Paulo Coelho

(Late Sunday I watch Neda’s video. I suspect that I recognize Arash Hejazi, but I prefer not to believe in what I am seeing. I send him and email)

Sunday 21 23:011

Dear Arash
I need to know where you stand, if things that I am seeing/reading are true. Then I can myself take a position – depending on your advice, of course.
love
Paulo

Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:05:05 -04:00
Subject: your country

Dearest Paulo,
I am now in Tehran. The video of Neda’s murder was taken by my friend, and you can recognize me in the video. I was the doctor who tried to save her and failed. She died in my arms. I am writing with tears in my eyes. Please don’t mention my name. I’ll contact you with more details soon.
Love
Arash

The doctor

(At this point, I decide to put the video in my blog)
(For the rest of the day, I try to contact him. At one point, someone answers his phone as a “CNN journalist”. I start to become worried)

Monday 22 17:46
Dear Arash
so far, no news from you. After I published the video in my blog, it seems that it spread worldwide, including posts in NY Times, Guardian, National Review, etc.
Therefore, my main concern now is about you. You NEED to answer this email, saying that you are all right
and
the name of the person where we spend the New Year’s Eve in 2001 together, just to be sure that it is you really who is answering this email. I don’t buy this CNN person answering your mobile.
If you don’t do that, I may leak your name to the press, in order to protect you – visibility is the only protection at this point. I know this because I am a former prisoner of conscience.
If you do that, unless instructed otherwise by you, I will stop the pressure for the moment. My main concern now is you and your family.
love
Paulo
P.S. – there are several trusted friends in blind copy here.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:35 AM

Dearest Paulo
I am alright for now. I am not staying at home. I don’t know about CNN. The friend’s name was Frederick.
Love
Arash

Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:37 AM

Dearest Paulo,
Trying to leave the country tomorrow morning. If I don’t arrive in London at 2 pm., something has happened to me. Till then, wait.
My wife and my son are in (edited). Their phone (edited) Her email (edited)
Please wait till tomorrow. If something happens to me, please take care of (name of wife) and (name of son), they are there, alone, and have no one else in the world.
Much love, it was an honor having you as a friend.
Arash

(At this point, a Brazilian journalist, Luis Antonio Ryff, who traveled to Iran to cover my visit, recognizes Arash in the video, and writes me to double-check. I confirm, but I ask him to keep his name secret until today. Ryff agrees – even knowing that this would be a major scoop for him. I would like to thank him here, for his dignity)

Wednesday 24 1:55 PM

Arash landed in London

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Often I am asked: are you a magician?
To which I always reply – of course I am a magician and I believe in magic. I also belong to an old tradition called RAM (that you can read in my book, The Pilgrimage).
Having said that, RAM or any secret orders don’t have hidden secrets. I think that the only hidden secret is the hidden power that you have inside of you.
Therefore I encourage you to talk about your hidden powers in his forum. To accept them, to tell us how you elaborated them and the difference they made in your life

Thank you Marlen!
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…’when a horseman falls off his horse…if he does not remount immediately, he will never have the courage to do so again’…

Have you ever been in a car accident? Well, we were on a business trip to Waterford Ireland, a group of five, six. As I had lived in Dublin, it was decided, I became the designated driver. Mind you, the year in Dublin, I didn’t drive much at all, as driving on the left side of the road is confusing. Well, we had a big rental car, larger than the Fiat I usually drove. I still don’t understand how I got us from the airport through Dublin, and on the road south, but instinctively, knowing quite a bit about the city, I got us there, and felt pretty proud about it.

Things were going well, and we arrived to Waterford safely. Many of the roads south were very narrow and curvy. So, after several days doing our business, and of course visiting the tourists destinations, and socializing till late night hours, it was time to return. The weather started to act up. It poured down and the windy weather was as brutal as it only can be on ‘the green island’, Ireland. I suggested some of the men do the drive back. But, no, they all agreed, I drove so well in the first place, I’d take them back too.

All I remember was some very dark, narrow road, looking through the front window, which was hammered with heavy rain and brown leafs. This was in the fall. Slowly we drove towards Dublin. Things was going ok. Then, of course, I was taking a left turn, and again being in the left lane, I totally misjudged the operation, and we all heard a loud, ugly sound of breaking metal. Not quite understanding ‘What was that?’, we stopped the car and all went outside in the rain, to take a look at the damage. The rental car, a brand new car of that year, I don’t remember what brand, but my failed left turn, had so to speak ruined the entire side of this exclusive car. I was in a shock, and felt of course bewildered. The car was still drivable, but I assured them, there were no way, I’d take the drivers seat again!

However, a co-worker insisted, after an accident, there is just one thing to do, get back in the car and drive, or you might never want to drive again. He told a story of how his oldest son, borrowed his car, on his first day with a drivers license, and totalled the car, but how his dad, told him to go driving again in moms car! So, all shaken, he forced me back in the drivers seat, and I got us back to the Dublin airport, again, I don’t know quite how. The rental car was of course insured, so guess we all could relax, me with a ‘scape in the paint’ as they say.

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Issue nº 201 – The magic instant
Edií§í£o nº 201 – O instante mágico
Edición nº 201 – El instante mágico
Édition nº 201 – L’instant magique
Edizione nº 201 – L’istante magico