When are we, or any creature, not in need? It seems constant. There is our need for breath; food and water; sleep; warmth, or not too much of it; to work and to play; to be in the company of others; and … to socially interact on some level with nature— or know the touch of a wondrous animal, a beloved pawed or hoofed one.

And the need is there to always try and touch the sun the best we can. Touch the sun. We all carry around those with us— those suns— those emotional and psychological memories of freedom or love. And then there are the worlds of spiritual concerns and experiences to many.

We all have lovers that we want to be with again, and even more deeply. Lovers: simply being that which we have most cared about and has cared back. 

For me that is writing, or sitting all alone in a park, not too far from where the children play on slides & merry-go-rounds, and dogs are running around, and birds are near. And the hundred-year-old trees whisper sweet secrets. And cruising the web on my phone, or texting-emailing— sure, it’s romance in some ways. 

Some words of Hafiz come to mind about the heart of all this when he says:

Out of a great need we are really holding hands

with everything, and climbing. 

Not loving is a letting go. Listen, the terrain

around here is far too steep and dangerous for

that.

— Hafiz  

Need evolves. Need evolves us into a clearer understanding of everything really holding hands, so connected. And therein a deeper love and freedom. For freedom is all we really care about. It is really the impetus of our every sound and movement. It is all, it is all part of the unfoldment of the Rose.

I wrote an article that was published by The Culturium—a very fine, esoteric publication— on December 24, 2023. That article was titled, “The Unfoldment of the Rose” and can be read here.

This article goes into the very foundation of my work with Hafiz, that in some ways (as the article points out) began nearly 50 years ago. That article goes into several things I most hold hands with. And maybe something in it will help strengthen your grip ... in climbing the great mountain we are on—life. And climbing the golden mountain within, and then being able to dance with everything from its peaks, from the heights of your true self. That Culturium story gets into some theological esoteric realms. It is a longish, serious little essay, and has a beautiful poem I rendered from the work of Ibn 'Arabi (1165-1240). 

The below Hafiz lines reflect something of the essence of that December article. And the verse of Hafiz can sometimes be so rich and layered, nuanced, it can easily roll right off you—right past ya. If you want the full alchemy effect in good poetry— if you want to absorb any vital nutrients ... try reading it slowly and out loud. 

Always love! We are working on that. That becomes to the intelligent— The Need.

           All That Ever Happens

Who would blame a flower for opening

and showing us something of its angelic 

face, that someone could so need to see,

no matter what that flower, like a soul, 

had to go through, had to experience to 

reach its potential to bless. To bless us

as nature can. Or something in your gaze.

Or blame any heir to beauty— like a bud 

on a tree in its growth, or someone still 

wielding a sword and shouting insanities,

because they are so full of pain.

My dear, that is all, it is all, all that can 

ever, ever happen: The Becoming. The

Becoming is part of every act. 

And thus the one who Knows can always

love. And always does. Nothing can keep

me now from doing that.

—Hafiz

                  What Can I Not Bow To?

An heir to divine beauty is all creatures and forms,

and already can be seen like that— radiant and on

the Throne: to the rare eye that truly Sees. 

So who or what can I not bow to? And just leave my 

head there. Just leave my head resting on your feet

like a pillow.

Hope you will trip over my great homage to you, and

fall into my arms. And we kiss and laugh.

— Hafiz

That could be a good book title: The Need. And it could be such a special, deep, simple and freeing book— maybe it would only have the following three words on every page:

                             Bow to everything.

For the truth is: if you can’t… you are still veiled, still caged.