>Iran’s New Murmur for Freedom – A Look Back & Personal Journey

The recent outpouring for justice and basic human rights from the streets of Iran, my country of birth, takes me back 30 years ago to the first revolution. The bloody, wild, loud and destructive revolution and regime change that I witnessed first hand and remember very vividly through the eyes of an active 16-year-old teenager.

I remember the cries of “god is great” from the rooftops at night, these are the same cries that Iranians are shouting again, although in quieter voices. I remember going to the roof of our building in North of Tehran with my neighbor and best buddy Ali Reza to watch Tehran burn during the height of the protests. I also remember being trapped in my high school, which was very close to Tehran University, with massive military presence outside using tanks, personnel carriers and armed soldiers.

That day we were given a warning to vacate the high school, or they would open fire. No one trusted the voices coming through bullhorns as they hid under the tables and in closets in various rooms in the building, however I and a handful of others nervously but slowly walked out and left that area. I learned the next day that moments after we left they attacked our high school with tear gas, arrested all and seized the building.

My simple gesture of abandoning the holdout on that day, leaving behind the most politically active high school in Tehran was more than an attempt at self-preservation; it was a subconscious mental confirmation of my total disbelieve in that so called “revolution.” I never wanted to be a part of it, actually never asked to be such an active witness either. Even at such young age I knew then that the degenerate mullahs (clerics) where a dark and hypocritical force and supporting them would be a vote for a life of misery. Luckily I left Iran soon after.

My most vivid memory from that time, wasn’t abandoning my high school on that day and never returning, or seeing Tehran on fire, but it was asking a classmate who I thought had more sense why he had joined the protests and he laughed and said, “because it’s so much fun.” Yes, the first revolution was brought up by bored class clowns and those who were brainwashed and turned slaves by the religious fanatics.

Those unaware masses who placed the extremely rich 7000-year heritage of our great land into the hands of the barbaric and hypocritical religious nutcases, promptly, as if through a time portal, regressed our country back a good 1000 years.

However, all that darkness and regression befell Iran though a massive and popular uprising.

Now 30 years later, I know better not to get my hopes up. I have a feeling that the Iranians will fail me once again.

I remember very clearly back in 1978 and 1979 the type of energy, the magnitude of force and the outcry for change that rocked Tehran but today in comparison I see only a marginal display.

What I see is not a shout for freedom but a whimper. I don’t see hundreds of thousands facing the armed guards and overpowering them, I see small batches of enlightened heroes and freedom fighters quickly overcome by basic crowd control tactics.

I don’t see protestors 30,000 strong taking over TV stations, government offices and official residences, I see a small band of warriors fighting the big fight with too few braves to win it.

I’d hope after exactly 30 years our younger generation would have had it with these agents of suppression and hate. I’d hope they would have been so angry to the point that they would be willing to sacrifice themselves en mass for the greater good. But no such luck. Alas, the new generation is too politically correct and self involved to bring about an actual revolution.

Unseat the Mullahs
The clerics only understand brute force. And why shouldn’t they, they have an absolute hold on an extremely oil-rich country. They control all aspects of life in Iran and have amassed a large army of thugs to maintain total domination over the lives of 70 million people. A true revolution in Iran can only happen when the same people who appointed these brutal, heartless, faithless mullahs into power to drag them off of their thrones and unseat them for good.

To yank these mullahs from power will take a massive force. That great punch that knocked out the old regime needs to be duplicated now. The timing is right, the world is totally and wholly supportive of the new march for freedom in Iran. People all over the globe are rooting for those in Iran who are enlightened and courageous enough to want to change their lives for the better. The time is now.

Rumi would Vote Green
I have lived with Rumi now for over 20 years. In the past two decades as I have shared Rumi with the world, through my books, music, readings and events I have come to a special understanding of him. Rumi was Maverick’s Maverick. A true independent. In his first epic collection, Rumi repeatedly speaks of setting fire to the dogmatic way of life and accepting the essence of Love as the true faith of the enlightened. Well, Rumi was 1000 years ahead of his time in the 13th Century.

The one who is born into Love,
doesn’t follow any one religion,
be sure of that.
Since in the religion of Love,
there is no irreverence or faith.
For the true Lover, the Ka’ba
and an idol temple are one.

Transform Iran – Transform the World
Iran is a great nation, with rich history, filled with gracious people and it deserves to be governed by a secular and democratic government.

I salute the very courageous Persian men and women who are facing the attack dogs of this brutal regime. I hope to see their numbers multiply every day. A momentum has been created, a crack is formed, now increase the pressure and topple the old bastards and not only transform Iran but shape the whole world. I am rooting for you.

--Shahram Shiva

> New Rumi translations by Shahram Shiva have been added to site. Please click on "Rumi Poems" link on the left to view.

> It's been 20 years since Shahram Shiva began working, translating and sharing Rumi. Shiva began his deep and very personal connection with Rumi in 1988. Listen to a new 52-min interview with Shahram Shiva, broadcast on WRPI-FM and webcast on WRPI. org on August 7, 2008. In this interview by Gary Goldberg, Shiva talks about twenty years of living with Rumi and what it has meant for him. Goldberg also plays a few cuts from Shiva's CD, Rumi: Lovedrunk. Shiva also talks about shattering inaccurate cliché notions on spirituality and personal growth. Please click here to listen.

> Listen to a 50-min interview with Shahram Shiva, broadcast on WRPI-FM and webcast on WRPI.org in 2008. Please click here to listen.

> BBC World Service program on Rumi, includes interview with Shahram Shiva:
Please click on this link to listen to a lovely 26-minute program on BBC World Service called "Heart and Soul," hosted by Shusha Guppy and produced by Anne Khazam. This episode is on Rumi's 800th birth anniversary and it includes interviews with Shahram Shiva, Andrew Harvey and several others and even mentions Leonard Cohen's love of Rumi and how he found Rumi an inspiration. Don't miss it! (This streaming audio seems to work only on Internet Explorer)

> Shahram Shiva's interview on BBC Turkey’s report on Rumi:
It helps if you speak Turkish. Click here to listen to a beautifully produced 20-minute BBC Turkey report on Rumi's 800 Birthday celebration. The report includes several interviews with people from different countries and some sample songs in different languages based on Rumi's poetry. Mr. Shiva is part of this program, with some sample pieces from Rumi: Lovedrunk also included. When you open the link, select your audio player and then click on "tamam."

> Read an in-depth review of "Rumi: Lovedrunk" on MetaphorsForLife.com. Here's an excerpt:
...In Lovedrunk Shiva has dipped briefly but deeply into the vast ocean of words that Rumi left us and set them to music composed by Olivier Glissant. The music and words complement each other so completely that you begin to wonder how you ever heard Rumi’s poetry without it. It is a lushly sensual, passionate, devoted, and contemplative trek through the mystic heart from beginning to end.

In several tracks Shiva marries spoken Persian with English and the two languages entwine like, well, like lovers. It is an erotic interplay of cultures and concepts much as the music itself, which is a blend of Middle-Eastern tonalities and phrasings over western beats. The combination is a seduction of the intellect and the senses, rendered by a Lover, embraced by the Beloved. In Rumi’s own words, the two are one in such a way that there is no telling which originated where. The CD is so well-paced and crafted that it’s challenging to pick out one track as a “favorite...”
Meta4Life
metaphorsforlife.com

> Listen to a radio interview on NPR with Shahram Shiva from February 27, 2007. Please click here to listen to a 20 min. interview with Shahram Shiva, on New York's NPR station, WNYC-FM and WNYC.org. Legendary host John Schaefer talks with Shiva about the International Year of Rumi, popularity of Rumi in the West and also hear clips from Shiva's CD, RUMI: Lovedrunk.

> Shahram Shiva to star in an indipendent movie 8 Stones. 8 Stones is directed by Rati Oneli. The story revolves around 24hrs in the life of its main character and the different personalities that he comes across. Shiva plays one of those personalities, a poet, limo driver who quotes Rumi and together they go for a dreamy/mythical ride which at the end may or may not have happened. It's a 10-min scene in this feature lenghth movie that he helped develop and write.

> To celebrate the 800th birth anniversary of Rumi, UNESCO has announced that 2007 will be The International Year of Rumi. Rumi was born in 1207 and died in 1273.

> Rumi: Lovedrunk available to order. We are very happy to inform you that Rumi: Lovedrunk is now available to order from CDBaby.com. Please click here to listen and to place your order: cdbaby.com/cd/lovedrunk, or click on Order CD link on the left.

> Rumi: Lovedrunk available to download on iTunes.com. We are happy to inform you that Rumi: Lovedrunk is now available to download from iTunes.com. Please click here: RUMI: Lovedrunk on iTunes, or click on iTunes.com on the left.

> Rumi: Lovedrunk on WRPI. Listen to In The Spirit program on WRPI Radio, hosted by Gary Goldberg on September 8, 2005 at 3:00 PM New York Time. In The Spirit will be interviewing Shahram Shiva and airing cuts from his new Rumi: Lovedrunk CD. You can also listen to the broadcast in real time on WRPI.org.

> Rumi on HBO. A poem of Rumi is read at a funeral scene in the HBO series 6 Feet Under. To watch look for 5th Season, Episode 61, All Alone. The following is the copy of the poem:

"Our death is our wedding with eternity.
What is the secret? 'God is One.'
The sunlight splits when entering the windows of the house.
This multiplicity exists in the cluster of grapes;
It is not in the juice made from the grapes.
For he who is living in the Light of God,
The death of the carnal soul is a blessing.
Regarding him, say neither bad nor good,
For he is gone beyond the good and the bad."

> Rumi: Lovedrunk on NPR. Listen to the Newsounds program on NPR, hosted by John Schaefer on June 9, 2005 at 11:00PM New York time (or Eastern US). Newsounds will be airing cuts from the Rumi: Lovedrunk CD. You can also listen to the broadcast in real time on WNYC.ORG.

> Rumi: Lovedrunk was considered as music for an upcoming movie GAME 6. This movie stars Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr. and Catherine O'Hara, is based on a script by Don Delillo and is directed by Michael Hoffman.

> Whirling in a movie? This is a historical moment for cinema. For the very first time a Western actor will be whirling on the screen. Robert Downey Jr. (coached by Shahram Shiva) will be whirling in the movie "Game 6" to be released in 2006. This movie which also stars Michael Keaton and Catherine O'Hara, is produced by Amy Robinson, directed by Mike Hoffman with a script written by Don Delillo.

> As of August 2004, about 1000 copies of the pre-release version of Rumi: Lovedrunk have been sold or distributed. Every week we receive several e-mails requesting information about the commercial release of this groundbreaking CD.

> Persian Mirror recently interviewed Shahram Shiva about his work with Rumi. Click here to read the interview.

> Read an article on Rumi dated April 4, 2002, in The San Fracisco Chronicle, which includes an interview with Shiva.

> Read an article on Rumi in The Dallas Morning News, which includes an interview with Shiva.

More to come...