Greetings from Russell's Remnant:

The Sufis are Muslim Mystics. Some of the Sufi ideas were borrowed and included in the texts of St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, Roger Bacon, Gurdijieff, Ouspensky, "Shakespeare", the William Tell legend, the Troubadours, the Illuminati and the Rosicrucians. Russell Whitesell had connections to St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, the Troubadours, and the Rosicrucians.

The following Sufi sayings were taken from The Way of The Sufi by Idries Shah:

You possess only whatever will not be lost in a shipwreck. El-Ghazali

Some Israelites reviled Jesus but he answered them with prayers for them. Someone said to him, "You prayed for these men, did you not feel incensed against them?" He answered, "I could spend only of what I had in my purse." Attar of Nishapur

People think that a Teacher should show miracles and manifest illumination. The requirement in a Teacher, however, is only that he should possess all that the disciple needs. Ibn El-Arabi

None learned the art of archery from me who did not make me, in the end, the target. Saadi of Shiraz

No one throws a stone at a barren tree. Saadi of Shiraz

When a man’s sleep is better than his waking - it is better that he should die. Saadi of Shiraz

Do not make friends with an elephant keeper if you don’t have room for his elephant. Saadi of Shiraz

The foundation of tyranny in the world was trifling at first. Everyone added to it until it attained its present magnitude. Saadi of Shiraz

The king is in heaven because he respected the holy men. The holy man is in hell because he compromised with kings. Saadi of Shiraz

Whoever gives advice to a heedless man is himself in need of advice. Saadi of Shiraz

Essence manifests only in understanding. The Naqshbandi Order

Sin against God is one thing; but sinning against man is worse. Sufian Thauri

A learned man who has many friends may be a fraud, because if he were to tell them the truth, they would no longer be his friends. Sufian Thauri

Mistakes are often delightful to the minds of those who follow them. Ibn Abbas

If I am mistaken, it does not matter much to your future; but if I am right, it is all-important to your future. The Caliph Ali

Until college and the mosque have crumbled, this holy work of ours will not be done. Until faith becomes rejection and rejection becomes belief, there will be no true believer. Abu Said

Most of humanity do not know what it is in their best interest to know. They dislike what would eventually benefit them. Al-Nasafi

Teachers talk about teachings. Real teachers study their pupils as well. Most of all, teachers should be studied. Musa Kazim

Sufi theme on Mastership: The way in which a Master teaches is often incomprehensible to the students. This is generally because they are trying to understand the workings of something when in reality they are in urgent need of his benefits. Without its benefits they will never be able to understand its workings.

Sufi theme on Dervish Assemblies: Teachers in one circle become pupils in another.

Even if you have only been present in silence at the assembly of a Wise One, you have gained more potentiality than you could, by ordinary thinking, ever imagine. Mirza Asim

One man has a headache, another blurred vision - both are caused by the wrong food. Hamami

We give out strange phrases to ordinary people because our experiences cannot be put in their ordinary phrases. Ibn Ata

None attains to the Degree of Truth until a thousand honest people have testified that he is a heretic. Junaid of Baghdad

All wisdom can be stated in two lines: What is done for you - allow it to be done. What you must do yourself - make sure you do it. Khawwas

Kings rule men. Wise men rule kings. Abu el-Aswad

The wise man is he who does today what fools will do three days later. Abdullah ibn Mubarak

We wrote a hundred letters, and you did not write an answer. This, too, is a reply. Zauqi

A teacher with a small following, or no apparent following at all, may be the right man for you. An illustrious master may be of use only to advanced students. Badakhshari

The following poem was taught to one of Russell’s disciples by that disciple’s fifth grade English teacher in McComb, MS, in 1953. It became the disciple’s favorite poem.

A man who knows not and knows not he knows not, he is a fool - shun him.

A man who knows not and knows he knows not, he is simple - teach him.

A man who knows and knows not he knows, he is asleep - awaken him.

But a man who knows and knows he knows, he is wise - follow him.

This disciple was once asked why he always challenged metaphysical speakers at the local New Age bookstore, but did not challenge Russell Whitesell during his lectures. He quoted this poem and then said, "Until now, I was a man who knew and I knew I knew, but now after meeting and listening to Russell Whitesell, I now know that I know nothing and should be quiet. This disciple ceased teaching and lecturing and sat at Russell’s feet every day for many years.

P. S. The poem "Knowing" that the disciple loved, turns out to be an abbreviated version of a longer Sufi poem by the same name.