OCEAN WITHOUT A SHORE
Packing to come back home after half a decade away, I chose to have this book be my partner. I chose it. Was ordered online from SUNY. The authors were, at that time, my constant companions through their interpretation and emails. The study of Ibn Arabi was my passion although I both hardly and fully understand. But he was always a guide. Even when I sent a hand-written letter to Jerusalem, I asked him to help me with that. I guess, I was after fame and was caught somewhere between the shores. I do not know.
But, I lost the book. It disappears. Literally. I did not even have the chance to get it back with me to egypt. I lost it probably in the farm; or in the van I rented with all my garbage. I never found it until this moment.
And I still remember its colour. Smell. And chapters. But to me, losing it is a sign. I never seeked to buy it again because I know it is not that straight.
I went to the AUC library couple of years back and I saw a copy of it there. I smiled. But did not touch or dare pickup. As if a sacred path of connexion has unfolded between us, transmitted and reminded. Transformed from a book, to a memory, to a teacher and back to a book again. Took me thousands of miles inside, to a place that is only recognized by noone.
And i always refered to it as, 'a shore without an ocean.' Can that exist?
'to hear Him, man has to return to the state of infancy, umiyya.' and this state is what Coran [16:78] might have referred to. Among the possible meanings, there is a choice to end the mental process: the true meaning--that is true for that very being at that very moment-- is that what wells up, in the nakedness of the spirit. It is then that we are willing to listen.
But, I lost the book. It disappears. Literally. I did not even have the chance to get it back with me to egypt. I lost it probably in the farm; or in the van I rented with all my garbage. I never found it until this moment.
And I still remember its colour. Smell. And chapters. But to me, losing it is a sign. I never seeked to buy it again because I know it is not that straight.
I went to the AUC library couple of years back and I saw a copy of it there. I smiled. But did not touch or dare pickup. As if a sacred path of connexion has unfolded between us, transmitted and reminded. Transformed from a book, to a memory, to a teacher and back to a book again. Took me thousands of miles inside, to a place that is only recognized by noone.
And i always refered to it as, 'a shore without an ocean.' Can that exist?
'to hear Him, man has to return to the state of infancy, umiyya.' and this state is what Coran [16:78] might have referred to. Among the possible meanings, there is a choice to end the mental process: the true meaning--that is true for that very being at that very moment-- is that what wells up, in the nakedness of the spirit. It is then that we are willing to listen.
Comments
If we can only press a format button!
Ahlame