What got me here? It was the ritual of Yalda, a small family and friends gathering in Iran on the longest night of the year, 21 December, celebrating by eating exotic fruit and reciting old Persian poetry.
Saadi, a 13th-century poet says... 'The true morning will not come until the Yalda night is gone'.
Christmas is not celebrated in Iran. The Persian calendar goes according to the horoscope and New Year is on the 21 March which is the first day of spring and the beginning of the sign Aries.
We were invited by another warm and hospitable couple to spend a few days in their country home, two and a half hours drive West of Tehran.
"We go there as a retreat," Goli told me at the Yalda gathering, "You are welcome to come and stay as long as you like."
This kind and generous offer could not be refused. Although there were many local sites to visit. Isfahan, the old capital of Persia in the 16th century, is known for its Islamic architecture, palaces, mosques and bridges having retained much of its past glory to Shiraz with tombs of two Persian poets Hafez and Saadi, leading to the ruins of Persepolis, situated outside the city. I chose to spend a few days away from it all. To enrich my soul as opposed to my sight.
Our dear friend Mary, with whom many hours were spent discussing miracles and the power of faith in our lives, drove Hala and me through the dark cloud of pollution into the blue sky that accompanied us. We passed through the new motorway to the west of the country towards Saveh, well-known for its pomegranates and melons.
We had planned to spend two nights in a 'Deh'; a village, nearby.
What gets to me most in my visits to different destinations is the feel of the place. We encountered generosity and kindness wherever we went. Every time, we were lost on the roads Mary would stop, whether at the side of a motorway or on a dirt road and hailed a car for help or direction, someone would stop their car immediately and get out to show us the way. Incredible!
I must admit that such a sign of chivalry was next to none anywhere in the world. Sure, every time it was a man who stopped and we are not unattractive ladies which I am sure helped but there was kindness at every turn. We finally got to our destination with the help of mobile phones, in pitch darkness.
Our hosts, Goli and Tutu had only arrived that same morning and managed to warm up their country home with the help of old oil-filled large heaters and a fireplace. They had heated up the place further with their warm welcome and dinner prepared.
Breakfast on the first morning consisted of two varieties of Persian bread, homemade jams, feta cheese and butter with brewed black tea and fresh sweet lemon, orange and pomegranate juice made by our hostess. This nation oozes with hospitality and warmth. The sky was a dark blue with the sun shining through the icy mist being melted on the vast land surrounding us. Acres of cultivated land, empty due to the winter season were at each side of the non-asphalt road with branches of leafless trees almost touching at the top, to open up an empty space below for a pleasurable walk. Tutu accompanied by their golden retriever; Lady, took charge of walking us around this magical 'Deh'.
Amid the open space, there were a few old-style houses, made of clay, brick and stone, some surrounded by walls and others, hidden by nature. A path that could only be discovered by following our host. Tutu and Goli knew the residents of the village and took us around in the afternoon to introduce us to the few that lived there most of the year. Every time, we were greeted kindly with a persistence of going into their home and being offered a cup of brewed tea.
In the evening, we warmed up in front of the fireplace and all helped in getting the dinner on the table. After dinner, Mary set herself in front of the TV to watch her favourite program. There is no reality TV here as in the UK with the likes of Big Brother, which incidentally I am no fan of, but the nation seems fascinated by a TV series dubbed into Farsi from Mexico and Korea! There were other series made here in Iran which had their attention.
We were taught card games to play, another Persian favourite pastime.
I had such vivid dreams in the Deh. It has been ages since I remember my dreams and they were so vivid at this time of my life. The first night, I dreamt of myself shopping for clothes. Oh! Oh! Even in a village so far away, my habit followed me like a ghost. If not in reality, in my dreams! I kept going back to the shop for more dresses and returned with another white rectangular box to be opened to bring out another three! Yes, three dresses of similar look and colour. I noticed the price tag of one saying three thousand and four hundred and something pounds. I panicked in my dream, thinking this one has to be taken back. 'Haldita, how could you do this again when you clearly don't need that in any way?' Were the words going through my mind? In the panic of taking it back and not being able to, I woke up to my nightmare. Consumption... consumption! And thank goodness there is no song to accompany those words. There is obviously no question of need here. So, what is this obsession with possession about? In the spiritual world, I must learn to free myself in every way. Free of gossip, free of wanting to own more than what I could possibly need. And I remembered my father's words when he came to a certain wisdom, after enduring imprisonment in a cruel dictatorship. 'Enough is enough'.
Our hosts, Goli and Tutu had only arrived that same morning and managed to warm up their country home with the help of old oil-filled large heaters and a fireplace. They had heated up the place further with their warm welcome and dinner prepared.
Breakfast on the first morning consisted of two varieties of Persian bread, homemade jams, feta cheese and butter with brewed black tea and fresh sweet lemon, orange and pomegranate juice made by our hostess. This nation oozes with hospitality and warmth. The sky was a dark blue with the sun shining through the icy mist being melted on the vast land surrounding us. Acres of cultivated land, empty due to the winter season were at each side of the non-asphalt road with branches of leafless trees almost touching at the top, to open up an empty space below for a pleasurable walk. Tutu accompanied by their golden retriever; Lady, took charge of walking us around this magical 'Deh'.
Amid the open space, there were a few old-style houses, made of clay, brick and stone, some surrounded by walls and others, hidden by nature. A path that could only be discovered by following our host. Tutu and Goli knew the residents of the village and took us around in the afternoon to introduce us to the few that lived there most of the year. Every time, we were greeted kindly with a persistence of going into their home and being offered a cup of brewed tea.
In the evening, we warmed up in front of the fireplace and all helped in getting the dinner on the table. After dinner, Mary set herself in front of the TV to watch her favourite program. There is no reality TV here as in the UK with the likes of Big Brother, which incidentally I am no fan of, but the nation seems fascinated by a TV series dubbed into Farsi from Mexico and Korea! There were other series made here in Iran which had their attention.
We were taught card games to play, another Persian favourite pastime.
I had such vivid dreams in the Deh. It has been ages since I remember my dreams and they were so vivid at this time of my life. The first night, I dreamt of myself shopping for clothes. Oh! Oh! Even in a village so far away, my habit followed me like a ghost. If not in reality, in my dreams! I kept going back to the shop for more dresses and returned with another white rectangular box to be opened to bring out another three! Yes, three dresses of similar look and colour. I noticed the price tag of one saying three thousand and four hundred and something pounds. I panicked in my dream, thinking this one has to be taken back. 'Haldita, how could you do this again when you clearly don't need that in any way?' Were the words going through my mind? In the panic of taking it back and not being able to, I woke up to my nightmare. Consumption... consumption! And thank goodness there is no song to accompany those words. There is obviously no question of need here. So, what is this obsession with possession about? In the spiritual world, I must learn to free myself in every way. Free of gossip, free of wanting to own more than what I could possibly need. And I remembered my father's words when he came to a certain wisdom, after enduring imprisonment in a cruel dictatorship. 'Enough is enough'.
We prolonged our stay due to our hosts' persistence to take us to a picnic in the surrounding mountains.
"Isn't it too cold for a picnic?" I asked Goli.
"We can dress warm Haldita and with the sun, you won't feel it. Promise." Goli answered. "I'd love you to see this place."
"Sure." Who was I to argue.
Tutu got behind the old Land Rover he had recently purchased, with Goli in the front and us three girls singing in the seat behind. We drove through an old, derelict part of the village before hitting the ups and downs of the rocky road. Twenty minutes into the drive, Tutu's skilful hands at the wheel got us through a running river and up we went into the mountains.
"Stop Tutu," Goli was persistent, "Let me get out and take a photo of you as the ranger in the Land Rover next to the rocks to send to our children abroad. I'd like them to see their dad in action."
The idea did not seem to appeal to Tutu but he did as he was told and stopped.
"Is it far from where we are going?" I asked as I could not wait to take a walk in the wilderness.
"No, no. You can walk there. It's only round the corner." Tutu said as he drove off and took his loving wife and left us to follow on foot. He had felt our adventurous nature.
"I'll join you in a minute," I said to Hala and Mary. "Just wanna take some photos, no worries."
As I walked gently up the mountain, taking in all the spirits surrounding me, I looked up at the blue sky and the scorching sun on that brisk, cold day. I reached a point where in the 360 degrees around, I noticed mountains surrounding me in the distance. A feeling of awe filled my every vein, no one in sight. I let go of every emotion and I stood there weeping my heart out. Something had got to me. The tears flowed, and no thoughts went through my mind but to let go and feel the oneness with the nature that had taken over me. I was speechless. I did not want to think but absorb nature around me.
How can there be no creator to this magical scene? God was all around me. 'Dear Lord, I thought I had this feeling in the mountains of Machu Pichu in Peru perhaps... But here, in an unknown area of Iran?' That was a surprise?' That was all that came to mind. I kept turning around and watching the view over and over again as the feeling inside was like a picture we sometimes capture in our mind but no pen on paper can reflect. A miracle in time. Pure magic.
I decided to join everyone before they began to worry and search for me so I went up a hill, to walk down the other side, to another stunning view of a few naked trees next to a half-frozen small lake, where the picnic was being laid and Goli, in her red Indian poncho was making a fire to heat our cold hands.
Tutu pointed at the village at a distance across the mountain which he explained had been left derelict for years. Mary took notice of the two trees standing amid empty land and said: "There's a double for everything in nature."
I found a rock in the midst of where I sat to meditate. An experience to be cherished.
I decided to join everyone before they began to worry and search for me so I went up a hill, to walk down the other side, to another stunning view of a few naked trees next to a half-frozen small lake, where the picnic was being laid and Goli, in her red Indian poncho was making a fire to heat our cold hands.
Tutu pointed at the village at a distance across the mountain which he explained had been left derelict for years. Mary took notice of the two trees standing amid empty land and said: "There's a double for everything in nature."
I found a rock in the midst of where I sat to meditate. An experience to be cherished.
Upon return, I asked to be let out of the car, to walk through the old part of the 'Deh' and take more photos. One can find the most unexpected fulfilment in the most simple things and places in life.