Remembering the Beloved
from Lalla to Nuruddin by Jaishree K. Odin
Heart is a fish: don't leave it dry.
Irrigate it with the remembrance of God:
It will flourish then.
This self is a jewel: don't lose it.
Lord is the Beloved:
He will thus be pleased.
Through remembering God, the seeker focuses on the life-giving traits to illuminate the consciousness. The preoccupation with material reality is equivalent to associating with ignorance and darkness as true existence only belongs to God. Offering prayers regularly with sincerity opens up the heart, purifies the soul, and transforms one's thoughts and actions. The negative thoughts are thus eliminated and the focus shifted to the positive thoughts. Only then do the seeds blossom into noble traits that manifest as compassion, love, caring, and selflessness, among others.
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"Perform good deeds and observe spiritual discipline. Fool, listen with gratitude.
Lovers fasten your sandals. The fool's youth slipped away unnoticed."
