The Tavern Is The Sanctuary

To become a haunter of taverns is to be set free from self: egotism is infidelity, even though one seems to be devout. The tavern belongs to the world beyond compare, the abode of lovers who fear nothing. The tavern is the place where the bird of the spirit makes its nest: the tavern is the sanctuary of God Himself.

~ Mahmud Shabistari, tr. Margaret Smith.