HAFEZ: DIVINE LOVE & CREATION -- Reading & Discussion With Omid Arabian!

HAFEZ: DIVINE LOVE & CREATION -- Reading & Discussion With Omid Arabian!

In the PRS Library

Rarely has there been a more perfect convergence of the mystical and the lyrical than in the work of the Persian poet known as Hafez. Born in Iran in the 14th century CE, Hafez left us with a priceless treasure-trove of odes, quatrains and masnavis on themes like ecstasy, love, and freedom from social restraints. His devotees include not only most Iranians but many great thinkers and writers from the Western world -- including Yeats, Goethe, Nietzsche, Emerson, Thoreau, and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Hafez was an indisputable master when it came to fashioning language into poetry. His work is characterized by the use of highly refined, elaborate metaphors and images that suggest multiple levels of reading. But more than an unparalleled wordsmith, Hafez was also a mystic who presented a profound theosophical vision of the origin of humankind, the purpose of existence, and the nature of our relationship with the Divine.

In this session we will delve into Hafez’s poetry (in English translation) to explore his insights on Prime Creation and Divine Love. We will read and parse text from multiple poems, decode the symbolism, and discover together the possible meanings & messages beneath the beautiful surface of his words.

About Omid Arabian
Author & scholar Omid Arabian is the co-founder & director of YOUniversal Center, a non-profit educational organization where he conducts courses on Persian mysticism and philosophy. His translations of Rumi’s poetry have been published in three volumes, and he is currently at work on a collection of Hafez translations. He is also the author of three children’s books inspired by the poems of Rumi: The Heart’s Garden, The Donkey’s Gone!, and the just-published You Are Everything. His most recent talk at PRS, entitled "Zahhak: An Etiology of Evil" was part of last year's Unveiling the Mythos of Iran conference.

Ticket Price: $10 (suggested donation).

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