Neil Douglas-Klotz

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Neil Douglas-Klotz, PhD, (Saadi Shakur Chishti) is a world-renowned scholar in religious studies, spirituality, and psychology. Living in Edinburgh, Scotland, he directs the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning, and for many years was co-chair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion. He is also co-founder of the international Network of the Dances of Universal Peace.

A frequent speaker and workshop leader, he is the author of several books, including Prayers of the Cosmos, The Hidden Gospel, The Genesis Meditations, The Sufi Book of Life, Blessings of the Cosmos and The Tent of Abraham (with Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Sr. Joan Chittister). Known also for his citizen diplomacy work, in 2004, he co-founded the Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace. In 2005, he was awarded the Kessler-Keener Foundation Peacemaker of the Year award for his work in Middle Eastern peacemaking. For more information on communities worldwide in which his work is shared, visit The Abwoon Resource Center.

Author photo © N Lapteva


Listen to Tami Simon's interview with Neil Douglas-Klotz: The Aramaic Jesus

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The Aramaic Jesus

Tami Simon speaks with Neil Douglas-Klotz, a world-renowned scholar in religious studies, spirituality, and psychology. Neil directs the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning in Scotland, and is the author of The Hidden Gospel and The Sufi Book of Life. With Sounds True, he has published the book Blessings of the Cosmos and three audio learning courses, including I Am: The Secret Teachings of the Aramaic Jesus. In this episode, Tami speaks with Neil about how to appreciate multiple interpretations of scriptural text, and what the “I Am” sayings of Jesus were meant to communicate to his disciples. He also offers a body prayer meant to give us a somatic experience of the teachings of Jesus. (57 minutes)

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