Amira Ayad, PhD
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Online Courses
  • My Books
    • Body Whispers Book
    • Body Whispers Journal
    • Healing Body & Soul
    • The True Secret
  • Resources
    • Chakra Self-Assessment
    • Boost Your Immunity
    • Videos
    • Find the cause & Fix the problem
    • Washwasha
    • kitchen Dispensary
    • My Library
  • My Blog

The Pandemic: Who Let the Genie Out?

5/1/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
In the tales  of Arabian Nights, there is a story of a poor fisherman, who, everyday carried his net to the sea and return empty handed. The fisherman felt helpless and prayed, cried, and pleaded for God’s help. One day, after three failed attempts, the fisherman desperately cast his net for the fourth and last time. It came out with a copper lamp. Disappointed, he started cleaning the lamp , maybe he could sell it and buy dinner for his starving family. As he rubbed it, fumes filled the air and out came a huge genie.

The genie related his story. He has been trapped in the lamp for years. After a hundred years, he promised, “whoever saves me, I will make him rich beyond his wildest dream.” Then, the second century fled by, and the genie said, “Whoever saves me, I’ll open before him the treasures of the land.” When 400 years passed and no one showed up for him, the genie desperately pledged, “Whoever saves me, I’ll grant him 3 wishes.” Still, no one came for his rescue. The genie remained trapped for 1800 years – and with every passing year, he was becoming angrier and hungrier  and ended up swearing, “Who ever saves me must die! I will grant him only one choice… He may choose how he would like me to kill him.” And, this was the choice he gave our poor fisherman.

The fisherman knew that the genie is much stronger, but our wise fisherman also knew that a human being  always has the power to outsmart a beast. “I only have one wish, the fisherman said, I am so curious  to see how a huge genie like yourself could fit in such a tiny lamp?” And, as soon as the genie squeezed himself back in, the fisherman sealed the lamp.
At this point, the fisherman had the choice to either cast the lamp back in the sea and get rid of the genie forever or make a deal with this angry hungry beast. But, could he trust him?
The fisherman learned his lesson, “the genie may have the muscles, but I have the Intellect.” He needs the genie. He could make use of his talents, if only he could submit him to his service… Despite his fear, the fisherman decided to release the genie after striking a deal that benefited both of them.

The genie in the story is the classic symbol of the soul. A soul entrapped and ignored for years until its anger and passion could no longer be contained. Those feelings are totally legitimate. With years of entrapment, the genie’s anger and passion were his motivation to find an outlet, to keep hope and keep going. Yet, those helpful tools have been percolating for so long that they ended up brewing the deadly concoction of pride, greed, temptations, envy, gluttony, wrath, and apathy.
Squeezed Heart

​This time of the Pandemic, if I borrow Charles Dickens’ words, “It was the best of times... It was the worst of times.” It brought up the best out of people… It brought up the worst out of people.

But, the best and the worst have been already there… Lurking in the dark shadow of our hearts.

​The pandemic squeezed our hearts revealing what has already been there… it rubbed the lamp and released our genie. For some, the heart was full of pain- denied, unexpressed pain. For some, it was full of anger - stored, percolating anger. Yet for others, it was full of hunger, needs, or maybe compassion or love or yearnings…

Yin-Yang Symbol
All these are legitimate, natural human feelings…

Sufis call the moments of challenges and suffering, Contraction. Contraction is sent our way to wake us up. To make us aware of those hidden crevices of our heart that get neglected as we are caught in the grind of everyday life. Contraction rubs the lamp and give an outlet to the genie before his anger and hunger go out of control. It is there to show us this hidden side of our soul. Yet, we have to remember that the choice remains ours: What do we do with the genie?

Embedded in every contraction is the potential for its own expansion. Like the white dot in the dark side of the Yin-Yang symbol.

We can choose to let our self, the ego in modern psychological terms (the genie) contract so that our heart, our intellect, our wisdom (the fisherman) expands and takes control drawing on the light of Divine love and mercy.

Or, we can choose to leave our heart in its contraction, expanding the ego and allowing it to take over - letting the genie rule with his angry, hungry, selfish pride.


It seems like an easy choice, doesn’t it? Yet, we all know it is one of the hardest choices to make. The genie is scary. It is hard to contain and even harder to please. On one hand, squeezing him into the lamp makes him angrier and hungrier, not to mention the waste of his tremendous potentials. On the other hand, taming him is a life-long struggle, the Greatest Struggle against the shadows of our own soul.

The fisherman, compared to the genie, seems like this tiny white dot in the black swirl. Yet, this dot is the source of light in the darkness, the wisdom in the chaos. The fisherman chose to tame the genie not to kill it. He knew that he needs it along his journey. The genie, with his anger and passion, is a prodigious source of energy that the fisherman needs for protection and motivation. Yet, the fisherman, with his wise discerning intellect, has to always remain aware and alert. He can never put down his guards.The genie can never be trusted. We can’t let the genie lead the way. We have to remain in control!

The Pandemic with all its aftermath, is in a sense, a global contraction. It rubbed the lamp and released our genie.  It squeezed our hearts exuding a fermented brew. Yet, the choice remains ours, will we befriend and tame the genie, or will we let him squeeze our hearts to death?
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    About the Author

    Hi, I'm Amira... I'm all for simple, natural, uncomplicated life... My core values are derived from my Islamic faith... My definition of wellness includes lots of smiles, human interactions, delicious food, music, joy, colorful paint, Mediterranean sunshine, blue sky and turquoise sea, care, love, compassion and deep heart-felt peace.
    I love learning… I love books and art supplies… And, I am saddened by human conflict and intolerance.
     
    I am an introvert who loves being around people... I love building communities and gathering around the kitchen table... I am a teacher at heart... I simplify complex health science and speak openly about heart and soul stuff...

    I've been helping people on their health and healing journey for more than 20 years now and I am committed to be authentic, caring and a beacon of love and peace.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    July 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Categories

    All
    Art Healing
    Body Whispers
    Emotional Healing
    Energy
    Functional Nutrition
    Holistic Healing
    Holistic Living
    Islamic Medicine
    Mental Body
    Mind/Body
    Nutrition
    Recipes
    Spirituality
    Stress Management
    Stress Mangement
    Workshops
    مدونات باللغة العربية

    RSS Feed

 Disclaimer
My wellness coaching, workshops, teachings, and all the services I provide are at all times restricted to education, teaching and training on the subject of natural health matters intended for general natural health well-being and do not involve the diagnosing, prognosticating, treatment, or prescribing of remedies for the treatment of any disease, or any licensed or controlled act which may constitute the practice of  medicine. 
Any questions? Please email me at info@amiraayad.com 

Privacy Policy    Terms of Service