IRAN IN MY HEART .. WORDS AND THOUGHTS FROM THAT CLOSED WORLD TO ME MAKE WEEP

 I had been looking for the book of poems by Ahmad Shamloo. I was the at the clinic of the indigenous people, and I had stored it there ? it was such a nice reunion with the book ..

In Havana, Cuba which is my home when i am in the Americas, there is a Persian restaurant ? and imagine my surprise when i could recognize Shamloo's face on the wall ?

one has to keep a pure heart with Iran, the recent history obscures what an Iranian is capable of. Unborn tomorrow and Dead Yesterday as Khayyam sang but others have murdered the todays as well 

A new voice in my horizon, reminded me of this poem by Shamloo

tears come to my eyes

for all my brothers and sisters and lovers in that land 

i want you to know that i feel your pain and desperation and hopelessness..

i am with you in whatever way I can be 

even if it is only to talk to you for a few minutes to improve your English

Forgive me, i should do more

forgive me, my brothers and sisters and lovers of Iran..

MAVLANA AND MAYA : ILLUSION

"This place is a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real. Then death comes like dawn, and you wake up laughing at what you thought was your grief." ~ Rumi

Maya, in various Eastern philosophies and spiritual traditions, refers to the concept of illusion or the deceptive nature of reality. It is commonly associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Advaita Vedanta.

Maya is derived from the Sanskrit word "māyā," which can be translated as "illusion," "magic," or "deception." It represents the veil of illusion that hides the true nature of reality and creates a distorted perception of the world. According to these philosophies, Maya is responsible for the perceived duality, separateness, and impermanence of the phenomenal world.

In Hinduism, Maya is often described as the cosmic illusion created by the divine power of Brahman (the ultimate reality). It is believed that Maya veils the individual soul (Atman) and prevents it from realizing its true nature as identical to Brahman. The goal of spiritual practice in Hinduism is to transcend Maya and attain liberation (Moksha) by realizing the ultimate reality beyond the illusory world.

Similarly, in Buddhism, Maya is viewed as the fundamental delusion that leads to suffering. The concept is closely related to the teaching of Anicca (impermanence), Dukkha (suffering), and Anatta (non-self). According to Buddhism, the craving and attachment caused by the illusion of Maya perpetuate the cycle of rebirth and prevent the attainment of enlightenment (Nirvana).

Advaita Vedanta, a non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, emphasizes the illusory nature of the world and asserts that there is only one ultimate reality, Brahman. The phenomenal world, including the individual self (ego) and all its experiences, is considered as an illusion projected by Maya. The practice of Advaita Vedanta aims to realize the true nature of oneself as identical to Brahman and to transcend the illusory perception of duality.

In summary, Maya is a concept that points to the deceptive nature of reality, the illusory nature of the phenomenal world, and the veil that prevents individuals from recognizing their true nature. It is a fundamental concept in various Eastern philosophies, guiding seekers on the path of self-realization and spiritual liberation.

IT does not take much to realize that some of the greatest classic writers of Iran were influenced by non islamic far eastern philosophies. After all these philosophies are not religions but templates for a good content living

these thoughts are dedicated to Soosan.

My eight year old israeli niece asked her teacher, why are we put on this earth? the teacher thought she wanted to know the basics of reproduction but my niece said, i know all that but what is the purpose of us being here? The clever teacher turned the question to my niece, what do you think?

we are here, so that we can study, learn and find new things and then help others

not bad for an eight year old .

and Rumi would have said

In a way, we are all related..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D26ywYKD0MU

SHABBAT SHALOM FROM THIS STRIKING SILENCE OF THE HOUSE. CUBA IRAN ISRAEL INDIA CAYMAN ISLANDS JAMAICA MOROCCO FRANCE BELGIUM ARGENTINA MEXICO

 TONIGHT  as the time to light the shabbat candles, i was overcome by strong emotions. My UmonHon brother Charlie, of the Buffalo Clan, left us on his final journey to the Other side. I pleaded with him to intercede in the world of spirits, to take pity on me and listen to me.

Then without any great difficulty, one by one the important people in my life came into view.. i felt honoured by their presence 

Sister Bety had her table set in Havana Cuba..

i begged the spirits to take care of the people who came into the canvas of my mind. First and foremost someone in Belgium, young and older.

After talking to my sister Bety I had a very strong sensation, the kind i used to feel entering an inipi ceremony at the sweat lodge of the umohon indians..

it was feeling a sense of power. and one uses this power to plead on behalf of others 

may you all be content 

my strong innocent wishes go with you 

a word for my iranian friends 

look at the world not with bitterness but optimism , every one is waiting for you 

You do not have to be jewish for me to wish you shabbat shalom

But hope you are a good person to receive the best of the blessings on this shabbat 

GRACIAS MERIDA FOR ALL YOUR GIFTS INCLUDING THE ONE FROM THE CITY ON RIO DE LA PLATA

 It is 2 am in Miami and the house is pleasantly quiet, there is no one here. I have been away from Miami for two weeks on a trip which was satisfying and at the same time, i could be of some help in one way or another to the indigenous people.

I thank my friends in Buenos Aires, Monterrey for their hospitality and the last part was delightful when i was able to spend a couple of days at the Gran Hotel and Merida ..

I was given room no 108, which has been now renamed in my honour, where Douglas Fairbanks Jr  stayed in the same room in 1930s (Orson Welles stayed in my favourite hotel in Essouira while making the movie there, so did Jimmie Hendrix ). I knew Fidel Castro had stayed there (alone and not with Che or Raul) and i would like to think that he also stayed in Room 108. The renaming of this room was informally done by Roberto Stuart who has worked at the hotel for the past 45 years and has become a friend.

Today it was time to leave, little sadness but the joy to know that i would be back soon.. and something happened at a little hole in the wall horchata store that made me realise i would come back here soon..

early morning uber ride to the bus station and a delightful driver Hector with whom i had a nice chat, his definition of why Merida is so different from other mexican cities.

A four hour bus ride brought me to Cancun bus station. 

at a hole in the wall horchata store, i met someone from Buenos Aires and a nice chat

as indians would say, it was like a nice good bye present, at the end of this memorable trip that included Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Monterrey and the last crown, Merida..

Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize winning (Economics) Israeli social scientist, reminds us, we always pay more attention or remember with greater clarity the events at the end.. like a journey or even a medical examination.

So, I will remember this encounter well and thank you Merida

It is nearly 3 am in Miami, 1 am in Merida, 10 30 am in Tehran and 4 am in Buenos Aires.. and to that city, I pay this homage

AMERINDIO. THE CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIGENOUS MEXICANS TO MEXICAN CULTURE

 When you are in Mexico, it does not take very long to realise the contribution of the indigenous people to the culture of Mexico. Unlike the predominantly protestant immigrant country of USA, the catholic migrants from Spain and elsewhere did not fight or suppress the local culture. They allowed the native population to continue their practices as long as they adopted to the Catholic religion. The migrants to Mexico adopted the food of the native people, the national dress of Mexico is adopted from the indigenous people.

The traditional Yucatecan cuisine is heavily influenced by the Mayan Indians

The waiter at La Chaya Maya, sr Juan Pablo is from a neighbouring mayan indian village 

The huipiles the ladies are wearing are of mayan origin.

In cities where there are a large number of indigenous people, the general character of the city reflect the tolerance and acceptance of the other by the indigenous people.

I am in one such city, Merida, i feel very very comfortable being here, to be among so many indigenous people, the group of people i have devoted my professional life to.

Wandering around the heat of this lovely city of Merida, i ran into a sign on a shop AMERINDIO, attracted by the name, i went in and most of the merchandise for sale was of Mexican artisan origin and a homage to the influence of the indigenous Mexican.

I saw many items that attracted my attention.

The owner is a pleasant young woman sensitive to the indigenous people of her country. There were some photos of indigenous people including the Raramuri or the running people whom i had visited along the Copper Canyon.

It is good to support enterprises rather than the touristy ones that flourish because a commercial transaction here has also some benefit to your soul.

I am an ardent fan of Mexico, a love that began when I was studying Endocrinology in Miami. I have had a chance to offer my services to an indigenous group that live in Coahuila and one of the most dedicated and unselfish medical doctors i have encountered in my travels is Dra Estela Rosales Garza who practises in Muzquiz and Piedras Negras and the principal doctor to the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe in Nacimiento, Coahuila.

Gracias doctora para cuidarlos indios kickapoo..

Indians say that coincidences do not exist. I have been thinking of the resurgence of the respect for the indigenous people (which always existed among mexican artists, think of Frida Kahlo, daughter of an austrian jewish migrant and an indigenous mother, who sympathetically portrayed the anguish of the indigenous)

i ran into a gallery with paintings which reminded me of the Indigenous people of North American that i have worked with.

it depicted the sense of spiritual guides among the indians and may our beloved Mexico become more and more human by adopting the sentiments of its original inhabitants.

As the Lakota Indians would say Mitakuye Oyasin we are all related

and in Mexico,  in the city of Merida I felt a little bit more..

COINCIDENCES ARE NOT COINCIDENCES .. WE ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THEM

A voyage of too many coincidences

Coincidences do not exist, it shows our inability to understand it 

A short visit to Buenos Aires

Miami to Panama to Montevideo, the awful hotel Bahamas but pleasant trip on Uber , the lady at the exchange charging me 5 dollar to change 20 dollars 

My clairvoyant sister from Havana said that the friend I was going to visit, whom she did not know, had been suffering and in that his life would begin a new trajectory.

As Indians would say, coincidences do not exist, it is that most of us have no ability to understand the significance behind it 

It so happened that the life of my friend, who has been a long time resident of Buenos Aires has taken a turn for the better with a more prosperous path ahead of him

We were in the taxi going towards the hospital in an outlying suburb, when the phone rang. It was a mutual friend from Spain

I had asked my friend about our mutual friend who had a hairdressing salon in Calle Jorge Luis Borges in Palermo. He replied , I have not heard from her in 17 years.

It was her on the phone!

Casualidad no so casual.

My friend is staying in the neighbourhood of Flores which used to be heavily jewish with its multiple small businesses. As soon as I entered the apartment I told my friend, I can feel the spirits of jews …The landowner is an Orthodox Jew of Syrian origin.

It was a Saturday and one could see Orthodox Jews walking to the synagogue and from their habit, I could detect that they are followers of the great Satmar Rabbi and there was a young man, with the traditional streusel, hat made of fur. I said Shalom to him and he common to his friends of this group who keep to themselves, was startled at first but a faint smile came to his face when I introduced my self in Hebrew to him. A simple smile overcame his face when I wished him a good week ahead.

The next day, my friend informed me that the owner of the apartment wanted to come to talk to him, something normally done over the phone. I was thrilled to talk to him and we talked about the recently passed Shavout holiday, comparing ourselves to collectors of light , to recreate the wholeness of sacredness.  He wanted me to see photos of his family and imagine my surprise when he pointed out to a young man in a streymel taken at his recent wedding. This is my son, he said proudly and to my consternation it was the same young man that I had said hello to the night before 

For me these coincidences would continue to occur as I wander around the world.

A Dominican cutting the hair of a Peruvian: Buenos Aires 2023

Schmulik abu shimon is 90 and you gave me a mischpocha..

Talk of coincidences.  many years ago i was walking down the path from Dunns River falls in Ocho Rios and was at an area where the road crossed the stream.. i looked up and there were Schmulik and Nava waving at me .. They are from Israel and I am from Australia and Jamaica was far from our homes ..

COMPASSIONATE MEDICAL CARE IN MONTERREY, MEXICO!

 I am writing this from Monterrey, Mexico. Most people who do not know Mexico well would be surprised how Europeanised and well organised and clean the city is; With this development comes very good medical care. 

I am writing about a case I witnessed today.

A friend of mine for many years , a rancher by trade from the interior of the Coahuila state is married to my colleague with whom I had worked looking after the Kickapoo Indians who live in Coahuila.

He has had trauma to his right hip and suffered from the consequences for YEARS. A hip replacement had been done but afforded no pain. His wife who is well connected with the medical personnel in Monterrey, she graduated from its medical school. In the end, in desperation, they sought the help of the Traumatologist/Orthopaedic Surgeon, Tomas Ramos. 

I accompanied my friends to the offices of Dr Ramos at a well known medical building and hospital in downtown Monterrey.

The hospital is called Christus Muguerza and is affiliated to the University of Monterrey. Dr Ramos is on the faculty of the medical school.

What you first notice is that lack of noise and hurried movements that characterizes a hospital in the USA. The parking lot in front of the hospital had plenty of space and there was not a flurry of human activity, real or faked.

the entrance hall was clean and we entered the area where my friend had to have a  x ray taken. very few people were waiting and it was quickly done, the results uploaded electronically as my friend arrived  in the waiting room.

His appointment with Dr Ramos was at 3 pm. His shared offices were on another floor and there was a single receptionist who opened the door and the doctor was waiting in the office, his office.

I am an anthropologist so my vista is always tinged with that world view that I have. He warmly greeted my friend, shaking his hand and hugging him. He greeted the lady with a hug and kiss, customary in this country. I was introduced as a visiting friend who is a doctor and he offered me a seat.

There was a computer in the room but he had his back to it.

The xray image had already arrived on the phone of the patient and obviously Dr Ramos had revised the x ray as he had no need to open his computer to do so 

He was engaged in deep conversation with the patient and his wife . no one interrupted, no telephone calls, no computer reminders, no notes, just the doctor talking to the patient. i sat patiently, watching the interaction. My friend was overjoyed to demonstrate his painless state and after about 20 minutes of conversation, the doctor led the patient to the examination table and demonstrated the regained full flexibility. You could see the joy in the face of patient and the pride in the face of the doctor of a job well done and the content face of the wife of the patient. he had spent a full 30 minute on this follow up visit and it was at that time I was given a chance, he wanted to know what is that i did, I told him that I am a doctor without a border and that i also teach Medical Anthropology. Then we had a chance to talk about empathy and communication with the patient as the basis of medical care. we had a full ten minute conversation about our empathic selves as treatment. I cannot imagine such a conversation with an orthopaedic surgeon in Miami in private practice in Baptist Hospital, the only comparable experience I could relate to. you cannot even get hold of your doctor, but a call centre, in most cases. 

I also mentioned to Dr Ramos, there was a time when patients from developing countries needed to travel to the north in search of medical care, right now there is no need for any one in Monterrey to travel to Baptist Hospital or Miami for medical care, Excellent empathic, unhurried consultations are available here in Monterrey at a fraction of the cost in Miami. 

We had a chance to exchange our visiting cards with a promise to keep in touch and we took a photo to commemorate the occasion.

I felt very happy that modernisation does not have to follow de humanisation of medical care, at this time of great technological advances in medicine.

PS. The shabbat has arrived in Monterrey.

It ia contented that the prosperity of Monterrey and surrounding region of the new kingdom of Leon settled by Luis de Carvajal, was due to the large number of conversos or crypto jews including many members of the Carvajal family.

so it was a pleasure to light the candles and think of the dearest ones in my life...may this light reach them