Mona Haydar is a poet, activist practitioner of Permaculture, meditator, composting devotee, mountain girl, solar power lover and a tireless God-enthusiast. She practices a life of sacred activism, poetry, contemplation and advocacy for living gently upon the Earth. She teaches classes and retreats on mindfulness and Islamic spirituality, leads workshops on creative writing and performs her poetry. Her words have found homes in the hearts of seekers, wanderers, poets, artists, lovers and stewards of the Earth. She grew up in Flint, Michigan, graduated from the University of Michigan and has since lived in Damascus where she studied Arabic and Islamic spirituality then went on to live in the mountains of Northern New Mexico at Lama Foundation and in the Redwood forest of Northern California with her husband and son. Mona and her husband, Sebastian set up a stand in Cambridge, Massachusetts with signs that read 'Talk to a Muslim' 'free coffee and donuts' 'free conversation' and 'Ask a Muslim' encouraging open and loving dialogue which garnered the attention of NPR, Al Jazeera, The Boston Globe among other media outlets. Currently she is working on her second collection of poems and her first work of nonfiction on Islamic Spirituality through the lens of other spiritual traditions. She is working towards her Masters in Divinity. Mona helps to grow a more universal love with her activism, writing, performing and teaching. www.monahaydar.com  

 

Episode Outline:

 

Experiences and Expression – Mona and I discuss her relationship to spirituality and religion as a child, experiencing God in nature and the depth, stillness and interconnectedness that flourished as a result, poetry as an expression of God, pulling ourselves back from the world of form and the God of “busy-ness” and more.

 

Islam – Mona elaborates on my very nursery school understanding of what the word Islam means, discussing the peace and surrender aspects of it and how the universe has no problem intervening in our lives in order to make us surrender.

 

The “G” Word – Mona and I discuss who “the one God” is according to the Muslim faith?

 

Peace Be Upon Him – Mona explains the role of the prophet Muhammad in the Muslim faith.

 

Donuts Anyone? – Mona shares about the “Ask a Muslim” stand she and her husband Sebastian set up in Cambridge, MA, which offers free donuts and coffee to people, as well as a conversation about being Muslim.

 

A Tiny Bit More – Mona shares about the power of reaching out to ones neighbor, regardless of their religion or lack thereof and sharing more love in the world.

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