Healing Journeys with Suzie Daggett
Robert Tobis is a most unusual spiritual teacher: he is a Lineage Accredited Spiritual Counselor, a teacher and a Chaplin at the hospital. He is not fond of labels and none of them seem to explain him or his work. His teachings are multi-denominational – as he says, “all over God’s map”. He understands and uses the teachings of all religions, all contemplative thought, and all spiritual paths to help people see the light that lives within. For him, the work continues every moment of every day. He lives with faith that God is in charge and Robert is just Robert.
How did you get interested in spiritual teachings?
When I was very young, I had glimmerings that there was more to us than meets the eye - I saw my grandmother and my parents exactly as I was no difference at all. I experienced a real sense of unity. My family was orthodox Jew and I went to temple as a child, but I really stepped onto a spiritual path in the mid-sixties as a young adult. I read and researched it all! First, I was introduced to Christian Science and it made such beautiful sense. Then, my metaphysical journey was involved with deep readings in all traditions, including Sufism.
Your main teacher was a Sufi, can you explain Sufism?
The Sufi tradition is ancient, perhaps predating Islam, the Kabballah, the Buddhist Sutras, the Tantra Traditions, and the Zoroastrian tradition, the Christian faith. The Sufi path is through initiation and there is a chain of transmissions that go way back to ancient spiritual traditions. The Sufi practice is simple (yet complex, of course) and that is to surrender to God in love over and over.
Sufism has certain steps to enlightenment – can you elaborate?
The Sufi’s training for the soul’s progression is called the Seven Levels of the Ego. Starting first with the animal nature – a Commanding – you feel like you are in control and must make everything bend to your desires, i.e., the ego is in charge. Then, a question one might ask is “there must be more to life then this”. This is the Dawning, or the first step to bring one from the animal level to the next level. The Blaming comes next – where you feel you are to blame for everything that happens to you. You tend to see your wrongs and end up blaming yourself and others. Next, is the Inspired – this is where Spirituality really comes to blossom. Here, one gets in touch with what IS. This is wonderful place, but there is a pitfall, called the Veils of Light by the great Sufi poet Rumi. The Veils of Light are more insidious than the veils of darkness. You are striving for light, and in that striving, you can reach a point where it blinds you. You may find yourself in a universal brotherhood, where you start comparing your brotherhood to others – back to the ego! Next is Serenity – you see past the veils of light, and you become very peaceful because you see how things work, but it does not affect you. There is a trap here as well, as you can pull into a complete hermit state and not share your serenity with anyone. Next is The Pleasing, the fifth level of your spiritual path. At this level, one can become a teacher – this is the stage in which God is pleased with you. When you are in this state, you fine-tune your inner perceptions and you find out that all the levels are alive and well and working within you. As you recognize all the levels operating within, you can watch them and this gives you compassion for those who are at different levels. You find throughout life situations, you are still there on some subtle or gross level. The sixth level is the one where you are Pleased with God – this is the acceptance that God is in control, and not you, and you accept all there is. You are purified!
How do you work with someone in need?
When someone comes to me for spiritual advice, I am just the advisor – the Sufi’s say God is the only teacher, and it is only through God that the teachings can come. I only help with opening every sense to the heart. When people have problems and need advice, they explain the situation from the levels they have attained. I work with them from that level, not any other level. Getting them to see problems from a perspective that they understand is one way I help to open or change the person.
What do you get out of the work you do?
My work is my sole purpose of being human – to reconnect with the Source. My teacher gave me this wonderful advice: keep your focus on the One: keep yourself available; and deliver any messages that are given to you to deliver. This is endless work in which I am grateful to be a part of.
Robert Tobis can be reached at 530-273-8516.
Healing Journeys is a column written by Suzie Daggett for the Grass Valley Union newspaper. Suzie interviews a variety of health practitioners most Fridays in the Wellness section. Click here to read past articles. Enter "Suzie Daggett" in the search box to get listing of all articles. |
