One-Handed Basket Weaving

There was a dervish who lived alone in the mountains,

who made a vow never to pick fruit from the trees,

or to shake them down,

or to ask anyone to pick fruit for him.

"Only what the wind makes fall."

This was his way

of giving in to God's will.

There is a traditional saying from the Prophet

that a human being is like a feather in the desert

being blown about wherever the wind takes it.

So for a while in the joy of this surrender

he woke each dawn with a new direction to follow.

But then came five days with no wind,

and no pears fell.

He patiently restrained himself,

until a breeze blew just strong enough

to lower a bough full of ripe pears

close to his hand, but not strong enough

to detach the pears.

He reached out and picked one.

Nearby, a band of thieves were dividing

what they had stolen.

The authorities surprised them and immediately

began the punishments: the severing

of right hands and left feet.

The hermit was seized by mistake

and his hand cut off.

but before his foot could be severed also,

he was recognized.

The prefect came. "Forgive these men.

They did not know. Forgive us all!"

The sheikh said, "This is not your fault.

I broke my vow, and the Beloved

has punished me."

He became known as Sheikh Aqta,

which means, "The teacher

whose hand has been cut off."

One day a visitor entered his hut without knocking

and saw him weaving palm leaf baskets.

It takes two hands to weave!

"Why have you entered without warning!"

"Out of love for you"

"Then keep this secret which you see

has been given to me."

But others began to know about this,

and many came to the hut to watch.

The hand that helped

when he was weaving palm leaves

came because he no longer had any fear

of dismemberment or death.

When those anxious, self-protecting

imaginations leave, the real,

cooperative work begins.

(Mathmawi III, 1634-1642, 1672-1690, 1704-1720)

I write to you with happiness and anticipation today; that your counterproductive imaginations begin a hiatus that simultaneously launches the most productive period of this part of your life. Be well. I love you.

JBelle

Bellemaison

The 'Kan EWA