Mawlānā Jalāl-ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (or simply Rumi) was one of the world's great spiritual poets. Many of his best poems are about or to the beloved -- a reminder that "this experience is universal, the all embracing divine love cannot be contained by any sectarian form. The only goal is experience of the Beloved, or in Rumi’s words: Possess the heart in love. "
From Poet Seers:
Rumi tells us the supreme secret of the inner journey is the path of love.Then there is this great poem about the Beloved as God:
If we can possess our whole heart with contemplation of the beloved we will experience the wonders and beauty of the universe as Rumi says:"The beauty of the heart
is the lasting beauty:
its lips give to drink
of the water of life."
"Love is the cure,
for your pain will keep giving birth to more pain
until your eyes constantly exhale love
as effortlessly as your body yields its scent.”
This next one, however, is one of my favorite Rumi love poems, with an anonymous "you" that could be the divine Beloved or a very human Beloved -- either way the feeling is the same : "To disregard this world, to see only that which you yourself have seen I said, Heart, congratulations on entering the circle of lovers, on gazing beyond the range of the eye...."One Whisper of the Beloved
Lovers share a sacred decree –
to seek the Beloved.
They roll head over heels,
rushing toward the Beautiful One
like a torrent of water.In truth, everyone is a shadow of the Beloved –
Our seeking is His seeking,
Our words are His words.At times we flow toward the Beloved
like a dancing stream.
At times we are still water
held in His pitcher.
At times we boil in a pot
turning to vapor –
that is the job of the Beloved.He breathes into my ear
until my soul
takes on His fragrance.
He is the soul of my soul –
How can I escape?
But why would any soul in this world
want to escape from the Beloved?He will melt your pride
making you thin as a strand of hair,
Yet do not trade, even for both worlds,
One strand of His hair.We search for Him here and there
while looking right at Him.
Sitting by His side we ask,
"O Beloved, where is the Beloved?"Enough with such questions! –
Let silence take you to the core of life.All your talk is worthless
When compared to one whisper
of the Beloved.
Only You
Only you
I choose among the entire world.
Is it fair of you
letting me be unhappy?My heart is a pen in your hand.
It is all up to you
to write me happy or sad.I see only what you reveal
and live as you say.
All my feelings have the color
you desire to paint.From the beginning to the end,
no one but you.Please make my future
better than the past.When you hide I change
to a Godless person,
and when you appear,
I find my faith.Don't expect to find
any more in me
than what you give.Don't search for
hidden pockets because
I've shown you that
all I have is all you gave.
1 comment:
I love Rumi! I have not read that last poem before.
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