And There's A God Who Is Close By

About the Author

Shahriar Shahir's life turning point was Shana’s birth in 2000. His main characteristics are being patriotic and philomath and having a great passion for learning. His motto is love, courage, effort, and faith.

He has dedicated his life to work and striving for success, growth, and development. Although he faced obstacles during his path, he gained valuable achievements.

He got a scholarship from Emirates Flying School and obtained a Pilot's License. He had the incredible privilege of having many careers. However, his passion has always been business and he believes he grew up in it.

He implemented the dream of establishing a business with global standards in the franchise industry. At the same time, he created the Hoopoe brand, which is the fruit of many years of experience in the business world. In parallel, he published nine books about the standardization of the franchise industry which contain more than 1000 pages and are registered and certified by UAE.

He believes he is still at the beginning of this journey

Dedication

Dedicated to my daughter, Shana.

Copyright Information ©

Shahriar Shahir Barzegar 2023

The right of Shahriar Shahir Barzegar to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781035818587 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781035818594 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781035818617 (ePub e-book)

ISBN 9781035818600 (Audiobook)

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First Published 2023

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An Introduction to the Story

At the age of 33, I lived a comfortable and contented material life, and everything appeared to be in order. I’d travelled the world several times and had fantastic work, as well as a large number of companions from every caste and social class which, at the time, seemed to empower me and ensure my reputation and prestige. But, in the blink of an eye, everything turned so dark that, as a ‘dumb dreamer,’ it took me a long time to figure out where I was and why.

Today, I believe that a powerful spirit pushed me into a state that was unmistakably in the womb (which is ideal for the growth of the foetus) at the moment so that I, as a foetus, may experience rebirth in this material body. Of course, it was a womb unlike the mother’s in that it was harsh and deadly, and it was utterly silent, with an outpouring of thoughts that did not cease for even a second.

For me, time had stopped. Compared to the second and third trimesters, the first trimester was connected with completely diverse experiences. Believe me when I say that I experienced pretty diverse spiritual progress and new experiences that eventually removed me from my terrestrial realm every three months. I was frequently asked, Why me? during that nine-month period when I was placed into that embryonic environment’s harsh and deadly stillness.

In the third trimester, I experienced several unexplainable interior changes in myself. I recall losing consciousness one night due to internal turmoil while being able to see and understand everything around me. There was a period in my mind and body where I saw a light that completely encompassed me in joy and transformed me into another human being.

When I emerged from that tiny fence’s nine-month solitude and darkness, I appeared to be no different from the rest of people; nonetheless, a flame burned within me, reminding me that ‘I am no longer one of these people.’ I could see everyone’s masks on their faces. My heart had entirely lost its love for this three-dimensional universe, and it was my body that was worn out and seemingly destitute.

I had found existential love not long before I took refuge in the heart of the mountain, and in the absence of all that I had previously and had accomplished, I saw no trace of the presence of former friends and adherents. The most intriguing aspect of the narrative was the light that caused me to move inside; yet, it appears that I was attempting to imitate ordinary people by wearing a mask similar to that of others. Because I didn’t have a job and needed to make some adjustments, I sought after old friends and observed habits that pulled me further inward.

Like a lost pilgrim, I collected my belongings and journeyed to the north of the country, settling near the energetic Caspian Sea. After a while, I requested my God to welcome me when I first saw the sunrise on the Caspian Sea with my inner eyes so that my heart would be illuminated anew. I was looking for a path between ordinary people and the light and ecstasy of that black night.

In those days, I felt the world’s ‘soul’ in my heart, and for several years, the same inner light looked after me and led me in the right direction. It was a feeling that ushered in an entirely new and different way of living.

After a while, I noticed changes in my body and spine. My entire body glowed like a yacht. Inside my heart and behind my eyelids, I sensed a white light. I rode my bike around a peaceful and lovely town in the mornings, having fascinating chats with the trees and flora.

Finally, one morning, I awoke to the sound of a sparrow and saw the miracle of a tree full of blossoms, which I had seen every morning. There had been an internal revolt! I was completely enamoured with the day. The ideas of those around me no longer worried me. The entire world seemed to be in harmony with me. It was there that I discovered the cosmos as a whole is a pulse. A caring and aware heart develops millions of elements within itself with each beat. That ‘friend’ was also tired of being alone, and I recognised that if I asked for him, he would miss me as well. That’s when I learned I wasn’t a prince; instead, I and all other beings in the cosmos are fundamentally ‘he,’ and ‘he’ made us to be his friends. He made us able to glimpse His majesty in the reflection of our own eyes. I realised that I am light and that with all my inner exuberance and love, I wanted to connect with that light of absolute existence as soon as possible, connect it, and leave my body…and I embarked on a path that is described in this book, which you can read.

The realisation that there may not be another tomorrow for me prompted me to dedicate these writings, the fruits of my intellect and those unbelievable experiences, to my darling, Shana and all those seeking the truth in the hope of shedding light on the dark corners of this eternal universe.

Chapter One

A Trip’s Experience

A Trip’s Experiences

Sometimes in life, we reach a point where our inner potential is exhausted. In such circumstances, some of the knowledge stored inside must be removed to create a way for additional, maybe more critical, and necessary information.

We can expand our inner potential, move to new levels, and broaden our perspectives and viewpoints.

It was the most intense sensation I’ve ever had. From a small, freezing cell to the gorgeous and lively shores of the Caspian Sea; it was an exciting voyage. A voyage full of pure and unique experiences had ended, and I felt it was time to share it with others; I mean, you, who are reading this book right now, let me share it with you.

Now that I’d reached a certain degree of maturity, I felt it was time to write, and what I had in front of you was the epitome of everything I’d learned and experienced on that path. In the long poem ‘Passenger,’ you are the host who sits in front of Sohrab Sepehri and listens to the poet’s pure sensations on his voyage.

However, I confess that I do not consider myself an ‘omniscient’ who must present a fantastic story to his audience, nor a philosopher who must describe the cosmos. I’m merely a storyteller of an event. I believe this is an experience worth sharing: ‘I know nothing,’ as Bu Ali Sina put it. Perhaps the plain, unaffected narrative found throughout this book is proof of this. The text and literary are not so excellent and professional that, while this may be the author’s weakness in general, it is portrayed here and in this book as a unique feature and, in reality, as the narrative’s strong point: ‘Let’s be simple, whether at a bank counter or under a tree.’ (1)

Let’s get down to business. What exactly is it about? The truth is that I’m attempting to simplify an actual model of the cosmos for you in this book. A pattern can be deciphered to assist each other in achieving our life’s primary goals. As a result, it makes no difference who I am or who you are. The truth is what matters. We will find each other’s support, and to do so, we will speak from ‘feeling.’ Rumi says, The senses reveal the secret to your senses. Untruthful, silent, and unlicensed.

The truth can be understood in several ways. This is a figment of the imagination.

The reality that everyone knows

There are no interpretations in the middle (2).

So that’s where we begin.

My name is ‘Nobody,’ and the letter refers to my physical presence in this world and the road I’ve travelled; who and what I am are meaningless. You’ll understand what I’m saying when I begin to write simply because the truth lies in simplicity. After a trip of vistas and souls, Sohrab Sepehri arrived at this philosophy, which is the essence of his words. Being ‘behind nothing’ and ‘being nothing.’ Sohrab Sepehri portrays this raw truth and pure simplicity in all of his works in the following way:

If you come to me,

I am behind nothing.

Nothing has a place behind it.

The air vessels are full of messengers who reported the budding of the farthest flower from the soil.

The dunes also bore the traces of the riders who climbed the ascension hill of poppy flowers in the morning.

The umbrella of need is open behind nothingness: Till a thirsty breeze sweeps through a leaf root The rain bell rings

Adam is alone.

And the elm’s shadow flows endlessly in this solitude.

If you come to me, do so gently and deliberately not to cause fractures in my thin loneliness. (3)

So, let’s be clear right off the bat: the goal of this book is not to provide answers to challenging topics. They have a never-ending list of inquiries, and I am not a source of inspiration or expertise. But the most significant and critical point to which I must immediately add is that every human being is a world, and his path through this world is, in fact, a ‘once in a lifetime’ emergence and fall of the universe. It is a priceless experience that occurred due to a voyage and will be told in this book. In the same issue, the difference between humans is also summed up. Those with a tale to tell and those who come and depart with nothing to say. In the poet’s words, Life is the one-of-a-kind stage of our creativity. Everyone exits the stage after singing their song. The scene is constantly changing.

The cheer is a song that people remember more. (4)

Now, it’s your turn, dear reader! If you’re holding this book and reading it, it suggests you’re hungry for more information. It makes you wonder about those who left or remained on the scene but played a part in this story. You’re aware that the world’s definition is summed up in the collection of roles humans have created. I’m also referring to my performance at this stage.

First and foremost, I’d like to offer some helpful advice.

What do the events I’ve been describing have to say? Some of these events may be summarised in the following sentences.

Be aware that ‘control’ does not necessarily have to be ‘violent.’ The outcome of rough control and in the form of force is obvious. The public’s hegemony must be shattered. Subcutaneous rules, on the other hand, are the most harmful. Those who use supposedly lovely phrases want to steer you down the road they desire.

The fundamental issue revolves around those who, based on spiritual matters, schools of thought, and other ideologies in the world, want to tell you what to do, think, taste, watch, and believe!

Other groups aim to silence you, bind your thinking, and dominate you using reasoning, words, eloquence, and rhetoric, delivered in the shape of educated and beautiful speeches so that you become what they want and say and do what they want. When they want to, you can speak and act, and when they want to, you can remain mute.

Parents write many novels for their children in the realm of literature. Their book and address were, in reality, addressed to everyone throughout history. One of these examples is Ansar al-Amali Kikavus Ibn Iskandar’s book Qaboos Nameh, which intended to teach his son how to live. Another example is the famed Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s The Letter to a Child Who Was Never Born.

As a result, novels like these have a niche appeal and a large general audience. This book is addressed to my darling daughter, ‘Shana,’ and to you, my friends, with whom I wish to share a path of self-awareness while searching for truth with each other.

To Dear Shana and You, the Reader

Do not let someone dominate your thoughts, speech, actions, attitudes, or even feelings of need, and assign responsibilities to you. Be yourself and be proud of who you are. To realise your inner light and energy source, free yourself from the control and dominance of any power.

Believe that your identity isn’t something that can be defined or controlled by others. Your identity comes from within you; all you have to do is feel it and be proud of it.

Another crucial piece of advice I have is that if you are studying and find it difficult to understand a topic or the subject, hold on and do not move forward.

Don’t pass judgement on me, either. Nezami Ganjavi puts it this way:

Try every sheet you read

To know the meaning of it all

Planning to do a simple task to the end

Better than doing the hard task but bad. (5)

I’m not talking about your mind’s questions and ambiguities; don’t battle them. By the way, allow the inquiry to arise; the solution will arrive at the appropriate time. I’m talking about having a correct comprehension of the content and, as the expression goes, getting the ‘punchline’ of the material and the meaning of the word! Don’t be concerned about what you haven’t read yet. They have no intention of leaving. They’ve arrived, and they’re staying. Give yourself and your thinking power more time and space to assimilate everything you’ve learned so far, and let the subject’s dark corners become evident to you. It makes no difference how much time it takes. After you’ve finished the previous post, continue to the next one.

People’s levels are, of course, very varied from one another. Reading this new content may surprise some readers, while it may be relatively simple for others who are previously aware of it.

The rate at which people relocate differs as well. Some are slower, and some are faster than us on this road, while some move faster and a bit further, waiting for us to get around the first turn of the road and join them.

It makes no difference. We are all walking down the same road, which will eventually lead us to our destination.

Take the time to close your eyes and see everything in the dark to understand better. Put your thoughts and beliefs in a secure place for a time to refresh your memories. Hold your ears closed to filter out the noises and make sure you don’t hear them! Be a zero and silent. Get out of your current situation, climb higher, and get away from the earth. Go where you don’t think you’ve been or aren’t. Where do you believe God is seated? Look at the world again; try to see it from a different perspective or even stand outside and view it from a higher vantage point.

World of Infinite Dimensions

It is the start of work, or to put it another way, the beginning of self- awareness. I’ll start with an example to help you understand.

On a piece of paper, draw a manikin, a house, a tree, and its environs. Suppose the man inside this paper is alive and has life for himself and that paper has the rule of the world and its environment.

This sheet of paper (assuming zero thickness) is a two-dimensional world that is only long and wide. That little man, the house, the tree, and everything in it have the same properties. They are two-dimensional. He sees and understands just what is within his environment and nothing more.

Now let’s see what we are and our advantages over this hypothetical world. We have one more parameter against the world. A parameter called ‘height’; because we are three-dimensional beings and live in a three-dimensional world. That paper (two-dimensional world) with all its creatures is a subset of us.

Now we take a pencil. We know and understand this pencil; because it has the same characteristics as our three-dimensional world. In truth, that piece of