In the heavens, there is the essence of God But on earth, it is the human who comes to us as a mirror and touches us as the hand of God. This mirror opens the heart and its veils. Infusing life into the soul. Just as Michelangelo painted the creation of Adam where he depicts God giving life to Adam. God works through His vessels..it’s a human soul that becomes a mirror and touches the heart to create us new. Which becomes the beginning of hayat ut Tayeb.. A life that’s enveloped in Divine love no self-loathing.. because to loathe the self is to loathe what god created and has willed to be…Allah pierces our hearts and cracks them open with the help of these mirrors in whose eyes we can see ourselves…just as we are…and we find the courage to accept ourselves with all of our light and all the dark..and all the mess and all the broken pieces too.
A companion in journey who doesn’t let you slumber and awakens you every step of the way..lest you go to sleep and miss the chance.

” Loneliness and solitude are two different things. When you are lonely, it is easy to delude yourself into believing that you are on the right path. Solitude is better for us, as it means being alone without feeling lonely. But eventually it is best to find a person, the person who will be your mirror. Remember, only in another person’s heart can you truly see yourself and the presence of God within you.” Rule # 7 from forty rules of love.
The motif in the painting, a shamsa of sorts, is representative of Shamsuddin of Tabriz, mentor to Rumi. Shamsuddin, literally means Sun of faith, depicts an experienced mentor who holds faith beautiful enough to shine your path with the light of beleif..belief in God and belief in Love above all. Also the central negative space of the shamsa creates a shape of a heart showing this journey of the Salik is a journey of the heart . Nothing more, nothing less.

“A life without love is of no account. Don’t ask yourself what kind of love you should seek, spiritual or material, divine or mundane, Eastern or Western…. Divisions only lead to more divisions. Love has no labels, no definitions. It is what it is, pure and simple. Love is the water of life. And a lover is a soul of fire! The universe turns differently when fire loves water.”

Rule # 40 from for Forty rules of love by elif shafak