A.K.A. Chisti

A. K. A. Chisti is the penname of Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz, a world-renowned scholar in religious studies, spirituality, and psychology, specializing in the languages and culture of the ancient Middle East.

A frequent speaker and workshop leader, he is the author of several books on the Aramaic words of Jesus, including Prayers of the Cosmos, The Hidden Gospel and Blessings of the Cosmos. His works on Native Middle Eastern spirituality and Sufism include: The Genesis Meditations, The Sufi Book of Life, Desert Wisdom and The Tent of Abraham, authored under the name of Saadi Shakur Chishti, with Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Sr. Joan Chittister.

Douglas-Klotz directs the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning and served for many years as cochair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion. He also cofounded the International Network of the Dances of Universal Peace in 1982 (dancesofuniversalpeace.org). In 2004, he helped begin the Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace (mesp.org.uk), and in 2005, he was named Kessler-Keener Foundation Peacemaker of the Year for his work in Middle Eastern peacemaking. For information on his work, see the website of the Abwoon Network: www.abwoon.org.

Praise for the Previous Work of Neil Douglas-Klotz

The Sufi Book of Life:

'One of the outstanding books I always keep at hand...a good guide for the confused like me. These 99 doors lead to a palace.'

--Elif Shafak, author of The Forty Rules of Love

'His inclusive spirit should appeal to readers within many religious traditions.'

--Publishers Weekly

'Written simply, tenderly and with great wisdom.'

--Charlotte Kasl, author of If the Buddha Dated

'Warmth, wisdom and common sense...practical guidance for any spiritual traveler.'

--Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee, author of Sufism, The Transformation of the Heart

Prayers of the Cosmos:

'Reader beware: though this book is brief, it contains the seeds of a revolution.'

--Matthew Fox, author of Original Blessing

Neil Douglas-Klotz is a rare jewel; a brilliant scholar with heart whose words have the power to reconnect us with our sacred source.

--Joan Borysenko, author of Seven Paths to God

The Hidden Gospel:

'Insightful, penetrating...dazzling.'

--Leonard Shlain, author of The Alphabet versus the Goddess

Desert Wisdom:

'Middle Eastern enchantment for the soul. Bravo!'

--Fred Alan Wolf, Ph.D., author of Taking the Quantum Leap

'Weaves ancient sacred messages by the golden thread of unity...Open the book anywhere and you will discover delightful inner openings and insights.'

--Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, author of The Thoughtful Guide to Sufism

The Tent of Abraham (with Joan Chittister, OSB and Rabbi Arthur Waskow):

'...brings three religious traditions together so that we may all become more familiar with the faiths lived by the strangers around us.'

--Karen Armstrong

'People really must read this book, for the choice of interpreting our three faiths as the grounds for war or for peace is nothing less than a choice between life and death.'

--Rabbi Elliot Dorff, University of Judaism