"I forgive the tears I was made to shed,
I forgive the pain and the disappointments,
I forgive the betrayals and the lies,
I forgive the slanders and the intrigues,
I forgive the hatred and the persecution,
I forgive the blows that hurt me,
I forgive the wrecked dreams,
I forgive the stillborn hopes,
I forgive the hostility and jealousy,
I forgive the indifference and ill will,
I forgive the injustice carried out in the name of justice,
I forgive the anger and cruelty,
I forgive the neglect and the contempt,
I forgive the world and all its evils.
I also forgive myself. May the misfortunes of the past no longer weigh on my heart. Instead of pain and resentment, I choose understanding and compassion. Instead of rebellion, I choose the music from my violin. Instead of grief, I choose forgetting. Instead of vengeance, I choose victory.
I will be capable of loving regardless of whether I am loved in return,
Of giving even when I have nothing,
Of working happily even in the midst of difficulties,
Of holding out my hand even when utterly alone and abandoned,
Of drying my tears even while I weep,
Of believing even when no one believes in me." - p. 169 - 170.
"Be blessed. And just as you are transforming your own life, may you transform the lives of those around you. When they ask, do not forget to give. When they knock at your door, be sure to open it. When they lose something and come to you, do whatever you can to help them find what they have lost. First, though, ask, knock at the door and find out what is missing from your life. A hunter always knows what to expect - eat or to be eaten." - p. 249.
"Is it possible to deviate from the path God has made? Yes, but it's always a mistake. Is it possible to avoid pain? Yes, but you'll never learn anything. Is it possible to know something without ever having experienced it? Yes, but it will never truly be part of you." - p. 263.
Review
The author is successful in evoking ideas and feelings by triggering emotional responses and mental pictures.The characters communicate through images and symbols.I would rephrase Aleph (generated from the first letter, as Alpha or Alif in Arabic, perhaps) as a place or spot where one could experience a spiritual awakening, given it’s the past experience or just merely an evocation of memory or inspiration. But, this could be partly incorrect or totally dissatisfying explanation.
Aleph is a metaphor for comprehending reality,now refers to mindfulness, and love refers to the power of faith having confidence and trust for transforming and healing,which leads one to freedom and liberation.The message is more personal and meanings are dependent on one”s perception,imagination and feelings.All the fictional characters are in harmony.
The theme of the novel is elevation,to obtain a greater power;the power to be happy right in the present moment,free from addiction,fear,despair,discrimination, anger and ignorance.The author questions if you are rich and powerful but unhappy,then what is the point of being powerful and rich..For that he advises that we should live with awareness,with the ability to truly see the world around us,as our life is often like a runaway train.He emphasizes that by cultivating our spiritual or true power and bringing mindfulness to our daily interaction,we can completely change the quality of our work and life around us.He believes that mindfulness is being fully present in the here and now,being in touch with what is going on inside us and around us.He insists on being compassionate without which one can not be happy,no matter how rich one is, as one becomes isolated and trapped within one”s own world,unable to relate to people or understand them.
He draws our attention to be more mindful to look deeply,only then one can see pain and suffering in the world and can recognize the deep desire to relieve it.By recognizing all this one can be more satisfying and happy.
Summary
Personally for me, The Zahir is really good when compared to The Aleph. But both are very different in the story-line and the subject matter too.
If you believe in reincarnation and related theories, you will enjoy reading this book.
Aleph is a really good read if you are a fan of Paulo Coelho’s previous books.
Rating 5 stars
