I have a certain fascination with the language that I call my own, even though millions of people speak it, with various adeptness around the world. Some wit had remarked that English is the easiest language to speak badly. And a difficult language to speak properly. Where to gifts in our lives come from ? The conventional wisdom of parents, family etc looks a bit weak on analysis. As my Jewish teacher told me at Brompton Hospital: I cannot give you what G-d has not given you..I think gifts are lying In wait and it is the ability to reject conventional wisdom and free yourself to see the beauty of this world in purity. I had a wonderful conversation with someone in which we could effortlessly discuss: Literature Art Spirituality and our own interpretations of symbolisms of the society. Over the course of time, I have managed to free myself but that in no way diminishes the appreciation of these gifts
A chance to grow up in Australia at a critical time in development of my thinking. Australia is rapidly changing but I am grateful.
When the student is ready, the teacher appears and I am so lucky to have found such good teachers in both Medicine and Anthropology : in Medicine , at London, at Melbourne, at Miami and elsewhere. In Anthropology, in London with a wonderful chance to practice this profession among the Native peoples.
Although I have lived in countries which did not accord women equal status but the great influence as a teenager was from Scandinavia. No society is great if it denies women and the minority among themselves full rights and respect.
Free yourself of your gender but not your sexuality. Cuba was helpful, where sexuality is not associated with morality and there is no religious interference.
Underlying all these critical thinking is curiosity, without prejudice and open mindedness. I have heard such wonderful stories from girls who are only 8 years old, in Iran and Israel, 12 years old from Belgium and Israel and I feel very comfortable that these growing minds and intellects will protect the earth not only physically but emotionally, ethically and morally from the damages from men with beards and hats or guns or saffron robes.
I had a lovely conversation with a curious soul.
The greatest gift my father had given me was a love for Iran, its language, its culture and as I met more and more people with similar thinking, Hafez Shamaneh Mawlana Khayyam all entered and then of course poems as songs in the popular music.
In the Persian tradition, whenever one faces a difficulty or a fork in the road, Or even if one has a general question in mind, one would hold that question in mind, and then ask the Oracle of Shiraz
Hafiz
for guidance.
More often than not,
Hafiz, in his own enigmatic way would sing to the questioner and through the song, would get the questioner to look in the mirror of his/her soul.
Upon reflection in the mirror of Hafiz's Ghazal one would be inspired with an answer, a guidance or a direction.
Traditionally,
the first line upon which the eyes of the reader fall, would give the answer to the direct question, and the rest of the Ghazal would give further clarification.
Adivination and self realiazation with the help of Hafez. Certainly I am told Haze is the most widely read book in the Islamic Republic of Iran to the chagrin of the theocrats.
Her question was : have you ever found any culture or system of divination similar to Hafez. I had to think hard. I thought of the divination of the Native Americans where a small proportion is able to enjoy the power of adivination, in Cuba the afro cuban religion allows fora divination but there again the people capable are few but lots of people do gain from it . I have two books that I read at random: yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Zohar
I talked about ZOHAR the book of Jewish mysticism from the 13th century of Rav Shimon bar Zachai.
I made an observation:
Zohar is written in a specific form of Aramaic and the various forms of the Zohar reveals that each line and page is rife with alternate wording. So there is no authorized version of the Zohar.
Kabbalah is popular in the west in the new age groups but Zohar is the cornerstone of Kabbalah and to try and understand Zohar without the knowledge of Kabbalah, even if Zohar is read in French or English.
I have always felt that when we have occasions to chant, some ancient couplets, TO ME, it means more when it is in the Hebrew Language rather in English French or Spanish.
Why ? This curious mind of eaten oblivion asks
In Anthropology we take pride in asking WHY and not explaining it by WHAT..
A little searching revealed that the answer to that question is the inherent tension between what is revealed and what is kept secret. Zohar was written in the 13th Century Spain and nourished in the land of Israel . The mysticism reveals the tension of what is revealed and what is concealed.
To me, when I say Shema in any other language other than Hebew, I feel this tension ..
We talked about Lions and symbolism, like the lion in the pre islamic republic flag of Iran and the Lion of the tribe of Judah whose capital was Jerusalem has very many symbolic similarities. Lion the king has been associated with power and glory and strength and protection in many cultures.
We ended up the conversation with defining our affection for Art and also the spiritual nature of many things in life (not to be confused with religion)
(these were my words)
Art is universal
I have seen ancient rock art
Pre renaissance European
Moghul and Hindu
The appeal is to aesthetics and rationalty
Not to conquer and negate thinking but enhance the purity of beauty
What we need to free ourselves is those restrictions that hold us down: Nationality, Religion, Dress, Gender, Colour, Profession .
Then concentrate on Purity, Beauty, Morality, Emotions, Gratefulness, Compassion…
Wouldn’t that be nice ..?
Notes:
Nothing of this would have any meaning without offering a candle of gratitude to a friend from Karaj who went hiding into the veil of oblivion.
I am not a teacher of English Language but I am happy to help, if you are willing to put time and effort into it as well as give me glimpses into your culture in exchange.
Was it reading Marcel Mauss (son in law of Emile Durkheim, considered the father of French Sociology, himself descended from a line of Alsatian rabbis) that gave me the idea of "an archaic form of exchange of ideas". Even in our modern forms of communication, virtual, but not in person, there has to be an archaic form of exchange. I will think about it .
