Ocean without Shores

When I do not understand something, I question it. For, to gain knowledge about something, one must acknowledge the vagueness that it brings. The void that inhibits your brain when you don't know something. Like an unprepared student staring at the words on an exam that do not make sense to them. Unprepared. That's the keyword here. When I am unprepared, I do not know what's going on. And, other than the hesitation or laziness to know, why else am I unprepared? Because I do not question. Because I do not listen. Because it is, that specific knowledge is the background chaos for me. I do not care therefore, I do not ask. And I show up-- on the day of the exam--unprepared.  Where am I going with this blabbering of questions, unpreparedness, and exams? Life. Love. Spirituality. If you have clicked this post and decided to read it, you are already well aware of the fact that I love discussions. I love talking about things that are 'background chaos.' The topics we consi...

Despite all the rich ideological conflicts between us, all agree that there once was a human- the first of us- who wandered in search of his kind and suddenly found love. The story of Adam and Eve is probably the oldest and most fascinating one. However, today's post is not about the story but the kind.  As the fight over color reignited recently, I couldn't stop but wonder about Adam; what color was the first of humans?  Children's books belonging to different regions illustrate Adam accordingly. To some, he may be a blue-eyed blonde, while to others, he embodies more of a bronze skin. But, what if Adam- in reality- was a butch black? Would you wring his neck too? If this comes out to be true, apart from the morally stinking, I fancy that people would not stop calling Adam the father of all humanity. The question here, though, arises that when the color of the father doesn't matter, why are his children divided over the dye their skin wears? The brutal deaths of George...

In my previous post, God of ecstasy, I discussed Dionysus and the theory of self-worth. Today's post is an extension of the same concept, however, it's about the occasion when I met power. Before sharing the conversation I had with power, let me just narrate folklore, not from Greek literature but, from Nepal's.  Sharing with you 'Who is the most powerful in N.Sharma's words: '' Once upon a time, there was a powerful mouse king. Drunk with power, he gave himself the airs of a superhuman animal. He had a beautiful daughter. Many young aspirants, representing the mice tribes from all corners of the globe, came to his kingdom to seek his daughter's hand in marriage, but he refused to oblige any of them, for he had determined not to give his daughter away to anyone but the most powerful living being in the universe.  He called a meeting of his courtiers to determine who would be the most fitting suitor for the mouse princess. The courtiers, after long delibe...

Greek mythology and its gods have always fascinated me. Many of my previous posts are, in actuality, derived from my conclusions of mythical Greek pieces- which I refer to as the seeker's well. Greek tragedy talks about human beings today. It is as relevant as it ever was. There's a lot to discuss when it comes to this literature, but today's post is dedicated to ecstasy and self-worth, which- by every means- takes us to the humanized notion of euphoria: Dionysus, the god of ecstasy.  Reading Friedrich Nietzsche drove me through many phases of existence, spiritually. People familiar with this name must know the starting of Nietzsche's historical spiritual journey; it was the interest in Greek tragedy- especially the god of ecstasy- that took him away from his orthodox Christian roots and landed him in the seeker's vessel. In his book, Twilight of the idols, Nietzsche wrote: "Herewith I again stand on the  soil out of which my intention,  my ability grows- I, th...

''I'll not put you in the heart, or you'll be wounded. I'll not keep you in the eye, or you'll be lowly. I'll give you a place in the spirit, not the eye or the heart, so you'll be my companion till the last breath.'' How do you see God? Which attribute of His do you most refer to Him with? Is He the 'severe' God, planning punishments and igniting the fire of hell, or is He the 'gentle' One, ready to forgive every mistake of His creation? So what's your answer, severe or gentle? Remember the answer as you'll need it later, after reading today's post. By getting to know a bit of philosophy and religion, I can confidently conclude that the gist of the teachings of every prophet, saint, and a godly person is to 'Acquire a mirror'. But what exactly is this mirror?  Visualize a simple mirror every household has, a mirror that has no inclinations, that shows the same image in front of it, that reflects 'you'....

When Narcissus died, the pure water lake turned salty. The forest asked the lake: "what has made you turn bitter?"  The lake sobbed: ''Separation from my marrow had made me shed tears, the water will forever remain unsweetened."   Greetings to readers around the world. As the coronavirus rages, social distancing is an important way to slow down the spread of this pandemic. But I do understand that social distancing, for many, could mean feeling isolated and lonely in times of stress and uncertainty. Life without each other is hard, loneliness can kill the bravest among us all. We are social beings and not meant to be alone. We are Narcissus, we are the lake. We need each other. We need others to reflect us to ourselves just as the lake reflected Narcissus's beauty. Imagine if Adam would have proceeded to the earth alone, would he have been able to originate the human race? The strangers who walk past, the passengers who sit beside us, the vendors who give us ...

"Love spread like blood in my veins.  It emptied me of all else and filled me with my friend.  All the pores of my existence belong to my beloved.  Only my name is mine, all else is his." -Amir Khusro In a world where bitterness has blended into our blood, where enmity is born right between amity, and where trust has slipped out of the cracks of our souls: lovers remain victorious. Love-what a strange word it is-not a battlefield, nor a bed of roses; love is something shallow, something deep, a blend of harsh and wonderful feelings. Love is the only battlefield where the lover is never defeated. It is the only bed of roses, where the lover never sleeps. Love is strange. Society shapes us. It molds our brains in a way that we adhere to their myths, their ideas, and their morals, but among us, the rebels are born; the lovers are born. Love is sacred. It is the finest of religions. Every story is an extension of this word. Every tale revolves around its sacredness. Adam wand...

Hello Everyone! The concept of purity has always been important to every religion. The cloth over Kaaba (Muslims' most holy site) is pure black. The Pope (head of the Roman Catholic Church) puts on pure white clothes. We drink pure water. We prefer pure gold and purity anywhere attracts us. So, what is so special about purity? Every religion has given knowledge about it to its followers. Quran says:      ''In it, there are men who love to observe purity and Allah loves those who maintain purity." Bible says:      "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is        pure." Coming to today's talking point, the question is, what is so special about two opposite colors: pure black and pure white? Black: darkest color which completely absorbs light, which means pure black embraces each color. Here, each color represents the characteristics of life while black symbolizes God who takes in or co...

‘Indeed my Lord is near and responsive  -Holy Quran  Salaam Everyone. I am back with a new post, let’s continue our search for the truth. Before I start, give your mind some work, have you ever thought about where is God? While laying in your bed, late at night, gazing at the ceiling, have you asked yourself,” Is He or not?” Well today, let’s find an answer to this question. Let’s find out: Is He or not?  Life is fast and unpredictable. One moment we’re happy and the other, everything has changed. But in between all this, we forget to look around us. We start questioning His presence without considering His absence. I read in ‘Aleph by Paulo Coelho’ that ‘if you don’t pray, God may be near, but you won’t feel His presence.’ That’s what happens to us. We’re too busy to pray, and hence, we’re lost. By praying, I do not mean kneeling all the time in a mosque or to sit in a church all day. By praying, I refer to the observations, the silence, and those awakened eyes. This is ...

This world is beautiful. Isn't it? Look at those colourful flowers full of life and that lovely blue sky. Those free birds, flying high and the pleasure they hum. Have you ever felt it? The obese, kind hearted person. The gaunt, positive thinker. The dwarfish, selfless human. The towering, intellectual soul. How beautiful all of them are. What amazing qualities do they have. They are different and not so gorgeous yet all of them are beautiful. There qualities are what make them captivating. She is pretty with that plump nose. He is handsome without those abs. She doesn't need long hair to look good. He looks totally perfect without that sharp jawline. Sometimes it's better to stop judging a book by its cover. Sometimes it's better to stop criticising others based on there looks. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. This is all God's creation and indeed God's reflection too. When you start observing things, you find beauty in each and when everything seem...

Son of the great king Jahangir who had once been insane for a girl; Anarkali, Shah Jahan learned the same from his father. Seated high on his Peacock throne, his heavy-lidded eyes gleamed with loss and pride. The Shah sorrowed over the death of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal-the Paragon of the palace. He had loved her more than any woman. They said such was his devotion to, and confidence in, her that she would read all his firmans and, should she approve, put the regal seal on them. She was not only his consort, but also his companion, confidante and counselor. In her absence he was inconsolable. He visited her private apartments at nights, as though chasing her fragrance-or apparition and when confronted with the emptiness of the chambers, he burst into tears. Just like this, Jahan Shah, son of a brave soldier Aleem Shah, was madly in love with Mehirmah, princess of the Ottoman Empire. She was young, beautiful, and charming but Jahan Shah, one of the many slaves, loved her simplic...

"Destiny is not designed by mere  mortals like us.  It is crafted  by God." -Rodrigo Duterte This world is a busy place. Many come, many go but life never stops. We are adapted to such a life. We don't know or maybe we don't want to know the main purpose of our existence. Were we sent to sit on the praying rug hunched or is there a different reason of our life? My words at the moment would be tough to understand because we don't know our purpose of existence yet and it's a secret how can we know it? But trust me, once in a lifetime, two roads open up to you and there you have to decide between the purpose of existence and means of existence. Now the question arises, how to know which road leads to the sole purpose of life? Simple: the place where the heart is and the place where the heart is, is the place where you're brought to tears. Our heart can never lead us astray as the God lives there. The heart is your temple and the key of its door hid...

I wandered in the gardens of rose I roamed in the streets of whores I roved in the houses of bawds But no peace did I find everyone knows. I moved to the bars Intoxicant liquid jars Numb became the hours But alas, no peace did I find in the notorious dark. I tried to sleep And all night weep My heart used to bleed But no peace did I find, I retreat. My narcissism vanished And ego banished I was tornished But no peace did I find, instead, perished. It was the darkest age A war against myself I waged I accepted your rage My life began, peace I chased. My hands trembled My feet shuddered I entered your prison Yet my soul shivered No, I was wrong Your anger was not long Your love was a song I sang all along. Nothing fears me anymore The tavern becomes my mosque And the brothel, a temple The night becomes my church And my tears become pearls. I was lost Used to boast You changed me I attained peace when you became the host. Regards, Yashal Ja...

Forget your life. Say  God is Great . Get up. You think you know what time it is. It’s time to pray. You’ve carved so many little figurines, too many. Don’t knock on any random door like a beggar. Reach your long hand out to another door, beyond where you go on the street, the street where everyone says, “How are you?” and no one says  How aren’t you? Tomorrow you’ll see what you’ve broken and torn tonight thrashing in the dark. Inside you there’s an artist you don’t know about. He’s not interested in how different things look in moonlight. If you are here unfaithfully with us, you’re causing terrible damage. If you’ve opened your loving to God’s love you’re helping people you don’t know and have never seen. Is what I say true? Say yes quickly, if you know, you’ve known it from the beginning of the universe. Regards, Yashal Jalil

There is a beautiful story about God and music. Apparently, God became very unhappy with the earthlings because of strife, wars and general anarchy in the world. He came to earth and told earthlings that He will destroy them. However, God wanted to give earthlings a chance so He asked them to give a single reason why they should not be destroyed. "We have produced great beings like Mohammed, Christ, Buddha etc. who have given us great teachings", said earthlings. God retorted that maximum number of human killings have taken place in the name of religion. Earthlings then recounted the great technological inventions that mankind has produced to which God replied that there are still some 3 billion people living in tremendous hardship and poverty despite these inventions. The reasoning and response of God stumped the earthlings. Then somebody said, "we have produced great music". "Let us hear it", God replied. The world music including Indian ragas, Bach,...

Lord, said David, since you do not need us, why did you create these two worlds? Reality replied: O prisoner of time, I was a secret treasure of kindness and generosity, and I wished this treasure to be known, so I created a mirror: its shining face, the heart; its darkened back, the world; The back would please you if you've never seen the face. Has anyone ever produced a mirror out of mud and straw? Yet clean away the mud and straw, and a mirror might be revealed. Until the juice ferments a while in the cask, it isn't wine. If you wish your heart to be bright, you must do a little work. My King addressed the soul of my flesh: You return just as you left. Where are the traces of my gifts? We know that alchemy transforms copper into gold. This Sun doesn't want a crown or robe from God's grace. He is a hat to a hundred bald men, a covering for ten who were naked. Jesus sat humbly on the back of an ass, my child! How could a zephyr ride an ass? Spirit, find your way, i...

" Nothing new can come into your life unless  you are grateful for what you already have " Gratitude.....have you ever heard of this word? If no then let me tell you what it actually means: its a state of being grateful, but if you already know about it then have you ever thought about implementing it in your life? Have you ever seen that young boy selling hot eggs on the streets in extreme winters or that little girl finding children of her age, not to play with them, but to sell them the balloons?? Have you observed that old mother rushing towards every car to find some money so that she can buy something for her kids to eat?? Have you ever noticed that old man selling vegetables but have nothing to give his family?? Yes, we see such people everyday but have but have we ever thought about their problems... No! because we never get time from our problems so big that we are always ready to blame God for them. Many of us are always ready to paint the situation i...

When the world sleeps, I wake up because for me every single second of night is a blessing. My dad once said that:      " The silence of the night and the breeze at dawn  have secrets to tell.  You must ask for what you really want.  Don't go back to sleep. '' And this is what I believe too. These moments have a different kind of peace in them which only the seekers cam seek.  I'm not one of those pious types who spend their whole lives hunched on prayer rugs while their eyes and hearts remain closed to the outside world. They read the Quran in the budding flowers and migrating birds. I read the breathing Quran secreted in human beings. Because every man is an open book, each and everyone of us a walking Quran. The quest for God is ingrained in the hearts of all, be it a prostitute or a saint. Love exists within each one of us from the moment we are born and waits to be discovered from then on. God doesn't need our prayers nor He demands...

The alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had bought. Leafing through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus. The alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the narcissus. But this was not how the author of the book ended the story. He said that when Narcissus died, the goddesses of the forest appeared and found the lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears. '' Why do you weep? '' the goddesses asked. '' I weep for Narcissus '', the lake replied. '' Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus'', they said , ''for though we always pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand.'' '' But.....was Narcissus be...

Last time I left you all with a simple but interesting and important question that what you really want God to say about you.....I got many answers, some in the comment box, other through email and my twitter account. Everyone, I mean every single person wants to hear God saying that He pardoned them. That's quite a good answer but no one actually said that they want to hear Him saying that He loves them and they really matter....... There's no wisdom without Love. No Love without freedom, And no freedom unless we dare to walk away from what we have become.        Many desire to see their names in print,      Many read nothing but the race report,                  Much is your reading but not the word of God,                     Much is your building but not the House of God. But one answer really persuaded me to think......One of my friend f...