This from Garland Nixon, he does not know if it is truth or some ploy by the Iranians;

“The IRGC has announced the targeting of six tactical vessels operated by terrorist US military in the Persian Gulf leaving a large number of US forces killed in the process. In continuation of the 84th wave the IRGC conducted a hybrid operation against US and Israel terrorists hitting their tactical hardware precisely…”

Even in hell, if you are with me,
I would not want to leave.

And if I find myself in heaven without you,
Those wide fields will be confining to my breathing heart.

Rumi; “Soul Fury”, Coleman Barks; translation

The Valley of Lightning

daylight approaching;
the vampire’s ball coming
to an ignominious end!

the pouch of plenty;
the secret is wanting no more
than is necessary

a time of war;
the veils of illusion
torn aside!

moving through the world
as if in a dream; when pain
and suffering is all

walking
through the valley of lightning;
every fear assuaged…

16 03 2026

A journey fell before us, without us… Rumi

Haiku Sequence

Any Ocean

high summer,
the jacaranda shedding her glory –
lilac carpet

the final bloom,
branches heavy with seed pods;
hanging on for dear life

a lonely dirt track
to only God knows where;
the horse before the cart

one and the same;
the devil you know
and the devil you don’t

behind Bashō’s field
of withered dreams;
the fountain of all suns!

your eyes;
as blue as robin’s eggs,
as deep as any ocean…

28 02 2026

Thank you, amarynth and likewise, siljan, and a happy new year to all sovereignistas wherever they may roam!

This haunting melody stirs ancient memories of a happy time in the Far East of Russia, many, many moons ago.

Andrej Vinogradov; “Už kak po mostu, mostochiku”

He also masterfully pulls off this Macedonian dance tune; Dimchevo Oro

Life demands painful choices. Then brings about tantalising glimpses of a greater more fulfilling lot. But first we must shed our old skin…

Toward a Distant Star

a baptism of fire;
defeating the monster of fear
in its own lair!

carry that weight, boy;
a spiritual kingdom or the
pit of a slave?

the brewing storm;
levelling the ruts of habit as
only the heavenly wind can!

a small caged animal;
its heart broken with loneliness
waiting for blessed relief

the battle of wills
inevitably ends with the deep
sorrow of parting

toward a distant star;
a vast dark sky gives way
to a blazing sea of light!

30 11 2025

Thank you for posting the above, cronetoo. The author’s main point appears to be that the idea of God today may seem outdated or outmoded to many, (at least in “the West”), and if so, with what has man “replaced God”? First of all, those who are believers generally define God as something along the lines of “the good that dwells in the heart of all mortal creatures”, while nihilists believe only in serving themselves, consequences be damned.  The ideas of God and nihilism, are both as old as the hills with God generally called upon by man to provide him with shelter, good harvest, love, health/wealth and so on, while nihilism is often the outcome of those who have found themselves in a position of power. The pattern seems to be that those who attain power seem to continually be wanting more till the power generally consumes them.

Now has anyone noticed how all of the stories we are told from the time we are an infant on our mother’s knee usually involve the lessons of karma and those of love? That is, the results of our actions whether good or bad, will, in the end, return to us. Since Divine Love is the overlaw, out of which all other laws of life proceed, The Law of Returns (karma) must be considered the child of the Law of Love and exists ultimately to teach Soul self-responsibility, (and bring It eventually to love which leads inevitably to God). If we as human beings then, are aware of both love and karma, why does man (generally speaking) call upon God only in times of need and so easily forget God in times of wealth, health etc? The question answers itself; most of us understand God as a mechanism or recourse to help us (in the human sense) when our backs are against the wall, ie; but in times of abundance, we easily forget God. In other words, “what can God do for me”, not “what can I do for God?” The key to knowing God is in fact the other way around, “What can I do for God?”

There is a wonderful saying, “God created Soul then threw away the mould”. This describes the uniqueness of each Soul, and also explains why the Creator has given Soul free will. Soul must have Its experiences, come to Its own conclusions, make Its own decisions and act upon them. Soul alone is responsible for Its destiny. It must also be noted that Soul is on a journey that spans eons. It follows that reincarnation is closely tied in with karma. Soul’s seemingly endless sojourn in the lower worlds (the worlds of duality) are necessary to grow in Soul the maturity required that God may entrust It with the responsibility necessary to be ITs emissary. Sound strange? It shouldn’t, because what other reason could Soul possibly exist for other than to be an agent or steward of God’ love? Let’s look for a moment at the growth of a human being. It begins with others caring for it. It goes from infancy /childood through young adulthood and finally maturity. The school of life provides it with the necessary education that it end up being a self-sustaining, responsible / reliable agent for good in the world and beyond. So too is it with God’s education plan for Soul. Except that God is in no hurry. What use can an immature Soul possibly be to God? Soul finally “earns Its wings”. Throughout, God slowly reveals Itself to Soul in a way that each Soul can undersatnd. In the end, God gives Soul the freedom It has so longed for, IT entrusts Soul with more and more love / responsibility. It gains in wisdom and power. But It understands this power is not to be used for Itself personally. Primarily, Soul uses Its gifts to advance God’s love in the world(s). Simply put, It becomes an agent for good, as opposed to an agent for destruction. This touches all of life in secret ways. Ways hidden from the eyes of the profane. Rumi; “For the blind, blindness feels natural”.

The chaos we are seeing today is explained by the fact that we are living in a warring universe. Souls, in the guise of individuals, regions, nations, even planets, are constantly at war with each other for resources and / or anything else they can think of. This state of affairs will continue until it no longer does, ie; when the lower worlds cease to be. In the meantime, Soul comes and goes, reaping the just rewards of It actions. It eventually turns over a new leaf. It slowly comes to understand what God is and what IT isn’t. There is very little It can say about what It knows God to be, but It can demonstrate Its understanding through Its actions. (See my poem above ,”After the Fire Came”, an attempt to put this state of being into words).

When Soul takes command of Its various bodies and is able to rise above Its emotions and mental activity, It begins to understand the meaning of the saying, “Everything is in Its rightful place”. Soul’s journey continues. Tomorrow’s reality begins with the seeds we sow today.

Every drop of dew
Along love’s way
Equals 100 oceans
Each ablaze

Hafiz

“Hafiz’s Little Book of Life”

Erfan Mojib, Gary Gach

“Didn’t I Tell You Not to Go There?”

Didn’t I tell you not to go there? Don’t you know i’m your
companion?
Through this worldly mirage, and I’m the source of your life?

Didn’t I tell you that if you leave me out of anger, even for a
hundred thousand years,
You’ll still come back because I’m your Omega?

Didn’t I tell you not to search for happiness in the forms and
illusions of this world,
Since I am the one who fashions the form of your fulfillment?

Didn’t I tell you that I’m the ocean and you’re a fish,
And not to go ashore to live because I’m a welcoming sea?

Didn’t I tell you not to be fooled by traps like they set for
birds
And to come with me as I’m the strength beneath your wings?

Didn’t I tell you that they will rob you and turn you cold,
And I’m the fire, warmth, and passion of life?

Didn’t I tell you that they’ll call you ugly names
Until you forget that I’m the source of Soul’s potential?

Didn’t I tell you not to ask where my work with you is going,
Because I’m spontaneous and follow inspiration?

If you’re enlightened, you should know the way home.
And if you have even a hint of God’s blessings, you’ll know
that Im your Master.

“The Hidden Teachings of Rumi”

Translated by Doug Marman, Farzad Khalvati, Mitra Shafaei

Of interest; Uncovering the Hidden Faces of Iranian Poets; Based on extant accounts of their appearances. Of interest especially to me personally  is Firdusi and Rumi. The Rumi is the best of many I have seen.

https://medium.com/@hamed.kohan/uncovering-the-hidden-faces-of-iranian-poets-how-ai-is-bringing-their-images-to-life-62af1e68c7bb
 

A “stitch in time”, may well “save nine”,
but what the heck… I wouldn’t take back
those forty years for anything…