Choose your language

One of my intentions when creating this journal was to help you awaken a Quranic truth within yourself, a reminder of heart's central role in our journey.

If the heart matters so much in this life and the next, isn't it time we started taking care of it?

Along my own path,
I realized that the key to changing our reality
does not lie outside us —
it begins gently, quietly, within.

When we search outward for answers,
we often feel lost, discouraged, or led down longer, heavier roads.
But the Quran reminds us that we shape our own reality,
and with that responsibility comes empowerment:
the ability to transform our lives from the inside out.

If someone else held the power over our lives,
we would never be able to change anything.
But because that power rests within us,
the journey toward inner peace becomes possible.

Throughout this journal, we will explore my personal understanding of the inner journey of self-awareness and the process of polishing the heart.

Along the way, you may discover patterns, insights, and moments of clarity that help you better understand your inner world — so that by the end of this journey, you may reflect, with deeper personal insight, on one simple question:

The heart held great importance for Ancient Egyptians.
They believed that at the end of one's journey, the heart would be placed on a scale — to be weighed, not against another person or against perfection, but against a single feather "The Feather of Truth" — a symbol of truth and lightness.

This ancient ritual invites us into reflection:

Let this journal be a gentle journey that slowly lightens your heart — through awareness, and gentle unfolding.

Before we begin, let's talk about the power of intention.

We spend our days doing so much — moving from task to task, place to place — but how often do we pause to ask why? What is the real reason behind our actions?

What if becoming aware of your intention unlocked a quiet source of resilience — helping you move through challenges with greater strength?

Take work, for example.
Most of us work to support ourselves and our families.
But what happens when you add a simple intention each morning?

Now imagine two people:

When a challenge appears — as it always does — who do you think will feel more grounded and motivated?

From a spiritual perspective,
intentions are honored and rewarded —
so why not infuse the things you already do each day
with a purpose that uplifts your heart?

This applies to everyone, in every role.

Even a stay-at-home mother,
pouring her energy into raising her children,
can shift her entire experience
by setting a simple intention:
I intend to nurture future leaders —
souls who will shape tomorrow with strength and compassion.

With this intention in her heart,
every moment of support,
every teaching moment,
even every mistake she gently guides them through
gains new meaning.
New purpose.

The very same daily tasks
become infused with depth and inner strength —
all through a single, heartfelt intention.

We cannot speak about intention without touching the beauty of Ihsan.

Ihsan means doing things with excellence — with sincerity, presence, and inner beauty. It is the quiet art of giving your heart to whatever is in front of you.

An artist practices Ihsan naturally, improving their work with each stroke, each color, each attempt to create something truer than the version before.

Innovation is also a form of Ihsan : finding new ways to do the same task with more excellence and ease.

In every action, you can bring Ihsan by gently asking yourself:

Ihsan can appear in the simplest of moments:

Now, gently bring the focus back to yourself.

How can you bring Ihsan in your daily activities: at work, at home, with family, neighbors, or anyone in your circle?

Write what comes to you.

Before you begin this journey, take a moment to set an intention:

You can return to this page anytime,
especially when you open the journal again,
to realign yourself with the intention you set.

Before you move to the next journey,
pause for a moment.

This journey is not about fixing yourself.
It is about seeing yourself clearly.

You have set an intention.
You have touched Ihsan — the way of doing things with presence and sincerity.

Carry this with you.

As you explore the next journeys,
you may discover thoughts, reactions, or patterns you didn't expect.

Meet them gently.

Not with judgment,
but with curiosity.

Not with pressure,
but with softness.

This is how the heart opens.

And this is how it transforms.

Now that we've reached the end of this journal and explored different ways to better understand our inner world, take a moment to reflect on the new awareness you've cultivated while reading it.

Set an intention for the next chapter of your journey toward greater self-awareness.

Perhaps the intention we carry forward is simply this: to continue the journey of polishing the heart, so that we may one day come to Allah with a sound heart — قلب سليم.

Before closing this journal, thank yourself.
Write a few words from your future self,
thanking you for playing this level with honesty,
for facing what needed to be faced,
and for choosing awareness over autopilot.
Every level counts.
Every step mattered.

In life, we are handed many "strings" from different sides and angles, which we then intertwine into our own work of art.

Every book I read, every course I took, and every lesson offered by teachers who crossed my path became a string of a different color and texture — each one contributing to the fabric of this journal.

You may come across some of the same sources and, from them, create something entirely your own — woven with your unique perspective, flavor, and touch.

Sharing my sources of inspiration is not enough to thank them. But it is my way of honoring them, and of inviting you to discover the strings that speak to you, and to add them to your own weaving — your own evolving work of art.

The only judge is God.

We need to be aware when we unconsciously give ourselves the right to play the role of judge, which we should refrain from..

Let's practice, shall we? This exercise invites you to separate the action from the human being.

Now that you've practiced on some hypothetical examples, let's practice on real life examples..

Write examples of judgments you make on others, whether you know them personally or not (even your judgment on public figures, influencers, etc..).

For each one:

By doing this, you will gradually learn to shift the judgement:
from the person → to the action that you dislike.

Now that we're aware of "negative" judgments we may place on others, what if we tried replacing them with positive assumptions?

One of the ways to reach inner peace, is not just to drop judgments, but to also adopt positive judgments on others, even when we don't have proof.

It's very easy to jump to conclusions about people around us, especially when something they do annoys us or goes against what we believe is right.

I was on a plane. After landing, people were rushing to leave. One passenger kept asking the person in front of him to move. When the person didn't respond, he started shouting. The passenger in front didn't even turn around, which could easily be perceived as "rude".
Then someone came and started talking to him using sign language.

The man who was shouting was so ashamed of himself and felt very embarrassed, because he thought the other passenger was ignoring him, when in fact, he could not even hear him!

This incident that happened in front of me was a wake up call: what are the odds of this happening? It's so easy to automatically jump to conclusions.

That moment reminded me how quickly we judge people without knowing what they are dealing with.

Most of the time, we don't see the full picture.

This is why God asks us in the Quran to avoid negative suspicions about others. Whether we realize it or not, the way we think about people directly affects how we treat them.

The Quran clearly warns us against jumping to negative conclusions. It reminds us to avoid quick judgments and to practice حسن الظن — assuming good intentions when possible.

The Quran also uses the word "إثم" (sin) when speaking about making claims or judgments without real knowledge.

This shows us that negative assumptions and speaking without certainty are not small matters. They are part of what God has warned us against and labeled as "haram" — forbidden.

But haven't we been always told that we are not held accountable for our thoughts?

When I came across this verse and understood its meaning, I realized the importance of becoming aware of what lies within us.

We are usually aware of our actions toward others — our words, our behavior, what we do on the outside.

But becoming aware of what happens inside us — our thoughts, intentions, assumptions, and judgments — takes much more effort.

That is why the inner work you are doing now is so important. Understanding your inner world is one of the most meaningful journeys you can ever take.

Now, let's return to our judgments of others. After letting go of negative judgments, what if we tried something else?

What if we paused, and looked for possible reasons or explanations for why people act the way they do?

Example: A colleague at work did not offer to help me when I asked for support with a new task.

• My first thought / judgment: She doesn't like me · She doesn't want me to succeed · She is jealous
• Other possible reasons: She may be under pressure with her own work · She may not have the skills needed to help · She may be dealing with personal issues that are taking a lot of her energy (e.g. sick family member)

How do you feel now towards these people? Write a few keywords that describe how your feelings have changed after this exercise.

When a judgment rises, imagine a seed beneath the soil.
If you pause, that seed begins to sprout.
When you choose empathy & compassion, it blossoms.

This Judgometer is not about perfection.
It is about polishing the heart.
Through awareness, the heart softens.
Through softness, peace enters.

Observe. Reflect. Soften.

The goal is not to stop judging immediately.
The goal is to become aware of how often the mind judges.

Judging others doesn't stay in the mind.
Sometimes, it slips into our words.

You might find yourself commenting on others' actions:

When we make fun of others, we unconsciously think we're "better" than them.

The Qur'an gently brings attention to this subtle distortion within us:

What begins as a feeling of being "above" others...
quietly finds its way into our words.

Our words carry power — not only over others, but also over ourselves.

Think of what happens when you eat something that isn't clean… or not fresh.

Your body feels it.
Your energy shifts.
Something inside is no longer at ease.

Your sleep becomes restless.
And slowly, your whole system carries the disturbance.

Now imagine living like this… every day.

No one would choose this consciously.

And yet… we do.

And when these words are spoken in someone's absence, we pay a price — in one way or another:

a quiet disruption of your inner peace.

The Qur'an gently — yet powerfully — reminds us:

Now imagine someone you don't know… who has just died.
Could you bring yourself to eat from their body?

It's unthinkable.
You naturally feel repulsed by it.

That deep sense of disgust…
this is what the verse awakens within you.

Because backbiting is not harmless.
It is the heart feeding on what is not pure.

Backbiting begins as judgment…
and becomes something heavier when it is shared.

It doesn't stop with you.
It spreads.

You influence how others see that person.
You pass on an image… a feeling… a distortion.

And the chain continues.

It's like holding dirt in your hands,
then passing it on —
from one hand to another…
until it reaches everyone,
leaving a trace each time.

Whether you speak it…
or quietly receive it…
the effect is not so different.

What you allow in,
you carry.

You don't have to force silence.
Just begin by noticing.

The moment a judgment forms,
pause…
and return to yourself.

Not everything you see
is what it seems.

Not everything you think
needs to be said.

And in that space,
something soft returns:
your inner peace.

Take a moment.
Not to judge yourself…
but to become aware.

Why do I do it?

Backbiting doesn't come from nowhere.
Pause and explore:

Sometimes, backbiting is not about the other person.
It is about something within you… asking to be seen.

Begin to gently observe:

You might notice:

This is the moment.
Not after.
Not later.
Right here.

Without overthinking, just notice:

At the end of the day, you can gently ask:
When did I speak about someone today…
and what was happening inside me at that moment?

No guilt.
Just clarity.

When the urge arises…
Pause.
Take a breath.

And ask yourself:

Sometimes the shift is simple:

Don't harden.
Return.

You can:

And move forward with awareness.

This is not about becoming perfect.
It is about becoming conscious.

Each moment you pause…
each word you choose not to say…
you are protecting something precious:
your heart,
and your inner peace.

At the end of your day, take a quiet moment.
Not to judge… just to notice.

The people in our circle are there for a reason, whether we realize it or not.

What truly matters is not the people themselves, but the insights you gain through your interaction with them:

Take a gentle look at the people in your circle:

Take a moment to map them visually in the next page's Circle of Life.
Gently add the people who are part of your life today —

There is no right or wrong way to shape your circle.

Simply notice who appears, where you place them.

This is your circle as it exists right now — a snapshot of the connections shaping your journey.

The "shadow" (a term introduced by psychologist Carl Jung), refers to the parts of ourselves that live outside our conscious awareness.
To live a balanced life and whole life, Jung suggested we gently bring these hidden parts into our awareness — not by force, but by recognition.

The shadow holds the emotions we suppress, the traits we learned to deny, and the patterns we inherited long before we understood them.
These parts of us are not "bad." They are simply unseen — waiting for light.

They are the pieces of our personality that have not yet stepped into the light of consciousness, and so the ego avoids them, protects us from seeing them too clearly, or distracts us from noticing what lies beneath.

Shadow work is the courageous act of inviting these hidden pieces back into awareness with compassion.

Our shadow self becomes most visible in the moments we feel triggered.

Someone who looks confident on the outside but carries a quiet shadow of insecurity may suddenly:

These reactions can arrive suddenly and feel intense — but they are not signs of failure. They are signals. Gentle lights pointing to parts of you that need attention, understanding, and compassion.

Whenever your emotional response is stronger than the situation itself, it is often the shadow speaking — inviting you to pause, reflect, and look inward with compassion.

If we overlook or reject these hidden parts, an inner conflict forms - a tension between:

This mismatch often shows up through our emotions, our reactions, and the patterns we find ourselves repeating.

Shadow work gently invites these hidden parts into awareness.
It helps us understand what shapes our emotions and reactions, and to integrate these parts with kindness. This process creates more inner balance, more clarity, and a deeper sense of wholeness.

Shadow work invites us into a deeper level of self-awareness — a gentle practice of noticing our thoughts, emotions, and reactions with curiosity rather than judgment.

It is the soft light we shine on the parts of ourselves we don't often pause to explore.

This inner journey is much like peeling an onion.

Each layer reveals a version of who we have been — that may now be ready to soften, or be gently shed.

As we move through these layers, we may encounter emotions that feel uncomfortable, tender, or unexpected. This is a natural part of the unfolding.

With each layer we peel back, we come closer to our core — our truest self — and we begin to understand who we are with more compassion and clarity.

Shadow work can be challenging and emotional, yet it becomes profoundly transformative when approached with curiosity and kindness.

As we explore our inner layers, we not only understand ourselves more fully; we also begin to uncover strengths, qualities, and potentials that may have long remained hidden.

This inner journey asks us to move with patience and gentle courage, as we begin to meet the parts of ourselves we once overlooked, avoided, or simply never understood.

With every layer we soften and peel back, we come closer to our authentic self — the self beneath old patterns, automatic reactions that may be holding us back.

A trigger is anything — a person, thing, or situation — that brings up an intense or unexpected emotional reaction.

When we feel triggered, we aren't "overreacting."
We are responding from a deeper place inside us —
a place asking for attention, clarity, or healing.

First things first: let's list the triggers that keep showing up in your life and place them here, so you can examine them more closely.

During this exercise, if you feel any emotion, don't resist it.

Now let's try to identify the common triggers in your life..
Take a look at the previous pages, and try to identify the common triggers.

Notice any common triggers that are repeated across different people in your life.

Try to summarize the triggers that show up the most.
For example: disrespect, arrogance, unfairness, insensitivity, ungratefulness, selfishness, or any pattern that keeps resurfacing.

These patterns are gentle clues, revealing where your deeper healing wants to begin.

Write them - in no specific order:

When we begin to see which triggers hold the strongest charge,
we start to understand where our deeper patterns live —
the roots beneath the surface
that are ready to be brought into awareness.

Select one trigger to begin working on and mark the checkbox to note that this is your starting point.

Return to this list whenever you feel ready to work on another trigger.

Don't overwhelm yourself — take it one step at a time.

Once you begin addressing your first trigger, your inner journey will become even more meaningful, exciting, and empowering.

Let's work on triggers, one at a time.

Sometimes we overlook aspects of ourselves.
We may even express the very behavior that triggers us in others —
but with a different intention, a different justification,
or in a form we believe is harmless or "not the same."

A trait that frustrates us in someone else may quietly exist within us —
expressed differently, or disguised as something we believe is positive.

For example, if someone's curiosity triggers you,
pause and ask yourself gently:
"Where might this same curiosity be living in me, unnoticed or unlabeled?"

In the coming days, observe yourself with kindness.

Notice if you catch yourself doing the very thing that once triggered you —
not to judge yourself, but to understand yourself more deeply, with honesty, compassion, and an open heart.

As you move through your day,
notice if you find yourself expressing the behavior
that once triggered you in someone else.

Log your findings here

How do you feel now that you've noticed this trait within you — the same one that once triggered you in someone else?

Write freely, or simply allow a few words to come through.

And now… take a moment to be genuinely proud of yourself.
It takes courage, awareness, and deep honesty to recognize something within us that we previously judged in others.

When irritation rises toward someone, it is often pointing to something within us that is ready to be seen, softened, or understood.

Do something kind for yourself now: a small act of joy to honor your progress.

Your journey has just begun, and it will unfold in ways that are meaningful, empowering, and deeply transformative.

As you free yourself, trigger by trigger, you will notice your resilience growing — not because you force yourself to control your reactions, but because you naturally react with more clarity, grounding, and ease.

Imagine your emotions as little playful puppies — full of energy, eager to respond to every sound, every movement, every moment.
They get excited easily… and sometimes irritated just as quickly.

But what if these puppies could grow calmer, more grounded, and less reactive — not because you silence them, but because they feel safe, understood, and free from the tension that once agitated them?

What if your inner puppies (your emotions) were not easily disturbed by everything around them? Even if another "puppy" comes to try to disturb them, they're still in their inner peace state.

They're not disconnected from the world, just not reacting to its every attempt of disturbance.

What if you find yourself triggered not by someone's flaws — but by their goodness? By their generosity. Their confidence. Their kindness. Their joy.

Could it be just jealousy? Or could it be something deeper?

Let's explore gently.
When someone feels anger, irritation, or discomfort in response to a positive trait in another person — like generosity for example — it often means that this very quality exists within them as a shadowed part: a trait they once had, but learned to hide, deny, or protect. This is sometimes referred to as the "golden shadow".

We tend to react most strongly to the qualities we have suppressed in ourselves.

For example:
If someone gets angry at a generous person,
it doesn't necessarily mean they are "selfish."

It could mean:

1. Generosity is a suppressed quality within them
Maybe they naturally have a generous heart, but:

So now, when they see someone giving freely, it touches a wound or a longing inside them.

2. It reminds them of a part they wish they could express
People often feel anger toward traits they secretly desire to embody:

The anger is the shadow saying: "This should have been me."

3. It exposes a belief that they had to adopt
For example:

Seeing generosity challenges these defensive beliefs.

4. It threatens an "identity role" they built
If their identity is built around:

Then generosity in others feels like a mirror showing another possible way — and that can feel threatening or confronting.

Return here whenever you feel ready to work on another trigger. Each set walks the same 3 · 2 · 1 path, followed by a space to log your findings.

Now that we have begun the journey of understanding why we feel triggered by the actions of others,

Let’s try to understand why we get triggered from what other people may say about us..

Our reaction to other people’s words:

Imagine this simple scene at work:

A colleague said something about me that I don’t like.

Let’s pause for an inner check-in.

→ How do I react: do I get frustrated or defensive ? Or does it mean nothing to me? Does my reaction change depending on who said it ?

When we respond with frustration or hurt, it creates stress.
Over time, chronic stress can affect our physical and mental well-being.

Let’s set an intention before we start this new exploration journey.

Some ideas for intentions to set:

Take a look at your answer to previous questions..

Now ask yourself:

If you notice that you often care deeply about how others see you — and that their opinions affect you internally — know that this is completely human. But it can also be draining.

When we give our energy away to external opinions, we quietly empty our inner battery without realizing it. But awareness changes everything.

When you become aware, you have a choice to change the course of your inner ship in the sea of thoughts.

So now that you’re aware of it when it happens, what can you do?

Let’s practice empathy a little bit ..

Gently place yourself in the other person’s mind. Imagine stepping into their world, seeing through their eyes, thinking as if you were them.

Write their name here: “I am ”

Now imagine possible reasons why this person might have said what they said.

If you’re having a hard time trying to think of reasons, try to imagine what they could be going through in their lives:

This exercise is not about finding an excuse for their behavior. It is about remembering that every person carries a private world of burdens, fears, and pressures that shape how they think, speak and act.

When empathy enters, your heart softens — and the trigger begins to melt, and loosen its hold.

What if you were this person’s lawyer — standing in their defense, trying to express the intentions behind what they said?

Let yourself speak from their perspective, as if you understand their unseen struggles, fears, or hopes.

Lawyer (you):

Now back to you. The trial is over. For now, it doesn’t matter who “won.”

What matters is how you feel in this moment.

Gently replay in your mind what this person said — the words that bothered or unsettled you.

If it helps, rewrite their words here and bring the scene back into your awareness:

They said:

Compare this feeling to the one you had before you began this reflection exercise. Do you notice any shift, any softening, any difference at all?

If you feel ready, write how you feel toward this person now — in your own honest words:

Sometimes we unconsciously play the role of the victim in life, and indirectly blame others for what’s happening to us, whether we realize it or not.. we feel that life is unfair, that we are powerless when it comes to changing our circumstances.

Signs I may be adopting a Victim mindset:

But it also comes with its own benefits:

These are short-term emotional comforts, but they can keep you stuck in the long run.

The deeper need beneath a victim mindset is often a desire for safety, acknowledgment, and love — which can be met in healthier, more empowering ways.

Gently notice which patterns feel familiar — especially in moments of discomfort.

Notice the difference between reacting from pain
and responding from awareness.

This is not about becoming perfect.

It is about slowly shifting from helplessness
into conscious choice.

The goal is not to suppress your pain,
deny your emotions,
or pretend everything is okay.

The goal is to remember
that even within discomfort,
you still have choice.

Pause for a moment.
Breathe.
You do not need to judge yourself for what you are feeling.

Awareness is already a shift.

Instead of automatically reacting,
gently become curious about what is happening within you.

Pause & Reclaim

You do not need to change everything at once.
Sometimes reclaiming your power begins
with one honest moment of awareness.

Throughout the week,
gently notice which patterns arise.

Then reflect on how you responded —
not perfectly,
but with awareness.

Each small shift
is a step toward reclaiming your power.

Notice the pattern.
Then gently choose again.

Weekly Reflection

As we begin becoming aware
of patterns of helplessness,
blame,
or emotional pain,
we may start trying to move away from those feelings
by controlling what happens around us.

Without realizing it,
control can become our attempt
to never feel powerless again.

We begin believing:

“If I can control people,
situations,
or outcomes,
then I can protect myself
from feeling hurt,
unsafe,
or helpless.”

In this way,
the need for control
can become deeply connected
to the victim mindset.

Instead of focusing on the deeper wound within us,
we become focused on controlling
the external situation that triggered the pain.

But true self-empowerment
is not about controlling life.

It is about realizing
that even when we cannot control what happens,
we still have the ability
to choose how we respond.

We can pause instead of reacting.
Set boundaries instead of staying silent.
Take responsibility instead of blaming.
Support ourselves instead of abandoning ourselves.
Choose awareness instead of remaining stuck in old patterns.

The opposite of helplessness
is not control.

It is reconnecting
to our ability
to respond consciously.

Sometimes the need for control appears quietly.

Gently notice which patterns feel familiar —
especially in moments of stress, uncertainty, or emotional discomfort.

This is not about judging yourself.
Control is often a protective response —
an attempt to create safety,
certainty, or emotional security.

Awareness is the first step
toward responding differently.

Throughout the week,
gently notice which control patterns appear most often.

This is not about judging yourself.
It is about becoming aware.

Mark with an ✕ each time you notice the pattern appear.

Awareness is the first step
toward letting go.

Letting go is not giving up.
It is releasing the need
to control what is outside of us.

Sometimes, we overlook small daily habits that slowly take a toll on our health and well-being — without even realizing it.

The first time I heard that eating unhealthy food might be considered self-injustice ظُلْم النّفس, I was shocked. I had always thought that we were free to eat whatever we wanted, and that our food choices had nothing to do with our spiritual life, until I read this verse, and understood it for the first time :

The Quranic guidance invites us to choose wholesome food as part of caring for the body and the soul.

And it doesn’t stop there. Eating well is also directly linked to worship of God - عبادة الله :

Our food choices, then, are not separate from our spirituality — they are woven into it. They are also connected to takwa تقى as well :

To understand the depth of the word “takwa” تقوى, we can return to its root:

So taqwa تقوى literally means:

“to create a protective shield between yourself and harm”

This protection is not only from external danger. It is also protection from choices that slowly drain you, habits that weaken you, and patterns that harm your body, heart, or soul over time.

Taqwa is a form of awareness —
the kind that makes you pause and ask:
“Is this bringing me closer to well-being… or slowly harming me?”

Seen through this lens, choosing wholesome food becomes an act of protection — a way of caring for the trust that is your body, and a quiet form of worship lived through everyday choices.

Another way to visualize taqwa is:

“A conscious awareness of God that guides you to protect yourself — choosing what is right and avoiding what harms your body and soul.”

In this sense, taqwa is not only about avoiding sin — it is about protecting yourself.

We often hear the meaning of taqwa summarized as “avoiding sins” or “obeying Allah”, but we don’t always hear its deeper message:
Allah is inviting us to guard ourselves from harm — emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Because what harms the body eventually affects the soul it carries.

If you return to these verses, you’ll notice a word that keeps repeating: ṭayyibāt طيبات — good, wholesome, pure things.

God does not simply say “eat.”
He says: eat what is wholesome

This shows us that what we eat matters — not only physically, but spiritually too.

Come to think about it, part of self-love is to choose food as if you’re choosing it for a king. Yes, you’re the King! or Queen :)

It doesn’t have to be fancy.. it can start with trying to filter out any food that may have been altered in a way that can harm your body.

This is not about restriction or guilt.
It is about protection.

Doing this is part of following the recommendations of Allah to mankind in these verses.

Think of it this way:

When you buy a new appliance (a fridge for example), and open its user manual, it will tell you what to do and what not to do in order to safely use the appliance and maximize its lifetime.

In the same way, the Qur’an is not only a “spiritual” book.
It contains a user manual / guide for how to live well , inside out:

This is not about control or restriction.
It is about protecting what carries your soul in this life.

I heard a well-being expert once say “what you eat becomes part of you”; which suddenly made me realize that traces of what we eat stay within us — nourishing us, or slowly draining us — shaping our health, energy, and life over time.

Food is not just something we eat to stay alive.
Sometimes, we reach for certain foods because they bring comfort, pleasure, or a familiar feeling we enjoy.
Some foods even feel like a small moment of “happiness”.

Things can become complicated when we start relying on certain foods — especially when they are not nourishing, or when we eat them in amounts that don’t feel kind to our body.

You’ve probably heard the term emotional eating.

We’re not here to analyze every reason behind it.
Instead, this is an invitation to gently explore the emotions that sit underneath your cravings.

The moment you notice and say to yourself:
“Oh… this is me eating for comfort, not hunger,”
you’ve already taken a big step.

Awareness is the beginning of freedom.

From there, the path becomes clearer on its own.
You begin to understand your patterns naturally, in your own way.

For now, let this be your intention:
Bring what was once unconscious into your awareness.
Notice. Pause. Be curious.

This page is your space to explore that.

Let’s look at a simple example.

Imagine you love bread — truly love it.
You take generous portions with every meal, and it almost feels impossible to imagine eating without it.

Now pause for a moment: How do you feel when you eat that bread?

For example:

“I enjoy the feeling of holding the warm piece after cutting it… shaping it into a small envelope to hold the food… and the comfort that comes with that familiar ritual”.

✨ Your turn

Step 1 — Bringing Awareness to Your Comfort Food

Every soul has its small earthly comforts.
Some foods become companions — familiar, soothing, always there.

Take a moment to name the food you feel most drawn to.
The one that feels “hard” or “incomplete” to live without.

Step 2 — Witness the Pleasure, Without Judgement

Close your eyes for a moment.
Recall yourself eating this food.

Notice the tiny details:
the touch,
the scent,
the ritual,
the comfort,
and the emotion underneath.

Example:
“I feel a soft pleasure when I hold the warm piece of bread… the way I fold it to hold the food… the familiarity, the grounding… almost like a small moment of safety”.

Let this be a gentle observation
— not criticism, not analysis.

Just honest witnessing, noticing.

Step 3 — Expanding the Heart’s Sources of Joy

Sometimes we place too much of our joy in one place.

Food becomes the easiest doorway to comfort — especially when other doorways feel closed.

Here, we gently open new doors.

List 25 activities that nourish your heart, spark curiosity, or reconnect you with life — things you rarely allow yourself to enjoy, or things you’ve never tried but feel drawn to.

They don’t have to be big. Even the smallest joys count.

Why we do this

This exercise helps your heart remember that joy is meant to flow from many sources — not just one.

When pleasure, comfort, and joy are spread across different areas of life, food naturally returns to its proper place: nourishment, not rescue.

As your heart discovers new openings for pleasure, comfort, and joy, your relationship with food naturally shifts into balance.

Write your 25 activities here:

If 25 feels like too much, start with whatever number comes easily.
You can return and add more later.

Step 4 — Turning Intention Into Gentle Action

You’ve chosen the activities that speak to your heart.
Now let’s make a little space for them to exist in real life.

Big changes don’t happen all at once.
They happen through small, kind steps.
This is not about pressure or discipline.
It’s about helping your intentions land softly in your day-to-day life.

Choose a few activities you feel drawn to, and write three very small steps that would help you begin each one.

Even the smallest step counts.

Break down the first 3 steps to make each activity happen

A Closing Reflection

As you look at the steps you’ve written, take a breath and and gently soften your shoulders.

This is not a to-do list.
This is a way of honoring your heart.

Ask yourself:

“Which step feels like the lightest, kindest beginning?”

Let that be your doorway.

And remember — every time you choose a nourishing activity, you are teaching your heart that pleasure, joy, and comfort can come from many places… not only from food.

This is how the heart slowly expands its sources of delight.

This is how freedom begins —
gently, quietly,
one small step at a time.

For a long time, whenever I read this verse,
I felt that it didn’t really apply to me.

After all, I know that my only God is Allah.

I say “لا إله إلا الله” many times every day —
at the very least in my daily prayers.

But slowly, I started asking myself:

What if “لا إله إلا الله” is not only about what we say…
but also about what truly guides our actions?

Because declaring “لا إله إلا الله”
means more than worshiping Allah alone.

It means that He becomes our compass —
the One who guides our choices, our priorities, and our actions.

Nothing else should quietly take that place.

Yet sometimes, without realizing it,
something else may start guiding us.

A desire.
A fear.
An ego.
A habit.
A need for approval.
An attachment.

And in those moments,
our actions may reveal a different “Compass”
than the one our tongue declares.

This is where inner awareness becomes essential.

Because the question is not only:

What do I say I believe?

But also:

What is actually guiding me from within?

Is it Allah, or something else?

This verse invites us to ask an important question:

What is truly guiding my life?

According to the Quran, there are two possible paths:

Earlier, we explored the concept of shadow work.
We saw that many of our “automatic” reactions to triggers actually come from parts of ourselves that remain unconscious.

The goal of shadow work is to bring what is unconscious into awareness. When we become aware of these hidden patterns, they begin to lose their power over our reactions.

This process helps us respond more consciously, rather than reacting from a desire to be angry, or from fear or frustration.

As awareness grows, our reactions can begin to come from a place of greater inner balance, instead of impulsive desires.

This saves us from falling into this verse without realizing:

In this way, working on our shadow can bring us closer to responding according to guidance rather than impulse or desires.

When a reaction appears, pause and ask yourself:

This becomes a very strong reflective exercise.

At first, I understood this verse to mean that the human being is a witness against his own self — his nafs.

Then I noticed something subtle in the Arabic.
The word بصيرة (basirah) is a noun, not an adjective.

The verse does NOT say:

Instead it says:

This wording points not to a quality of the person, but to the presence of an inner faculty of insight.

When I noticed this subtle difference, I realized that there’s something important that God is bringing our attention to regarding our ego-self (nafs).

This suggests a subtle relationship between بَصِيرَةٌ and ego-self (nafs).

On our ego-self (nafs), there’s a layer of insight / inner witness, something within us that knows our truth. Even when we try to justify ourselves outwardly, this inner witness cannot easily be deceived.

So my understanding of this verse became:
The human being carries within himself a faculty that perceives the truth about his own condition.

The following verse reinforces this understanding, because if we try to present excuses for anything we did, we still have an inner witness - بَصِيرَةٌ (basirah):

The scholar Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali often described بَصِيرَةٌ (basirah) as the eye of the heart (عين القلب).

For Al-Ghazali, when the heart becomes purified, this inner sight allows a person to:

Thus the verse can be understood spiritually as:
The human being possesses an inner eye capable of perceiving his own reality.

Throughout this journal we have explored practices that help us:

in order to allow بَصِيرَةٌ (basirah) to become clear..

When this happens, we can more easily recognize:

This can help us recognize which path we are closer to:

Desire (الهوى) does not always appear in obvious forms.

Sometimes it disguises itself as:

This is why self-awareness is important.

Because without noticing it, we may believe we are acting from clarity and guidance, while our reactions are actually being driven by hidden desires, fears, or ego needs.

The ego-self (nafs) is subtle.
It often knows how to justify what it wants.

Take a quiet moment to observe your ego-self (nafs) more closely.

In what ways does desire (الهوى) most often disguise itself in my life?

Think about a recent reaction that disturbed your inner peace.
Sometimes what appears on the surface is not the true cause beneath.

What was beneath the reaction?

Then gently ask yourself:

Then gently ask yourself:

At the end of a day, gently reflect:
were most of my actions guided by desire, or by guidance?

When you’re playing a video game, you choose an avatar to represent you. You start at a certain level, and every time you level up, you feel excited, stronger, and more confident.

Now imagine you are the character inside that game.
You would want your avatar to stay in good health so he doesn’t lose the game or have to start all over again.

Along the journey, you find health packs — moments that recharge you when your energy drops.

At the same time, there are things that can drain your avatar’s health bar — attacks from other players, unexpected falls, or small failures along the way.

To stay strong against the enemies or “evil characters”, your avatar needs to maintain his health and energy as much as possible. That’s the only way to reach higher levels and eventually win the game.

You play to win. And to win, you must overcome challenges.

Every time you overcome one, you feel more excited, more confident, and more motivated to face the next.

Sometimes you even have to repeat the same level over and over until you learn how to overcome the challenge blocking your progress.

Along the way, you might collect coins, boosters, or first-aid kits that help you recharge and continue your journey. Sometimes you even discover hidden gems — unexpected gifts that deepen your inner confidence and gently carry you toward your purpose — to finish the game.

Now imagine if the video game had no challenges and no levels.

How boring would it be?

If the game were that easy, how often would you want to play?

Can a player willingly stay in the same level forever?
Maybe for a short while — exploring, experimenting, trying things out.
But eventually the spark fades.
And when everything becomes predictable and familiar,
the excitement fades… sometimes slowly turning into emptiness…
or quiet sadness.

Life is the same.

Staying in your comfort zone — just like staying in the same level — makes the journey less exciting than it could be. Moving to new levels and unlocking new skills is what makes life feel alive.

Some video games don’t even have “levels” — instead, they offer new territories to explore, new missions, new challenges.

That’s very similar to our life on earth. A player cannot stay in the same area forever doing the same repetitive task.

Without challenges, the excitement disappears.

If a player refuses to leave the safe area they know well, they eventually face “burnout” inside the game…

They’re still playing, but with no joy.
Just passing time.
No curiosity.
No sense of adventure.

Now imagine your life is a video game.
Every challenge hides behind it an opportunity to unlock a skill within you that was waiting to be discovered.

This is how the game shapes the player.

Challenges make a game exciting.
Challenges can make your life exciting too — if you approach each challenge with the mindset of a player in a temporary game — a game that isn’t real.

In life, just like in games, you move through different levels. And every time you face a challenge, you choose which mindset to adopt:

Now try to map your life so far as if it were a video game you’ve been playing since the day you were born.

Imagine your body as your avatar, and picture yourself observing this life from outer space — watching the journey your avatar has been living on Earth.

This exercise invites you to step outside your story for a moment, observe your journey from above — like a player watching their avatar — and notice how every “level” quitely shaped who you are today.

Imagine you have a time machine. You travel back to the year you were born — the very beginning of your personal game.

Your avatar appears on screen for the first time.

Describe your avatar at Level 0:

Just like every character in a video game begins with certain natural abilities, your avatar started its journey on Earth with built-in traits, strengths, and potential.

These abilities are not achievements — they are the qualities your avatar was born with.

Take a moment to observe them without judgment.

Now let’s continue with a flashback to the challenges your avatar faced — and the skills that were unlocked and born through them.

As you fill this in, go at your own pace. You don’t need to revisit every challenge — only the ones that feel safe to touch today.
Focus less on what happened, and more on what grew inside you because of it.

Take a moment to look at the skills that were shaped in you through the challenges you went through.

Now imagine you had a time machine,
and you could travel back and erase some of those challenges.

If those challenges never happened…

If the path had been easier…

If the struggle was removed…

How different would your life be today — without the skills that were born when you overcame those challenges?

This is not about justifying what hurt you —
it’s simply an invitation to notice what grew in you despite it.

Write whatever comes to your mind:

Example:
“If I hadn’t been bullied, my personality would have stayed soft and unexpressed. My voice would have remained quiet. I wouldn’t have learned so early to speak up or protect myself when someone tried to push me. I might never have discovered the courage that was hidden within me.”

Gentle reminder:
You didn’t choose your challenges —
but you did choose how you showed up within them.

Looking back at your previous levels, you might already feel grateful for some of the skills you developed after facing the challenges in your life so far.

But remember: there are still skills within you that haven’t been discovered yet — hidden abilities waiting for the right moment, the right challenge, or the right level to come to the light.

In video games, every player starts with the same basic set of abilities.
But only players who keep playing continue to uncover hidden skills inside themselves — and use those skills to overcome the challenges in each level.

And just like in games, a journey with only two levels wouldn’t be exciting.
A game becomes meaningful when it has many levels — each one offering something new to learn, something new to unlock, something new to overcome.

Now, take a look at your current level — the phase you’re living in right now.

What challenges is your avatar facing at this level?

You don’t need to solve everything — just notice what this level is asking of you.

Back to video games…
What if your triggers were one of the ways your avatar upgrades its skillset?

What if each trigger was like that mysterious “?” box in a game — the one you hit without knowing what’s inside — and a hidden reward appears?

A secret power.
An unexpected boost.
A new ability you didn’t know you had.

What if every trigger you face is actually a shortcut in the game — a doorway to discovering a new route, a new upgrade, or a new perspective that makes your journey more exciting, more meaningful, and more fun?

What if some triggers are not here to hurt you — but to teach you?
What if every trigger is a teacher in disguise, showing you:

In this game of life, triggers aren’t your enemies.
They are your teachers, leading you toward your growth, your power, and your next upgrade.
At your pace. In your time.

In your game of life, what are the triggers that keep repeating for your avatar?

Remember the shadow “3-2-1” exercise we did earlier in this journal?

You can now go back and do it for your avatar..

You will gradually start looking at triggers differently.. not as “bad things” that happen to your avatar, but as “teachers in disguise” sent especially for your avatar to progress in the game of life.

What if we are all playing the same video game?

If you’re currently in Level 5 of the game,
your sister might be exploring Level 1,
your neighbor navigating Level 3,
a friend walking beside you in Level 5,
and a colleague moving to Level 4.

In this game, levels don’t measure worth.
They simply reflect levels of awareness.

Levels are not about age, intelligence, success.. and not about being “better” or “worse.” A younger person may carry deep awareness, while someone older may still be learning an earlier lesson.

Awareness doesn’t follow timelines. It unfolds when it unfolds.

Some people already sense they’re in a temporary game — an experience — and they move through life with that awareness.
Others are not yet aware.
And some people only realize it near the end of their journey, when they leave this world and finally see the fuller truth of their existence — the reality that was present all along.

Everyone is exactly where they need to be for the lesson they are learning right now.

So how do you communicate with someone who is playing in a different level, experiencing a different part of the game?

You begin by remembering:
their experience is different,
their challenges are different,
their lessons are different,
and the number of times they need to repeat a lesson before moving on is different too.

No two journeys are identical.
This is why empathy matters.

The person in front of you may be carrying a lesson you have already learned — or one you have not yet reached.

Maybe they know something you don’t — a lesson, a truth, an experience that raised their awareness.

Or they may still be learning — repeating the same level as many times as their soul needs until it’s ready to move forward.

Both states are valid.

Every level has a purpose.
Each level prepares you for the next one.

No level is wasted.
Every level strengthens, trains, and shapes your avatar for the journey ahead.

In a video game, it’s unrealistic to expect two players in different parts of the game to see the world in the same way.
Each player is shaped by the lessons they are currently learning.
Awareness levels shape:

Understanding this changes the way we relate to others.

Here’s how to communicate across different levels of awareness:

In video games, every player receives signs.

Some signs are obvious:

Other signs are subtle:

Some players notice them immediately.
Others walk right past them — not because they are bad players, but because they are distracted, rushing, or focused only on obstacles.

Life works the same way.

Signs in life

Just like in a video game, life places signs along your path — to guide your next move.

In the game of life, these signs can look like:

Some signs are clear and loud — like arrows on the screen.

Others are quiet and hidden — like Easter eggs you only notice when you slow down, pause, and explore.

The game doesn’t rush you.
But it does repeat the message until you’re ready to see it.

Just like in video games, noticing signs depends on a few key factors:

Life is always speaking… the question is: are we tuned in?

Just like in video games, signs in life become easier to notice when you develop certain abilities.
These are not supernatural powers — they are simple shifts in awareness.

Here are gentle ways to start seeing the signs more clearly.
You don’t need to practice all of these.
Even one is enough.

Think of them as optional upgrades — not rules.

1. Slow Down the Pace of Your Game

In video games, when you rush, you miss hidden treasures.
Life works the same way.

When you slow down, you begin to notice:

Slowing down naturally raises your awareness level.

2. Pay Attention to Repetition

In games, repeated symbols always mean something.

In life, repetition means a message is trying to reach you:

Repetition is life saying:
“Look here. This matters.”

3. Listen to Your Emotional Compass

Emotions are one of life’s clearest signs:

Emotions are not here to bother you — they are here to guide you.

4. Notice When Something Feels “Placed”

Sometimes life puts something directly on your path:

These are placed clues, like items in a game level waiting to be discovered.

5. Follow What Pulls You (Not What Pushes You)

In games, the right path pulls your attention.

In life, that pull often feels like:

These are signs you’re being guided.

Push energy — force, pressure, fear — usually pulls you away from your path.

6. Notice the Closed Doors Too

In video games, a locked door is a message.

In life, a closed door can mean:

Closed doors are not punishments.
They are guidance.

7. Trust That Nothing Is Random

In games, every clue is placed with intention.
In life, nothing is random — even when it looks random.

When you begin to trust this:

Because belief opens perception.

In every video game, the player has a navigation tool :

Without it, the player gets lost — not because the game is impossible, but because direction is missing.

In life, your heart is that navigation system.

Your heart is your inner compass
It helps you:

But just like in a video game, this navigation system doesn’t always display clearly.
Sometimes the heart shines with clarity and direction…
And sometimes it becomes covered with clouds, making the signs harder to read.

An unpolished heart — a heart carrying:

… creates clouds over your inner map.

Just like a foggy screen in a game, an unpolished heart can:

It’s not that the signs disappear.
It’s that they become harder to perceive clearly.

Your inner navigation system is still active - but the screen is smudged.

When you begin polishing your heart — through:

… the clouds begin to lift.

And suddenly:

A polished heart makes the path visible.

Why the heart’s map becomes cloudy, and how awareness clears it

In video games, if the screen glitches, the navigation becomes unreliable.
The map still exists — but it’s harder to trust what you’re seeing.

Life works the same way.
When the ego takes control, the heart’s guidance becomes distorted.

The ego is not “bad”. It exists to protect you.
But sometimes, its protection blocks clarity instead of serving it.

Here’s how the ego interferes with your inner navigation:

1. The ego reacts, the heart responds

When the ego is triggered, it reacts automatically:

This creates noise — and you lose the subtle signals of your heart.

The heart speaks softly.
The ego speaks urgently.

2. The ego fears change

The ego wants to keep you safe in familiar levels —
even when the next level is healthier for you.
So it interprets signs & guidance as danger.
Growth as risk.
Expansion as threat.

3. The ego loves being “right”

When being right becomes more important than being at peace, the heart’s clarity fades.
The ego argues.
The heart understands.

4. The ego judges — itself and others

Judgment creates tightness in the chest, limiting perception.
An unpolished heart sees less.
A soft heart sees deeper.

5. The ego confuses triggers with threats

A trigger is often a hidden lesson.
But the ego sees it as an attack.
So instead of unlocking a new skill…
the player repeats the same level.

6. The ego attaches to old stories

“People always leave.”
“I’m not enough.”
“I don’t deserve this.”
Old stories become permanent filters on your inner map.
You no longer see life as it is —
you see it through old wounds.

7. The ego wants control

The heart navigates through intuition.
The ego navigates through fear.
Trying to control everything blocks the signs meant to guide you.

Awareness doesn’t fight the ego.
It gently steps back into the player’s seat.

And from there —
the heart can guide again.

The moment you return to your heart —
through honesty, softness, humility, or quiet presence —
the fog begins to lift.

Navigation clears.
Guidance becomes easier to hear.
Signs make sense again.

The heart does not shout.
It whispers.

And when you learn to listen,
you realize its whisper carries more truth
than all the noise the ego can make.

These are the signals of a polished heart, aligned with your inner navigation system:

These are the signs of a clouded navigation system, where old wounds or fears take the lead:

In every video game, there is a difference between:

The avatar reacts inside the game.
The player chooses the next step.

Most people forget this.

They live their days as if they are the avatar - fully merged with the emotions, triggers, fears, and noise of the moment.

When this happens, awareness drops, and life feels heavy, confusing, or dark.

But the moment you remember you are the player behind the avatar, something shifts:

Awareness returns.

In any situation, you can ask yourself:
“Am I reacting as the avatar…
or choosing as the player behind it?”

The avatar:

The player:

The moment you notice the difference,
you shift from unconsciousness → awareness.

Awareness is not effort.

It is remembering:

Once this clicks inside:

And you rise — naturally — to higher levels.

Reflection prompt

In moments where I felt stuck or reactive lately, was I acting as the avatar — or choosing as the player?

Reflection

Which side has more check marks right now — Avatar or Player?
(No answer is wrong. This is awareness, not a test.)

Wherever you are, that’s your starting point.
Awareness begins the moment you notice the seat you’re in.

Before we close this journey, let’s pause for a moment.

The idea of the Player — the one who observes the Avatar — was introduced through the language of video games because it makes something invisible easier to see.

But this awareness is not new.
And it does not belong to games.

Long before screens and controllers, this same capacity to notice oneself, to step back from reaction, and to choose with awareness, was already recognized in Islam as part of the human inner life.

What we called the Player is simply a familiar truth —
seen through a modern lens.

Awareness in the Islamic Tradition

In Islam, the human being is not reduced to impulses, emotions, or reactions.
There is an understanding that:

but awareness can witness all of this.

Islam invites us to notice what is happening inside us —
not to suppress it,
not to deny it,
but to see it clearly.
This is why reflection, and awareness are emphasized so deeply in the tradition.

Watching the Nafs, Not Being Ruled by It

The nafs (ego-self) is not an enemy.
It developed to protect you, to survive, to navigate the world.
But when it reacts automatically — through fear, anger, pride, or defensiveness — Islam teaches that pausing matters.

An example of a pause is wudu’ (ablutions) that we are invited to do whenever anger emotions arise.

That pause is not weakness. It is awareness.

It is the moment when you realize:
“Something is happening inside me… and I can see it.”

That seeing is what this journal has been pointing to.

Muraqabah: Gentle Watchfulness

Islam has a beautiful concept called muraqabah — a state of attentive awareness.
It is the ability to remain present with what is happening inside you, while remembering that you are not lost inside it.

Not controlling. Not judging.
Just watching with honesty.

This is the same awareness you practiced when you:

Now that you’ve learned how to recognize the signs, soften your heart, and shift from the avatar to the player’s seat and become the observing player, something has already changed.
You’re moving through the game differently.

Awareness itself is an upgrade.

And once you start seeing challenges, triggers, and people’s levels with more clarity and compassion, you naturally begin moving toward your next level.

The question now becomes:

How do you move to the next level of the game with grace?

In every game, moving to the next level requires two things:

Awareness works the same way.

Here’s how to move into your next level intentionally and gently:

1. Identify your avatar’s current challenge

Ask yourself:
What is life asking my avatar to face right now?

2. Look for the hidden opportunity behind it

Every challenge carries something within it.
Ask yourself:
What is being strengthened, awakened, or healed in my avatar through this?
The lesson may not be obvious — but it is always there.

3. Name the skill being born in your avatar

Challenges don’t just test your avatar — they train it.
Ask yourself: is this building

Naming the skill helps your avatar claim it.

4. Release resistance

Resistance keeps you replaying the level.
Acceptance helps you move on.

5. Celebrate small upgrades

Growth doesn’t only come from big breakthroughs.
It shows up when you pause instead of react, notice a trigger earlier, speak more honestly, set a boundary, or choose rest over pressure.
If something shifted inside you — even slightly — that’s an upgrade.
Notice it. Name it. Let it count.
When progress is recognized, the lesson integrates.
When it’s ignored, the level tends to repeat.

6. Stay open to the “secret doors” of this level

Some paths don’t look like doors at first:
Triggers.
Discomfort.
Intuition.
Synchronicities.
These are not obstacles —
they are signs quietly pointing toward your next level.

Take a moment to pause.
You don’t need to know everything — just notice what’s already stirring.

What feels like the main theme of your next level?
(For example: boundaries, patience, courage, trust, honesty, rest, self-worth…)
What do you think your next level in life is asking you to practice or learn right now?

What intention do you want to carry with you into this next phase of the game?

You don’t move to the next level by force —
you move when you’re ready to walk forward with awareness.