How do you relate to Kahlil Gibran and the mystic Sufis?
I have always been interested in Gibran and have developed special affinity for his works. In some ways, his life is a metaphor for our lives. He came from a small Lebanese village but presented us with a message that was universal. I saw in him the power that comes out of gentleness and humility. The violet stands against the wind in pursuit of its dreams as the sound of the nay endures until the end of time. Similarly, Gibran’s romantic drawings are quintessentially human but also very transcendental. All that makes Gibran particularly appealing as a thinker and artist. In mysticism, I was always fascinated by the role of music. The mystics take the phenomenon of sound and give it a deeper meaning. Accordingly, music is universal, otherworldly, as well as participatory and communal. Such emphasis on music in the mystical practice has given me further insights into the nature of music and its efficacy as a human expression. Does it surprise you that a lot of American students are stud
