Blog | davidsmith208

Samvega

Yes, those are important Sanskrit terms, and the aphorism you mention from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (I.21) is very compact but philosophically rich. The sutra reads roughly: tīvra-saṁvegānām āsannaḥ “For those whose zeal or urgency is intense, samadhi is near.” Let’s look at the two words you mentioned. 1. saṁvega (संवेग) saṁvega is a powerful word in Sanskrit spiritual literature. Basic components sam = together, completely, intensely vega = speed, force, impulse, surge

davidsmith208

5 days ago2 min read

You can meditate in the evening

At a time that is before you can make an excuse. Like I choose 5:30pm which is before I am tired and before sunset. You can say Goodbye yellow brick road and just go on your own. If you just step into the world of divine love you will not have a thorn. There won’t be anyone to scorn. You can try to break open your blindness by just contemplation. With Simran you can achieve bunker busting leverage and just leave the body. With your legs just crossed you can easily fly in

davidsmith208

7 days ago3 min read

Ju produces Nur

In the poetry of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, one of the most important “meaning-pairs that are also rhyme-pairs” around spiritual hunger involves the Persian word: جوع — juʿ (hunger) This word comes from Arabic but is used constantly in Persian Sufi literature, including the Masnavi. Rumi often pairs it with rhyming spiritual concepts that express its inner effect. Key Rhyme / Meaning Pairs with Spiritual Hunger 1. جوع / نور juʿ — nūr hunger — divine light This is probably th

davidsmith208

7 days ago2 min read

A Present for God

Your observation is very perceptive. In the Masnavi, Jalāl ad‑Dīn Muhammad Rūmī repeatedly recommends eating less, fasting, night-wakefulness, and early prayer as part of the Sufi discipline. These practices are tied to tazkiya (purification of the self) and weakening the nafs (ego). The passage you showed (Book I, around 3171-3180) is one clear example where he says: bring a gift to God that gift is less sleep and less food join those who seek forgiveness at dawn This echoes

davidsmith208

7 days ago2 min read

Nazar and khabar

You noticed a very real and important Persian rhyme pair: nazar (نظر – vision/glance) and khabar (خبر – news, information). Sufi poets repeatedly contrast them to make a philosophical point: khabar = second-hand knowledge, reports, concepts nazar = direct seeing, spiritual vision So the rhyme itself becomes a mini teaching device. 1. A famous Persian couplet with nazar and khabar A well-known line (later quoted by Muhammad Iqbal when discussing Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī) con

davidsmith208

Mar 72 min read

Nazar or life inspiring glance

Yes — the Persian/Arabic word nazar (نظر) literally means a look, gaze, or glance. In many Sufi and Sant traditions it refers to the transforming spiritual gaze of a realized master. The idea is that a saint’s inner state (ḥāl) can be transmitted instantly through presence or even a single look. Below are several famous examples from Sufi literature and Sant-Mat tradition, including references connected to Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī and other masters. 1. Rumi – The Transformi

davidsmith208

Mar 73 min read

Worldly Wealth

Yes — many mystical traditions (Sufi, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist) repeatedly suggest that simplicity or detachment from wealth makes deeper spiritual perception easier. The idea is not always that wealth is evil, but that attachment, distraction, and pride interfere with inner awareness. Your page reflects a common theme in the poetry of Rumi: worldly success can function as a veil that keeps a person occupied with appearances instead of reality. Below are some well-k

davidsmith208

Mar 73 min read

Band setup

Your idea actually makes very good practical sense for a band setup. You’re separating things into: home studio keyboard (Arturia) portable travel keyboard band practice keyboard (PSR-330) MacBook running the sounds That’s a common working musician approach. 1. The speaker connection you discovered When you used a 3.5 mm → 1/4-inch TRS cable from the MacBook into the band speaker, you essentially used the MacBook as the sound module. Flow: Keyboard → MIDI → MacBook (Ableton /

davidsmith208

Mar 62 min read

Key rhyming pairs in Rumi

Yes—this is a very perceptive observation. Jalal ad-Din Rumi often builds spiritual teachings around rhyming word pairs. Persian poetry loves rhyme, but Rumi frequently chooses pairs that carry philosophical tension or transformation—almost like miniature spiritual formulas. Your example qāl / ḥāl is one of the most famous. Here are several other important rhyming pairs used in Sufi poetry and often in Rumi’s verses, especially in the Masnavi and the Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi.

davidsmith208

Mar 52 min read

Qal and Hal

Rhyming pairs in Rumi Yes—Rumi very intentionally rhymes and contrasts the words qāl (قال) and ḥāl (حال). In Persian Sufi poetry they are almost always paired because they rhyme and because they represent a deep spiritual contrast in Sufi psychology. • qāl → “speech, words, doctrine, explanation” • ḥāl → “inner state, direct experience, spiritual condition” For Jalal ad-Din Rumi, the distinction explains the difference between knowing about God and experiencing God. ⸻ The P

davidsmith208

Mar 52 min read

Get some Hal

Sayyid Burhān al-Dīn Muḥaqqiq of Tirmidh Sayyid Burhanuddin Tirmidhi (Persian: سید برهان‌الدین محقق ترمذی) was a major 13th-century Sufi master from Termez in Central Asia. He died around 1240 CE in Kayseri. He is best known historically as an early spiritual teacher (murshid) of Jalal ad-Din Rumi. His background Disciple of Bahauddin Walad, Rumi’s father, who was already a famous mystic known as Sultan al-Ulama. After Bahauddin died in Konya (1231), Burhanuddin came to guide

davidsmith208

Mar 53 min read

Yamaha P125 as speaker

Very nice setup 👍 — you’ve basically created a small hybrid studio. You have: 🎹 Yamaha P-125 connected via USB-to-Host (MIDI to Mac) 💻 MacBook running Ableton Live 🔊 Piano acting as an external speaker for the Mac audio 🎹 Another MIDI keyboard (Arturia) controlling sounds too That’s actually a powerful arrangement. Let’s break down what you can now do. 🎛 What This Setup Allows You To Do 1️⃣ Assign Each Keyboard to Different Sounds (Yes — exactly) Inside Ableton: Create

davidsmith208

Mar 42 min read

The Yamaha HS8

Yes — at $298.97 for a new Yamaha HS8 SG Powered Studio Monitor, that’s a very serious monitor and arguably a step above most of the others you’ve mentioned. Here’s why the HS8 is so impressive: 🔊 Why the Yamaha HS8 is a higher-tier monitor 1. Much deeper, stronger bass 8″ woofer vs 6″ or 7″ in others Frequency response down to 38 Hz, which is very deep for a monitor without a subwoofer You’ll hear bass notes clearly instead of just “feeling” them vaguely. 2. More power and

davidsmith208

Mar 42 min read

Ableton live lite 2 keyboards

Yes — you absolutely can run two MIDI keyboards playing two different sounds at the same time in Ableton Live Lite. And yes — those two MIDI input selectors you’re seeing mean Live can receive from multiple devices simultaneously. Let’s set this up cleanly. ✅ First: Can You Plug In Two Keyboards? Yes, if: Both are USB MIDI keyboards → plug both directly into your MacBook (or via a powered USB hub if needed). Or one USB + one 5-pin MIDI via an audio interface. Your MacBook hav

davidsmith208

Mar 42 min read

I got Walnuts

You’re in a very rich section of the Masnavi by Rumi — this “Walnuts for lovers who fall asleep” episode is symbolic, not romantic storytelling. Let’s unpack it carefully. 1️⃣ The Lover Who Fell Asleep The Story (outer layer) The lover waits for the beloved. She arrives at midnight. He has fallen asleep. She tears his sleeve and puts walnuts in his lap. He wakes at dawn and finds walnuts and a torn sleeve. He concludes: “We cause our own fate through the things we do.” Inner

davidsmith208

Mar 43 min read

I got Walnuts

davidsmith208

Mar 43 min read

Not Up but In

Yes — what you’re noticing is very central to Sufi metaphysics. When Rumi says the spiritual world is “non-dimensional,” he is pointing to the idea that ultimate reality is not located in physical space (“up,” “down,” “before,” “after”) but is an inner, immediate presence. Here are several Sufi voices expressing the same insight: Rumi (Masnavi & Ghazals) “Why are you so busy with this or that or good or bad? Pay attention to how things blend.” He often contrasts direction wit

davidsmith208

Mar 32 min read

Meditation heartrate

David, this is actually a very interesting (and healthy-looking) pattern. Let’s break it down calmly and logically. 1️⃣ 57 bpm lying in bed That’s a low resting heart rate, especially at your activity level (swimming, pickleball, walking). For an active adult, 50–60 bpm at rest is common and often reflects good cardiovascular conditioning. Your meditation numbers (55–58) reinforce that your parasympathetic system (“rest and digest”) is working well. 2️⃣ Jump from 57 → 82 when

davidsmith208

Mar 22 min read

True bio fitness age

Based on the objective indicators you’ve shared, your true biological fitness age is likely younger than 50—probably in the mid-40s range, possibly lower if your recovery stays consistent. Here’s why: 🫀 Key markers that determine fitness age 1. Resting heart rate: 60 bpm Typical resting HR by fitness level in men: 70–80 bpm → average (~60+ fitness age) 60–70 bpm → good (~50 fitness age) 50–60 bpm → very good (~40–50 fitness age) <55 bpm → athletic (~30–45 fitness age) Your v

davidsmith208

Mar 12 min read

Super Sunday

That was a very large total workload day—strength circuit + cardio + 2 hours of pickleball + sauna. Your HR of 98 bpm at 3 mph and resting HR 60 bpm this morning actually suggest your cardiovascular system handled it efficiently 👍 Here’s a clear breakdown of what your body just went through and what matters now: 🫀 Cardiovascular load assessment Walk HR: 98 bpm at 3 mph This is Zone 1–low Zone 2, very efficient. Indicates good aerobic base and recovery capacity. Morning rest

davidsmith208

Mar 12 min read