6. The ritual of an Empty Chair

The ritual of an Empty Chair

What do you think of when you see an empty chair… which of below is more descriptive…?

A hope… a memory… a commitment… yourself…

I always wondered why???

During my physics study, I admired the way Physics look at things… it opens new doors to same facts… it creates its own view of logic…

Lot of people tells me Physics is about figures numbers and lot of formulas…

Others accuse physics of stripping the beauty from nature, because it tends to formulate everything to formulas and numbers…

Well, these might be true… for Physics books have so many formulas that most of the pages are empty, with few words in them.

But doesn’t all surrounding matter is mostly made of space…

Think of the far away galaxies… constellations… that are all empty space… go to the atom and you will be surprised with the amount of empty space…

So far nothing is so fascinating… I guess …but the concept or idea that fascinated me most in physics is “the state of non-existence”… “The state of non-existence”…a good example of “the state of non-existence is the positron is a non-existing electron…

What a concept… when Al Khawarizmi presented his idea of the “zero”, he gave a face to “NOTHING”, can you imagine how many red lines he crossed to say numbers need a “NULL”… a “NOTHING”

When “NOTHING” is added to a figure, it either multiplies the figure or it wouldn’t change anything… all depends on which side the zeros are standing…

“Nothing” can even change numbers from teens to Twenties…

On the other hand when “the non-existing” electron meets and electron… they both disappear and energy in different forms is released.

Let’s go back to my empty chair… it is the space I need to move, to breathe. I always sit next to an empty chair… ask for one if it is not available…

Sometimes, my non-existing self sits on it and we both reach hands and disappear…
There is so much space in our lives… wonder how much this space can hold…from now on, and empty chair is the space I have to have…

The space that can be filled…
…by an idea
… by a friend
… by a thought
… by love

I wonder how much of space is left…

Have never bowed in respect for something more than an empty chair…

That empty chair is there for any new possibility in my life,

And if I work hard, and allow it… it might be filled with my wildest imagination… and it will meet my reality … they will both generate so much… that the whole world might feel it…

5. The Unspoken ritual of a Qandeely

The Unspoken ritual of a Qandeely…

I never understood my passion to buy all these candles and their housings. Always liked to watch light and shadow patterns caused by the burning candles placed inside them.

Lot of countries uses little oil lamps especially in “holy houses of God”. Their little lamps are called Qandeel. It consists of a little pot filled with oil, where a little floating filament is placed and lit. This cup is then covered with glass. Greeks are very famous to use these qandeels. They make them in different shapes and colors.

These Qandeels have always some spiritual meaning and they remind us of prayers, and help us seek the peace a little prayer brings.

I have a Qandeel at home, but I use little candles instead of oil. I place a candle whenever am at home. I usually say a little prayer… no special words, just a little prayer to ask peace to a troubled soul somewhere.

Day after day I do this till one day I felt I am not really praying anymore, I was just murmuring some words what has to do with God. My prayers are no prayers anymore… I tried to pray again and again… but peace never came to my heart the way it used to be, I was troubled. I tried to read paragraphs from the Psalms, tried to repeat prayers I was taught at school…

Read and found, then tried to understand... tried and tried… lot of times I am surprised how great things can be hidden inside a little symbol, where is the symbol I should look for?

Simple little things…yet…

Pure heart…
Honest word…
Kept promise…
Word of mercy…
Touch of love…
Dream…

Did you notice that simple words with fewer letters are harder to say…or to ask…?

Whole my life am trying to keep up with these words, making sure to have the candle light shine… till that person came into my life…I have no name to give to that person…

Together we explored life… together we lit lot of little candles… we walked and learned to let our souls sip sunshine and music…

One day… after long years… after we lost track of each other… we meet again…

We discovered together that my candles are not shining as before… the candles are the same… the walls are the same… but…

You have spent so much time in your inner self, you forgot about me… then took my hand and walked me inside my inner space… wow… little space is left… it is full with my prayers, papers, toys… pens… lost stories… tears…words I wrote… wishes… moments of joy… everything is there… exactly where I left them…

We are humans, to be strong we can not be pure, purity is not a virtue… look at metals, best metals are never pure… you spent lot of time studying these facts… why would humans be different. Accept impurities… because they strengthen us…

Your candles are not shining anymore because your glass cover is smudged… when you thought you were doing the right thing, you were weakening yourself little by little thinking of becoming pure… pure of anger and hatred… you had one picture you wanted to have and reflect it on the wall by your candles… the picture of Love…

I envy you, I know how much you tried, and the nights you spent begging for guidance… I heard all your cries and saw your tears… but you locked yourself inside that one idea… and forgot even about me…

Your love to love is amazing…but it is not strong enough to make a difference…do not direct your thoughts towards one idea.

Look around for guidance, learn from others. Little by little you will notice that there are no differences, but there are lots of angles that most of times we do not even know they exist.

You know what they say; kids and philosophers share the ability to be surprised at any given moment in time or space…

The smudge on your glass will stay and will not allow your ideas flow (although they are great ideas). Accept the smudge, and then clean it from time to time, by exploring your inner and allow the power from other ideas to enrich yours…

Note: Qandeely in Arabic means my Qandeel, where in Greek it means little Qandeel…see there is no a difference… but different angles…

4. Ritual of a Friend

Ritual of a Friend

My friend had a dream
My friend spoke of a dream
My friend told me to keep it
My friend asked me to leave it
It is just a dream…

Dream came true
Was no dream anymore
Was part of my friend’s life

My friend is so happy…
My friend’s dream made me happy too…

Someone came and said.. wow it is true nowI said… yeah see it in my eyes
My friend had a true dream

But how…someone asked
Do not ask how…
You do not have the right
It is my friend dream
And now I am happy

Sometimes questions should not be asked
Sometimes… just be happy
I will be happy if your dream come true
Will not ask why you not me
Just be your friend’s friend

Once you are a friend
You share and cherish
Your dreams might not be the same
But your happy moments belong to both

My friend shares my joy the same…
And believes in me for no reason
Can you do this?
If you do not believe with no reason
Then love never passed through your life




I will pray …
For you I will pray…
Ask God for a second of love

If you have not believe with no reason
Then friend is not in your dictionary
Envy and dishonesty found their way to your heart

Will pray for flame of love
To set fire your heart and soul
And brings light to your eyes
To heal your wounds of hate

I am not perfect… I have my wounds too…but

I want you as a friend …before I give up