The aspirant has to be guided by a mentor. The stage at which this guidance can take effect is seldom, if ever, perceptible to the learner.

The Sufi way is through knowledge and practice, not through intellect and talk.

Materialism, attachment to things of the world, includes pride. Many religious people suffer from pride: taking pleasure or even delight in being good, or religious.

One cannot learn from someone whom one distrusts.

The human being, whether he realises it or not, is trusting someone or something every moment of the day.

But one may say something and yet not be able to do it. Try, for instance, lifting yourself up by the bootstraps.

If wine is the enemy of religion, I shall devour the enemy of religion.

The Sufis regard systems which treat everyone alike as mechanical and degenerate.

A man must be a Solomon before his magical ring will work

A man must be a Salomon before his magical ring will work. (Hafiz)

Imagination blocks you like a bolt on a door. Burn that bar. (Rumi)

I am intrigued by the smile upon your face, and the sadness within your eyes

I am not powerless.

All acts of healing are ultimately our selves healing our Self. -Ram Dass

The most exquisite pleasure in the practice of medicine comes from nudging a layman in the direction of terror, then bringing him back to safety again.

There are times we spent money when we shouldn't, the choices we make define the results we get

I don't want to force my politics on my readers.

How does the artist function as poet-slash-witness-slash-trickster?

Fidelity is a gift not a requirement.

What happens to each of my female heroes, certainly, is they find something bigger than themselves that they are honored to serve. It's not giving up your family.