While you are alive, your worldly self is like a collector of benefits from Allah's bounties, which come to you from myriads of hands.
Ibn ArabiRead
Each person is oriented toward a quest for his personal invisible guide, or . . . he entrusts himself to the collective, magisterial authority as the intermediary between himself and Revelation.
Interpretation
The quote discusses the individual's search for personal guidance versus relying on external authorities for spiritual insights.
Ibn Arabi emphasizes the internal journey of each person in seeking their own unique guidance, contrasting it with the tendency to depend on established authorities or systems for spiritual understanding. This highlights the importance of personal experience and inner revelation in one's spiritual quest, suggesting that true understanding comes from within rather than solely from external teachings or figures.
In practice
In a speech about personal growth during a workshop, this quote can inspire attendees to trust their inner voice.
While you are alive, your worldly self is like a collector of benefits from Allah's bounties, which come to you from myriads of hands.
I believe in the religion of Love, whatever direction its caravans may take, for Love is my religion and my faith.
Your personal nature seeks its paradise.
There was a time, when I blamed my companion if his religion did not resemble mine. Now, however, my heart accepts every form....Love alone is my religion.
Beware of confining yourself to a particular belief and denying all else, for much good would elude you - indeed, the knowledge of reality would elude you. Be in yourself a matter for all forms of belief, for God is too vast and tremendous to be restricted to one belief rather than another.
My creed is LOVE; _x000D_ Wherever its caravan turns along the way, _x000D_ That is my belief, _x000D_ My faith.
They say it grows so cold up here in winter that a man’s laughter freezes in his throat and chokes him to death,” Ned said evenly. “Perhaps that is why the Starks have so little humor.
That is a dream also; only he has remained asleep, while you have awakened; and who knows which of you is the most fortunate?
Is it not certain that the Creator yawns in earthquake and thunder and other popular displays, but toils in rounding the delicate spiral of a shell? -Yeats, The Trembling of the Veil
That said, the question remains: how to strike the balance between free speech and mutual respect in this mixed-up world, both blessed and cursed with instant communication? We should not fight fire with fire, threats with threats.
Darkness is drawn to light, but light does not know it; light must absorb the darkness and therefore meet its own extinguishment.
I do not feel that I am the product of chance, a speck of dust in the universe, but someone who was expected, prepared, prefigured. In short, a being whom only a Creator could put here; and this idea of a creating hand refers to God.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.