Selen is a journalist and has chosen to use her skills at Flying Broom, a media oriented NGO that works for women’s rights. Flying Broom will celebrate its 15th anniversary in May, 2012. This is an unusually long life for a women’s organization in Turkey where four and a half years is the average life […]
Leyla is a pathfinder, a pioneer, a strong woman with a powerful vision. And someone with whom I was clearly led to connect. Some of you know the story – a friend in Seattle introduced me to Leyla – “You must connect with Leyla, she said, she is a psychologist in Turkey who works with […]
Cemalnur Sargut is a beautiful spirit. Look into her eyes and you see vitality, wisdom, compassion, and her love for Allah. Cemalnur is a Sufi spiritual teacher. She teaches that Islam is unification and that Sufism is the way to weave together all the differences in the world. She uses a symbol for beautiful – placing […]
Hello all, I wish you were here – we could have coffee together – you would love the setting. Jim and I are sitting on the rooftop of our hotel, the Blue Mosque to my right, the Bosphorus behind me, and the Sea of Marmara to my left, warmed by the sun and the shouts of […]
Greetings from Istanbul! As we prepare today to leave this fascinating place – with its grand mosques, historical palace, amazing grand bazaar and – – – Ah, yes – – the spice market – – a feast of sights and smells – – an early morning provides me the opportunity to share some experiences with […]
Awakened by the morning call to prayer, I am savoring the luxury, pure luxuries of feeling no need to “turn off the alarm and rush off to begin my day.” Instead, what a joy to just “be,” to be with the sense of wonder that I can look out the window of our cozy (small) […]
Greetings all, and Welcome to the Creating a New Story Blog! “A trip of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” We launch this Blog in the context of this quote of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, (c 604 bc – c 531 bc), Chapter 64 in Tao Te Ching. (translations from Wiktionary) The “trip” […]