Murshid Khabir Don Kitz was born in Woodbury, New Jersey. He first thought he would become a Lutheran Minister but instead studied art at the Philadelphia College of Art. In 1974, while living San Antonio, Texas he met his first Sufi teacher Shaikh Sarmad Brody. Shortly after, he was ordained as a cherag by Pir Vilayat Khan.
Khabir started a Sufi Center in Texas called the Shrine of the Heart. In 1976 he studied the dervish turn with Rashad Field, later with Jelaluddin Loras and continues the practice as a semazen and teacher of the turn as a meditation practice.
For many years he was a devoted friend of Murshida Vera Corda and learned the inner light work from her. By 1980 after having a strong desire to be connected to the work of Murshid Sam, Khabir left the Sufi Order and then linked with Pir Moineddin and the Ruhaniat.
In 1981 he moved to land in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas where he founded Heartsong Retreat Center. In 1982 Khabir was ordained a Seraj in the Service of Universal Peace. The Service of Universal Peace comprises the religious activity of the Sufi Ruhaniat International. It is based upon the traditional Universal Worship Service, which was created by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse religious traditions of the world, externally in the beauty of their distinctions and differences, and internally in the transformative and healing power of their inner Unity in One Source.
In 2007 along with Murshida Khadija he organized the Universal Worship Service celebrating Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan’s 80th Urs in New Delhi.
Khabir Kitz departed this earthly plane March 30, 2019.
Khabir Don Kitz was a retired art instructor (directing the Art Department at North Arkansas College 1982-2005) and had two grown children. His home and art studio were located on the property adjacent to the retreat center before his move to Eureka Springs, AR. Khabir continued to lead dance, meditation, turning and art workshops. Giving students the tools to find their inner guidance and to discover the creator within every being and thing is what Khabir tried to do in life.
In his final wishes Murshid Khabir asked that Heartsong Retreat Center be maintained as a place for all people to join together in nature and worship.
March 2, 1939 – March 30, 2019