11. Nezlen Ala El Boustan - Al Khafid (The Abaser) Kulna Sawa (Syria)
This week started with an overwhelming sense of what am I doing? I helped a few people the last few days with their businesses doing marketing. I have some great skills. I found myself wishing why I couldn't be happy with a 9-5 job, a career that made sense to people. I would be a Marketing Director because I know I am very gifted in this. However deep down inside I know this is my fear. Every week I worry about what I will write about and then that turns into worrying about my life choice. Why did I have to choose something so complicated!
My weekly process is usually to go to my magic crate and picking a song from my past that really moved me. Then I begin to research it. I experience pure moments of joy in doing this, especially when I learn about the artists and what the song means (if it was in a different language). It was totally awesome this week to uncover a song I love. What I love is the two voices - male/female and how they blend. There are certain times in the song when the voices blend and I can feel myself melting with them. I love the different musical influences within the song its like nothing I have ever heard...I mean there are bag pipes! Its one of the best music videos I have seen, its so creative, outside the box and fun. I found out it was a Syrian band called Kulna Sawa and they were massive! I was elated to experience something so beautiful from Syria but in the same moment my heart is crying for the destruction of this country and its people.
Desperately I was trying to find a translation but only managed below. Its hard to really see what the song is about. All I can see is that there is something deep within the lyrics that are being lost in translation. The talk of alcohol in the song presented a barrier to me as I'm not judgmental but I know god and alcohol don't always go together in peoples minds. But to my surprise the 12th Name The Abaser seemed to make sense of these situations to me. According to my source the 12th Name
AL Khafid is the only one who lowers beings down through the spiritual stations. The lowering is out of loving protective concern for the soul of the wayfarer. It is a kind of construction, but the job of the heart is to make the infinite finite. When you understand that God alone is the facilitator of your grade of realisation, you become content with the raising and lowering of the spirit as gods will. The name protects you from your own spiritual greed or desire, and to protect you from going too high too fast when you are not prepared. Its also an antidote for spiritual burnout, especially when a person feels that spiritual practices are not working to change their condition.
So much in this text I found unexpected. Suddenly everything I was saying before is feeling alright. I realise when I get these thoughts that they are just protective and not too dwell in that space unpicking my whole personality. I also feel a little embarrassed as maybe I was judging the song by the alcohol content rather than just trusting my inner guide as I always do. I come from a community that really judges, alienates and thinks bad of people if they have anything to do with alcohol. From the above name its even clear to me why you should never react to an outwardly situation. I love “loving protective concern for the soul of the wayfarer”. To me it doesn't mean that the wayfarer is not soul conscious but just needs some time out as we all do when we are pursuing anything intensely - If anyone has a better translation I welcome it.
The concept of spiritual burnout is new to me. Ive never heard this before. If I'm true to myself then I have experienced this in my life. Does anyone ever talk about this? Let alone make songs about this? I find this name so liberating today. It does remind me of some famous Sufi poetry by Bulleh Shah but I will talk about this next time.
Enjoy the song and lets create something to remember Syria xx Ps Listen to the oldest song in the world, originally found in Syria.
I would no longer be so drunk
but I like the heart,
because you feel full speed area
when I pushed the third jalon
Taking drinks penalties will
and sorrow and comes love,
I can keep emptying bottles
pa 'give my heart taste
And in each raw feel death
already it brings me to the Pantheon
but at times I laugh to see her
when I pushed the third jalon
In the bars I see life
and a slip on sidewalks
ay that the streets are angostitas
they even seem a dead
While I'm on the other side
so drunk passeth
bottles come not leave me
already little durare them
and each raw feel death
already it brings me to the Pantheon
but at times I laugh to see her
when I pushed the third jalon