I am right in the heart of Siberia. At certain moments I have wondered for the thousandth time about these 90 days of pilgrimage to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first time I followed the Way to Santiago. When I was in Sofia I thought of giving up, and now I am happy that I kept on, although I cannot manage to write on the train because of the constant shaking of the carriage, but at least I can scribble down some notes and transcribe them on the computer when I arrive at some city that is connected to the Internet. In this way the people who are accompanying this blog will be able to understand my state of mind better.
****
One of the people on the train shows me a prayer that she claims was found among the belongings of a Jew who died in a concentration camp:
“Lord: when You come in Your glory, do not remember just the men of good will; remember also the men of bad will.
“And on Doomsday, do not only remember the cruelty, torture and violence that they practiced: remember too the fruits that we produced due to what they did to us. Remember the patience, courage, solidarity, humility, grandeur of spirit and fidelity that our torturers ended up arousing in our souls.
“Lord, grant that the fruits we produce can serve to save the souls of men of bad will.”
****
I have to live all the graces that God has given me today. Grace is not for saving up. There is no bank where we deposit the graces received so that later we can use them as we wish. If I do not enjoy these blessings, I shall lose them for ever.
God knows that we are life’s artists. One day he gives us a chisel to make sculptures, the next day brushes and a canvas, and then a pen for writing. But we will never be able to use a chisel on a canvas, or a pen on a sculpture. Each day has its own miracle. I must accept today’s blessings in order to create what I have; if I do this with a sense of detachment and without feeling guilty, tomorrow I shall receive more.
****
Life is like a long bicycle race meant to carry out our personal legend. At the start we are all together, sharing camaraderie and enthusiasm. But as the race develops, the initial joy gives way to the real challenges: fatigue, monotony, and doubts as to one’s own ability.
We notice that some friends have given up the challenge – they are still racing, but just because they cannot stop in the middle of the road; there are many of them, riding alongside the support car, chatting with one another, fulfilling an obligation.
We end up separating from them, and then we are obliged to face loneliness, surprises at the unknown bends, problems with the bicycle. And at the end of some time we begin to wonder whether it is all worth so much effort.
Yes, it is worth it. The thing is not to give up.
Aside from everything else, if we stop pedaling, we end up falling to the ground.
****
Of all the powerful arms of destruction that man has been capable of inventing, the most terrible – and most cowardly – are words.
Knives and fire-arms leave marks of blood. Bombs destroy buildings and streets. Poisons are eventually detected.
But destructive words manage to arouse evil without leaving any tracks. Children are conditioned by their parents for years, artists mercilessly criticized, women systematically massacred by their husbands’ remarks, the faithful kept far from religion by those who claim they are capable of interpreting God’s voice.
Try to see if you are using this arm. Try to see if they are using this arm against you. And allow neither of these two things.
****
In one of his rare writings, the wise Sufi Hafik comments on the idea of the Journey:
“Accept wisely the fact that the Road is filled with contradictions. The Road often denies itself so as to stimulate the traveler to find out what lies beyond the next bend.
“If two traveling companions are following the same method, that means that one of them is on the wrong path. Because there are no formulas to attain the truth of the Road, and each of us must run the risks of his own steps. “Only the ignorant seek to imitate the behavior of others. Intelligent men waste no time with that, they develop their personal abilities; they know there are no two leaves alike in a forest of a hundred thousand trees. No two journeys on the same Road are alike”.
****
Siberian proverbs (that I believe are universal):
If you cannot be a star in the sky, be a bulb in your home.
After death the wise man stays alive, although his body is reduced to ashes. But the ignorant man, even when alive, is already dead.
Love is a sickness that nobody wants to be cured of. Whoever has been attacked by it does not attempt to get better, and those who suffer from it do not want to be healed.
When you see two dragons fighting, keep your distance and do not try to separate them; they might patch things up between themselves and end up attacking you.
The next text will be posted on the 1st of June.
P.S: Dear reader,
During this journey, that is filling my soul with very interesting experiences, one of the most magical moments comes every night when I read the comments posted on this blog. Even though I can’t answer all of you, I want you to know that it’s very important to me to know that I’m not alone on this path. Thank you so much for your support and for the words and ideas that are now engraved on my heart.
Paulo Coelho
Close your eyes. Imagine … no, feel that green place in the heart of Bosnia, where the ground is imbued with blood of brothers, wise with stories for forbiden love and memories of murders and joy, where the bridge over Mostar has been … and Medjugorie where the Mother Goddess appears … have you been there? Go, if not. I hope that one day you’ll read all these words of your friendreaders and you’ll know that you weren’t alone on that Path
Hola from Rome!
Yes the important thing is not to stop pedalling! Life’s such a mistery. Love awoke my spirit many years ago. I felt a call in me and so started following it, my heart and my soul. My dream was to be with my soulmate, to find the true love I had felt and be with it forever. He had a name and for 11 years he was my treasure. In between a psychic woman told me once: “He’s not the one, in fact he’s evil. You must forget about him in order to reach your true destiny (a younger blond guy, becoming utterly rich and leading a country or company as I was all brains…boinggg) Oh and if you had been raised among them you’d have been the queen of the witches…BOINGGG” Wow, was I speechless after she spoke to me, YES! Well, many years later, many many battles and lessons later it turns out she was right! My treasure DOES have a different name and fits her descriptions.
Now that I’ve already “seen” the pyramids and feel already on my way back to the sycamore I think: Brava you didn’t stop pedalling and BRAVA la vita for being so amazingly wonderfull and perfect!!
But Paulo I have one question? Are God and Evil working together on this Divine Plan? It was by loving a supposedly evil person (whatever that means) that I awoken to life’s misteries and became a dreamer. Or maybe the psychic woman got that part wrong? Or maybe God works in ever misterious ways to “force” us towards our treasures? Hmmm God only knows! But maybe you too my dearest Wizard!?
With love,
Carla
Dear Paulo,
sometimes I feel that you are talking about me, sometimes I think of giving up on my patha dn some other times I am not sure what I really want. everytime I read your blog I tell myself give yourself the chance to know who you are and fulfill your dreams.
thank you for keeping me on track and please don’t give up your 90 days trip we are all traveling with you
Hello Paulo,
I liked all of your thoughts today, especially your bicycle analogy.
Is it all worth it?
It took me a while to find the answer to that question. For me, noone could really give me the answer, and unfortunately for many, it’s the same.
We have to find our own reasons for living.
I was fortunate in that I had an amazing spiritual experience which showed me that the energy of the Universe goes into any and everything, and that we are conduits for it and are responsible for expressing it through all of our actions…through our writings, artwork, words that we speak, music, foods that we cook, etc., and also through our ‘run-on ’sentences.
It helped me to understand how certain authors, such as you, or musicians or visual artists could influence the feelings of others through their works and how we like some, but not others. We all vibrate to different wavelengths, and are attracted to others of the same.
This experience also helped me to see that we all have a part to play. I thought about all of the musicians and authors and artists that I’ve loved in my life, and if they didn’t express themselves, then I and the world would have missed out on much.
I thought about all the ones who didn’t express themselves. We don’t miss them because we don’t know them, but our lives might have been changed or more fulfilled in some way if they did express themselves.
I thought about how each person has someone out there waiting for what they have to offer. And that gave me hope.
Sometimes I think I think too much.
And express too much.
I’ll shut up now.
Peace to you and yours on your journey today.
Sincerely,
Deb
First of all, i pray none of my words will become an arm
And to excuse that i may be crazily write too much, but being in this spiritual virtual pilgrimage touches my heart and moves me so much that i can’t stay silent and not express my endless gratitude …
All of the blog texts and this one especially, make me constantly look at my life from the different angle, think seriously about my path and percept it more clearly. And though it always stays a mystery, i feel passion and joy discovering it and the wisdom of this blog preciously enriched the landscapes my vision and perception meet, i feel similar to rebirth while touching words of Your wisdom.
Being in this virtual spiritual journey with You, Paulo, i opened my eyes and tried to look courageously and critical to who am i and what i do. And accepting myself as the person i am, i realized that life path is the marriage of Heaven and Hell, the union of them ( i am not talking about simple “white and black stripes” of life here), experiencing both of them as without contraries is no progression. And this is good.
Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, loss and wonder of discovery, falling down and rising, doubts and strong convictions are necessary to human existence. Turns OFF the path just return you ON it.
And at some times we must be wrong to find the light and something true.
However, the trick is to keep the inner freedom and flexibitlity to be able to loos at each next day with clear and new eyes, and this is the talent and wisdom. Each day, is indeed a white canvas, a brand new creation.
May be life is about trying to experience all, to live through all the contradicitions and love them, and attract both joys and sorrows as in both we feel the energy and breath of life and its most important element - movement and transition… to be all and to be nothing. To be open for absolutely everything and be free to follow impulses and accept everything.
I wish to thank, dear Magician Paulo, for sharing Your sensations and impressions of the way so sincerely… in this only, and in looking at the coin from both sides we see and understand it all.
This unique virtual pilgrimage inspires me so much for everything i do! For the new lands i try to step in and for enjoying and creating each day ! It simply made all the five feelings sharper and brighter
And reading the texts, at some moments i feel i was wrong many times in my life, and at some points i understand i feel the same, and i enjoy this union of contraries as Experience and Innocence, being at times blind and sometimes wise; i feel that it is life’s greates gift - to lve and discover, to live and walk and move spiritually, to fall and raise and at each moment feel myself both as an innocent child and someone with some spiritual experience or legacy…. i can’t regret of anything, but i am thankful to God for giving me this way to experience and soar on.
I hope You are not sick of all my writing yet, but please, Paulo, know, that this journey with Your wisdom changes me a lot and behind each turn new horizonts appear, new verges of this universe to explore as well as new verges of my inner world and path…
with my most heartfelt gratitude for all Your words and path notes,
Love,
Dasha B.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LIGHT YOU SPREAD ! and thank You for not giving up after Sofia and coming to Russia
Oi Paulo,
De Curitiba encontrei os teus livros na biblioteca do meu bairro em Toronto.
Achei curioso que voce considera o Brasil como um refugio.
Eu ja estou muito tempo fora e nao quero voltar a viver no Brasil. Sei que sempre estarei um pouco dividida. …
Abracos
Halina
Words are your gift and I thank you for sharing your words with us.
John 2.5 Do whatever He tells you.
Additional food for thought:
From the Inaugural speech of Nelson Mandela
Our deepest fear
is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful
beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our darkness
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened
about shrinking
so that others won’t
feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is
within us.
It is not just in some of us;
it is in everyone.
And as we let our light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically
liberates others.
I am a poet . . . so the most sustaining gift is that of words that will hold, comfort, inspire, evoke, encourage, and so much more. I am a US citizen and live in the US (Atlanta, Georgia), my pilgrimage is internal and I persevere. So for you on your journey, I write and give to you this gift:
I AM HERE (Barbara Sims Collier – March 11, 2006)
Words struggle to proclaim, celebrate, and cry out,
I am Here!
I am not invisible
I am not unfeeling
I am ever human
I am the embodiment
Of spirit that lights me
Of grace that shields me
Of dignity that stems from generations
Of integrity that forces a reckoning
Of endurance that stands in the face of adversity
Of respect that honors all
Of truth that dispels divisiveness
Of love that encourages the soul
Of patience that motivates perseverance
Of tolerance that accepts all
Of trusting that life works out life in its own terms.
I am Here!
Living struggles with perfection, perseverance, and purpose,
I am Here!
I am not idling away life
I am not simply breathing.
I am the breath
Of a believer in a greater source
Of a seer when nothing appears visible
Of a motivator when hope is lost
Of a friend against the odds
Of a person of courage in spite of fear
Of a truth seeker where there is doubt
Of a heart opened unconditionally
Of a song that sings without words
Of a muse who is spiritually embraced
Of a light when darkness looms
Of a voice for words not spoken
Of a servant filled with divine purpose.
I am Here!
Dreaming and imagining all gifts planted at birth
I am Here!
I am whole and in perfection
I have great purpose unrealized.
Mirrors distort the reflection of real purpose
It is the life stuff unseen as tangible but,
Moves one heart, one mind, at a time.
It is the warm glow when connecting ideas and
Intersecting thoughts create new paths unexplored.
It is expecting the unexpected and knowing that
it can manifest by the power of faith.
It is the understanding that comes from the harvest
And seasons of planting.
It is the living, witnessing, and proclaiming
I am Here!
Dear Paulo!
Greatings to the train, which shakes you to spreed out your love and gives you moments of talking.
Today it is cloudy, a big cloud cover in our village.
Yes you are right. Each day has got its own mirical. And perhaps it is our thing to see it. - When I read the lines, that compare our life with a bicycle race, suddenly in the middle of the cloud cover the sun get an opening and sent its beams to the earth. Only for a short time, the sun gaves a mighty smile to confirm truth. Lets go circling.
Yes and you are right, there are uncountable different leafes and ways to go. And all pupils going at the same class at same school, perhaps hearing the same words from the teacher, they learn the same, but each pupil on its own way. And it is not ours to describ the wrong or the right way, we can teach them and hope that they find their own way. But to teach with rigor, armor et misericordia and to learn what rigor, armor et misericordia means gives a lightshine to the pupils way.
So, thank you for teaching us.
Have a good time and many kindly meetings, conversations and dialogs
Love Hubert
Hello Dear Paulo!
It is amazing to know that you are somewhere in Siberia right now because i am from Siberia - Barnaul, Altai and right now i am reading your Zahir!
I want to assure you that i am quite an ignorant reader and haven’t been reading much for a while - in fact at some point i realized that i could not read books any more because the major thing i did not like about books, that they all are made up, and there is a big issue about trusting the writer - why should i trust Tostoi for example and waste my time on thousands of pages? At some point i could read only Hemingway - although i realize many people would not trust him either. If you don’t like Hemingway, please do not get offended for my comparing your books with his - Hemingway is somehow REAL - i mean that when you read his simple short lines and the spaces in between them are inevitably getting filled with your own real life, events and emotions, and really does not matter what is written in the book - he just gives you the keys to percieve your own feelings and thoughts in a more sharp way - somehow it always worked for me like that.
I totally admire your Zahir, although i haven;t finished it yet, but you are extremely TO THE POINT! you are not wasting your time or the time of the readers - you are talking about the things that really matter in this world universally - no matter in Siberia or in France or Brazil! so i wanted to thank you for the truth about life as well as for this blog - thank you for letting us - your readers have a way to feed back to you!
Thank you for writing your books about me! i am sure millions of your readers can say that! Reading the Alchimist was like checking - oh yes! i am on the right way!
There was time when i had to decide if i would become an artist or continue my linguistic career.
It is a pitty your itinerary did not go through Altai! May be it is not too late to visit here too? I am sure you would find Altai Mountains fantastic!
Also i think that visiting Beslan could be a good idea too…
Great respect and many many thanks for your work!
Alexei Biryukoff, an artist from Barnaul, Altai, Russia
Today I happened to pass by your book in my dear friends room. I needed something to read, so I thought it could as well be your book Alchemist. So I red it and I’m happy to know that someone else has also found the oneness and the meaning of everything.
All my life (turned 21 last saturday) I’ve been searching for something, didn’t know what, and thought I could never fid it. I studied psychology, history, filosofy, and this spring came to a conclution that everything is meaningless. I decided to kill my self (obviously didn’t succeed, so well). I was taken to a nearby mental insitute. I knew that they would not be able to help me, having red psychology as much as I have. One day, during my three week stay there, I went to sit by a lake, near the institute. I stared at the water and saw sun sparkling in the waves, listened to the silence. I realised that it was a moment I was ment to be in. I realised how everything in the world has a meaning. Before I thought it was meaninglessnes, but not anymore. The world is me, and I’m the world.
I don’t have the english words to describe my thoughts that well, but I think you might know what I’m trying to say.
I don’t call it God, some could, but I know what it is.
And the purpose of these words is to thank you. So, thank you for writing, that’s also the thing I want to do someday.
Vilhelmiina, Finland
Hi from the crossroads,
Death is a journey, but between the borders of worlds. It is a pity that only the thought of it makes us realize our own path and it falsely stands somewhere at the end as a last stop. During our entire life we have to repeat and realize that we travel. Everlastingly we try to imagine the next section of road and obsessively to invade it. How nice it would be, if since our birth remember that we simply travel from one into another world.
In our tradition between the worlds live interesting creatures. They are beautiful, self-willed, sometimes evil ladies (Samodivi), who are able to pass the borders and kidnap the one they choose. Some of them are lovely creatures, others represent various illnesses and the oldest one is the black death. These women are so in love with their freedom that it is hard someone to keep them in the real world, bewitching them through music, but only for a short. They always run away to the place they reside in at the border between the worlds. Ordinary mortals get into their road, but only in a few life situations, when girls become women, when women give birth or when lose their men. Then only at these particular moments ordinary humans have a chance to enter/exit, get the track of Samodivas. Men more difficult get there. They try in vain to keep Samodivas with them, maybe to prove they get control of not only their life path, but the road between the worlds as well. Everyone sees his/her path differently but how wonderful it would be if all of us never forget even for a minute, not where to we travel, but that we travel forever.
Sofia&Sophia
How amazing to read a jewish prayer of love here,
the day after I have read about Etty Hillesum.
We all carry a piece of the sun inside us
and it is shining out from our eyes.
I wonder what is tiring you most with this travel,
it’s physical hardships or the mental - having to
face so many different enthousiastic persons
every day and asking yourself - yes - what do
you ask yourself? I wonder…
Dear Paulo
I was once given a book called ‘The Tragedy of Man’ by a Hungarian writer called Imre Madach, and in the frontspiece of the book the friend who gave me the book, had written the last line of this book is written for you
(where The Lord is speaking)
” Man, I have spoken: Strive on, trust, have faith”
Isnt that what keeps you going when people believe in you ?
Love and Energy
Petrus
May 29th - in the heart of Ireland - the emerald isle
death is the great unknown. so many face it with fear and trepidation. would they but realize we live and breath and move in the unknown every moment of our lives. as a friend once explained in illustration with a harley davidson lighter… there is but one destination with many paths. no matter your path, no matter the length of the journey, go foward with gratitude and joy! we have done ourselves, i believe, a great disservice by placing dividing lines along the path. this is the moment of birth… this the length of life and this, finally, the moment of death. but tell me then… where were you before you were born and when is the moment of death? is it when we exhale that final breath or that moment inside when in frustration and despair you say to yourself, “it’s not worth it.”
all matter dilutes away as the universe expands while energy remains constant.
tell me then, what did you look like before your great-grandmother was born?
One night i was watching a tv special that celebrated how cool the musicians of the 1st world were helping us the 3rd world people to overcome ourselves until we finally, magically found peace. Well, i`m gonna tell you a secret. We are people, not a magical something that you can wear. One of these celebrity people said that the socialist ex-governors of my country were so cool and so smart because they dont used “the sexual aspects of the religion, instead they used the social aspects”. Today, in this moment, he is the biggest activist in the world.
Now i`m gonna tell you another secret: i am my religion, catholicism is a part of me, is my soul, spirit and body, and if you don`t think so, well, thats it`s not my fault. I am my land, my people, my country and their landscapes and no other place in the world has the brave and beautiful men that my country have. I am the earth, the sky and the sea, i am the sun and the moon, i am the Universe.
Now i am going to take some rest. When i weakup, i hope you people to turn yourselves into kind people.
..Greetings. My thoughts and connections go on way beyond my capacity to keep up with myself.
To-day I have ‘downloaded’ and understand if this is too long for the blog…I am totally gratefull to have cleared my Spirit which has felt sad lately.
It is true that while many of us know we cannot walk in another’s shoes or shaddow and it is wonderful to know how crowded the Path is.
I love trains and the image of a train chuffing across Sibera has brought clarity to my journey.
Right now I feel my life is moving across unknown terain…I cannot get off ‘the train’…I cannot focus on what I want to do…patterns are constantly interrupted…change challenges every decision I make.
On one seat I feel unsteady. From the carriage I see links I want to explore but the secenery changes, the journey accelerates and I’ve lost view of what is around me.
From another seat the carriage is steady. I walk to work, family, friends, amenities and I am free to do so. In this large Sydney, I am minutes from everything I need and I have enough income to sustain a simple life.
I ponder why I have this gifted life as hours away, thousands of Indonesians, are suffering. Everything they know has been destroyed by one massive Breath of the Earth. I’ve lived in Indonesia, my footprints are on the Land and the gentle people are in my Heart…I have little money to contribute to their restoration but my account with God is good and I can transfer unlimited Prayers.
I am torn by the closeness of civil war in East Timor…then I’m back on a train in Sibera impacted by the numbers of people who have died along, around and across the track….many for the fight for freedom and many alone and lost in a forest of life be it a hunting accident or in birthing a new life.
The Prayer of the Jewish man opens another window. Last week at the Writer’s Festival I listened to poet, Jacob Rosenberg, who knows the same wisdom. Jacob reminded me of my father-in-law, Rudi, who walked free from Dacau days before war was officially declared. A lifetime later Rudi died peacefully while walking behind a lawn mower. He was an only child of a banking family who traded their fortune to secure his life.
A privledged young gentleman of European culture he walked to freedom to discover the simple joy of mowing grass. He died peacefully.
Yesterday I attended the funeral of a friend’s Aunty. I never met Aunty Berry. Her life was a Path of hardship, challenge and celebration and she inspired people with her faith and trust in God. I saw through the family tears she’d sowen the grace of compassion into their hearts. It is not necessary to meet someone to know them.
Paulo on WOL 121 you write about being happy and money.
I remember the day a lover asked me, “Will you ever be happy?” My heart broke as I knew we were parting. His question touched my Soul and I knew I would never know happiness in a way he understood. I also knew I could not explain that to anyone…except a very special Priest…I call him the Renassiance Priest and I am blessed as we are Cousins.
Each week I buy a lottery ticket as investment in my Dream to write and travel. While a small sum of money would bring welcome change to my life I know it would not necessarily bring happiness. I learned that lesson when I was 12.
At that time my grandmother died and we learnt my aunt had embezzled and hid my Grandmother’s money. As an only grandchild a portion of the estate had been set aside for my education however my Aunt had used the money to suck drugs into her veins. All accounts were emptied.
In the following years I only saw her twice. She was an unwelcome guest at my father’s funeral yet I felt to acknowledge her as somewhere I knew she must have loved my father. When my first son was born I asked could we visit. She said no and I walked away.
Then 5 years ago I dreamed of her and knew she would soon die. I made contact. She hung up. I phoned back. I was not sure what was pushing me but I’d decided I would visit her and eventually she agreed.
To my suprise I looked like her and realised we were similiar. We both loved writing and reading. Both loved radio plays, history, geography and animals. She began to speak about her happy childhood, of being loved by her parents and how she’d been a good and caring daughter, then for a brief moment, her eyes changed and she said something about needing to do what she did to live in the world.
Of course she was referring to stealing money and I sensed she was revealing her denial of living the Path of Life, Death and Rebirth. I suddenly felt her choice of drugs had kept her safe from herself.
She pushed a silver coaster into my hand and said she was giving me back my inheritance. I accepted the item and somehow felt her fear and insecurity diminish. That night she slipped into a coma and died a week later.
I am sure there are many variations on the purpose money in our lives.
Like many I know money cannot make us wealthy or happy and in all honesty I’d be a willing student in the experiment to know!
Thank you Paulo, being able to write all this to strangers yet not being able to tell this to others is a strange twist of reality. Life is rich in many ways.
How many sleeps to the Soccer… minus 10 I hear!
walk gently. Christine
A quiet yet determined grandfather sat his young grandson down one Sunday afternoon to share this parable. “Inside of me and you and everyone for that matter there are two wolves. The grey wolf is dangerous and cunning and he is most happy when we turn our backs on family, friends, faith and the Spirit that designed everything we see and touch. You see, he wants us to do harm to ourselves and to others through thoughts, words and actions that are unpleasant and unkind. There is also a white wolf and she is just as big and just as strong as the grey wolf but she is peaceful and happy when we do good to others and love everyone as our brother or sister. When we are unkind, she is sad but deep inside us she encourages us to live like the Spirit and rejoice in the moments of happiness that we are offered each day. She is our friend but so too the grey wolf would tell you the same.
Now I tell you this story my son because these wolves are very real inside of us and they are constantly in a battle for our allegiance. It is a fierce battle and one you must know about.”
The young boy with eyes wide asked his grandfather, “So which wolf will win this fight?”
And the grandfather took his grandson’s hands into his own and looked the boy directly in those searching eyes and said, “The one you feed the most.”
Thank you, dear warrior, for feeding our souls. The white wolf is happy tonight.
-An Apprentice
Dear Paulo,
I hope you are not bored of this, but I must praise you for your gifted talent in reaching out to people and teaching them to seek out their personal legend. You are a wonderful person.
I have read ‘The Alchemist’ and now every night I’m reading it again out loud to my 3 year old daughter as a bed time story. I really believe that even though she probably doesnt have the slightest clue of what I’m reading her, I belief your words will reach her heart somehow and ever strengthen her soul to such extent that she will be able to grow and become the person that carries the torch (light) in her. With this light I pray that she will use to light up her path and guide her to reach her personal legend as it has now lightened up my path.
Previously, I always belief that God really works in mysterious ways. So mysterious that for my mind, I simply have no idea on how to understand His mysteries sometime. All that time I was constantly asking the question of why He has to work in such mysterious ways. Why does it have to be such a big puzzle. Not after reading your books and many of your writings that I realize now that God is no mystery at all. It is me that for a long time has been blinded by the light. As I try to devotedly look up to Him as a light, it has but blinded me and makes all things aroud me blurry and mysterious. Your words has now opened up my eyes. When I look around me, I realize now that He exists everywhere. He speaks to you, praises you, criticize you, teaches you, shelter you, keeps you warm, gives you food to eat. He is simply every where you look if you want to see Him. This wouldnt be possible for me to realize, if I dind’t light up the light in me. I simply have to try to keep the fire burning on my torch of life (heart) and the light shall guide me to finding the answers to my questions.
I pray that you will be kept alive by God for many years to come so that you can continue writing and inspire me and also help millions more people who are still lost in oblivion.
Thank you.
Daniel
Hello again Earth Angel,
As a writer for ten years, I do understand the power of words. After ungoing a very traumatic occurence, the anger inside was literally eating me away. So I picked up a pen and started to write a poem. It was very basic in it’s format, but the meaning was still there. Which goes to prove what you typed. That what happens to us in a bad sense, can lead to joy in a way. Don’t get me wrong the trauma is still trauma and I wish that I would have been given the opportunity to write and learnt lesson in a less painful way.
I often wonder if had I walked a different path, would I still be at this point deep inside. Honestly, I don’t believe I would be.
Isn’t it strange how some things can spark off torrents of thoughts that in ‘other’ circumstances would lie buried.
Take Care Paulo
*hugs*
Love + Light
Lisa
p.s I will be making a copy of those Siberian Proverbs!!
Hello,
Hope all is going well with the journey, i am awating for your next update with great interest on the 1st of June, another day and it would have been during my birthday hehehe.
Safe Journey and may god protect you.
Kind Regards,
Pedro
Siberia… I read about polish people - and others - who were send there by Russians to work. The biggest impresion made on me a book of Gustaw Herling-Grudziński - “The other world” (I translate the title by my self but the meaning is for sure right). There are people who are like animals or worse. They want to stay alive - one day more because someday maybe they will be free. And they will do everything to keep they life in their hands. They are in a concentration camp and every day they are thiniking about freedom, about theirs home and family. Women aren’t save in there… They have to stay away from the males during the evening. But there are also people who are understand how improtant is to be a human being. To be a human for other people and they are doing everything what they just can. F.e. one of the prisoner is hurting his self - he is burning his hand in the fire and because of that he don’t have to work for Russians. He don’t want to work for the enemy. And there are other examples how to be a human in a cruel world with no ruls…
Dear Paulo,
You are not alone! As you accompanied our lives and left a profound trace within them, we will always accompany you!
For some time I was not able to follow your blog, since I was too occupied with my own ‘legend’. But thanks to technology I am now able to read all your last postings and thanks to technology I could call on this beautiful
morning in Berlin a friend of mine in Panama, who was just about for going to bed, and read her your beautiful prayer of 26th. She has a presentation for a job tomorrow (or today), a creative job as designer, a big opportunity for her, and a step farther in her ‘personal legend’. She was quite nervous, but with your prayer, she said, she will have tranquile dreams. Thank you!
*****
Siberia!
Is it just occasion, that it was a strong experience in Siberia (among others), that paved my personal path?
During an expedition during my studies to the great nature of the Altai mountains 10 years ago happened something, which nowadays I would call a miracle: On one of the last days our group went to the Telezko lake to visit a cascade. Enthusiastic about the beauty of the cascade, the rocks (I am geologist) and the supposed nice view from above, I climbed up the hill, but while trying to wash my hands, I fell into the small but strong river bed. It was tearing me down, I could not grap any rock or roots and almost lost consciousness. Only in the last moment, some 2 meters in front of the cascade, that went down for about 15 meters, the water was a bit more quiet and I was able to get out with my last power. It took me some 15 minutes to get conscious of about what had happened: I would not have survived falling down the cascade! And I started to tremble for having had an encounter with Death. A friends comment was: ‘You really seem to possess a guardian angel!’ …
*****
And it took me 10 more years of up and downs, beautiful and bad experiences, professional and private ones, some strong strokes and several books of you, dear Paulo, to overcome my dogmatic ‘conditioning’ of the communist block and ‘atheistic’ family. To notice that God is and has always been on my side! (’Frank, I am here, right on your side! You still don’t recognize me? And I love you!’) Maybe this is not the God that many religious people would like to see or to interprete. It is not an allmighty, but indeed a loving, perseverant and contradictionary God…
Is it that strange to have such an experience at the age of 32? I don’t know…
******
However, since it was you and a person that presumably left the road, who got me there, I want to finish this text with a dedication that wrote this person in a book on a spanish shepherd who is trying to fulfil his personal legend and his dream in the vast deserts of Africa (my first one):
‘…empieza una aventura, la única que te trae respuestas a tu corazón…’
(’…begin an adventure, the only one that provides answers to your heart…’)
*****
Thank you Paulo! Thank you for having illuminated our lifes! We will follow your example, and follow our paths!
Tebya shelayu vsevo choroshevo dlya tvoi posledniye dni v Rossiyi!
E: Boa vinda em Alemanha!
Frank, Berlin
the last proverb of dragons is a shameful truth. People seem to look for the nearest thing to throw their faults at, and rest.
Paulo,
Your words have again have stirred thought and reflection. You have a gift in the palm of your hand….thank you for opening your hand and sharing it.
Thea
Dear Paulo, I’ve never known such words about bycicles! One of your colleagues once said, that telepathy exists: it’s things written down: you send your ideas to people through distances and years! So a lot of people may buy a bycicle tomorrow, some of them can become sportsmen, and maybe one will find his destiny in riding his bike. Other people may think about their private life and try to change something - win the race, which you’ve told about. Maybe someone only read your text and became more happily.:))
I decided to change something. To make my life “a bike racing”, to feel my Road, to find friends. (I didn’t WANT, i DECIDED!:) ) Today I did the only things, which I needed to do to go ahead with enthusiasm. (I even made a little party for my mom and granny, and talked to my dad by phone for a long time, without agression at all!)
I send this to you with love, Paulo. At the Moscow-readers’-party you reminded me something, that I once forgot: “You can do whatever you want.” (Except for other good words.) That filled my life with light, and by now it has’t faded; it grew brighter and warmer! I want it to touch you here, on your blog!:)
PS. When you signed a book for me, I asked you wether you speak English.:))))) It doesn’t matter. Your eyes told me so much!:)
Love, Marina.
Dear Paulo
One of my friends(also an ardent fan/follower of yours) shared this link with me today. And when I read your most recent blog(I still have a lot to catch up on), I could relate to every word you had written. I couldnt hold myself from commenting and telling you to keep going. You are an inspiration and your words are manna for the soul.
Ever since I read the Alchemist about 2 years ago, I’ve been hooked to your writings. In this modern day, your writing offers a fresh and updated 21st century outlook to life and relationships. I have often wondered how you could put in writing so wonderfully what each of us feels and experiences at some time in our lives. Many times, when I read your novels, my eyes sparkle like a bulb lit- recognising the ” thats me” connection.
I enjoyed reading your illustrative description about the bicycle journey. So true and so meaningful. The writings of the sufi saint- very insightful! And I have taken the dragon analogy, saved it for use in the future.
We are standing by the sidelines rooting for you. Dont forget to keep us updated and provide us those pearls of wisdom that we so look forward to.
Raji
Paulo,
I hope your journey is going well. I was thinking about you today as I was shoping with my girlfriend in Galway. We were walking from store to store. I was thinking about what you wrote in the blog about almost not going on. I’m not sure but I think that someone said that your wife had left you. Also reading the Zalire I thought this was true. Then I thought of myself. I am working for a family member at the moment and I had to take over management of the store. I am much like the captain going down with a ship that is not mine. The ship falling apart around me as I try to stear it clear the water breaking through my cabbin as I stand at the wheel. All awhile I was thinking these things as I was walking around the shops. Then I thought about what it would be like to have your money!! First I would buy a nice Irish home and a car and shop till I drop around these shops…The funny thing was while I was thinking of you and all these silly things the eletricity went in the shop and five to six shops around it. As I walked down the street an alarm started to ring from another shop on account of the power cut. It was a funny thing. Later I bought myself a Zippo lighter to make myself happy and to spend a bit of cash while I still have some. Inscribed on it it said “Trinity Love Knot” “Eternal love…No Beginning…No End”
and that was my day. Hope you enjoy my new website..
K
About the sexual repression, that`s a geographical matter. Here in the tropics we have historically enjoied a healthy and great sexual life. We`ve had all what it takes: long beaches, sunsets, hot weather, humid air, brilliant sky and of course, we eat beans. The sexual repression can be cured, maybe inventing a wonderful technology to clean out the clouds from over the city, so the people is able to see the sun, or at least, using ordinary lamps and uv lamps. In that way depression can be treated and in some cases achieving the total cure.
Other things that can work:
- eat great ammounts of sugar
- drink at least 2 cups of coffe daily
- drink some water, and
- love, love, love
There is no secret, there is no mistery about loving. Just have to reach it.
Unfortunately, one day of the xix century, a group of people left behind the cloudy lands and decided that they were curing us, the tropical people of a disease that only they owned. This is the kind of things that happen in a wounded Universe, and are spreading all over. But the xx century has passed already.
Greetings Pilgrim…Points I ponder.
Is it a coincidence that the stitching on your shoe is the shape of a scallop? Do you look down and see it as a symbol to keep walking?
What is it about Novosibirsk? Ever since I read Entering the Circle by Olga Kharitidi ‘the area’ has repeatedly come into focus. My new work colleague was born and grew up there. I met a woman at a writer’s day, she was born there. Perhaps it is past life…perhaps future life?
Paulo, I do hope you write something from Novosibirsk!
walk gently..
To-day Sydney is bright. Rain has fallen and the sun reflects of a refreshed city which is a stark contrast to my neighbors in Indonesia where volanco ash floats down over dust from Earthquake and Timor where fires destroy the homes of people who fight for freedom and the smoke from guns rises over shattered bodies. We do indeed live in multiple realities.
Your blog is my favourite late night reading. Carry on walking and writing your diary and do not miss to share it with others!
These are interesting thoughts you have today. They are certainly of use to many people, myself included. Siberia! I once wanted to visit it, too, but I have actually forgotten about that idea. There are so many places I still want/need to see…
On the agenda for coming month is a visit to the football stadium on the World Championships in Germany. Wow, the Brazillian team is awesome, if you only look which great players are part of it! We all love the Brazilians, they play an attractive game, with all of their hearts, especially Ronaldinho, of course. Let’s hope, that all this talent will be rewarded with good results. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
My country also has a ‘tradition’ of attractive football; but they have been placed in a difficult group, with Argentina, Servia/Yugoslavia and Ivory Coast. I wonder how the Dutch team will do…
Enjoy your stay!
Regards
John
Hello Paulo Coelho!
The reasons which have induced me to write to you the letter, are trivial enough, and first of them consists that I wish to inform you that I work above the libretto in which basis your novel “The Devil and senhorita Prim” is put. I wish to inform you and that this work approaches end. Taking an opportunity, I also wish to express you all gratitude and gratitude that you involuntarily, that not suspecting, through the novel, through its heroes have inspired me on this interesting work.
As to other reasons which have induced me to address to you here all is much more complex. I dare to assure, these reasons as are not connected with my creativity. They are connected mainly by that I already am now compelled to think of the further destiny of the work. I already tried to interest in this theme theatres, but have received from them refusals under plausible excuses: such plan they performances do not put that, they put only classics+ And after such fruitless circulations at me the pessimistic opinion was created only - they earn money only on dead. Alive them do not interest at all, with them it is a lot of problems+
But it is one party. The second is connected with composers. They too people, and too to eat want. For free-of-charge and on one enthusiasm to anybody from them music to write it would not be desirable. Here the vicious circle also turns out.
With you too not all is simple. Not so long ago I have learned, that you not the supporter of statement of the products on a stage though in a youth when yet did not write the products, worked in sphere of show of business+
My attitude to above ranked things it is possible to tell cleanly amateur, that is I have no direct attitude neither to theatre, nor to music, to poetry. I have devoted the Most part of a life to sports, and it was for the time being the greatest my hobby. But sports career is not has gone right, and after the termination of technical university I have gone to work as the engineer-designer as whom I work and to this day.
About four years ago, when I for the first time have collided with a genre of a musical, it has captivated me the variety, expressiveness, staginess, dramatic character, musicality and even that in it that would seem in any way compatibly was combined sometimes! As a result of all it it wanted to me to create something+
Work above the libretto as I have already told, approaches end, but questions together with it at me arises more and more and more, and the answer while actually is not received any ?
Until recently by naivety I thought, that the interesting and unusual theme mentioned in your novel, at once will find the response at creatively people involved in sphere of theatre, and they at once will want the same as also I, to carry out statement, and from its part in every possible way to it will promote. And when we the general efforts shall reach more significant and indicative results, rather than that I have reached alone, we shall address already to you with the request to pass the final decision: “To be or to not be?”
However there was absolutely all not so. Statement is necessary while only to me to one. Therefore I, not having thought up am more than anything else, have decided to address personally to you for support and the help.
With the best regards,
Terekhov Andrey.
Russia, Moscow
Paulo, I feel with the Path you walk and the people you know you are aware of this information.
It came to-day and ’someting inside of me’ feels familiar. For this past week or so, on one level I’ve felt very ’stretched, unsteady and pumbled’ and relate this to the Earth stretching and moving yet what is now being revealed makes sense in my veins and bones.
walk gently Christine
Bosnia: Land of Pyramids And New Wonders
SARAJEVO - New wonders related to purported pyramids in central Bosnia-Herzegovina may soon transform the tiny Balkan country into a world archaeological giant, backers of the pyramids theory are arguing.
A Sarajevo-born American Semir Osmanagic, who strikingly resembles the famous action-movie hero Indiana Jones, still claims that the alleged pyramids in Bosnia were built by a highly-developed civilisation thousands of years ago.
The new evidence discovered in the system of tunnels under the biggest alleged pyramid - the Pyramid of the Sun - in the central Bosnian town of Visoko, Osmanagic told a press conference in Sarajevo, proves the existence of a developed civilisation in that area some 12 000 years ago. “While working in the tunnel, we recently discovered huge sandstone monoliths with some symbols engraved on one of them,” said Osmanagic. Symbols, something like arrows and some also looking like today’s letter “E” Osmanagic said, were probably letters of an ancient writing system.
The sample pictures of the symbols discovered in the tunnels under the local Visocica Hill were sent for further analyses to Egypt. An expert for ancient letters and languages, he said, should join a team of Egyptian experts, expected to arrive soon in Bosnia and examine what is believed to be Bosnian Pyramid Valley, about 30km north from Sarajevo.
Besides three purported pyramids - one each for the sun, the moon and a dragon - that he discovered since April last year, when first researches started near Visoko, Osmanagic now claims another two significantly smaller pyramids exist in the valley. He called them the Pyramid of Mother Earth and the Pyramid of Love.
‘Great Achaemenid Era’ Irrigation Channel Discovered Near Persepolis
Archeological excavations and geophysical studies by the joint Iranian-French team in Fars province led to unearthing of an irrigation channel belonging to the Achaemenid era (648-330 BC) in an area between Persepolis and the city of Estakhr (pool) in Fars province.
The remains of an irrigation channel belonging to the Achaemenid era have been discovered in the northern part of Persepolis which according to geophysical studies must have continued to the Estakhr city. Archeological evidence shows that this channel was constructed using natural elements. However, in some parts the channel was blocked by hard cliffs but the people of the time scraped the stone and by using rubbles they constructed the path of the channel to direct the water of Polvar (Sivand) River to Marvdasht Plain where the ancient palace of Persepolis is located, said Mohammad Feizkhah, Iranian head of Iranian-French archeology team in Marvdasht, Fars province.
Last year the remains of another irrigation channel had been discovered in Persepolis which was used to collect water in the palace. However, this new discovered channel is longer than the previous one. This channel is 4 kilometers in length and is considered a long channel considering the time during which it was constructed and the limited facilities that were available at that time. The channel started from Polvar River with a steep slope and the closer it got to Persepolis, the less steep it became which indicates that the purpose of its constructors was to speed up the transferring of water to Persepolis during that time, added Feizkhah.
Israel Scientists Find Underground Tunnels
JERUSALEM - Underground chambers and tunnels used during a Jewish revolt against the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago have been uncovered in northern Israel, archaeologists said. The Jews laid in supplies and were preparing to hide from the Romans during their revolt in A.D. 66-70, the experts said. The pits, which are linked by short tunnels, would have served as a concealed subterranean home.
Yardenna Alexandre of the Israel Antiquities Authority said the find shows the ancient Jews planned and prepared for the uprising, contrary to the common perception that the revolt began spontaneously.
“It definitely was not spontaneous,” Alexandre said. “The Jews of that time certainly did prepare for it, with underground hideaways here and in other sites we have found.”
The underground chambers at the Israeli Arab village of Kfar Kana, north of Nazareth, were built from housing materials common at the time and hidden directly beneath the floors of aboveground homes - giving families direct access to the hideouts. Other refuges found from the time of the revolt are hewn out of rock.
“This construction was very well camouflaged inside one of the houses,” Alexandre said. “There are three pits under this house and one tunnel leading to another pit. There are 11 storage jars in that pit.”
Built like igloos, the chambers are wide at the base and small at the top. The tunnels between them are short and the ceilings are too low for standing upright.
I love keeping up on this blog and it has encouraged me over the past few days especially. Sometimes I want things to happen so badly I can taste them but travel takes time and reading about how we eventually arrive at our destinations is encouraging and uplifting
Years ago when the fighting was going on in the Balkans, I remember watching the news and looking at pictures of villages: little white houses with shutters and red roofs. It could almost have been a picture of the village I grew up in France.
And then I remembered that my own parents had lived through a war too, in the forties.
The houses too will have been the witnesses of fighting and of horror.
I have just read “The Zahir”, in English as I lived in England.
However the first time I read one of your novels, I borrowed it from the local library in the French section. It was called: “Veronica décide de mourir”. Since then I have read most of your work, apart from “The Warrior of Light”, next on my list.
Often your novels bring me to tears: they open a part of myself that I thought I had shut tight.But this is good. It’s too easy to go through the motions trying not to feel.The brain has a funny way of shutting away the unpleasantness of the world and of our life. But the heart always remembers.
Wishing you all the best in your journey.
I have just read “The Zahir” and I liked it very much.
I wish you all the best in your journey.
“God knows that we are life’s artists. One day he gives us a chisel to make sculptures, the next day brushes and a canvas, and then a pen for writing. But we will never be able to use a chisel on a canvas, or a pen on a sculpture. Each day has its own miracle. I must accept today’s blessings in order to create what I have; if I do this with a sense of detachment and without feeling guilty, tomorrow I shall receive more.”
How true this is, and by Gods grace, suffice for each day, the blessings do continue to grow.
Few days have passed since I have read the message from Debby and her dream. In this days something, that Koelho called signes, happened with me.
I will write only that I understand.
1. Koelho can show us the way. But he doesn’t show us the goal.
2. There are 3 groups of readers. Firsts are seeking and exchanging the spirit energy. Seconds know their way (it’s wrong), and they want others to confirm it. They give us only trouble. Thirds are mistaken as Seconds, but they can understand it.
I was in 2 group. Now in 3, and this massege will move me in the 1 group.
This is the Debby’s message:
“Debbie Holmes, USA Says:
May 23rd, 2006 at 11:40 am
Dear Paulo,
…
I then had a dream about you.
In it, you were in a storm, (much like the one you described in one of your postings) trying to find shelter, as all of your fans followed you, while their outer garments were being blown about.
We, your fans, were scrambling to find our own garments and personal belongings, but they were all mixed in together with yours.
I realized, as I struggled to find my own, that any of these garments could be worn by any of us. We were all trying to find the same shelter, and all looking for our own personal garments.
…
Your Brick Wall,
Deb”
thank you for your work
Nice site. Thank to work…
Hello Mr.Paulo
Thanks for all your work and also to make us know that we’re not alone in this path.
I know it’s so hard to be always in top
I know even we rise and rise ,we could unfortanlly be down
I know it’s hard to watch our dreams going away
I know it’s so difficult to keep faithing in God
Becaus as we fall down the harricane of dispair catch us without out awaring us
All I hope that everytime I get weak ,I could face all the worst things even there’s only a little spark of light around me
and I pray for everyone will find their own way