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The valley of wonder in the tale of the seh-morgh

Allama Iqbal has written a book called the Javaidnama which was meant to be a guide for his son [whose name is Javaid]. It narrates the story of the seh-morgh i.e. the story of a large gathering of birds who decide to find their King. They travel across 7 valleys and eventually find him. However as they cross each valley many among them stay behind. The fifth valley was the valley of Love and the sixth valley the valley of "heran-eyat/Wonder". In the seventh valley they find their King.

The sixth valley is beginning to make sense to me. I am sure there are many in the world who are mentally numb - asleep and I begin to see this reality not intellectually but through my heart.

In our culture it seems there is many times a "auto-immune disease" among many peers and even adults such that people generally get uncomfortable talking about serious matters even if they are their own.

And many people I am sure don't have anybody to sit down and hear them out - hear them out till they finish. How amazing is that!?

People in unhealthy organization are in some fashion scared of their managers - clouding their judgement; often resulting in stunted growth in their careers. But how many organizations are truly healthy? How many managers welcoming?

People who come in talk shows on Pakistani T.V. to discuss serious matters, often engage in a circular discussion that naturally only painstakingly moves forward [when that movement happens].

Sometimes this phenomena is more subtle. If you notice some of the movies that Hollywood makes are sometimes pretty inane; particularly a certain brand of cheap comedies. While their humor is cheap people don't seem to realize that because it's Hollywood doesn't mean it has to be more than trash. The fact that such movies have a market is something that makes me wonder, Why? In fact a lot of people need to debate this and argue that art should not be judgeded. Even if this is so the fact that there is a demand for them shows that there are consumers of movies that are essentially unhealthy.

I am sure it is awareness of this sort that is meant by the sixth valley - the valley of wonder!

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