I've been a student of Sufism for more than two and half decades. Well, many people ask me about my Sufi background . . . "how did you become a Sufi" and questions like that. So, a brief history: in 1980, I "took hand" (became initiated as a Sufi Dervish) with the Grand Sheikh Muzafferuddin "Ashki" Ozak of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order of Dervishes from Istanbul, Turkey. I continued my studies with Sheikh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti, Sheikh Nur al-Anwar al-Jerrahi (Lex Hixon), and Sheikha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi (the present head of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Order). In 1996, I renewed my "hand" (also known as Bai'at) in the Halveti-Jerrahi tekke in Istanbul with Grand Sheikh Sayyid Safer Dal Efendi. While writing my second book "The Sun at Midnight: The Revealed Mysteries of the Ahlul Bayt Sufis" I traveled widely, making spiritual pilgrimages to Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, France, Ireland, Israel, Malta, Mexico, Palestine and Turkey. During Ramadan of last year, I was invested with the robe of sheikh in the Nimatullahi Order by a "man of Light" - Sheikh Arthur (Dr. Joseph Smith). Professionally,  I compose music for dance, write books and magazine articles and teach privately.