Dissolving Into Being

Dissolving into Being is an introduction to Sufi philosophy, a tradition based on the

teachings of Ibn 'Arabi (d.1240), Sufism's most influential master. His voluminous

writings offer a treasury of wisdom, yet their vintage and complexity can limit their

purview to experts. To help bridge the gap between specialized studies of Sufi

philosophy and a broader readership, Dissolving into Being offers a modern

commentary on key passages of Ibn 'Arabi's foremost work, The Gemstones of

Wisdom, drawing out its profound insights on the unity of life, the reality of love

and the mysterious nature of destiny, death and what follows. In the process of

doing so, the book explores key elements of the Islamic Sufi-tradition and offers

an overview of the Sufi path of spiritual transformation, all the while pointing to the

deep resonance of Sufi philosophy with other religions and philosophies.

Although such works are much more widely available for other (what we might call) mystical

philosophical traditions, there is little available on Sufi philosophy that is not

explicitly oriented towards a strictly academic readership.