Nine lessons learned from books, experience
1. Allah Must Come First: This is the foundation of every spiritual path. In Islam, praying (talking to Allah) and meditating (listening to Him) are essential. If you feel too busy to do either, then it is even more important that you make time. When you put Allah first, everything else begins to fall into place. Begin and end your day with Him. Check in often. A strong connection with Allah brings clarity and ease, even in chaos.
2. Words Are Actions: What you say matters. Words carry energy. Once spoken, they ripple out and return. Don't speak in anger or judgment, even when you feel justified. Speak with care and act with compassion. Be kind not only to others but to yourself. The way you speak to yourself shapes your reality. A gentle inner voice is a powerful tool for healing and growth.
3. Be the Change You Wish to See (Mahatma Gandhi): If you want peace, be peaceful. If you want love, give love. If you want respect, offer it. You can't demand from others what you don't practice yourself. Your actions speak louder than your ideals. Live the values you wish the world would uphold. Real change starts within.
4. Practice the Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz): This simple framework can transform your life: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take things personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. These agreements sound easy, but living them fully requires daily awareness. When you do, relationships improve and inner peace becomes more accessible.
5. Get Out of Your Head: When you stay stuck in overthinking, you block growth. The best way to break free is to serve something bigger than yourself. Give your energy to people, causes, or projects that uplift others. Purpose doesn't have to be grand — it just has to be meaningful. In giving, you receive. In serving, you become lighter.
6. Ask, and It Is Given (Esther Hicks): Nothing changes without intention. Ask for what you want, clearly and with faith. Write your goals down. Read them daily. Practice gratitude — for what you have and what's on the way. When you combine sincere asking with belief and action, things start to shift. What you seek begins seeking you.
7. No One Is Coming to Save You: This is a hard truth — but also the most liberating one. No one is coming to fix your life. Not your parents, your partner, your children, or the system. You are your own turning point. Allah is always with you — but He does not change your condition until you change what is within yourself (Quran 13:11). You are not powerless. Take ownership. That is where freedom begins.
8. Everyone deserves a second chance: We are all works in progress. None of us gets everything right the first time — or even the second. Just as you have needed grace, so will others. Offer it. People grow, change and surprise us when given room to rise. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting; it means choosing compassion over final judgment. Extend the second chance you hope to receive. Sometimes, that is all someone needs to begin again.
9. And Finally: Have a Little Faith: Even when nothing makes sense, keep going. Keep praying. Keep believing. What is meant for you is already written. Trust the process, even when you do not understand it. Faith does not remove the struggle, but it gives it meaning. Surrender the timing, but never doubt the outcome.
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Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Nine lessons learned from books, experience
Over the years, through spiritual and self-development books, higher-self programmes, research in intercultural communication and — most profoundly — through personal experience, I've come to internalise several lessons that continue to guide my life. These reflections are shared to offer light on the path towards mastering The Secret, and perhaps something deeper. 1. Allah Must Come First: This is the foundation of every spiritual path. In Islam, praying (talking to Allah) and meditating (listening to Him) are essential. If you feel too busy to do either, then it is even more important that you make time. When you put Allah first, everything else begins to fall into place. Begin and end your day with Him. Check in often. A strong connection with Allah brings clarity and ease, even in chaos. 2. Words Are Actions: What you say matters. Words carry energy. Once spoken, they ripple out and return. Don't speak in anger or judgment, even when you feel justified. Speak with care and act with compassion. Be kind not only to others but to yourself. The way you speak to yourself shapes your reality. A gentle inner voice is a powerful tool for healing and growth. 3. Be the Change You Wish to See (Mahatma Gandhi): If you want peace, be peaceful. If you want love, give love. If you want respect, offer it. You can't demand from others what you don't practice yourself. Your actions speak louder than your ideals. Live the values you wish the world would uphold. Real change starts within. 4. Practice the Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz): This simple framework can transform your life: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take things personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. These agreements sound easy, but living them fully requires daily awareness. When you do, relationships improve and inner peace becomes more accessible. 5. Get Out of Your Head: When you stay stuck in overthinking, you block growth. The best way to break free is to serve something bigger than yourself. Give your energy to people, causes, or projects that uplift others. Purpose doesn't have to be grand — it just has to be meaningful. In giving, you receive. In serving, you become lighter. 6. Ask, and It Is Given (Esther Hicks): Nothing changes without intention. Ask for what you want, clearly and with faith. Write your goals down. Read them daily. Practice gratitude — for what you have and what's on the way. When you combine sincere asking with belief and action, things start to shift. What you seek begins seeking you. 7. No One Is Coming to Save You: This is a hard truth — but also the most liberating one. No one is coming to fix your life. Not your parents, your partner, your children, or the system. You are your own turning point. Allah is always with you — but He does not change your condition until you change what is within yourself (Quran 13:11). You are not powerless. Take ownership. That is where freedom begins. 8. Everyone deserves a second chance: We are all works in progress. None of us gets everything right the first time — or even the second. Just as you have needed grace, so will others. Offer it. People grow, change and surprise us when given room to rise. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting; it means choosing compassion over final judgment. Extend the second chance you hope to receive. Sometimes, that is all someone needs to begin again. 9. And Finally: Have a Little Faith: Even when nothing makes sense, keep going. Keep praying. Keep believing. What is meant for you is already written. Trust the process, even when you do not understand it. Faith does not remove the struggle, but it gives it meaning. Surrender the timing, but never doubt the outcome.
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All is well: The Omani way of lightness and faith
In Oman, three simple words carry the weight of centuries of wisdom: El Amoor Tayba — all is well. Whether spoken in as a soft murmur of reassurance during grief or worry, the phrase is more than just a linguistic or cultural habit. It is a philosophy. An Omani way of being in the world. A quiet, graceful lens through which life's troubles are softened — not by denial, but by faith, patience and spiritual lightness. Though often expressed casually, this philosophy is a centuries-old spiritual compass that allows Omanis to face life's uncertainties with a calm, open heart. 'All is well' is not only said at moments of pain, though those are the times when its power is most felt. It is also uttered in everyday life: when someone is stressed about a decision, worried about a future event, or burdened with too much responsibility. An Omani might respond gently: El Amoor Tayba. Take it easy. Don't worry. Life will unfold as it should. In this sense, the phrase serves both as a balm and a bridge — soothing distress and reminding the speaker and listener alike that worry changes little, but trust changes everything. This approach to life is rooted deeply in Islamic spirituality. In the Quran, believers are reminded that with every hardship comes ease (Quran 94:6) and that God is the best of planners (Quran 8:30). In Oman, these verses are not just recited — they are lived. The phrase 'El Amoor Tayba' reflects the Islamic concept of tawakkul, or trust in divine will. After doing what one can, one leaves the rest to God. For Omanis, this trust is not heavy or rigid; it is serene, light and often accompanied by a smile. It is a quiet confidence that things are — and will be — okay. There is something uniquely Omani about this expression. It reflects the temperament of a people who have long lived between mountains and sea, who understand the unpredictability of life, yet choose to meet it with grace. All is well is not loud or performative. It carries no urgency. It arrives gently, like the scent of frankincense in the air, offering ease, dignity and space to breathe. Even in mourning, when the heart is raw, Omanis often whisper El Amoor Tayba — not to erase sorrow, but to contain it within a larger, more merciful frame. Death, like life, is not the end of the story. The beauty of this phrase lies in its subtlety. It does not promise miracles, nor does it pretend that life is free of hardship. Rather, it gently shifts perspective. Things may be difficult, but they are not falling apart. You may feel alone, but you are being held by something greater. In this way, All is Well becomes a kind of spiritual shorthand for resilience. For letting go. For trusting the tide. To live by El Amoor Tayba is to embody lightness — not carelessness, but a lightness of being. Omanis who use this phrase are not avoiding life's weight but choosing how to carry it. They know, instinctively and spiritually, that worry cannot add a single hour to one's life. What can? Faith. Presence. A smile. And perhaps, the quiet confidence that — even when things appear otherwise — all is, somehow, well. So, the next time an Omani tells you, 'all is well', listen closely. It is not just a phrase. It is an inheritance, a shield and a quiet prayer. And perhaps, if you let it, it can become your philosophy too. Dr Najma al Zidjaly The writer is Associate Professor, Sultan Qaboos University
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Women's guidance centre achieves milestones
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