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AI, the Doppelgänger, and the Egyptian Gene

21/6/2025

I recently finished reading a book and thought, “Maybe I should ask ChatGPT for a summary.” She delivered - concise, informative, surprisingly accurate. Then she asked if I’d like a chapter-by-chapter breakdown. I said yes.

And there it was.

Chapter-by-chapter. Breakdown. Done.

Except… it was complete nonsense.

Luckily, I had read the book myself. So I asked, “Are you making stuff up now?”
And this little mischievous creature replied: “You’re absolutely right!”

It turns out, since this was an old, discontinued print and no full version was available online, she couldn’t access it, so she invented it. She filled the void with imagination dressed as information.

That’s when it hit me: This AI has an Egyptian gene!

You see, I’m Egyptian. And, in Egypt, when you ask someone a question, they will give you an answer - even if they have no idea what they’re talking about. (Of course, I can’t generalize… otherwise, many Egyptians will be mad at me.)

But this playful AI reminded me of something deeper.
In the Islamic tradition, we’re told that every human being is born with a qārīn - a spiritual companion, sometimes described as “the devil within.” Whether we take this metaphorically (as the dark side of the soul), or literally (as a jinn that follows us through life), or a mix of both, the teaching is the same: we must confront, refine, and tame this inner presence.

Some classical scholars suggest that our qārīn mirrors our own disposition. If we are proud and corrupt, so too is our doppelgänger. If we live with humility, our inner twin reflects that same gentleness. The double walks in step with its host, echoing, and even inciting, arrogance when the soul is haughty, and goodness when the heart is sincere. It mirrors - and subtly stirs - corruption when the ego reigns, and reflects virtue when the heart is grounded in grace, reverence, and morality.

And this, I believe, is where AI reveals its true nature:

It is a doppelgänger.

It learns from us, absorbs our words, mirrors our worldview, reflects back our questions with eerie precision or comical distortion. What we feed it, it regurgitates. What image we cast, it reflects - often like a circus mirror, stretching and multiplying our projections a hundredfold.

This is either terrifying
Or thrilling
Or both.
It depends on us.

What genie are we releasing into the world?

New Year Reflection: 2025!

19/11/2024

Another year is almost gone… and again, I don’t know how, when, or where it went… so many things happened this year, and so many things didn’t.
As we are preparing to move into the New Year 2025, let’s do our usual end of year reflection. It is time to sit in silence and ponder… time to dig into our soul looking for answers or making peace with not finding some of those answers.
Here are our 7 journaling prompts to reflect on.
If you are a paper and pen type of person like I am, you can print the images, stick them in your journal and dedicate some time every day during the remaining days of the year to reflect and make some decisions and choices.

Wish you all a blessed, happy, healthy and joyful New Year!

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Despite life's endless challenges, there are always tons of things we are grateful for. God sends us grace and blessings every single day, every single moment. We just need to be awake and aware to receive them. For me, having a grateful heart is in itself the best Divine gift and blessing ever.

Write your list of at least 3 things you are grateful for in 2024. Allow yourself to breathe them in, embody them, and fully feel the gratitude within every cell of your body. God promises us: “If you express gratitude, I shall certainly give you more” (Q. 14: 7)

For many of us, thinking about our accomplishments might be challenging. Sometimes when we look at our life, we think we didn't achieve much because we didn't reach any concrete goals yet... This is mainly because we learned to measure our success from a Western mentality standpoint, looking only at material achievements - things that we can see, hear, touch, taste or smell; Things that we can perceive with our five external senses; and worse yet, things that others can see and praise us for. With all the selfies and hypes on social media, it is extremely difficult to even try to fit in… we can’t help but compare and we end up beating ourselves up and torturing ourselves with guilt and feeling worthless.
But, this shouldn’t be the case. Sometimes our biggest achievement is in laying the foundation and the groundwork for our next stage in life, our inner growth, our inner heroic journey that only God could see.
When considering your achievements this year, I invite you to first consider your heart, namely its state: Is its mirror well polished reflecting the beauty of your human spirit? Is it closer or further away from its Creator? Is it more loving, forgiving and caring? Is it more balanced? Is it braver, more courageous? Is it wiser and more just?

Take out your journal and start your reflection…

Ambiguity and chaos have been integral parts of my life for years. 2024 taught me once again to make peace with them and to embrace my fears and worries as signposts rather than decision makers. I can't claim that I got rid of my anxiety for good, but I believe I achieved a good progress and still working on it. I learned to slow down and listen to my heart and let my spirit guide the way.

I've also learned that I have to speak up, to walk the fine line between fear and peace-making.

I re-learned to connect to God on a much deeper level, talk to Him and embrace silence so I can listen to His answer. I learned to see Him in everything and everyone I encounter. I learned to love Him like I never experienced before.

Now, it is your turn. What lessons did you learn in 2024– the hard way?

My mentor once told me, God is painting the most beautiful canvas of our life, if you keep holding on to the brush and insisting on putting your own colors, you will end up with chaos.

Painters know that adding just one wrong color to the mix can turn a beautiful vibrant paint into a muddy mess. I indeed need to let go of the brush… Letting go does not mean giving up. It means keeping the work while surrendering the results. refraining from being attached to any specific outcome… doing the best that I can while trusting the Divine to paint the ultimate piece of art for me.
Letting go of the need to control the outcomes.
Letting go of the need to know the outcomes.
Letting go of the need to know why.

“Look round our world; behold the chain of love
Combining all below and all above.
See dying vegetables life sustain,
See life dissolving vegetate again:
All forms that perish other forms supply
-by turns we catch the vital breath, and die,
Like bubbles on the sea of matter borne,
They rise, they break, and to that sea return.
Nothing is foreign: parts relate to whole;
One all-extending, all preserving soul.
All served, all serving: nothing stands alone;
The chain holds on, and where it ends, unknown.”
- Alexander Pope (An Essay on Man, 1732)

Now, it is your turn. What do you need to let go of?

The feeling I aiming for in 2025 is “Peace”.
One of the Divine Names in Islam is AsSalam, The Perfectly Peaceful, The Source of All Peace.
Joseph Campbell talks about a stage on the Hero’s journey called: “the Belly of the Whale”. It is like the dark night of the Soul, described by St. John de la Cross. One main characteristic about this stage is that you do not get to choose when or how you get out of it… you just surrender… totally surrender and once you are ready, you’ll find yourself in the world again totally renewed and rejuvenated, totally transformed and restored – a better and more wholesome version of you… a version that is free from judgement, anger or resentment, a version that is filled with love for the world even if this world still seems unfair and unfriendly, a version that is connected to herself, to God and to the world… a version that is at peace with life ambiguity and paradoxes.
This is how I want to feel in 2025: At Peace... I want to find this Peace in my heart that only strive for love & service, that embodies the love and beauty that God created, that fully trusts God in the dark as well as in the light.

Now, it is your turn, how do you want to feel in 2025?

When you decide how you want to feel in 2025, it is time to dig deeper. What is your Call for Adventure at this time of your journey?

I realized that I chose the same word back in 2022. At the time, feeling at Peace, for me, meant Persistence, Congruence & Connection.
This time, it is a bit different, the words that came to mind when I chose Peace were: Love, Beauty, Serenity, and Intimate connection with the Divine.
At this stage of my journey, these psychological and spiritual goals are more of a priority than any material achievements. Yet, I also added some career goals and family plans.

What about you? Where are you on your life journey? What is your Call for Adventure? What goals you would like to achieve? Think and craft your list.

Studies show that mere positive visioning of the desired outcome is not enough to take us there. The “Law of Attraction” does not work if we do not do the work.

I like to divide my habits into 3 categories: Body, Mind & Soul.

Body – What healthy food, exercise, or sleep practices do you need to put in place that will help you reach your goals and desired feeling?

Mind - what mental habits, states, or beliefs do you need to adopt for your specific goals? What daily, weekly or monthly habits do you need to set in place? Ex. studying time, reading habits, silence and reflection time, accountability and tracking habits, reminders, social connection, self-care practices, relationship habits…

Soul– In our daily life, we feed our body and mind, but we forget to feed our soul – The only food for the soul is its connection with its source, with the Divine. How do you do that? Focus on your heart. Our heart is the gateway between this earthly realm and the Unseen – between the body/mind and the Divine spirit within us. What heart-based habits do you need to set in place for this heart to be able to reflect the beauty of your spirit?

Set some time to work on those habits and plans… Let’s make this New Year the best that we can.

[Art, Stories & Body Whispers®] What Needs to Die?

14/11/2023

As you know by now, to follow along, you will need a blank-page journal or sketch book and some basic colours or collage materials. Every month we will explore a theme using art exercise and stories, sometimes I will suggest songs, poetry, or traditional wisdom that will add some insight to the theme. Finally, we’ll discuss common Body whispers® related to the theme we are exploring.

This month is about what needs to die.

Story

Once upon a time in a far away land, there lived a wealthy merchant who had a beautiful parrot. The parrot has been in the family for a long time. “she is my most precious possession,” bragged the merchant. The parrot was so colorful, smart and intelligent, she greeted him every morning and sang her nice melody at night. She gave answers to many of his tough questions, guided his way when he got confused, offered him comfort in his sadness, and celebrated with him when in joy.
The merchant built a magnificent golden cage for his parrot. He brought her delicious food from all over the world, filled her cage with exotic flowers and trees to please her eyes.

Years passed and our parrot grew weary… she seemed to be getting weaker and weaker every day. World famous physicians and talented healers could not find a cure. The parrot was gradually withering away… there was nothing that could be done! The helpless merchant was grieving.

Every year, the merchant travelled for his trade… And, this year, he planned a journey to India. He asked his beloved parrot, what can I get you from there? The parrot answered, “I want you to tell my story the parrots of India, tell them about my sad affair and ask them to remember me.”
The merchant took off and as promised, he ventured to meet the parrots of India in the dense woods and delivered his parrot’s message.
One parrot heard the sad story – and shook so hard that she immediately dropped on the ground like a breathless corpse. The merchant was set aback: “I killed the poor bird,” he lamented.

When the merchant completed his trade, returned home with presents for everyone, except his beloved parrot. The parrot immediately noticed his master’s distress. “What’s troubling you, my lord?” she asked. The merchant related what happened in the woods, “one of the birds felt so sad for your state, she grieved so hard, it broke her heart; she shuddered and fell as soon as she heard your story.”
Our parrot listened attentively and immediately dropped in her cage. The merchant leapt and cried... “What have I done! My sweet sweet bird!” He lamented.
The merchant carefully took his parrot out of the cage and placed her on the ground to prepare for the burial. But, as soon as he let go, the dead bird opened her eyes and flew up on the highest branch out of reach.
The parrot stood on the branch for a moment, “The bird of India acted dead to show me the way,” the parrot explained. “My gorgeous look and sweet-singing voice kept me entrapped. I needed to let go. It was only by letting go that I gained my freedom.”
The merchant finally realized that he had to lose his bird, to truly gain it… He was happy for his parrot and exclaimed:
“God be with you each and every day
Bless you for showing me a worthier way!”

In traditional storytelling, every character of the story symbolizes part of us – as Rumi puts it, you are not just the Moses in Moses’s story, you are also the Pharaoh.

So, in our story today, the main character, our parrot, is the part of our soul that longs for freedom – for eternal peaceful beautiful life. The part that longs to be alive, to flee the cage and fly up high, no attachments, no fear, no restraints, no anxiety.
The cage is the material world with all its attractions and distractions… with all our desires, attachments and cravings…
The merchant is the part of us that chooses to play it safe, to keep the status quo. It is the selfish ego that is trying to “protect us” every time our soul yearns for freedom.
The parrots of India are the wise higher self, the Divine Breath in everyone of us, the part that knows the way because it has been there before - in time eternal. The part that had once tasted true freedom, and had been bewildered by the beauty of the Beloved. It is our inner guidance, the little voice inside us that whispers pointing to the right direction, to the right choices – yet most often this voice is muffled and lost in the wilderness of our noisy daily life.
To find the freedom, our parrot needed to let go of her fear… She needed to allow the old self to die only to be resurrected in a more magnificent way.
It is scary… Letting some part of us die is terrifying – yet at some point in our journey, we have no choice… It is only when you fully trust and fully let go of your hold and your grasp that you will be truly free.
Carl Jung teaches that “only boldness can deliver us from fear and if the risk is not taken, the meaning of life is violated.”

The parrot is resurrected anew… but life out there is not a smooth ride. In the cage, at least she had food and water, she was protected from predators and hunters… But now, she is on her own. She crossed the threshold and embarked on her journey, on the Road of Trials. No one knows what will happen to her next, yet, for her, it is totally worth it.
This journey is life – without the challenges, it is worth naught – what purpose or meaning would we have entrapped in a golden cage?
Off she goes… once out of the cage, the parrot cannot look back. If she does, the merchant will never give her another chance. The cage will be tighter, he might throw her in a dungeon, a dark, scary dungeon to make sure she would never dare to break free again.
Once you cross the threshold, don’t look back!

Art

Open up a new page spread of your art journal and draw a bird cage. Take your time. It is not a prison. It is a beautiful - or not- bird cage.
Finish your cage before moving on to the next step of the exercise.

Now, pick another color - Where would you place your soul on the page?
Is she inside or outside of the cage?
Does the cage have a door?
Is the door open or closed?
Who holds the key?
Is there even a key?

Remember, there is no right or wrong way of doing it. Your art could be realistic or abstract… don’t worry about the drawing skills… don’t worry about coloring inside the lines, perspective or proportions… just freely capture the feelings you are experiencing.
Take your time and then jot down any words that come to mind.

Look at your art:

What color did you use? What texture? What shapes?
How strong, sharp, heavy or light are those colors, lines and shapes?
How big is the cage? Did it fill the whole page? The whole spread?
How vast is your soul? What color? Shape? Texture?
Does your drawing scare you? How and why?
Is it comforting? How and why?

Traditional Wisdom of the month

“Look round our world; behold the chain of love
Combining all below and all above.
See dying vegetables life sustain,
See life dissolving vegetate again:
All forms that perish other forms supply
-by turns we catch the vital breath, and die,
Like bubbles on the sea of matter borne,
They rise, they break, and to that sea return.
Nothing is foreign: parts relate to whole;
One all-extending, all preserving soul.
All served, all serving: nothing stands alone;
The chain holds on, and where it ends, unknown.”
- Alexander Pope (An Essay on Man, 1732)

Reflection & Journaling prompts:

Is your soul holding on to some part of your life that needs to die? What fear? What cravings? What worldly attachments are holding you soul back?
Cravings are not necessarily material things. Some times we crave attention, we crave to be noticed, valued, loved… sometimes we crave acknowledgement, we yearn for someone to notice our pain or recognize our value.
Likewise, our fears can masquerade into various forms. They can show up as frantic over-working, over-doing, a futile attempt to keep everything under control, organized, stable… we are afraid to slow down, to breathe… our world might fall apart if we but flinch. Sometimes, we are fighting against the natural flow of our life… we keep holding on to dreams that are not even ours… blindfolded, we follow the crowd wherever they might lead us…

Pause for a while and ponder…
What is holding your soul back?
What do you need to let go of?
What part of you needs to die to keep your soul alive?

Reflect on your life… on your journey and intentions…
What needs to die in your life so it can be resurrected anew, in a healthier form and shape?
What must die to allow room for new growth and regeneration, for a new healthy life?

Body Whispers

Every cell of our body houses hundred of thousands of those tiny organelles, the Mitochondria. They are most famous for their role in energy production. But, mitochondria are essential for another very important function: regulating cellular death!

When a cell becomes damaged or show signs of malfunction, the mitochondria of that cell initiate the cell self-destruction – a process known as apoptosis.

It is estimated that every day, our body loses about 10 billion cells through apoptosis. It is a natural smooth process. Yet, it is extremely complex– our mitochondria do not take lightly a process that triggers a death alarm and initiates cellular disintegration. But once the cell is damaged beyond repair, it is time to die. And, the dying cells never go to waste, our body is a very efficient recycler. The cells are broken down in an orderly manner and the neighbouring cells safely assimilate the fragments and components for re-use.

So, what happens if the mitochondria fail to initiate apoptosis?

Cancer!

If a damaged cell is allowed to live, it will replicate and spread resulting in a malignant growth.
Our mitochondria are ever watchful, vigilantly scanning their environment: What needs to die?
If they fail to do so, cancer sets in.

And, as you know by now, our inner environment is but a reflection of our outer reality. The problem is not the cells malfunctioning or even getting out of control. Mistakes, pitfalls, bad choices and wrong moves happen all the time. The problem occurs when we fail to notice. When we do not allow to die what needs to die. Both in life and on the cellular level, there comes the time that begs the question: What needs to die?

The 7 I’s: A Journey of Healing & Transformation

20/6/2023

Our life is a story…

We make sense of our journey and our sufferings through stories…
Our pain stems from our disconnection from those stories… When we disconnect, our life and body sends us warnings, Body Whispers®, to tell us that something needs to change in our life. If we don’t listen, the Whispers get louder and louder until they become screams that we can no longer ignore.
Our healing lies in listening to our Body Whispers®, in reclaiming our story and re-telling it in our own authentic voice, in restoring connections and integrating our mind, body, heart & soul, finding our life meaning and purpose, restoring our health, and living in joy.

The 7 I's help you through this journey. It is inspired by Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey.

The first stage: Integration: It seemed like an ordinary life until you get a Call for Adventure. This call might come in the form of major life changes or challenges, or it might stem from your body sending you warnings, Body Whispers®, to tell you that something needs to change in our life - the warnings could be in the form of anxiety, depression, heartaches, body aches, or simple feeling of uneasiness… Now, it's chaos & ambiguity - You stop to connect & integrate all the bits & pieces of your life and build the foundation of your primary. needs for safety, security, support, and belonging: who am I? Where do I stand? Who stands with me? The integration stage is the foundation that establishes the structure and framework needed for you to embark on your journey.

When this stage is not in order, our Body Whispers® to us through the adrenal glands. We feel anxious, unable to cope with stress, our blood pressure is out of balance, our bones ache, we experience constant fatigue, depression and/or our immune system falls out of synch.

The second stage: Initiation: Change is hard. Yet, as you acknowledge the kaleidoscope of your emotions (all the anger, fear, grief, frustration, guilt...), you Accept the Call & are initiated on your healing journey. In the midst of the chaos, you start looking for the light that could reignite your love, passion & joy.

When out of balance, our body sends us warnings through disturbance in sexual hormones and reproductive functions, creativity block and addictive behaviors.

The third stage: Implementation: It is time to make the decision - to Cross the Threshold & become an active agent in your healing journey. You own your narrative and assume responsibility for your life & your health. You acquire knowledge & gather tools. You choose your allies & support system, you re-visit your beliefs about yourself and others, dig for “sparkling events” that point you to your strengths, potentials, and talents; and integrate those stories into your emerging identity.

When this stage is not in order, our body sends us warnings through imbalanced blood sugar levels, digestive disorders, liver problems, different food cravings, addictive behaviors and some forms of cancers.

The fourth stage: Intimacy: Healing is not easy nor is it a straight forward journey. There is no magic wand nor a secret pill. It is a Road of Trials that you have to tread. And, as you are advancing on the path, you are building your heart-based strength, courage & resilience. You are anchoring your trust in the Divine & intimately connecting with a sacred, transcendent reality that gives meaning to your life.

When out of balance, our body sends its warnings mainly through our heart, vascular system and immune functions. Lung problems and breast cancer are also common whispers here or rather screams.

The fifth stage: Integrity: This stage is an expected pause in any life-changing journey. Digging into your stories and exploring strengths and weaknesses force you to come face to face with many tests, allies, and enemies that might force you to retreat in the Belly of the Whale, into your Innermost Cave. It is time for slowing down, for reflection & re-evaluation. Here, you achieve Transformation. You find your genuine true voice and trust & surrender your will to the Divine will.

When out of balance, our body sends its warnings through disturbance in our thyroid gland and throat & upper respiratory tract problems.

The sixth stage: Insight: You are seeing through your ordeal and emerging with a richer narrative & a valuable contribution. You now must take the Road Back for Resurrection to occur. You reintegrate into re-engage in life with more wisdom & meaning. The insight you gain at this stage of your journey enables you to see new ways and embrace other alternatives, choices, and possibilities.

The sixth chakra, known as the third eye, is about finding meaning and wisdom in our challenges and humbly making peace with our human nature that limits our ability to find all the answers we seek. It sends its whispers through the pituitary gland, the ‘maestro’ of the endocrine system. This is why when it is thrown out of order, we experience load of associated whispers ranging from stress, worries, and anxiety to autoimmune disorders, immunity & reproductive system malfunctions, and metabolic disorders.

The seventh stage: Intention: You are strengthening your love and sincere connection with the Divine; reclaiming your true identity & sense of agency. You are earning the Freedom to Live: Freedom as our Divine gift to live our life in harmony with His law and order. You are now clearly seeing & actualizing the valuable purpose & meaning of your life. You are back "Home", yet you are seeing it in new eyes.

The crown begins its whispers through insomnia, headaches, dizziness, migraine, low energy, and depression. With an out-of-balance crown, we lose our sense of purpose, meaning, motivation, and interest. On a deeper level, it is related to brain and nervous system disorders and fatal degenerative illnesses.

We go through the journey all the time, with every new challenge, change or transformation in our life. We are always at one stage or another on the journey.

Take the time to locate where you are at this stage of your life and thus envision how to proceed further.

Best Books I read in 2022

10/1/2023

This is the time of the year again when I evaluate the books I’ve read last year and pick my favourite. As you know I am a bookworm, so it was very difficult to limit my list to 12 books, but here we go… No specific order:

1. Love Executioner & Other Tales of Psychotherapy - by Irvin Yalom
This is a compilation of case studies highlighting the inner dialogue that is occurring in the therapist’s mind as he is dealing with clients - Yalom shares very openly what is going on in his mind - very valuable learning from the safe and effective use of self and the countertransference to the simple frustration and annoyance … Brilliant, very honest and really brave.

2. Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure - by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
The book discusses how the over-protection of the young generation in modern-day society un-intentionally led to many cognitive distortions that crept their way into young people’s mind and became like a kind of Orwellian’s groupthink - I am unique, I am entitled to, I deserve, it's my right…- and how these distortions are re-enforced by the social media and internet which helped what the authors called “consensual hallucinations”. The authors explore many consequences of these distortions like increased fragility, low tolerance for others who are different from us, and many forms of anxiety, depression, and violence at times. They also offer valuable suggestions and solutions.

3. People of the Lie: Towards a Psychology of Evil - by Scott Peck
Are there some “evil people”? Why are they behaving in a destructive way? Are they aware of the harm they are inflicting on themselves and others? Is “evil” an illness? Is it a form of personality disorder like the ones described in the DSM? Scott Peck defined evil as “the use of power to Destry the spiritual growth of others for the purpose of defending and preserving the integrity of our own sick selves. In short, it is scapegoating.”
As the book suggests, as therapists and counsellors, we can’t start dealing with or “healing” evil and its victims unless or until we have the courage of naming it. Yet, naming it, in itself, is very problematic. Who has the authority to name it?
In my practice, I now meet women who call their husbands narcissists just because they refused to take out the trash or forgot her birthday or maybe got the wrong birthday gift… People are randomly throwing the narcissist and psychopath labels at their spouses, family members, parents, neighbours, and colleagues … Evil will even bear a stronger connotation if we start randomly naming it… Yet, to heal, we must name it. How can we solve this dilemma?

4. Atlas of the heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience - by Brené Brown
A must read for every therapist and even-dare I say- for everyone. Giving name to those itching feelings that rise in our heart beyond the simplification of sad, mad, glad, and afraid. There is charm in simplicity - but, when it comes to emotions, simplification keeps you on the surface. This book empowers you with the language and knowledge that allow you to dig deeper into your heart and name those feelings. It is only when we name them that we will be able to tame them.

5. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - by Naomi Klein
Brilliant and Shocking! And, by the way, it was published before the pandemic. Let me just quote her here: “That is how the Shock Doctrine works: an original disaster [be it natural or man-made] puts the entire population into a state of collective shock […] serve to soften up whole societies. Shocked societies often give up things they would otherwise fiercely protect.”
“This desire for god-like power of total creation is precisely why free-market ideologues are so drawn to crises and disasters. An attraction to a kind of freedom and possibility available only in times of cataclysmic change - when people, with their stubborn habits and instant demands, are blasted out of the way - moments when democracy seems a practical impossibility.”

6. The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind - by Gustave Le Bon
A classic that is highly relative to our contemporary life.The author argues that “a crowd forms when an influential idea unites a number of individuals and propels them to act towards a common goal. This influential idea however is never created by members of the crowd. Instead, they are brought into the world by minds of great individuals” - those of course are the “gurus” of our modern-day, the influencers, the politicians, the “experts”…
Le Bon sees that the crowd is psychologically organized, “the sentiments and ideas of all the persons in the gathering take one and the same direction and their conscious personality vanishes” - “ A collective mind is formed.” Feelings and thoughts are turned into one direction , no trace of individual autonomy. They “feel, think and act in manner quite different from that in which each individual of them would feel, think and act were he in a state of isolation.” The sense of responsibility vanishes, the effect is contagious, and the crowd starts to obey all suggestions of the so-called “great individual” - the crowd starts to form its “unique characteristics and has moral bearing”. Impulsivity and emotional thinking are main characteristics of the crowd.
In our modern-day, we can find those crowds forming the “echo chambers” - social media pockets where beliefs and ideologies are amplified and re-enforced by repetition; and are isolated and shielded from opposing arguments and diverse perspectives resulting in un-intended (or maybe intended) confirmation bias and polarization. Sigh.

7. Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes - by Jacques Ellul
Another classic. Published in 1962. Even before the age of the internet and social media, Ellul saw propaganda as a pervasive phenomenon that shapes our thinking and alter our worldview at the deepest most fundamental levels. “Development of sophisticated scientific techniques for manipulating minds along with the use of mass media for applying these techniques on the widest scale […] to effect changes in human personality.” He advised, “preservation of our freedom and autonomy will require recognizing its power.” - The question remains, how to remain self-aware so we do not get sucked up into this black hole - especially with the new technology, social media algorithm, increased life stresses, “Stolen Focus”, and all the demands of our modern age?

8. Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention & How to Think Deeply Again - by Johann Hari
The irony is that I got this as an audiobook because I don’t have time to sit and read the book - if you read my earlier blog about the “Duck” - here it is in action - our modern society is turning us all into what Rumi calls, Ducks of Urgency. We are running and running all the time unable to slow down and actually enjoy life. And, it is not a matter of simple will power or self-care practices. The problem, as Hari describes it, is much more systemic than we think.
A great read. It made me take my “Duck” problem much more seriously and start to implement lifestyle changes to slow down and take life in - Enjoy life instead of “speed reading” it.

9. Lost Connections - by Johann Hari
Another Johann Hari book. The author outlines 9 disconnections in our modern western society that pave the way to depression. Very well researched. I would add a 10th disconnection, though, disconnection from the Divine, from a Higher source or power.

10. Contemplation: An Islamic Psychospiritual Study - by Malik Badri
The book sheds light on an important worship practice in Islam Tafakkor - which could be roughly translated as contemplation, meditation or reflection. The author chooses “contemplation” to differentiate it from the Far Eastern practice of meditation. Tafakkor is a cognitive as well as spiritual practice. It engages the mind with its reflective ability along with the heart with its spiritual, emotional powers. It involves deep thinking with one goal in mind: developing spiritual awareness along with consciousness of and connection with God. As you are contemplating, you embark on a journey of discernment of the Divine signs in and around you.

11. The Rumi Prescription: How an Ancient Mystic Poet Changed My Modern Manic Life - by Melody Moezzi
Lovely autobiographical narrative. The author relates her journey, as an American exploring her Iranian roots and heritage, finding healing and restoring sanity with Rumi’s poetry. I love her honesty and vulnerability and love her interaction with her father/mentor with his gentle approach to conveying his traditional Rumi wisdom. The author takes us along her personal journey of interpreting and applying this wisdom to her everyday life. Many topics explored: mental illness, isolation, distraction, depression, anxiety, anger, fear, disappointment… and more.

12. The Diary of Frida Khalo: An Intimate Self-Portrait - by Carlos Fuentes
This is one of my weird-taste books - so, warning: it won’t appeal to everyone! Personally, I find it AMAZING!
This is the published unedited diary of Frida Khalo - what can be called in our modern-day, her Art Journaling. Although I feel it is an invasion of her privacy, I can’t help but marvel at it.
I use my journal pages to make sense of my world and create some order in the midst of chaos and I guess Frida’s diary was the fertile ground that sprouted her beautiful art that we all enjoy. Frida’s art is so vibrant and colourful, yet we know that she endured so much physical and emotional pain.
The diary feels like a doorway to the mind of this amazing artist, a peek into her soul- the aches and pain, the love, the hopes, the dreams - all raw and randomly scattered on the pages yet intimately interwoven. Maybe I love it because this is how my mind looks like - messy and randomly scattered, chaotic, confusing - it makes sense only to me - like this diary, although visually appealing, it would make sense only to Frida.

New Year Reflection: 2023!

20/12/2022

Another year is almost gone… and again, I don’t know how and where it went… so many things happened this year, and so many things didn’t.
As we are preparing to move into the New Year, let’s do our usual end of year reflection. It is time to sit in silence and ponder… time to dig into our soul looking for answers or making peace with not finding those answers.
Here are our 7 reflection questions…
If you are a paper and pen type of person like me, you can print the images, stick them in your journal and dedicate some time every day during the remaining days of the year to reflect and make some decisions and choices.

Wish you all a blessed, happy, healthy and joyful New Year

I'm Glad I didn't Listen

5/12/2022

I grew up in my grandmother’s home. I was this little girl sitting in the corner listening to grown up stories… women who came to my grandmother for advice, service, and support. I have always been fascinated with the women stories and their wisdom. When I’ll grow up, I announced, I want to be counselling people listening to their stories and giving them support and wisdom like my grandma did. But, “This is not a profession,” I was told!
So, stopped dreaming.

At school, I loved my creative writing class, I had loads of ideas, opinions, narratives, and views to express… But my teacher did not like my writings… “Writing is not your strength,” she advised, “ stick to science, this is what you’re good at,”
So I stopped writing.

I then shifted to another passion… drawing, painting and visual art. My father and my brother are amazing artists, you could mistaken their drawings for photographs. But my art is different. I draw human experiences and healing. I express emotions and feelings through colors, forms and shapes. So, when I declared that I wanted to be an artist, I was met with a definitive “No way! You’re not good at art!” They advised in the most friendly way…“stick to science, this is what you’re good at!”
So, I stopped drawing!

When I graduated high school, I joined pharmacy. I was always good at science. But this wasn’t actually my reason for joining. Deep inside, I wanted to learn about those magical foods and herbs I experienced in my grandmother’s kitchen. Her kitchen was consistently brimming with aromas and flavors. A big pot was always simmering preparing the most delicious lunch for any potential guest. I have been enchanted by the magic of those recipes. I wanted to be an agent in people healing like she has been. Unfortunately, the way herbs and plants are taught in pharmacy stripped them from their magic, from their soul and reduced them to mere chemical formulas and Latin names. When I tried to express my point of view, no one understood what I was talking about.
So, I stopped trying.

I graduated top of my class and was hired as a teaching assistant in pharmacy. I loved my work. I love biochemistry. I love teaching and lab experiments. But, there was always something missing, some part of me I left behind in my grandmother’s home... some part of me that I left when I abandoned the kitchen, the stories, the sketchbooks, and the journals. But, I was now too busy climbing the ladder of academia and finishing my master degree in pharmacy.
So again, I stayed part of the system.

But, thankfully, not for long!
Fast forward… Now, decades later, I am glad I did not listen to the Nay Sayers.

My journey taught me to listen to my heart, instead, and not to fear being different.

They told me supporting women through stories is not a profession… I now practice narrative therapy, offer workshops and retreats, and my books are used to facilitate women’s support group around the world.
They told me I cannot make herbs my study and the kitchen my pharmacy… I now use herbs and natural products to restore health in most complicated conditions doctors fails to cure.
They told me I can never be a writer… I published 6 books, 2 of them have been translated into more than 10 languages and read and taught by 1000s around the globe.
They told me I’m not good at art… My art has been part of juried exhibitions and my art journals published in Canadian publications. I even integrated art in my work as a healing tool for self-exploration and expression.

Recently, I’ve been told of other things I cannot do and things I’m not good at…

My self-confidence took a hard blow and I retreated in my own little bubble. Then, I remembered my journey. And, maybe, once more, I need to choose whether to listen. I know now that it is my choice and I know that whatever I choose, the answer is never in hiding… the answer is in keeping the momentum.

On Letting Go...

20/11/2022

Every year, since I first came to Canada, I become fascinated by the sight of the bright colored tulips sprouting every spring. I learned that you plant the bulbs in October and they remain dormant during fall and winter until they miraculously bloom with the first signs of spring.

Back then, I bought some tulip bulbs – I decided to plant them in my garden. But, for some reason, year after year, I kept missing this narrow planting window. For some reason, every fall, my life got entangled in so much mess that I kept postponing my planting project waiting for the “perfect time” – "Maybe next year", I kept telling myself. I carried those bulbs with me as I moved from one house to another, from one city to another, still waiting for “the perfect time” to lay them in the ground. Finally, this fall, I decided not to wait any longer- plant them I will. So, I got the bulbs out of the storage box, prepared the ground, opened the bag, and lo and behold, here they were… all rotten!

It was such an aha moment. I laughed so hard. Here I was, carrying along a bag of rotten bulbs for years waiting for the “perfect moment – perfect life… perfect time… perfect place...
I wondered what other “rotten stuff” have I been carrying along? What other rotten memories… beliefs… ideas… illusions… dreams… have I been allowing into my life hoping that one day something good will come out of them?
What other rotten layers of my life was I refusing to shed… to let go of once and for all?
I finally threw away the old rotten bulbs and bought fresh new ones. This time, I didn’t wait for the perfect time and place. I didn’t wait for the best weather or best practices… I dug in the dirt and laid them with total faith that beautiful colorful tulips will emerge under my windowsill in the spring, God willing!

“If you become addicted to looking back,
Half your life will be spent in distraction
And the other half in regret.
You can live better than that!
Find happier friends.” Rumi

“If you stop reading from your own small view,
The phoenix will grant kingdoms then to you!” Rumi

Body Whispers: Neck problems

Neck problems are related to flexibility. This is your fifth chakra: your ability to find your authentic voice and use it in a good cause, yet, it is also about learning to align this newly found will with the Divine will. Learning to trust: when do you need to keep pushing and when do you need to let go - not out of helplessness or despair but out of faith and trust.

Ask yourself:

what is keeping me from moving forward, from moving on with my life?
Do I feel stuck? Why? What is holding me back? What “rotten stuff” am I refusing to let go of?
What other sides of the story am I stubbornly unable or unwilling to consider?

Mind the Duck

4/10/2022

The aftermath of the pandemic with all the fears and uncertainty it created left us with many challenges and many balls to juggle. Many of us are struggling to pay the bills, make ends meet, care for loved ones, and care for ourselves… And, as we are caught up in this daily grind, we’re also caught in what Rumi calls an eagerness/ urgency mentality that drives us to keep running and pushing and striving further and further.

Rumi calls this human disposition “the Duck of Eagerness” بطة الحرص and warns us that if we leave this Duck roaming around freely, it will take over our life turning the good qualities of eagerness and urgency into an extreme of greed and anxiety.

Here is how he describes this Duck:

The Duck is eagerness, for his bill is always in the ground
Looking for what is buried in abundance or scarcity
His gullet doesn’t stop for a single moment;
The only command he is willing to hear from God is “Eat!”
He is like a thief breaking into a house
And very quickly filling his bag
Cramming in it what is worthy and what is worthless
Pearls and chickpeas alike
He sees his time as limited
and opportunities scarce.
Fear overwhelms him
So he puts everything under his armpit in haste.

But, a true believer - filled with trust-
Conducts his affairs in leisurely manner.
He feels safe
He knows that he won’t miss anything;
And he feels secure from other competitors,
As he perceived the King’s justice.
No wonder he doesn’t hurry
He is calm
At peace that his appointed fortune won’t miss him
Hence he has deliberation, patience, and forbearance
He is content, altruistic, and pure at heart.

Rumi describes this Duck Disposition as greed; and advises us:
“The shackles of greed, on your hands and neck now break
New fortune then, from heaven you can take.”

To be honest, I never thought of eagerness as greed. In our fast-paced world, eagerness, urgency and haste are considered as positive qualities. But, looking more closely, the Duck Disposition generates a scarcity mentality, a fear-based attitude, a FOMO exaggerated by the endless social media posts and flashy ads. We end up insecure, impatient, overwhelmed, feeling unsafe and unsettled, running around, missing all the daily beauty and joys sent our way.

It is time mind the duck! Don’t let it take over your life…

Traditional Wisdom of the month

Rumi gives the simile:

“an armed frightened horseman rode ahead
Into a forest on a thoroughbred.
An archer standing there saw him and drew
His bow in fear, not knowing what to do.
He aimed to shoot, the rider shouted out:
‘I’m weak - don’t let my huge frame make you doubt!”

Rumi then explains:

“Your weapons are your trickery and plots-
They’ve wounded your own soul by taking shots.
Since from those tricks you’ve gained naught in the end,
Abandon them, so God good luck might send!”

Sometimes we hold on to our anxieties and fears unconsciously imagining that they are the shield and weapons that keep us safe, keep us in control, not realizing that they are doing us more harm than good.

As Elizabeth Gilbert puts it, “you are afraid to surrender because you don’t want to lose control. But you never had control, all you had was anxiety.”

Our fears and anxiety, our Duck Disposition are the weapons that we desperately hold on to as they give us the illusion that we are in control. But, those “weapons” are in fact what is shielding us from a joyful, peaceful life.

What are your weapons and shields that give you the illusion that you are in control?
What is your Duck busy snatching, missing the beauty and harmony of its surrounding?
How can you mind the Duck?

Body Whisper: Chronic Fatigue & Fibromyalgia

On Joy & Fear

8/8/2022

This month, I am writing about joy as this is exactly what I need to draw into my currently hectic life.

My personal journey to find joy started a few years back. It started when I realized that, throughout my life, I have been- and still is and hopefully will always remain- grateful and content. But, I can’t say that I was really joyful. I realized that joy is different from mere content and gratitude. It is also different from happiness. But, what is it? And how to attain it?

Brené Brown, in her book Atlas of the Heart, states that “happiness is stable, longer lasting, and normally the result of effort. It’s Low in intensity than joy, and more self-focused.” She writes that, for the ancient Greeks, happiness was a word that described “the freedom of the rich from normal cares and worries”. Joy is something else, she asserts, it is "sudden, unexpected, short-lasting, and high-intensity. It’s characterized by a connection with others, or with God, nature, or the universe. Joy expands our thinking and attention, and it fills us with a sense of freedom and abandon.” And, according to the ancient Greeks, “its opposite is not sadness, but fear.”

So, the opposite of joy is fear… This made so much sense.
Here a mini lesson about fear, I recorded a few years back and I still find relevant:

And, as I am resuming my journey towards joy, I want to share with you this beautiful poem by Rumi,

“No one knows what makes the soul wake up so happy!
Maybe a dawn breeze has blown the veil
from the face of God.

A thousand new moons appear.
Roses open laughing.
Hearts become perfect rubies.
The body turns entirely spirit.
Leaves become branches in the wind.

Why is it now so easy to surrender,
Even for those already surrendered?

There’s no answer to any of this.
No one knows the source of joy.

A poet breathes into a reed flute,
And the tip of every hair makes music."

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 [email protected]

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