Ishq

Rumi wrote about it. Hafez lived it. The Sufi mystics devoted their lives to understanding it. Ishq-the Persian concept of all-consuming, passionate devotion-is the fire at the heart of Persian spiritual tradition. But ishq is not just for mystics and poets. It is the secret that transforms ordinary work into extraordinary craft, casual interest into life-defining purpose, and good enough into transcendent.

In this lyrical and deeply practical book, Dariush Navid applies the Sufi tradition of ishq to the modern search for meaning, mastery, and calling. Drawing on the poetry of Rumi and Hafez, the stories of devoted artisans, and the science of peak performance, Ishq reveals why "follow your passion" is shallow advice-and what to do instead.

You will discover: Why ishq is not passion but devotion-and why the difference matters • The Sufi stages of devotion applied to any craft or calling • How to find your ishq when nothing has clicked yet • The Dark Night-surviving the crisis that every devotion must face • Why devoted practitioners outperform merely disciplined ones • The danger of ishq-when devotion becomes obsession • Practices for opening yourself to what truly calls you

Ishq is a book for anyone who suspects they were made for something more-for the creative professional seeking transcendence, the entrepreneur chasing a vision, or anyone who has ever felt the strange pull of a purpose they cannot explain.