Since I started writing poetry again, I’ve learned a lot of things about myself, both as a person and as a spiritual being, unearthed trauma, past experiences, healed, and realized many things. One of those is that I’m finding a voice that I thought I didn’t have. I’ve had a complicated, tumultuous relationship with poetry, but I’m glad to say it’s changing for the better. One of the things I’ve wanted to learn, get better at, and understand better was... Read more
It’s time to make a confession. I was never a big fan of poetry. In fact, I hardly liked what I wrote for a long time. It’s been a challenge to change this because I’ve always been more interested in folklore and legends than verses. I liked some of them, but others were worse than a foreign language. It wasn’t until recently that I’ve devoted serious time and effort into understanding it and getting better at it. Some may wonder,... Read more
I’ve wanted to read a good book of poetry for a long while. I wanted something I could enjoy, relate to, and a beauty of its own. After searching for a while, I found an option in an Arabic poet, a sensible reading I couldn’t put down from beginning to end: The Nectar of Pain, by Najwa Zebian. Format: 320 pages, Paperback Published: October 2, 2018 by Andrews McMeel Publishing Genres and Tags: Poetry, Self Help, Nonfiction, Romance, Love, Canada, Islam... Read more
I’ve wanted to stay away, but no decent human being can do it for long. The earthquakes in Syria and Turkey have been all over the news. The horrific stories I’ve read, the photos and videos I’ve watched, and some hopeful, beautiful stories, have kept me thinking about all those in need. I come from an immigrant family, a Syrian family, grew up with stories about how hard it is to start in a new country running away from war,... Read more
Although I’ve written about it several times in the past, I haven’t actually dedicated a specific time to say what it is in detail. I’ve used what I call Devine Speed Dating (DSP) as a way of verified personal gnosis, and I want you to know more about it. What is it about? It goes without saying I don’t have time. None. I’ve spent entire days doing nothing but errands and taking care of my responsibilities, with minimal time for... Read more
It’s still surreal to be in 2023. 2022 wasn’t what I expected it to be, but it did allow me to understand many things, realize things I was doing the right and the wrong way, what I should start and stop doing as well. It was insightful, and now I’m reflecting about it all. It could have been better, but it was what I made it to be and what it had to be. A big disappointment People often say... Read more
This has been a challenging year, filled with changes at every corner, and a world that never ceased to surprise us. Good, wonderful, bad, and awful things have happened non-stop, some people have had it harder, some easier, and some have gone through life like meh. However, we’re here, we’re alive. For me, that’s enough reason to wish everyone happy holidays. Being raised in a multicultural environment meant that I learned twice the traditions, twice the customs, twice the beliefs,... Read more
I did this before, and I do it again. Arabian mythology is so full of surprises I’m trying to read more about it when I have the time. There was one creature that I forgot for a while, but re-reading about it made me remember how important is to have her meaning present nowadays. I shared some information about it on Instagram, but let me do it here in case you haven’t read about the Anqa: Anqa (Arabic: عَنْقَاء, romanized: ʿanqāʾ),... Read more
Some time ago, when I was talking to someone, I mentioned that my dad and grandfathers had it rough, one of them had to walk in the snow with sandals, my dad slept in the street, and so on. I was walking while it was snowing, and they offered me a ride, but I said I was okay, but they said something that I’ve been thinking about: “just because they did it, doesn’t mean you have to”. I’ve been wondering,... Read more
As a queer, Arab man, I couldn’t see myself in any of the Abrahamic faiths, even less in the conservative environment I grew up in. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I felt lost, but I did feel lonely for sure, wandering on the internet as I tried to find someone like me. Since I became a Pagan, or more specifically, a NeoPagan Witch, I felt more empowered, taken care of, and appreciated. It’s something that I’ve seen... Read more
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