Ashkan

The Warrior of Light

2008-09-24T00:13:00.004+02:00

"The warrior of the light sometimes behaves like water, flowing around the many obstacles he encounters.

At certain times, resistance means to be destroyed. At such times, he adapts to circumstances. He accepts, without complaint, that the rocks along the way forge his path down the mountains.

Such is the force of water: it can never be broken by a hammer, or wounded by a knife. The most powerful sword in the world is incapable of leaving a scar on its surface.

The water of a river adapts to the path which is possible, without forgetting its objective: the sea. Fragile at its spring, it gradually acquires the strength of the other rivers it encounters.

And, after a while, its power is absolute."

Paolo Coelho - the manual of the warrior of light

A special summer

2008-09-11T16:59:00.008+02:00

I think it's the right time to write again...time to reflect about 3 months of new experiences and events!

There's a quote I particularly love from the movie "into the wild", which I totally suggest to anyone, that inspired and inspires me now in what I do everyday (thanks Pharan ;-) ) , which is:

"The core of man spirit comes from new experiences"

And life is all about this: new experiences.
Sometimes it's about places, sometimes about people, but some other times is about way of looking at the same people, places and things...

And when your way of looking at things is "love for creation" then you get love and happiness;
And it's thanks to these new experiences that you get to know yourself better then before .....

a week end in Livorno with dear friends

Intensive teaching campaign - youth project in Veneto est

Junior-Youth camping week in July

Week-end in Puglia with family: all the Mollaian cousins ;)

Summer Youth Conference in Sicily

VIVA LA VIDA!

2008-07-02T17:36:00.006+02:00

Hi all,

this last few days I have been listening to some tracks from the new album of the Coldplay

I have to say that I totally love them, and I don't understand the few critics I have heard around about this last album.
I think that in face of all this celebrity, the Coldplay are still keeping their motivation on music as an art of expression...i wish them to continue like this!

But what actually leads me to write this post is to try to find a meaning-interpretation to the song VIVA LA VIDA...it's quite fascinating and I don't understand who is actually speaking.

Anyone has an idea?

I leave u here the lyrics:

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemies eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt, and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
Once you know there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world (Ohhh) It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People could not believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries Wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name

Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world (Ohhhhh Ohhh Ohhh)

Hear Jerusalem bells are ringings
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh

Finally exams are over...

2008-06-07T15:55:00.003+02:00

OK, I'm back...

it's been a tough one -> exams period!
3 full days of exams none stop...the best way to make sure ur gonna be a crazy doctor doing 3 shifts without stopping in the future...

So hopefully I'm done with the second year of med school...and I'm gonna start doing some true hard medicine next year!

But now that I've finished, I actually feel a bit weird, like empty, and without a goal...
I'm sitting here quite bored thinking how to organize my days.

That's why I think the challenge, at least for me, is to be as more flexible as possible, in changing my attitudes towards new events and moments in life.
Stasis is death, movement is life!

I think I'll start by thinking about what I'll post next..... (I think is a good start!)

big hug to all those who read, not "the others"...

Ash

Who names ur name?

2008-05-06T18:56:00.008+02:00

I've always wondered about the significance of names, other than just ID tools...

Don't u feel weired when u see someone who has ur same name? or when ur parents tell u the story of how they chose ur name between two or more, and u think of urself having a different name?

I guess we all integrate our names in the image of ourselves, or maybe the other way around: we stick our qualities, our way of being and character on it.
....I've never met many other Ashkans so far, but when I did, I always found a totally different person which made the whole thing very odd. "He can't be an Ashkan...he's not worthy ;-) "

Much more interesting though is the meaning of names, or the reasons we choose a particular name for our kids!
Some names are human virtues, others are names for things, gems, flowers, animals (Leopardi is the first that comes in mind hehe) or even a great person's name ect...

But one day I remember asking to one of my african friends what was the meaning of his name. He told me how in his particular culture choosing a kid's name is a matter of family (probably extended family), and the name chosen is the feeling or the emotional condition the family is living in that moment, whether positive or negative.
It was quite interesting to me this thing...

Each one of us gives a different importance to his/her name...

some use it just to show off, if they are lucky!
some others see in it a model, a way of life to reach.
and some others just don't care... (fair enough)

You might have wondered why my blog's link is called Ashkan-ascanio...
well since I was a kid my parents and others told me that actually Ashkan and Ascanio (i guess Ascanius in english) might be the same name in 2 different languages: farsi and italian.
I'm still not sure but it could be true since many greek names were adopted by persians after Alexander's conquest of the East.
Well, anyways... I like it, and some friends call me Ascanio in Italy.

But what I like is the meaning and story of Ascanio: it means "the elected one" (well seems like I'm in the group of the lucky hehe)
He was the son of Enea, a trojan soldier (u know Troy, with Brad P....i mean Achilles and Hector and so on) who before the complete destruction and invasion of the city received the sword of Troy from the prince Paris, and escaped with some others trojans and especially his little son and old dad.
They eventually ended up in Italy, and after severel years of war with local populations, they settled down.
Ascanio was the founder of a city which guess what???....became the beautiful Rome of today.
His descendents were Romolo and Remo, founders of Rome, Julius Cesar, Ottavio Augustus (the first emperor of rome) ect

All this just to say that sometimes I try to be like this legendary figure, trying to find my way in this life, opening my eyes to new opportunities and making an effort to contribute to the construction of something new and glorious on the dust of this burnt and lost humanity.

I want to close this post without my words...(which were more than "too much", sorry!)

O Son of Man!
I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.
- Bahà'u'llàh -

Life in Montpellier

2008-05-05T21:09:00.000+02:00

So I finally made up my mind....
and I'm publishing the second post! sorry guys....u know me, I know how to be lazy when I really want to!

So I thought about writing something about the city where I live in : Montpellier!
The reason?

....well , because I've realised I don't know much about HER!
I've been living here for almost 3 years, and the only thing I know in this city is the way from my place to the university whether by tramway or walking (which by the way is 10 minutes!)

A friend of mine...dear Pandolfo, Enrico Pandolfo (known as il Pandolfino), was here for a master degree for 6 months and got to know Montpellier better than me (which is not a big deal), and now I could even call him in Milan and ask him to give me directions to any of the clubs around Montpellier, and he would answer to that with no problem! feeling so ashemed............

But anyway, Montpellier is quite a nice city in the south of France, not too far from the borders with Spain, quite old too , near the beach...pretty warm and sunny throughout the year.
It has a big university, many students, a lot of life....

The thing that makes me proud of Montpellier is its medical faculty!! The 3rd oldest medical school in Europe after Cordoba and Bologna, it's actually the oldest active medical faculty...it was never stopped since the XII century!! (for those who were at the winter Bahai school in Italy
u even have the confirm of it from Mr.Douglas Martin!)

but the best thing is that my mom's family lives here!
I've always loved the idea of living in the same city as my extended family and especially having all the "little" cousins around, to play with, kiss them till they are so fed up that they don't want to see u for at least one week hehehe...

Anyhow, best time to come is summer....hot, sunny, beach,river and waterfalls, barbecues (teaching part-time)

I guess I fed u guys up with material desires, so next time it will be more spiritual, truly loving...

Ascanio

The reason

2008-02-09T15:48:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

I am starting this new "blogging" experience after several weeks of thinking and reflection about having it.

I believe that in life sometimes our abilities, our intuitions are lay hidden or sort of sleepy somewhere inside of our souls...then all of a sudden somewhere someone or something, pushes the ON button and you see clearer what you should do.

I've always considered that writing is one of the most powerful ways of knowing one's self: it's at the same time an act of reflection and expression, it involves at once the language of the spirit and the physical one.

Few years ago, when I was in Israel at the Bahà'ì World Center during an year of volunteer service, I envisaged the idea of writing...

my intentions weren't at all to expose myself, to become known and famous - and these are still not my intentions -, but rather to write for myself, to keep it as a souvenir of a very special moment in my life and above all to learn more about my own self......unfortunately because of laziness and lack of perseverance I stopped, but I've always kept it as a valid instrument for the future.

Then few weeks ago my dearest and closest friend, Shidan sent me an e-mail telling me that he had just created his blog and that he wanted to share it.

I had already heard of this blog thing, but never thought seriously about it...

Little by little I've realized that through this instrument i could both write to know myself, and to communicate to others in a different way, a more profound one.
I've seen another Shidan through his blog, definitely a truer one, so I said to myself: "is it not worth trying?, wasn't this something you've always had in the back corners of your mind waiting to step into consciousness??".

I have no idea whatsoever about what I'm gonna write, and don't expect to read a master in writing!!
The only thing that I know is that I wanna share with u, my dearest friends, the life God bestowed to me so graciously...maybe my experiences, my everyday life joys and sorrows...who knows

BIG HUG TO EVERYONE, ANYWHERE YOU ARE

Ashkan