives with her family on the banks of the Delaware River in Northeast Pennsylvania, where her primary focus is parenting and attuning to divine, embodied presence in everyday life. She was raised-up in the bosom of the Ruhaniat family in Northern California and has early memories of first attending Mendocino Sufi Camp as a toddler, with her mother Shakura. Diana is interested in practices that land us in the body and help us stay present in what feels like a chaotic world. She received initiation as a guide and sheikh from her teacher Asha Greer and is a certified leader of the Dances of Universal Peace.
Diana is also an early childhood educator and social worker by vocation, having founded a Waldorf School, and worked in hospice care and with survivors of violence in her community. She co-founded the Ruhaniat Sufi Youth Council and the Mendocino Sufi Youth Camp in her young adult years, and has served on the SRI Board of Directors and various community committees and councils.
Muiz Brinkerhoff
Muiz (he/him), from northern California, USA, was initiated into the Ruhaniat by Murshid Wali Ali in 1975, certified as a leader of the Dances of Universal Peace by Pir Moineddin Jablonski in 1979, and initiated as a Guide (Sheikh) in 1995. He has led the Dances and Sufi Sound & Breath practices since 1979, at classes, retreats and camps around the USA mainland, in Hawai’i, the UK, Holland, Morocco, France, and South Africa.
Muiz’ 49-year Sufi practice is deepened and broadened by a wide variety of life experiences and interests, and leavened with large doses of common sense and a keen sense of humor (à la Joe Miller). This combination helps him avoid getting stuck in some major pitfalls on the Spiritual Path — ungrounded ecstasy, joyless sobriety, and taking his limited ego too seriously.
In addition to group settings, he also offers formal and informal guidance and mentoring to those who resonate with his particular approach to Waking Up: using a variety of embodied sound, breath, and movement practices, with psychological/psychic clearing and integrative methods as needed, to cultivate a radiant attitude & an inclusive Heart; increasing magnetism, spiritual attunement, empathy, kindness, & gratitude; and practicing Presence in daily activities.
As probably the first, openly gay-identified man to be initiated to the Ruhaniat‘s teaching circle, his welcome reception while being fully himself has encouraged other LGBTQIA2S+, non-binary, gender non-conforming+ folks to come out as fully themselves, too.
Pir Shabda Kahn
Shabda Kahn, a direct disciple of the American Sufi Master, Murshid Samuel Lewis, has been practicing Sufism since 1969 and since 2001, is the Pir (Spiritual Director) of the Sufi Ruhaniat International, the lineage tracing from Hazrat Inayat Khan and Murshid Samuel Lewis. He is also the Spiritual Guide of the Dances of Universal Peace worldwide. Shabda has studied and performed North Indian Classical Vocal Music under the guidance of the late Master Singer, Pandit Pran Nath, since 1972. He is also a disciple of the illustrious Tibetan Master, the 12th TaiSitu Rinpoche.
Shabda leads retreats and camps in Sufism with an emphasis on the mysticism of breath; the science and art of wazifa and zikr; music; the walking meditations of Murshid Samuel Lewis and opening the heart. He brings gentleness and humor in transmitting the rich lineage of Sufism.
Tamam Kahn
Tamam has taught writing class at Mendo for many years. She is the author of two poetry books on women in history. Untold, Monkfish Books, and Fatima’s Touch, Ruhaniat Press. Her new book, Across the Difficult with Rabia of Basra and Others, will be published by Albion Andalus Press in time for Sufi Camp.
Tamam is married to Pir Shabda. They live in Marin County, just north of San Francisco.
Kira Gayatri Kull
Currently pursuing a doctorate in Mythology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, Kira Gayatri Kull (they/she) has danced in the Sufi communities of Northern California and the world for their entire life. Residing in Los Angeles after many years in New York, Gayatri wields a depth of experience in theatrical productions ranging from immersive movement pieces to Shakespearean classics. The site of many formative spiritual experiences, she is delighted to return to Mendocino Sufi Camp, and share a taste of what’s been brewing in their creative cauldron.
Sadaya Zimmerle
Sadaya completed 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training in India under Guru Vishnu Panigrahi. Already trained in Pilates, Yoga added ancient teachings and underpinnings, increased range, beauty, and opportunities for awe and transcendence or simply coming more home to the body and self.
Sadaya delights in teaching weekly Yoga and Zumba classes at 24 Hour Fitness. Additionally, she is passionate about the Dances of Universal Peace. She is a certified Dance Leading Training Mentor, hosting her own circle with her accordion and offering the Dances broadly, in service. As president of Dances of Universal Peace non-profit “Return to Love,” she helps host the annual East Bay Sufi Camp and other opportunities for connection through the practices we love. She is also a Reiki Master and a certified Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) practitioner (a powerful therapy involving self applied acupressure). As an additional community support, she created Tapping Zikr, which combines EFT Tapping with Sufi melodic and chanting Zikr, in which we remember all the Love and Oneness we are awash in. Sadaya is an initiator in the Ruhaniat. For her day job, she is an LCSW/psychiatric social worker in adult outpatient mental health, and is happily married, with a daughter and two dogs.