This poem from Hafiz, on drawing warmth from the sun, makes even more sense in the light of the unseasonal weather in this part of the world and the very wet June which was seen in Ireland and England. Often in our lives we have to deliberately pay attention to the good things that happen, because our brain has a negativity bias and more easily stores the bad events of each day. As psychologist Robert Emmons and his colleagues at the University of California have shown, cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” has been linked to better health, less anxiety and is beneficial to subjective emotional well-being. They found that people who consciously noted the good things in each day were more optimistic and felt happier than a control group. Consciously being aware helps us to notice what is good in our lives rather than always noticing and complaining about what is wrong and allows us to wake up to the gifts around us each day. Hafiz knew this and encourages us to squeezing the drops of light and warmth from even the brief appearances of the sun in our lives:
I know the voice of depression still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life still send their invitations .
But you are with the Friend now and look so much stronger.
You can stay that way and even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions’ beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear, from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days like a broken man Behind a camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him,
What actions of yours bring freedom and Love.
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions’ beautiful laughter
And from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one, Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!
Hafiz, Cast All Your Votes for Dancing
