bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim (In the name of God Most Merciful and Compassionate)
The alif is the first letter. This is your body. Your hands opened wide are the next letters. Everything is the Name is in your body, if you know. But you need a strong body and a strong soul to know the meaning of any letter. Every letter carries many meanings.
When you pray and when you make retreat, when you look at the name, you can see a great thing. You see the light and it grows bigger and bigger. It fills the room and when you understand the meaning of the letters, you see how great He is.
When you pray, you can look at the Name, but look only for a short time. It is dangerous to look all the time when you are not complete. This is like when you make retreat, it can only be done with the order. First help yourself! Help yourself to know the meaning of every letter.
But know that you are the Name! Allah!
~Sidi al-Jamal, from Songs from the Garden of Love
