life

Becoming FIt

| Masuma

So I have promised a better version of myself to sustain the latter life more efficiently and in a way that offers less trouble to any of my companions.

I am going to formally make sure that the below four basic rules become a part of my lifestyle.

  1. Sleep well
  2. Run everyday, minimum 3K
  3. Less sugar intake
  4. Think of all my loved ones every night before bed and chant a little love message to each and every one of them.

    The other progressive changes that I would love to remain disciplined on are:
  5. weight training 2-3 times a week
  6. Drink more water
  7. Make time for hobby
  8. Write more often
  9. Eat less of refined foods, increase protein intake

Unity

| Masuma

My very cute niece Arwa from India, reached out to me with a cute request last night, she wanted me to write a poem for her on Unity… and so…

𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴
𝘋𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴

𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮

𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦
𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵

𝘔𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴
𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴

𝘕𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥,
𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳
𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵
𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳
𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵
𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯
𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮
𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘮 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯
𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘻𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱

𝘚𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥, 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦
𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴,
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘥

Masuma kothari

I wrote the above keeping in mind her age, to keep it easy to understand…it worked, she got it in her first read!

after that it got a little more interesting when I started using generative AI to build some visuals to go along with my recitation.. sharing fun!

Dining time

| Masuma

The stars never shined

At the spot that felt mine

Structures in the mind

Opened to infinity of decline

Pushed the focus on the clock

Told the chains where to lock

those seeming dangers of life

Really held no sharp knife

The ignorance that ignites

Flamed in profoundness,

squeezing sense

Savouring wit

For all thats dark

Gets you to the ferry

Where the sail promises light

the constant row, row, row

Row row row

Follows growth glow, glow

Glow glow glow

In form of a little pie

Hitched along are riddles of slide

You fall

– into slimy mud

– into silks and make

⁃ into politics of fake

– into chase

The run then speeds

Speeds into lift,

where Ego burns into bits

turning everything into mist

feathers are finally formed

The feathers are the flight..

All the testing years of might

Seems flying away out of sight.

how amazing is the feeling

Where

The stars and the signs

Couldn’t possibly outshine

the radiance

That radiance of what you know

Begin to know

Know more through tough times

And finally the mood switches back

to

dining time

dining time!

-masuma

Black

| Masuma

I came across this video from Sadhguru on being careful as to when to wear black, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qHlON2xarg4

And it immediately pushed me into this beautiful thought on performing Hajj,

That Kabaa is shrouded in black, and the Hajjis are dressed in white.

So all the Duas, energies reflected by the pilgrims in white, are only absorbed by kabaah without it influencing/interfering any other pilgrims.

The realisation of This intersection of philosophy and practice across the different belief system/ideology, made me feel good.

I enjoy colours, understanding them..etc, so these tiny little things around colours have always fascinated me.

And I donot consider black to be bad at all.
No wonder to create softness or soothing experience..dull light setting is preferred, removing any fiery or anxious feelings..

Karbala – visit – reflections

| Masuma

In Imaam Hussain’s Harram there was a feeling of patience, sabr, thandak and sukoon.

In Abbas Alamdar harram there was a feeling of beauty and youthful energy. Almost as if you can achieve great things.

In Mola Ali Haram – it just is a very lively influence, a very pleasant revival of your true self, go fulfill your inner dreams. It’s where I found him telling me happiness is in action. Live. Unfold the magic. 

 ——In life the key is to accept. Accept your current circumstances. Only then can anyone plan and execute a fruitful life as that results into clarity. There is so much subjectivity on what’s right and wrong that it negates the concept of it, rather it’s attributed to the system of thoughts one is engaged in either by ideology, experience, exposure, pain, maturity or society.. 

After visiting Karbala sharif there has been such a profound understanding that I don’t think I will ever be able to painfully cry for Imaam Hussain, in fact it will only be in the honour of how risen he was, how well built his mind was, where all the physical pain stood invalid to him.. he was rather feeling one with Allah..as he crossed through the sufferings of the world.

One must know there is no one who has full understanding other than Allah and so no one can ever have the clarity to judge you.

It’s therefore, the freedom Allah has given each of us to act as if we are answerable to HIM

but then do we have free will?

the influence of everything around us is so much that we think we do..but the Almighty the Divine is really magnificent and the way he has created this live network is an illusion to us that we have control.

but these are explorations on my mind, not right not wrong…only acceptance of yourself, your feelings, your impulses. The key thing is to have patience and not react to emotions..let it wade through you…and then with clarity get on..

-masuma

Hosting after ages!

| Masuma

I have to host my friends with their families.

I have to organise games.

I am cooking a full course menu.

I am a good cook.

I generally have innovative party games, that I make myself.

I am a very warm and loving person.

I have a good home with a supportive family.

My friends are supportive and matured.

No one has any health issues. Touch wood.

But why am I anxious?

It’s basically to do with the fact that I have lost the sensibilities of younger me..I have changed, and things that excited me before, now don’t anymore..

So it’s like discovering friendships all over again

the form of entertainment that I would like to offer is unclear to me.

There are certain things that have happened that don’t seem to have met my expectations, but I have been understanding of those, still there is a deepening of void.

I have unknowingly yearned for true friendship, honesty, unconditional support, understanding and love from everyone who I regard as a good friend..too much I guess, but I have always offered this largely.

it seems to me not everyone comes to you without hidden agendas. I never was concerned about all this, why have I now?

Maybe the kind of content I am consuming makes me rethink my understanding of how people generally are, how the world is, how important it is to have diplomacy…I am not sure, probably honesty is not the norm..

Am I thinking too much ?

Are these the signs of Hesidating?

Guess I should just cook, have faith in my friends and enjoy the party!

Allah knows best.

Innocence

| Masuma

The racquets do play
And The skies do sing

The frost in my eyes
Believes that beauty,
It sees in everything

Where do I find that
madness

All that blends in
All that blends in

Really some desire
That beats in
Every being

Delays of cries
That speaks in prices

Where is that smile
Without cold ices

The racquets do play
And The skies do sing

-masuma

Woke up to pink skies, so I had to write, I did feel like singing too..

Bismillah gift

| Masuma

A beautiful gift by Sofia Arastu

I have been looking out for a good Bismillah frame for my home as far I can remember … during childhood my lovely neighbour Nazifa Nawaz H who is an exceptional artist would do a lot of modern art and to get influenced by her art was a gift I would say… and it was her art that had given shape to my imagination of how I wanted the Bismillah frame to look like for my home.

I never came close to selecting one for years of bazaar hunts.. at one point I thought let me do it myself instead.. though eventually I ended up writing a poem ..

Sofia your artwork is that beautiful match and it is such a delight in my home.

Check Sofia Arastu artwork : https://instagram.com/sofiaarastu?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Bismillah