A Spiritual Test

There is a spiritual story,
Of a teacher who tested his eager student,
By sending him around the marketplace with a bowl full of milk.
The task was to not spill even a drop.
The student returned having completed the task, and was praised.

When it was my turn to walk with the bowl,
I saw the hungry people in the marketplace,
And whenever I passed one, I gave him a cup of milk,
So that by the time I returned to to the teacher my bowl was empty.

He named me Compassion and kept me with him after that.

Cleaning Hearts

I had a vision of the hearts of humans being like washboards;

Once the heart is purified and made right, everything else that comes into contact with it is cleaned,
Including the body, life, environment and other people.

The Vision

I was shown a vision of a school that I am meant to create.

At first I saw it as a place of arduous spiritual striving,
But that wasn't right and the vision changed,

It changed to a vision of grace, peace and harmony.
And I saw thousands of angels lifting the students up.

It will be a place of ascension.

The Prophets

Having never seen them
I know the prophets by their followers.

Because of the compassion of Christians, I love Jesus
Because of the mildness and kindness of Muslims,
I know Muhammad.

Spiritual Intoxication

I told God to get me drunk or make this lecture more interesting.

RIP

They asked us to reflect upon this question,
'What would you want written on your gravestones after you are gone?'

My answer:

She was love itself,
Come to earth,
And so she lives forever,
And has not died.

Fulfill

Death is a tragedy when the purpose of living was not fulfilled.

Masquerade

This is quite a trick,
This masquerade ball that God is pulling off.

Wholehearted

I am in such a state of consciousness now
That it is no longer possible for me to have a desire that is unfulfilled.
The universe is so generous that this would be inconsistent.

That which I have is by default what I must be wanting,
And so I am wholeheartedly grateful.

The Greatest Gift

I'm beginning to think
That the greatest gift that Christianity gave to humanity
Was to blur the line between that which is human and that which is divine;
It broke down the walls separating man and God.

Free Will

When debating the issue of free will with a friend I said,
'Since nothing exists but God,
It's really all just Him playing hide-and-go-seek with Himself.'

Potential

I've grown accustomed to seeing nice people who are unfortunately stagnant.
There is nothing impressive to speak of in their lives,
Their auras have a pleasant, but dull glow,
They don't instigate much more than an occasional inspiration in those around them.

But is it any wonder? When we look at the spiritual striving and practice of such people it is also unimpressive.

Lost in Translation

Sometimes the poems come when I am in a state in between dimensions.
The vibration drops into my consciousness,
So the meaning is quite clear to me,
But I struggle to translate it into coherent human language.

Wisdom

Wisdom stops, assesses, processes and waits for inspiration,
It does not act from the mind or emotions.

Transcending Karma

The past is hard to heal from sometimes,
But it becomes clear that one need not heal all emotional trauma,
If going forward, one does not exist in or make decisions from the emotions.

If one lives in a state of utilizing higher wisdom regularly,
Past karma will automatically be transcended.

It's like trying to drive in bumper to bumper traffic in New York,
Then deciding to take a plane and flying over all of the obstructions.

Causality

Nothing physical is causal.

Literally

My poems are literal.
I am amused because
I'm sure most people think that they are metaphors.

None Like This

There is no happiness like this, spiritual happiness.
There is no inspiration like spiritual inspiration.
There is no stimulation like spiritual stimulation.
No wonder I'm bored on certain days.

Sidetracked

I'm trying to have a mystical experience but I'm getting
Sidetracked by writing poems.

Real Estate

When you have real estate in the another dimension,
Physical things suddenly become less important.

Faulty Association

I talked to the angels about human condemnation of sexuality,
"Our bodies and acts can seem disgusting, right?" I inquired.
Something about this felt wrong and the Divine Beings explained why:

When the acts are done with selfishness, haste, obsession, seduction, unkindness or a host of other qualities they are disgusting.
These qualities have become associated with acts which are not inherently negative.  In fact, when performed with the proper focus, feelings and intentions, the loving acts are beautiful.

Quantum Jumping

Because there are multiple universes
You can visit yourself in another dimension,
And learn wisdom from your soul existing as a version of you with knowledge you have not yet acquired in this life.

Blessings on the Scroll

What did I do it to deserve such blessings today?
The angels said, "These gifts were written on your scroll of destiny,
And you put yourself into an appropriate state to receive them."

Chamuel

Archangel Chamuel came to me today ...
I spoke to him in my mind,
And resisted the urge to scream,
Since I was in a public place.

But his coming was such incredible perfection!
He told me that he is the angel of world healing, among other things.
His symbol is a heart.

This is going to be awesome....

Mystical Experiences/ Balancing Acts

There's a delicate balance one must strike
When having a mystical experience in a public place.
One must remain in the state enough to continue the incredibleness,
But at the same time appear normal to passerbys.
It is quite a balancing act.

Being a Creator

Culture has evolved to allow for creativity;
Once we were no longer focused on hunting, gathering and basic survival,
The arts emerged.

However in our society somehow innovation has been suppressed again.
This is a shame because being a creator is one of the best parts of the human and Divine experience.

Proselytize Love

Sometimes when I see certain religious zealots I think,
'For so many years,
God let us humans believe lies!
Why?'

For love, I realized.
All that happens, all that we have faith in, all the stories we believe in have one purpose,
Everything in this Universe in just proselytizing love.

Beauty

Tonight I heard a song
Where sin was presented as the opposite of beauty.

I have a friend who doesn't believe in sin.
To him, I suppose everything is beautiful.

How Can I Best Give?

I dreamed that I was given to abundantly,
And so I was required to be generous.

How can I best give? I asked.
He liked that question.

The Spirit of God

The gift of the spirit of God is such that the warring factions within ourselves finally find unity and peace.

A Servant to a Servant

After seeing my pleasant demeanor
A woman asked me to fill out a customer service survey about her online.

I left the store, and reflected upon her request.
I didn't know if I felt like spending those few minutes,
If it was my duty or not,
Though I also didn't want to pass up the opportunity to do a kind act.

I pondered the issue,
And God said,
I will give her positive feedback ten times over on your account.
For now, you just stay here in contemplation with me.

Phew, God had taken over doing my good deeds for me.
He really is a servant to a servant
And a king to a king.

Royal Divine Nature

Some people
When they looked at baby Jesus
Didn't see a child but a king.

I want to look at all people and see their royal divinity.

Lights of the Eyes

The other day I did something for which I reprimanded myself,
And I was anxious afterward,
Thinking 'Jesus,
Don’t discard me from those that are considered to be following you.
I want to be genuinely close to you
In thoughts, character, disposition and actions...'

Then it was clear,
He would never discard me!
That would be like the eye trying to discard the light that it radiates.

Everyone Wins

Last night I played a game with my friends,
At one point I should have received some points but I didn't,
But I didn't care as I was having fun,
And in the end you know,
We didn't even tally points-
We just decided that everyone should win.

I think God doesn't tally points either.

Character

I’m in love with Jesus.
You know, he’s the only prophet who’s
Character alone
Has carried a religion over thousands of years.

It is rare to find a teacher who's greatest lesson
Is simply who he is.

And who he is exemplifies God’s soul so beautifully.

Rescue

I saw a homeless man and felt quite guilty when I passed quickly to catch a train,
I felt that I had let God down by neglecting his plight.

On the train I prayed,
God, I will rescue you,
In every form that you present to me,
If you rescue me,
Whenever I need you.

After the creation of this verbal contract He immediately showed Himself to be quite faithful.
I that hope He supports me in my undying faithfulness as well.

Wings of Divine Love and Freedom

There is a story about the great saint Rabia:
She was held captive in slavery for some time,
And one night her master was awoken by a bright light in the darkness.
He heard her pray,

'O God, You are aware that the sole longing of my heart is to be totally surrendered to your command.
The very light of my eyes is service to Your court.
If it were up to me, I would never cease serving you, even for an hour. Yet you have caused me to be subject to a creature.
For this, I come late to your service.'

The master immediately set her free and she lived with God from that point on.
Before she left, the man even proclaimed that if she stayed there, he and all of the people of his house would serve her.
But she found true freedom, and service from a greater Master.

Sometimes a great light awakens me too,
It awakens my own self who holds me captive in this world,
Captive to desires, thoughts, distractions.
In the light of this awakening,
I hear my soul beseech for freedom.

In my experience such prayers are always answered,
So we break all of the chains,
And fly high upon the wings of Divine love and freedom.

Beautiful Nature

On days like this I think that all holy spaces are just trying to recreate the beauty of nature.

Hope for True Love

Shams said that a soul that lives without true love might as well not live.

So everyone living on earth
By virtue of their existence,
Must really have hope for true love.

As God says,
He did not create anything in vain.

Shams to Every Creature

I thought that I was Rumi looking for Shams,
That radiant sun of spiritual inspiration,

But then I realized that I am Shams!
And every creature is my Rumi.

Service

Service is so much more gratifying
When you know Who you are serving.

The Cave

Tonight I was the story of the sleepers in the cave*;

I closed my eyes and meditated,
I appeared as if asleep.

I turned my head to my right and to my left,

And the sun of divine light passed over me,
As the moon receded with each of my exhales.

And my dog of desire slept at the threshold of the world, preventing any disturbances.

We don't know how long I was in this blessed state,
Maybe for several minutes, or hundreds of years,

There were others with me in this holy retreat,
But I didn't really notice how many,

Only God knows the truth of this,
And of all matters.




*Kahf, surah 18 of the Quran

Audacious Requests

I told God the other day,
"Give me what I've been asking You for
Or take back my life."

He answered the latter of the two requests,
And I'm feeling pretty good these days.
(Luckily He's gentle with me.)

But this is a dangerous wager,
I don't suggest it for the faint of heart.

Jesus, Love and Unity

I envy Jesus,
He came to teach love, my favorite subject.

Actually, he tried to teach Unity with the Divine too,
Unfortunately that was not retained as well by the masses.
At least they remember love.

Rely

People rely on the body,
But the body is ephemeral.

People rely on money,
But money can be lost in the blink of an eye.

We have to learn what we can rely upon.

Agency

People are really nuts!  They think there is agency besides God's!
Don't they know the verses:
"And there is no might, nor power, except His"*

What a task is in my hands…
Because healing resides in this knowledge.

How does one develop a relationship with the True Source?
And how do you teach that to your fellow men?


*from The third Kalimah

He Shook Me Awake

This morning at 5am God gently shook me awake,
"Snap out of it!  Don't you know that nothing exists except for Me?!"

After some whining and praying last night,
I think I deserved this lovely awakening.

Mental Tug of War

There is a constant tug of war
For those caught in between reality and delusion.

We want to attribute actions to creations,
As we have been trained by the world to do,
But we know better,
We know that there is only One Doer.

And so the battle continues,
Until one day God cuts the rope.

A Layla and Majnun Story

One day Majnun heard that Layla was serving soup in a food line,
So he came to see her,
Such was his love that he took any and every opportunity he could for interaction with the beloved.

When Majnun stepped forward and Layla saw him,
She promptly smacked him on the head with the serving spoon.

'See!' Majnun bragged to those around him,
'She does not treat me as she does everyone else!'

And so Majnun relished the "special treatment" of his love,
So should we relish in God's treatment of us.

My Favorite Question

My favorite question to ask is,
How is He loving me right now?

The World Beneath The Surface

Now I know that everyone is unfortunately psychotic (psychotic: (adj.) out of touch with reality)
And I have to take measures to stay sane.

This really takes a great deal of mental discipline.
Like Neo in the matrix,
We have to learn to see the world beneath the surface.

While most people are focusing on effects,
We have to focus on the causal reality.

Now I understand why certain companions are not good for my life;
I don't need crazy people around me constantly reinforcing duality.

I need to see absolute divine unity.

So I will ask myself the following questions unceasingly until my brain recovers from the amnesia of the masses:

What is God doing in this situation?
How is He acting through this person?
What is He showing me for my soul's expansion?
Why is my soul choosing to experience this right now?
How is He loving me right now?
How is He loving others right now?
What Divine Attributes are manifesting in this situation?
What does wisdom's eye see in all of this?
What are the benefits of this situation?
As a representative of God, what, if anything, should I do now?

Hopefully, with constant vigilance, effort and prayer,
I can uncover from my brain the dross of incorrect mental programming
And live in reality,
The world of causes,
The world underneath the world
Where God does His most impressive work,
Simply because there, it is unveiled.

Delusion vs. True Reality

I realized that the vast majority of people are delusional,
Believing by psychotic consensus in a false reality.

Most people are under the impression that there are forces at work besides that One Power of Love.

This leads to a lot of confusion, anger, sadness, disappointment,
And all negative affect really.

Know the true reality and be happy.

Discipline the Mind

I've become increasingly convinced that the foremost way that Satan approaches man is through his own thoughts.

So it becomes of the utmost importance to discipline the mind,
And to know that there is no reality except for God.

Rewire Your Brain

Psychologists have shown that the brain can be rewired by performing certain physical or mental tasks.

Program your mind by practicing gratitude.
Live in a state of appreciation,
And you will be closer to the mind of God.

Mystical Interpretations of Mystical Writings (or Infinite Sweetness)

Ghazalli said that we are dependent upon those that we live with for our happiness until we die,
After which point we are only dependent upon God.

How lucky for those who exist depending upon God's infinite sweetness,
Living as if dead, extinct to illusion,
Even while in this life!!

Reality

Why should I purify my heart?
I asked God.

And it dawned upon me:
In order to allow for reality to replace illusion.

I will find peace and contentment in reality.

The Writers of Destiny

I've said it before, and I'll say it again,
The soul and God are the writers of destiny.
If you get aligned with them, you will get what you want.

So Many Missionaries

Now I think I know why there are so many missionaries:
God wants everyone to try Christianity
At least for a while.

Knowing God as a personal Savior
And having a heart melting relationship with Him
Is certainly an unparalleled experience.

Too Busy With Mysticism

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we put religion back into the hands of women,
But they're too busy with mysticism to be bothered anyway.

Let the ones concerned with the world rule the world,
And the ones concerned with God, enjoy God.

The Heart Alone Only Takes Us So Far

When the heart rules the show,
It is easy to get overwhelmed by other people's needs, desires and intentions.

Jesus lived by his heart
And he had to be taken out of the world quickly.

To live with discernment is another matter.
Perhaps not every crying child is yours to feed,
Not every damsel in distress is yours to save,
And every angry citizen is not yours to placate.

Your soul has a mission here.
Find your center and follow it with clarity.

Cultivation of Mind

I've realized that most people are weak-minded,
Passing thoughts, desires, obsessions and fantasies distract them endlessly.
Turbulent emotions hold them captive for days on end,
Or even for years.

The cultivation of mind should be the foremost concern
Of all who have been granted a human existence.

The Destination of Pilgrims

When the God's holy house came to Rabia,
She became the destination of the pilgrimage.
She sought the Creator,
So the creations sought her.
Seek knowledge of the Divine,
Until your mind is lifted up from this reality.

I Want You

I want your eyes looking back at me in my mirror,
I want to see you in the love of my mate,
I want you in my friendships,
And in strangers' kindness.

I want you in the air that I breathe,
And in the water I drink.
I want your nourishment in my food.

I want you in the works of my hands,
I want to hear your words from my mouth.

How lucky I am to have an ever-present Love.

Mother Theresa Beautiful

God said,
"Dress beautifully, wear makeup, make yourself fine.
I want to tell you that you are lovely though the mouths of my creatures."

I said,
"I want to be Mother Theresa beautiful,
I want to be heart-meltingly attractive
Due to the kindness I show to humanity."

"You really are beautiful"
He said.

Correct Effort

Mary received Joseph, perhaps the most beautiful man, without effort,
While Zulaikha, Potifar's wife, pined for him for years before Joseph became hers.

Mary received arguably the most beautiful son, by divine intention.
How many millions have to, by their own wishes and prayers, pull sons down from heaven?

But Mary's efforts were never for the things of this world.
She was in the temple worshiping the One,
And the best of this world was delivered to her.

Treatise on Love

Love is our birthright as human beings.  We originate from Divine love, live our lives in this Love, and return to Love.  Love created us, sustains us, and gathers us back to itself in all circumstances.  Yet we do not see this Love for what it is.

Over time we have been misled to believe that we have to earn, or attain love as if it is outside of us.  Love has been tangled with lust, and the ideas of attaining an object of love, of being worthy enough to be loved, and other such limiting beliefs have been propagated. The devil, or Hollywood, or sheer limitations of human consciousness have allowed the prevailing notions of love to be that it is something to attain.  Look more beautiful and you will receive love.  Earn more money and you will get the love of your object of desire. This is ironic, the idea that a being such as ourselves, created out of love, could need a nicer car, a better haircut, or a fancier house, in order to get love. 

Attaining love is one of the major pursuits of the human being.  Getting love from a significant other is one of the most essential elements in human striving.  Then there is also the desired love from family, children, coworkers, friends, etc. that is sought.  The act of procuring love is endless.  We give gifts, flattery… We try to change ourselves to suit others, so that they might give us this elusive Love.

And yet, WE ARE LOVE.  We come from a Father, a God who loves us so much.  He feeds us, clothes us, shelters us, created us, maintains us, and will bring us back to Him.  How is it that we miss the ever-present Love in our lives? 

Meditating on the true nature of our Creator as Divine Love and as ourselves as Beings of Love can help us return to the reality of Love in our lives.  Doing daily meditations for 15 minutes each day for 40 days, affirming the reality of Love in ourselves and our world can help to change our consciousness.  I challenge you to try it! 

Here is an example: God is overflowing, unconditional Love, the sweet ever-present affection of the Universe.  This all-embracing Source of Infinite Love is individualized as me- the Reality of me.

With Love!
Rahman

Novice, 40 Days of Capturing the Divine with Love Poems from a Spiritual Heart

If you enjoy these poems, feel free to purchase a copy of my poetry book Novice.  For a hard copy email me at Rahmanheals@gmail.com.   If you want the kindle version visit Amazon here:
BUY NOVICE ON AMAZON

Female Energy

To not recognize that female energy has a power and magnetism is ignorance.
To fear it and try to oppress is cruelty.
To respect and honor it is wisdom.

Because of Who I Am

I asked a friend,
Why do good?
Why do you overextend yourself for others?

Do you do it to avoid negativity,
Or God's potential wrath?
Or do you give selflessly
In order to not miss a chance of doing a good deed?...

I do it because of who I am, he said.

I am You

I had an extraordinarily beautiful vision tonight:

Normally I feel God lifting and carrying me.

But tonight while in His arms,
I had the audacity to tell Him that
I am Him.

Then He dropped me!

And I fell...

And I unfurled into Universes.

Whatever the Soul Wants

I was granted a nice lesson tonight at a coffee shop.

I ordered an iced green tea latte,
But I thought to myself,
Really it would be better to have it hot on this cool night.
And surely when I went to pick up my drink,
It was a hot green tea latte.

We always get what our souls truly want,
Even if our minds and our mouths are asking for other things.

Living Dead

There have been times in my life
When I have felt so spiritually deprived
That I was as if dead,
Even though I was living.

How many people forget their own souls,
And seek only the world.
I am so sorry for the living dead.

Not for the Faint of Heart

For those who are curious about the deeper meanings in my poetry,
I'll tell you,
Most of it is heresy
Not for the faint of heart.

Pride

Someone asked me if I take pride in this poetry
I said 'no of course not'.
That would be like taking credit for the sunrise,
Or the smell of roses
Or my breathing.
Either no credit is due to me
Or it all is.

Remembering

Sometimes when I am remembering God these days
The feeling becomes so intense it is physically painful.
It feels like a lightening bolt or electrical circuit is running through my heart.

It's not like in the old days, when I would remember but wonder if there was any effect.
These days the effect is tangible, palpable, undeniable.
Keep remembering.

Intercessor

Sometimes it's comforting to call upon an intercessor.
I asked,
Perfect my faith when it is weak,
Improve my wisdom when it is lacking,
Complete me when I am in need.

Then I saw a space in my heart fill with golden light.

I will look for Him now, in all circumstances,
He is the savior from all trials.

I Am

I am Jesus in the wilderness
I am gardens underneath which rivers flow
I am the fountain of living water
I am the holy buildings 
and the destination of pilgrims.

I am the prayer
I am the angels singing praise
I am the questioner at the grave.
I am heaven's gates opened wide
I am the peace experienced inside.

I am The Lord Most High
I am the reason why.
I am the way, the light and the truth,
I am the joyfulness known by the youth.

I am the heart of every being
I am the light by which they are seeing.
I am worship
I am wide open space
I am the Most High
l am Grace.

I Am For You

Sometimes, as in the words of my favorite song,
'Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss'

And we realize that 'All things work together for the good of those who love Him'
And that 'He is with us wherever we may be'.

And when we meet a stranger,
Or a friend,
His heart and his eyes say 'I am for you'
And we remember that 
'No man is an island'.

Then in that grace we know
'Gardens underneath which rivers flow'
And we have 'whatever we ask for,
Whatever we wish'.
And we know the true meaning of 'Those who are brought near'.



(I'm too tired to locate quotes tonight, but generally they are derived from the Bible, Quran and Christian music)

In His Arms

One step towards Him.. Ten towards you...
What is all this talk of steps to one who is in His arms?

I Am Peace

I am Jesus in the wilderness,
I am the peace that passes understanding.
Now I have entered a sacred dimension, 
As all people should from time to time 
For rejuvenation of the soul. 

Enlightenment

So It's looking like enlightenment is a completely different way of seeing the world and understanding it.

According to this perception the way most normal people think is quite backward and insane.

God Consciousness

Human consciousness has the potential to realize 
God consciousness.

Do you remember who You are?!

Grace/The Gift

The gift and the Giver are one.
Divine consciousness becomes form and supplies us with the material realm.

Grace conceives of something,
Grace enacts the creative process,
And Grace is the final product.

I once loved Hafiz's lines:
Now the time has come to contemplate the impossibility
That there is anything but grace.

This makes perfect sense now.

Selfless Mercy

When Mary came to me
I felt kind of silly offering her ethereal tea...

All she wanted from me really was prayers.
She appears not to cease for a moment
From making perpetual prayers for the planet,
Imploring on behalf of the suffering, for those on the other side of the world,
For those in our hearts, and minds.

So we prayed together for a little while,
And then said Amen to each other's prayers,
And I am certain that they will be fulfilled. 
Selfless, merciful prayers always are.

I Hate the Wanting

Sometimes I want ephemeral worldly things,
And I hate the wanting.

Was there a time when men's hearts were sincere
In their love for Divinity?

I am His,
What business do I have with desire.

Sight

Some people see occasional signs from Him,
I want to improve my sight until I don't see anything except for Him.

The Only Remedy

Mother Mary surprised me this morning,
Sitting next to me when I awoke.
We were surrounded by a garden of flowers.

She said 'I know you suffer sometimes on this earth'
And tears streamed down her face as she felt compassion for me.
'The only remedy for the loneliness of this existence is worshipful obedience' she said,
'The ONLY remedy'.

Note: So I googled worshipful obedience to figure out exactly what she was talking about and found this benefit "5. And beyond all our imagination, God is wont to give direct answers to prayer, and gracious, comforting acknowledgments and rewards to worshipping souls". Yes this makes sense.

The Divine

These days He doesn't let me bow,
I try to, but He tells me, 
The Divine is that which is bowed to.

Absolutely Divine

My doctor friend said something beautiful today,
'If you look at the complexity of the human body,
It's absolutely divine'.
Isn't that an exalted perspective,
That we can see God in our organs, blood, and atoms;
He is in the beating of our hearts.

Drinking Companions

I need drinking companions.
Is there anyone absolutely drunk on God's love
That could hold a conversation with me?

The Keys to the Kingdom

I shouldn't be surprised,
I know the parable about pearls and swine,
But I am still shocked;
There are days when I hold the keys to the kingdom in my hands,
And men walk by unaware.

Remind Each Other

I have a companion,
When we talk it's so sweet
Because we share a common Friend.

It's as if we are born from the same Father.
If we don't see this Father on a particular day,
We can share stories of how He is with us,
What He does for us,
And remind each other of His love for us.

Drown in Love

I'm so lucky He usually chooses to drown me with love,
Instead of making me fight battles on the stormy seas of my mind and emotions.

Draw Out Holiness

God, let me be a magnet
To draw the holiness out of
everyone I meet.

Showing Off

There are days Iike today when nature is so beautiful,
Sometimes I think He's just showing off.

No Effort is Lost

Take advantage of every spiritual crutch that you have,
Every crumb you are thrown,
Every word that proceeds from the mouth of God can nourish you.

Observe holy days,
Pray prayers,
Fast if you're strong enough
Give charity if you're not.

And know that no effort is ever lost.

Ressurecting the Divine Mother/ The Most Accurate Depiction

Today God reminded me of the days when mankind knew His softer side.
There was a time when God was a woman,
When people respected their mothers, daughters, priestesses and wives.
Giving birth and dying were part of a divine cycle of life.
Nature was a womb, a comfort and our friend.
Don't forget the softer side of God,
Honestly, I think it is the most accurate depiction.

The Sweetest Things

God said the sweetest things yesterday,
When I gave a friend some useful spiritual advice,
He sang me a song that I've heard before,
He said "You know that I could use somebody,
Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak..."

Use me God,
That's what I'm here for.

The Only One

In eternity how many relationships go and come?
But He is constant,
The only One.

Grateful for God's Love

I had someone that I was remembering,
And I was grateful for all of the kind things that he did,
As that showed God's love for me,
And I was grateful for all of the "unkind" things that he did,
As that showed God's love for me too.

Divine Unity as a Cheat Sheet

I use absolute divine unity as a cheat sheet for life.
Knowing that God (Love) is the only reality
Solves every problem.

God Said I was like Starlight

God said I was like starlight,
And reflecting on this I realized how incredible that is.
Starlight reaches for millions of miles,
And stars still light up the earth thousands of years after they are gone.

Tell Me a Story

I lay in bed and said,
God tell me a story about me.
And He said,
You were a star in the Heavens
And we knew eachother well.
Then you came to earth and learned to shine through the earth
As brightly as you shone in the sky,
And you reminded those around you how to shine,
Then you came back to Me.

When I Bow

When I bow in His presence
I know something is wrong,
There's still a separation.

Who is left to be bowing to the
Only One who exists?

One Actor (or Read Grace Between the Lines)

Someone took offense at something I'd said.
Is it my fault, I asked my Lord?

No, it cannot be.
The fault is always on the part of the one who chooses to take offense,
Because in every case
There is only one Actor.

It's You

Sometimes I have to do things that I don't want to do
But then I remember,
Oh, it's You who's asking me for this.
That changes everything.

Things Are Looking Up

I collapsed at God's doorstep
From efforts I'd made,
And like any kind host would,
He took me in.

Things have been looking up since then.

For Just One Day

For one day I tried to pray and was blocked,
Spiritual reading was uninspirational,
Prayers left only a feeble warmth in my chest,
Meditation barely felt electric,
Not worth the effort really.

Now I know how the average person feels,
And I feel great pity and compassion for him,
And immense gratitude for my soul.

Be grateful for any signs of the Divine that nourish you.
Chip away with little efforts until one day the Kingdom dawns.

Powerful Nights

There are 10 rather holy nights,
In one of those nights
prayers are said to be worth hundreds or thousands of years of prayer.

But which night is the true holy night? It is unknown.

I asked God,
What if someone does not perform well on the chosen night despite making efforts in general?

Then God revealed to me that He chooses the best night's prayers of the ten nights!!!

How is this possible?! I exclaimed.
I couldn't understand.
I need an example, I say.

He says, like you chose the dress that was most pleasing to you today, So do I choose what is the most pleasing to me.

But that is so generous!! I exclaim.

If God could give hurt looks He would have given me one,
As He replied,
How is it that you don't know Me to be that way?

Pray for Mercy

I was praying for those suffering due to global conflicts,
Particularly those in heart wrenching ones in the Middle East.

I asked God how to pray a prayer He would accept.
Just pray for mercy, He said,
That prayer is never rejected.

Your Love

As for Your Love
Let me
Know it
Embody it
And teach it.

How to reach contentment with God and absolute peace and satisfaction

First, put a cap on your desires.. Tell them you really won't be entertaining them for a little while as you're on a spiritual holiday,
And then they will leave you alone.

Next, watch God move in your life
Until you are overwhelmed with gratitude.

Finally, study the words of the lovers who came before you,
Let them wake up your heart.

Now take an assessment of your state,
I think you will find yourself in the best of spirits.

More Love

God and I have the same request for each other:
More love.

A Love Poem For You

God, I write lots of poems to You, for You, and about You,
When are you going to write a love poem for me?!

He said,
Everything is a love poem for you.

Breathe God

Sometimes my prayers dissolve
And I just breathe God.

A Promise from the Friend

My favorite promise from the Friend is this:
If someone is too busy remembering Me to ask for anything,
I give him the best that I give to those who ask.

Angels Carry You

You know,
On some days the angels just carry you.

Paradise in Nature

There are places in nature

Where you can still find Paradise

Anything Other Than God

I realized tonight that I might as well give up praying for anything other than God.
No matter what I have of this world,
I could never be satisfied without Him.

Subtle Senses

Sometimes I miss someone holding me tenderly,
But then I realize that God is always holding me tenderly.
It is only due to the limitation in my senses that I am veiled from this reality.

We must develop our subtle senses.

Icaria

I dreampt that was destined to become like Icarus,
That on wings of intense aspiration I too would fly,
Fly so close to His radiant sun,
And then drown in His sea of love.

The Greatest Worship

Tonight I was standing in focused prayer,
When a friend's baby crawled over and started crying at my feet.
How could I not stop and tend to the child?
After all, compassion is one of the greatest forms of worship.

Enlightened Thoughts

Sometimes our own enlightened thoughts are the answers to our prayers.
Pay attention to wisdom from within.

Fruit from Heaven

My friend said that my presence is like an intoxicating fruit from heaven.

I accept this kind assessment;
I would love to be an elixir that makes people drunk on Divine love,
So I pray,
God make my words Your wisdom,
And my actions Your grace.

Inspire

Every day I try to "inspire"-
To breathe in spirit.
How many people are living only half alive?
Luckily we live in a Universe where the dead can be resurrected.
Breathe in life.

Comfort in Knowledge

What comfort there is in the knowledge that giving charity cannot make one poorer.

Turn our Hearts to You

God, please turn our hearts to You when we experience good fortune!
Don't let adversity be the reason that we come to You in prayer.

The Psalms from David's Lips

If I could hear anything in all of time, in all of history,
I would listen to The Psalms directly from David's lips.

I want to meet the poets who live their revelations.

A Prayer for Intercession

I was at my wits end after not receiving an audible response from God for so long about an issue. I finally received an answer after
I prayed something to this effect,

Lord have mercy on me!
I pray like Job prayed to You,
When his heart became so encumbered that he feared for his ability to worship You,
You, the most Merciful of the Ones who show mercy.

I suffer like Jacob suffered,
Always frustrated by separation from those he loved (God have mercy on him!)

I pray by the intercessors,
By compassionate Jesus who's every prayer was answered,
And by the scholar Ghazalli who's wisdom is straight forward and who's intercession is accepted.

I beg You by the right of my teacher Bawa Muhaiyaddeen.
Relieve my heart of what separates me from You!

(If you pray this prayer,
You can add my name for good measure.
I don't know what good it will do but I promise to say Amen to any prayers of the broken hearted ones.)

That He Hears

I realized today
That it means more to me that He hears and acknowledges my prayers
Than that I actually receive what I'm praying for.

Revelations for Each Other

My friend completed my prayers;
With her spiritual knowledge she affirmed my understandings in the most beautiful way.

God gives us as revelations for each other.

The Best of this World

I dreamed of Turkey,
And do you know
My Lord has made it easy to have the best that this world has to offer;

I spent the morning chatting with a friend in Malaysia,
The afternoon napping in my own bed in America,
And the evening at a spiritual Turkish dinner.
Now, in the middle of the night, I pray in a mosque in the heavens and write poems with the stars.

Standing on the Brink of Oblivion

I'm standing on the brink of insanity and oblivion
Knowing that if I love God just a little bit more,
And if I allow myself to experience His love a little more completely,
Then my human brain will change drastically,
My functioning may be diminished...
Or enhanced.

I can't remember what happens
When one jumps off of this cliff.

Prayers are Heard Better

There are some times when prayers are heard better,

Some places,
Some holy days,
Some states of desperation or hope seem to influence the Fates.

There are some intercessors that hold sway with the Divine.

Lord put me among their ranks.

I'm More Interested in a Relationship with God

I want to fast
To abstain from food and drink
But I am worried that our relationship will be strained My Lord,
If my brain chemistry becomes imbalanced.

God protect me from ingratitude,
Agitation, and distance from You.

Majesty and Love

The place where you are right now,
God could bring crumbling down around you.
The only thing that prevents this is His Love holding it all in place.

Good Qualities

The reward for having good qualities is that you have good qualities.

Our Greatest Idol

We are all idolators
And our greatest idol is our self.

Day to Day Mysticism

My religion is day to day mysticism.
Some calling it having a relationship with Christ,
Others call it entering Nirvana.
Scholars describe it as experiencing the realm which regular people see in dreams, when one is awake.
All I know is,
That there shouldn't be a day that goes by without Divine experience.

Signs of Spiritual Ecstasy

A sign of spiritual ecstasy
Is that you curb your conversation regarding knowledge of Truth for the sake of others
Who's minds are of a more delicate constitution.

Spiritual Complacency vs. Spiritual Seeking

There is a thin line between spiritual complacency and spiritual seeking.
In which group do you find yourself?

Make Your Way Towards God

The self is lazy and incites towards trouble,
But the rules of religion often seem rigid and extreme,
So how does one follow to find a balanced path in this life?

Luckily I've found that, when left to my own devices, I generally make my way towards God.

God Is

God is like a good spouse who sees only your positive attributes and actions, overlooking the others

Or He is like a faithful parent,
Defending you even when you are wrong.

He is your guardian angel, protecting you from mishaps,
He is your very breath, giving life to your body, your mind and your soul.

A Life Saving Operation

My friend told me last night that one of my favorite prayers is like a knife!*

She tried praying it and her life changed violently. Things were snatched away without a moment's notice. Attachments were cut.

But what is a life saving operation?
It is a sharp knife in the hand of a knowledgeable and skilled healer.




*The Third Kalimah prayer

A Grateful Heart

I was crying out to God about something the other night,
Yet I was ashamed to supplicate at all when I have my health, and such good fortune in life,
"You have a grateful heart" Gabriel told me.

Healing in the Minds of the Masses

I had a brief spiritual aspiration to be like Mother Theresa,
To orchestrate facilities for the healing of millions.

But then I had an epiphany:
A healing, in the near future, will occur in the minds of the masses.
Once the majority of people are empathetic, compassionate and of right mind,
The models of the past will be obsolete. 

Healing will begin to take place in every interaction between people.
Suffering on the earth will be greatly eradicated.
God, make me a vehicle of these changes.

A Bouquet from My Lord

Tonight nature was a bouquet from my Lord.
Just as a lady finds joy in the gift of flowers from her suitor,
So do I find bliss on those days when the world blooms for me.

What Kind of God

God is so great,
So very meticulous in His timing:

Today I had an unusual afternoon craving for ice cream,
It seemed as if it shouldn't wait so I went outside to the store across the street to get some.
Sitting on a bench in front of the store was a woman with a box of ice cream sandwiches.
She was giving them away because it was a hot day and she didn't need the whole box she'd just bought.

The minute I had a desire was the same minute that a stranger's heart was inspired to buy a box of ice cream and distribute it to passerbys.

What kind of God is this that we have?!
He, who remembers and appeases the afternoon cravings of one girl, in one city, of this huge planet!

Heretical Innovations

Be a heretical innovator, I told my friend,
Speak of God and love like the poets used to!
And bring people back to real religion.

Spiritual Charisma

Charisma used for spiritual recruitment is greatness and grace.
Unity among people creates the utmost peace.

Irrevocable Compassion

I've met with a Divine Assembly
And upon my request
An honorable exemption had been passed:

For all those who find the extremes of religious edicts to be unbearable
Due to age, illness, or weakness of physical or emotional constitution,

They are required to do only what is reasonably within their capacities
Of fasting, praying, meditating, and charitable acts.

The ruling in their favor will be irrevocably compassionate.
I will be forever at the right hand of the King to ensure this.

To Know The Most Generous One

My last deeply sincere prayer was this:

To rehearse and remember God's favors to me,
To such an extent that I know His extreme, overflowing, unreserved, unending, generosity,

So that I know Him better.
Then, that I become such Generosity myself.

The Angels on my Shoulders

As if in conversation with the angels on my shoulders,
Periodically I check in with myself:

What was the last sincere prayer that I prayed?
What was the last kind deed that I did?

It is good to keep account of oneself.

The Wished for Hereafter

The great saint Rabia prayed:
Oh God, my whole occupation and all my desire in this world,
of all worldly things, is to remember Thee,
And in the world to come, of all things of the world to come, is to meet Thee.
This is on my side, as I have stated; now do Thou whatsoever Thou wilt.

We are in Rabia's wished for hereafter now,
When we see God in everyone we meet.
In every word, in every quality, in every action,
We find Him, the Beloved.

The Permanency of Grace

Jesus came to me this morning wearing armor
So I didn't recognize him at first,

And he created some kind of barrier around me,
A force field to protect me from devils, and sin.

Will this defense remain strong, I wonder? The world is vast and time is long.
I am too jaded to believe in the permanency of good things...

Believe in the permanency of grace, he says.

Metaphors of God

"Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God".

The last lines of the great poet Maya Angelou
Show that she is on her flight to the land of fallen poets,
Where the likes of Rumi, Rabia and Saints Catherine and Theresa feast perpetually on thoughts of God, words of God, metaphors of God,
Pure love of God.

 I hope I will see you there some day.

Prayer Spreads Like Wild Fire

Today another person told me that a story I shared had inspired him.
He prays daily now because of what I said.
And he even shared my story with another friend on the other side of the world.

I feel like flint,
That has created a spark,
And started a wild fire!
Let prayer spread to the ends of the earth.

The Sentiment is Real

Some people doubt that Jesus died on the cross to save humanity.
I don't really think the matter is relevant in light of the knowledge that he would.

Wouldn't you?  If you had a chance to save everyone in the world from suffering,
Wouldn't you sacrifice your own life?

And that sentiment is worthy of the utmost love and respect.

Radiant Like A Sun

There are people who's souls flicker like faint candle flames,
Barely lit.
And there are those who's hearts and faces shine like stars,
Enough to light up the earth.

Polish your heart. Breathe in light
Become radiant like a sun.

A Vessel to Meet My Lord

I've heard that remembrance is a form of meeting,
So I prefer to use my mind as a vessel to meet my Lord.

The Light of Prayer

There are some shadows in the heart that cannot be dispelled by intelligence, reason or reassurance.
The light of prayer is the remedy for these.

Strong Enough to Lift Us Up

God let me feel the burdens of others
And nearly be crushed under their weight
So that I could lift myself up with prayer
And become strong enough to lift others too.

I am a Purifying Fire

I am a purifying fire,
I am like the Bahai temple in the East.

Before reaching the sacred heart that is the Bahai temple,
There are levels of gardens that one must pass through,
In order to purify him or herself.

May my presence strip away sin from all who approach me,
So that my companions are as sweet as angels.

Love in the Air

When it comes to love I am like the canary in the mine;
The first one to sense it in the air,
And the first one to surrender my life to it.

Everything is a Prayer

On days like these everything becomes a prayer
Exercising becomes a mediation
Bathing is a baptism
Eating is communion
This world is a holy monument
The earth is scared ground
Touch is healing
Speech is charity
Sleep is service
Breathing is remembering
These days, everything is prayer.

Turn Jealousy into Hope

You should never be jealous of others' spiritual gifts.
If you see a gift that someone has
Observe it,
Like it,
You will have it too,
At some point.
From experience I tell you this
Change jealousy into hope.

I seal this assurance with gifts from my own hand.

Intimate Companion

Sometimes I look at people and I wonder
Do they know that this is heaven?

Then, as I sit in gardens
I wonder,
Besides these angels
(Whom I adore)
And our fairy friends,
Where are the intimate companions that You have promised?

Certainly they are an integral part of paradise
Aren't they?

And The King says,
Until further notice
I hope you will accept Me
As a suitable companion?

What can I say to this?

Conversations like this cause me to spend most of my days with my soul on its knees. Love is too heavy. I cannot stand.

Sovereignty

God, teach me how to fight
And show me how to win.

I will have dominion over the principalities inside of me.

As they did for Solomon with his ring,
All will bow under my sovereignty.

Most people don't even know that they are fighting and losing these battles constantly.
When has the kingdom of your body and mind been fully under your control?

Heightened Spiritual Sensitivity

Waking up early can cause heightened spiritual sensitivity.
There are days when I do battle with hell and earth for my own mind and soul.
The angels are close, but the devils seem closer.

God, grant us support in times of spiritual warfare.

Tonight I was Chiron

Tonight I was Chiron,
The mythical wounded healer.
Even with a broken heart
I lifted my hands full of light
In the name of mercy and healing.

But God said rest, heal yourself.
He is close to the broken hearted.

A Sweet Morning/Angel Ingenuity

If you want to wake up to pray in the early hours of the morning,
I was told by a friend,
You should pray before bed,
And petition God that the angels come to wake you.
Then, if you fail to wake up,
You can blame it on the angels.

So last night I prayed.  At 4:30 am I had this internal dialogue;
'If I don't get up my friend will probably sleep too..
Well I can blame it all on the angels...'

But the angels know me well so they reminded me:

You (and your friend) have homework to do today. It is almost guaranteed that you will function better after having prayed.  Why miss this opportunity?!

Ahh, appealing to my academic and logical sides.
So up I got.  And she got up.  And the morning was like heaven on earth.
Thank you, angels for your ingenious intervention!

               VIDEO Lovely angels by our side, even in the dead of night...

In God's Heart/Fix Your Eyes

It's not hard to see God.
Fix your eyes on Him as you would with any desired object.

Look for His qualities in your peers,
And even in your so called enemies.

Look for His wisdom in all of life's occurrences.

I'm sitting here in God's heart,
Praying that you see Him.

All Day Long

So this is what happens when you wake up to pray at 4:30 in the morning,
You can't get God off of your mind, all day long.

Ecstasy Praying

Sometimes I wonder if God pays any attention to the prayers that I utter in states of spiritual ecstasy,
They are incredibly, ridiculously, exceedingly benevolent prayers for the whole world,
But I realize at this point He's really the one praying anyway.

See God

In the lowest heavens they see God once a day.
In higher heavens you see Him everywhere,
Even when you look in the mirror.

Faithful Care

Doctors can be a great representation of God's faithful care,
Selfless, loving, attentive, eager to help and to heal,
He loves us more than we can imagine.

God is Enchanted

God Himself is enchanted
When sounds of love resonate
From human hearts.

Complete Satisfaction in Revelation

Some people accept these lines,
Others pass them by.

This is inconsequential to me,
Since the revelation in itself provides complete satisfaction.

Eternal Secrets in These Lines

There are eternal secrets in these lines
For those who have insight,
And senses beyond the physical.

One of Three Things

When you surrender,
One of three things will inevitably happen;

God will fight your battles for you,
And you will prevail.

God will give you the guidance and strength to overcome adversity,
And you will prevail.

Nothing will change,
But you will gain wisdom into underlying circumstances,
And you will have peace.

Surrender

Two factions are disputing.
I tell the frustrated side
That they are losing because their faith is weaker and their wisdom denser.
When they bow down in surrender to God and their prayers reach the heavens,
Then they will certainly be on the winning team.

Good Advice

See God when you worship Him
Or, if you cannot,
At least worship as if you are certain that He sees you.

See Yourself as Exalted

Don't settle for being mediocre.
See yourself as exalted
And let your worship reflect this true station.

Mine or His

Who knows where the separation of man and God begins.
Is this my breath or His
Is this my body or His
Is my wisdom or His
Is this my life or His?

Perfect

My friend said,
I am a flawed creature made by a flawed Creator.
I said,
You are perfect creature made by a perfect Creator.

Breathe

I had a stomach ache
From mystical or physical causes, who knows.

As I sat to pray and heal myself I looked up,
And saw angel Raphael saying to me,
Breathe!
The breath carries disease out and healing in, he reminded me.




(Raphael is the Archangel of air and healing.)

Pray

Pray like your life depends on it,
Because your quality of life does.

Absolute Divine Unity

I'm tired of arguing in favor of Absolute Divine Unity,
With those who still think that they live in Duality.

When Did I Ever Let You Go

I pray "Lord, do not let our hearts go astray after being rightly guided!"
I add "Never let me go again!"

He says, "When did I ever let you go?"

Pure hearts

I encourage my friends to cultivate pure hearts
Even if they insist on loving created things of this world.

Sometimes I am sad for them,
Their hearts may break a thousand times from worldly things
Until they finally find peace in God.

Smash Your Idols

Any name you speak more than God's
Is like a poison in your mouth.
Idols are created this way.

Be like Abraham,
Smash your idols,
And become God's bosom friend.

Co-Creating or Death?

Sometimes I debate with God about this one topic...

If I give up myself to You,
Will I become bland nothingness?
Will I be bored in passivity?
Will I cease to exist?!

Look at these words, God responds.
Don't you enjoy the process of
Writing them with Me?
In co-creating there is so much space for your beauty.
It combines with My own.
Light upon light.

A Slave to Love

A great and wise man once said:

A woman should love and obey her husband,
And a man should be a slave to the love in his wife's heart.

I Love This

God, I love this.
Crafting your energy into words,
Like clay into pottery.

May Your Presence be Medicine

A poem for my doctor friend

May divine inspiration flow through you like poetry,
May simply your presence be medicine for your patients,
And may your qualities heal all people.

Balancing Jesus in You and Me

I get caught in the middle sometimes
When attempting to balance my needs with the needs of others.

I try always to be conscious of benevolence,
Asking myself, Am I being Jesus to the least of us?

But Jesus is in my own soul too.
I can't neglect his needs there either.

So the balancing act continues in a divine harmony.

His Character Exclusively

I was so pleased
By the predictions of a psychic concerning my future.

But then she turned around and discounted the words,
Saying that their interpretation is not certain.

I guess it's not befitting of my state to trust in physical visions
Or in anything of this whole world.

I suppose God thinks more of me than that;
He expects that I should find comfort exclusively through knowing His Character.

An Ongoing Conversation

God and I have an ongoing dialogue about one issue,

He says that He does not need wealth,
And implies that I should not rely on the material world either.

Sure, the love of money is the root of all evil, I argue,
But I have an actual physical body!

Who sustains that body, He asks,
Is it not the same Source that sustains your soul?

Oh Rahman

Sometimes I go to pray and I get stuck.

I begin:
Oh God,
Oh Rahman (Most Compassionate One)
Oh Raheem (Most Merciful One)...

But by then my prayer has already fallen apart as I marvel in awe at God's powerful attributes,
And I am dumbstruck by the mention of my own name.

Shams is Coming

Shams is coming...

On nights like this I can't help but imagine being blinded by the sun,
The light that Shams will bring when he comes.

Just as Rumi bloomed in the presence of Shams,
Every soul has a spiritual companion that lights up their world.

Grace in Withholding

In God's withholding there is grace.

Know that any thing which is good for you will not miss you.
And any thing that misses you was not good for you.

Devils and Angels

A woman kept me from something that I thought was mine,
Something that I wanted,
I thought,
'What a thieving devil she is'.

But it turns out that thing would likely have destroyed my life.
So I suppose she was an angel after all.

May I have the wisdom to know angels from devils.

Revelation

My friend told me today,
I love what you write, but you aren't a poet,
There's a difference between poetry and revelation.

And I'm not.  In fact, I don't even like poetry. 

I finally understand the verses
"And we did not teach the prophet poetry,
Nor would it be fitting for him.
Verily this is a clear reminder of the truth"*





*From Surat Ya Sin 36:69

Look at Your Soul

I cried out to God one night,
Do you put us on this earth to suffer?!
You make us with feeble bodies and feeble hearts.

But look at your soul,
God said.
Look at your soul.

Being in God

I remember a time when I wasn't afraid of anything,
Absolutely nothing.
That state is nearly inconceivable to people these days.

The secret is having a friend in God,
Having a protector in God,
Losing your whole being in God.

Lifetimes close to God are incredible.

Here's a secret tip:
Cultivate love of God,
Of goodness,
And of all people,
Like your life depends on it.

I Would Be Ashamed to Ask/Contentment

I would be ashamed of myself today
If I asked God for anything,
He already gave me everything!

He gave me good health
A good family
Good friends
Spiritual companionship
Healthy, tasty food
Time to worship
Interesting topics to study
A good career
A beautiful place to live
And many endless other resources.

How could I say,
But You didn't give me this or that?

Today He even gave me a most coveted thing:
Contentment.

Reign/ Greater than any King

Wow.
It just dawned on me that every human being has the potential to be greater than any king, queen, pharaoh or emperor that ever walked on the earth,

Because every human has within his or her grasp the array of Divine Qualities.

Clothe yourself in divine attributes: compassion, grace, mercy, forgiveness, patience...
And reign!

Your dominion will be more powerful than you realize.

Istikhara for All Things

There's a prayer that my friends and I pray
When we aren't sure what to do about something.
It is called the Istikhara.

It is a prayer for receiving what is good for you.
You can pray this prayer about who to marry,
Where to work, what to do....

To pray this prayer,
You must completely surrender the issue at hand,
You must give the outcome to God who knows more than you do,
That is the essence of it.

I try to pray the Istikhara about all things now.

All Sins Are Forgiven/One Good or Kind Thing

Forgiveness dawned in my heart
When I saw that every human action perpetuated against me
Was done by hearts that are depraved.

So many humans lack the feeling of satisfaction that the fullness of God provides.
Considering this, it is really a miracle we can do one good or kind thing to each other at all.

Under these circumstances,
Of course all sins are forgiven.

One Sincere Line

Just praying one sincere line can change everything.

Prayers Upon Prayers

Sometimes these days I am praying two things at once,
And my prayers start to get jumbled.
It's like my prayers are tripping over each other on the way to heaven's door,
To the ears of God.

It is an unusual problem to have.
I used to think thoughts and get distracted from my prayers by my mind.
Now my mind thinks prayers upon prayers.
I think this new problem is a good problem to have.

Murder in the 1st Degree

God is so sweet and gentle in His lessons to me,
What kind of grace is this?
I sin and He jests with me in response,
And shows me by His character
To be ashamed of my own.

Over the weekend I had thoughts that were less than loving towards another human being,
Despite my efforts to figure out what Jesus would do.

I know what he would do,
He would forgive.
However, I am less perfect than he.

So first thing Monday morning God brought me 3 clients in a row to counsel-
They happened to be 3 murderers.

They were the sweetest men,
Yet they had each committed some variation of a murder related crime;
The first was convicted of conspiracy to murder,
The second of possession with intent to do harm,
And the third of accidental manslaughter...

Ok God. I hear you. You put me among murderers for having less than loving thoughts towards your creation. You make your points clearly. You make me laugh. And you make me sorry.

So I continue to pray:
Make me the Most Merciful of the merciful,
Like You.

Keep Your Eyes Glued to God

Tonight I watched a concert,
And I marveled at how the musicians each played their individual instruments
As they gazed intently at their scrolls.

What really amazed me about this is that they did not need to look at each other to be in perfect harmony.
As long as each one kept his eyes glued to his own piece,
He played his part in perfection,
And the whole orchestra resonated with surpassing harmony and beauty.

It is like this that the world functions;
Keep your eyes glued to God
And play your piece.

Make Me the Evidence

Yesterday I thought a mundane thought,
And God's answer to my need caused me to pray one of my sweetest prayers.
Let me explain:

During the day I was thinking, I'm hungry but where I am going to eat dinner, I do not know what can possibly satisfy me...
I don't eat meat, but I need something substantial to fill me on these cold winter days.

When I arrived at the restaurant my friend had chosen, and ate the dish she recommended,
I was more than satisfied!

I knew that God was in the conception of the meal.
It seems to be a small thing,
But the miracle is, 
Before I even knew what I wanted or needed He was preparing it for me!

What a Great God we have.

I thought, if this one meal could fill my heart with faith,
If this bit of food could be such an evidence for You,
How much more could I be?

And I prayed one of the best prayers of my life:
God, make me a clear proof
Of your wonderful providence to people,
Let their faith be bolstered when they see me,
In my actions, and in my words let the people see evidence of Grace,
Such that their hearts bow down in love to You.

Dimensions of Grace

I just got up to check the potatoes.
I knew that if I started writing poetry tonight,
I could be transferred into a dimension of grace,
Where I forget all earthly things
And the food might burn.

A Good Reputation

I was going to make big plans for my life,
But I've decided to trust the Greatest Planner,
He has a good reputation after all.

Divine Nature and Capacities

I feel God's love now like a drug,
It floods my being and makes me forget everything else.

I know on some level that I am holding it at bay,
This love,
Because if I let it penetrate into deeper parts of my heart
I may lose normal human nature and capacities.

What am I worried about though?  
I will then inherit Divine nature and capacities.

Two Kinds of Thoughts

There are thoughts that focus on God and grace,
I call those fasting thoughts,
And then there are the other thoughts.

I try to reside in the former more than the latter as much as possible.

God's Character

God's character is a promise
Enough to bring us peace,
For life, death and everything in between.

He knows my destiny and will make me happier than I could ever make myself.

Infinite Reasons to Glorify

This morning I praised God that I arrived at work swiftly even after the storm.

And I would praise Him even if there had been traffic, as He would have at least gotten me there safely

And if I had had an accident I would praise Him that I remained intact and unharmed, always protected...

And if I had been injured I would praise Him for healing me, the great healer that He is

And if He didn't heal me I would praise Him for bringing me back to Himself.

In any circumstance, there are infinite reasons to praise
Let us forever praise and glorify.

The Deliciousness

Last night I dreamed that life is like a tiny tasty brownie,
And that if you eat it absentmindedly, thinking about this or that, it is quickly gone and you miss the deliciousness of the experience.

Love and Value

I love those who kept me captive
For teaching me the value of my freedom.

Constant Refuge

It's amazing how many of our own thoughts are enemies to us.
I seek constant refuge in my Lord.

Another Symptom of Heaven

Today in the people's giving and withholding I only saw one hand,
One Giver and one Withholder.
Oh the joy, the beauty in seeing everything that happens as a gift from the Caregiver of my soul.

Did she pass you by when offering desserts to the people?
Don't worry there is sweet tea sitting on the table for you instead!

Did he not stop to chat with you?
God has better things for you to talk about, with other people.

In the giving and withholding,
In the speech and in the silence,
There is only one Great Lover.

Thank God I have stumbled across this glorious experience.
It is another symptom of Heaven.

Symptoms of Heaven

Am I in Paradise?
My own words are like prayers and sweet nectar that nourishes me.
Thank you God for symptoms of Heaven on earth.

Dark Nights of the Soul

Arrogance is like an enemy
Who can take a man down
By convincing him
To say to himself:
I don't need to pray, meditate or read.
I don't need to think or speak about God.
I'm spiritual.
I'm a good guy and that is enough.
Then men wonder why they fall into dark nights of the soul.

Love and Illness

The model of love that we are taught in society nowadays is akin to addiction or illness.
They feed us a love that is like poison.

They lead you to believe that if you focus your hopes, your dreams and aspirations on one person, 
You will reach eternal bliss.
If you make one man or woman the object of your affection,
Then you will eventually attain satisfaction.

Restricting love like this is one of the greatest evils and injustices that can be done to oneself or others.
Love was meant to flow from our hearts like a river,
Into every set of eyes we see,
Into every needy human heart we meet,
Into every situation where our actions can exemplify and glorify God.
Don't restrict your love.

Imagine how you would suffer if you restricted the blood flowing from your heart. 
Do not restrict the love flowing from your heart.

A Friend in Every Creature

When you are friends with God
You have a friend in every creature,
Because He will love you from within them all.

When We Shine

Today after the snow
The sun appeared more radiant
When snow covered objects
Reflected its light.

It's like that
When we shine with His divine qualities.
God's radiance is magnified by us.

Exuberant Bliss

I think I know how God feels sometimes!
I created an angel video,
Piecing together images with a sweet song,
But when I watched it play
It was far sweeter than I expected!

I understood how God must feel
When He sees His creation in action.
What exuberant bliss!

HERE IS THE VIDEO!!!!

Every Moment

This morning I thought,
"I like that we have no responsibilities to eachother God
After the morning prayers have been completed
Until the next time for praying...

Except, of course, that You take
Constant and excellent care of me
And I remember You in every moment."

The Responsive One

You show me that You've been listening to my prayers.
How is it that you never cease to surprise and impress me?

Vampires in Eternity

Where have I been?
Do you think that I forgot about You,
The cause of my strength, my peace, and my joy?

The world is full of vampires that make you think that they are nourishing you
While they suck your blood.
Don't give yourself over into their hands.

Recognize what nourishes you and what drains you.
Discernment is essential if we are to live fully in the time that we are given.

Of course, do not lament lost time,
We have eternity after all.

A Divine Cure

I've discovered the secret meaning of:
'Physician heal thyself.'
When a healer reaches for a divine cure for their patient
They inevitably visit a realm of grace
Where they can't help but to be healed themselves!
Oh, what a universe we have.