“Even After All this time The Sun never says to the Earth, ‘You owe me.’ Look What happens With a love like that, It lights the whole sky.” – Hafiz
Hafiz or Hafez of Shiraz as many of us know was a Persian poet and mystic who lived in the 14th century.
Hafiz was the pen name of the poet who was Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī.
Hafiz’s works are one of the most well-known works in the Persian literature. They also gained global popularity for their heart and their unquestionable beauty.
Hafiz taught me many things over the years. But the most important message that I internalized is the power of love, gratitude, and hope.
Some life-changing lessons that I learnt from Hafiz over the years:
1. Looking for Happiness
“Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you” -Hafiz
Many of us look for happiness outside. We look for it in material things, in people and in situations and experiences.
While all these can be important for your happiness, the missing ingredient is often found within the self.
There is little question that if you do not allow yourself to feel the joy and happiness, it will be evasive.
When happiness comes knocking in the moment, embrace it.
2. Becoming Intentional
“For I have learned that every heart will get What it prays for Most.”- Hafiz
What are your dominant thoughts?
What are your dominant feelings?
What are your dominant actions?
What do you desire or pray for the most in your life?
And what are the barriers that you are setting up like distractions and unwanted beliefs that take away from what you want the most?
“There are different wells within your heart. Some fill with each good rain, Others are far too deep for that.” – Hafiz, The Gift
3. The Power Of Unconditional Love, The Powerful Message from Hafiz
“Even After All this time The Sun never says to the Earth, ‘You owe me.’ Look What happens With a love like that, It lights the whole sky.”- Hafiz
Are you always keeping score?
Are you doing service from a place of unconditional giving? Or are you expecting something back every time?
It is impossible to always do everything from an unconditional point of view, and not expect reciprocity.
But unconditional giving has its own great joys.
Psychology research has shown the power of reciprocity or how people can feel obligated to reciprocate if we do something good for them. But giving back from a sense of obligation can get old fast.
When you expect people to give back for all the good deeds you have done, you may disappoint yourself and make others avoid you.
4. Follow Your Creative Urges
“True art awakens the Extraordinary Ovation”― Hafiz, The Gift
The truth is that everyone is creative. But we are all not all creative in painting or singing or pottery or writing.
We can all be creative in our own fields and bring creative value.
When you invoke true art as Hafiz suggests, you will get noticed by the world.
But the problem often is that people follow creative pursuits to make money or to become famous.
That is not exactly true art as I understand it.
The simple way to find out if you are engaging in your true art is if you go back to it even after all the odds.
Do you get great joy and happiness in the pursuit of your creativity? If you are, you are going for your true art and creativity.
5. When There Seems to be no Hope or You Feel Alone, Remember this from Hafiz
“I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”- Hafiz
Always remember that even in the most difficult situation, there is hope.
There is hope that the darkness will not last forever and in a month and in a year, you can be in a much different place.
If you are feeling alone or you feel like hope is for the foolish, read these soothing words from Hafiz.
Realize that you are not your problems and your difficulties.
Allow some space and some compassion to come between feeling like a failure and an unfavorable situation.
You can change habits and structures and when you go deep down, you are an astonishing being of light.
6. Speak with Kindness
“What we speak becomes the house we live in.” – Hafiz
People sometimes get surprised at the responses they receive from the world.
They do not get it that communication is a two-way street. We need to connect and actively sustain the connection.
If we are speaking harsh and unkind words of and to others, the result should not surprise us.
Often it is easy to downplay the power of words that come out of our mouths. But every word, every sentence constructs the life that we eventually live in.
7. Fear Less
“Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions.” – Hafiz
The best way to get beyond fear is to take slow but sure action.
The best way to put fears in the right perspective is knowing that this too will pass.
If we avoid fear, it becomes stronger.
If we take small steps towards understanding and dismantling the fear, fear usually becomes less.
As Hafiz says, realize that fear is the easiest way out and the cheapest room in the house. Remember that everyone has fears, and breathe into the fear and take meaningful action.
8. You can worry But What Will it Accomplish?
“Now that all your worry has proved such an unlucrative business, Why not find a better job.”- Hafiz
I have learnt over the years that it is human to worry. I have learnt that worries and troubles are inevitable.
But I also learnt from Hafiz that worry does not do much. So when confronted with worry, tension and stress, go find a better thing to do with your time and energy.
Distract yourself out of the worry and tension and work towards solving the source of the worry.
If you cannot work towards solving the worry, do something meaningful with your time. Use your energy on what gives you joy and accomplishment.
9. And then Some More on Love
“We are people who need to love, because love is the soul’s life, love is simply creation’s greatest joy.” – Hafiz
Hafiz is one of the greatest poets on the topic of love. His words are indescribably beautiful and deep.
“The heart is a thousand-stringed instrument That can only be tuned with Love.” – Hafiz
He emphasizes the amazing power and kindness of a life lived with deep and caring love.
“Let’s get loose with Compassion, Let’s drown in the delicious ambience of love.” – Hafiz
That does not mean love does not hurt. Of course, it does.
Most of us know what it is to love someone or something and then having to let that person or thing go.
But we learn a lot from letting go and Hafiz says that love does us a great favor and makes us realize and choose from a different perspective.
“Love sometimes wants to do us a great favor: hold us upside down and shake all the nonsense out.” – Hafiz
10. The Right Place And the Right Time
“This place where you are right now, God circled on a map for you.” – Hafiz
This is the right place for us. All our choices and experiences have brought us here.
If you want to be elsewhere, make different choices and take different actions.
But do not resent where you are at. Your past troubles and stories have value even if you do not see them as that at present. With greater knowledge, you are free to choose a new story.
But to choose a new story, you have to stop actively resisting the previous ones and let them go. There is little value on spending CPU cycles and precious time on active resentment for the past or the present.
Instead, allow the resentment and anger to create a better and a different future.
11. Gratitude
“Join me in the pure atmosphere of gratitude for life!” – Hafiz
I have learnt time and again from Hafiz that life can be wonderful and that we are beings of great light and love.
How is that accomplished? Now I understand that Hafiz was gently nudging me towards a pure and heartfelt state of gratitude.
This is not the “12 steps to gratitude” and how gratitude has become the catch phrase or mantra.
It is the living, breathing, seeing, feeling, speaking, and acting from an unconditional place of deep and heartfelt gratitude.
This does not mean that we will not have resentment or anger or cynicism. This means that you have chosen pure gratitude to transcend the other stuff.
“Follow my tracks in the sand that lead beyond thought and space,
For I can see deep down that you are really a golden bird that needs to dance,
With your spirit enraptured and ascending on the currents of Light –
Join me with your hands, wings, hoofs or fins in my sublime applause.
Join me in the pure atmosphere of gratitude for life!”- Hafiz
12. The Meaning Of Life
“When all your desires are distilled; You will cast just two votes: To love more, And be happy.” – Hafiz
There is little doubt that among the most important things that we desire as humans are a meaningful connection with others and love.
Science has shown repeatedly that love and meaningful connection lead to a happy life that we are all desiring.
“Stay close to anything that makes you glad to be alive.”- Hafiz
And while you are at it expressing love and choosing happiness, pay heed to Hafiz and experience your courage and light.
The more you reach for your courage and your light and serve others and bring value to this world, the more you feel alive and radiant.
“We have come into this exquisite world to experience ever and ever more deeply our divine courage, freedom and light.”- Hafiz
Now over to you! What experiences or stories can you add to this post?
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