posted October 02, 2004 05:36 PM         

In the stillest hour of the night, as I lay half asleep, my seven selves sat together and thus conversed in whispers:

First Self: Here, in this madman, I have dwelt all these years with naught to do but to renew his pain by day and recreate his sorrow by night. I can bear my fate no longer, and now I rebel.

Second Self: Yours is a better lot than mine, brother, for it is given me to be this madman's joyous self. I laugh his laughter and sing his happy hours, and with thrice winged feet I dance his brighter thoughts. It is I that would rebel against my weary existence.

Third Self: And what of me, the love-ridden self, the flaming brand of wild passion and fantastic desires? It is I the love-sick self who would rebel against this madman.

Fourth Self: I, amongst you all, am the most miserable, for naught was given me but odious hatred and destructive loathing. It is I, the tempest-like self, the one born in the black caves of Hell, who would protest against serving this madman.

Fifth Self: Nay, it is I, the thinking self, the fanciful self, the self of hunger and thirst, the one doomed to wander without rest in search of unknown things and things not yet created; it is I, not you, who would rebel.

Sixth Self: And I, the working self, the pitiful labourer, who, with patient hands and longing eyes, fashion the days into images and give the formless elements new and eternal forms -- it is I, the solitary one, who would rebel against this restless madman.

Seventh Self: How strange that you would all rebel against this man, because each and every one of you has a preordained fate to fulfil. Ah! could I but be like one of you, a self with a determined lot! But I have none, I am the do-nothing self, the one who sits in the dumb, empty nowhere and nowhen, while you are busy re-creating life. Is it you or I, neighbours, who should rebel?

When the seventh self thus spake the other six selves looked with pity upon him but said nothing more; and as the night grew deeper one after the other went to sleep enfolded with a new and happy submission.

But the seventh self remained watching and gazing at nothingness, which is behind all things.

posted October 03, 2004 10:21 PM         

Have you, like me,
Chosen the forest dwelling
Rather than the castle?
Have you followed the stream
And climbed the rocks?
Have you anointed your body
With fragrance distilled in light?
Have you been drunk with dawn
In the goblets full of pure air?

Have you, like me,
Sat down at dusk,
Among the glowing languor
Of vines laden with grapes?
Have you lain down on the grass at night
And covered yourself with heavens,
Opening your heart to the future,
Forgetful of the past?

Give me the Nay and sing,
The song in tune with hearts.
The laments of the Nay will linger
Beyond the fading of sins. Give me the Nay and sing,
Unmindful of troubles and cures.
For each man
Is nothing more than a watercolor sketch.

Kahlil Gibran

posted October 03, 2004 10:47 PM         

And you too Juniperb! Did you write that? It's lovely!

posted October 04, 2004 12:05 AM         

Once there came from the desert to the great city of Sharia a man who was a dreamer, and he had naught but his garment and staff.
And as he walked through the streets he gazed with awe and wonder at the temples and towers and palaces, for the city of Sharia was of surpassing beauty. And he spoke often to the passers-by, questioning them about their city - but they understood not his language, nor he their language.
At the noon hour he stopped before a vast inn. It was built of yellow marble, and people were going in and coming out unhindered.
“This must be a shrine,’ he said to himself, and he too went in. But what was his surprise to find himself in a hall of great splendour and a large company of men and women seated about many tables. They were eating and drinking and listening to the musicians.
* ‘Nay,’ said the dreamer. ‘This is no worshipping. It must be a feast given by the prince to the people, in celebration of a great event.’
At that moment a man, whom he took to be the slave of the prince, approached him, and bade him be seated. And he was served with meat and wine and most excellent sweets.
When he was satisfied, the dreamer rose to depart. At the door he was stopped by a large man magnificently arrayed.
‘Surely this is the prince himself,’ said the dreamer in his heart, and he bowed to him and thanked him.
Then the large man said in the language of the city:
‘Sir, you have not paid for your dinner.’ And the dreamer did not understand, and again thanked him heartily. Then the large man bethought him, and he looked more closely upon the dreamer. And he saw that he was a stranger, clad in but a poor garment, and that indeed he had not wherewith to pay for his meal. Then the large man clapped his hands and called - and there came four watchmen of the city. And they listened to the large man. Then they took the dreamer between them, and they were two on each side of him. And the dreamer noted the ceremoniousness of their dress and of their manner and he looked upon them with delight. ‘These,’ said he, ‘are men of distinction.’
And they walked all together until they came to the House of Judgement and they entered.
The dreamer saw before him, seated upon a throne, a venerable man with flowing beard, robed majestically. And he thought he was the king. And he rejoiced to be brought before him.
Now the watchmen related to the judge, who was the venerable man, the charge against the dreamer, and the judge appointed two advocates, one to present the charge and the other to defend the stranger. And the advocates rose, the one after the other, and delivered each his argument. And the dreamer thought himself to be listening to addresses of welcome, and his heart filled with gratitude to the king and the prince for all that was done for him.
Then sentence was passed upon the dreamer, that upon a tablet about his neck his crime should be written, and that he should ride through the city on a naked horse, with a trumpeter and a drummer before him. And the sentence was carried out forthwith.
Now as the dreamer rode through the city upon the naked horse, with the trumpeter and the drummer before him, the inhabitants of the city came running forth at the sound of the noise, and when they saw him they laughed one and all, and the children ran after him in companies from street to street. And the dreamer’s heart was filled with ecstasy, and his eyes shone upon them. For to him the tablet was a sign of the king’s blessing and the procession was in his honour.
Now as he rode, he saw among the crowd a man who was from the desert like himself and his heart swelled with joy, and he cried out to him with a shout:
‘Friend! Friend! Where are we? What city of the heart’s desire is this? What race of lavish hosts, who feast the chance guest in their palaces, whose princes companion him, whose kings hangs a token upon his breast and opens to him the hospitality of a city descended from heaven?’
And he who was also of the desert replied not. He only smiled and slightly shook his head. And the procession passed on.
And the dreamer’s face was uplifted and his eyes were overflowing with light.

Kahlil Gibran

posted October 04, 2004 10:59 PM         

I have spent much time perusing the site!

The Nafs give us a deeper look into ourselves. Rather supports the adage "Know Thyself" so we can Work towards Truth.

While enjoying, I found this very enlighting and thought I would share

Gnosis/Enlightenment
Gnosis is founded on the knowledge that we have no independent knowledge or existence. The lower self is agitated by existence and the higher self only sees the permanent truth.


Enlightenment is the knowledge & experience of a constant state not based on time or space.


The ultimate divine gift lies in the knowledge of the moment; veiled between the memory of the past and anticipation of the future.


Our real contact with divine truth is the present moment.


Success is short lived and is relative unless it is to do with the discovery of the overwhelming power of Divine presence and control.


The ultimate truth lies within you and your present state is a modification and distortion of this truth. The stronger the action of the self, the greater is the distortion.


There is only one truth working and energizing infinite varieties of realities. Every experience or state has it’s reality, emanating and founded upon the one truth – the noor.


Stillness is where tranquility and peace is found , movement is where agitation and turmoil is found.


If only you can listen to absolute silence; it’s thunderous sound is deafening.


If you wish to have access to the subtle knowledge and illuminations then you need to understand appropriate and worthy actions.


If you are seeking the sacred, look deeply into the secular and if you wish to understand the secret of the secular meditate upon the sacred. The two facts are ONE.

posted October 05, 2004 05:41 PM         

"The Nafs give us a deeper look into ourselves. Rather supports the adage "Know Thyself" so we can Work towards Truth."

Yes, certainly...ummm..true ;-) Those nasty Nafs do get in the way of our ability to hear and respond to the everpresent signals She is sending us. One of the good things about the Sufi Way is the presence of clear understanding of the different levels of Nafs and how they operate.

"If you wish to have access to the subtle knowledge and illuminations then you need to understand appropriate and worthy actions."

The other selections are great but this one I particularly like. How do you feel these two things are linked?

posted October 06, 2004 11:21 PM         

In anticipation of answering your question, my Heart whispers "there are multi answers". If you would be generous with Time, I will contemplate these layers and reply when they can be given cohesive form