Rumi Appreciation

  • Jelaluddin Rumi, the 13th century mystic poet, was truly one of the most passionate and profound poets in history. Now, today his presence still remains strong, due in part to how his words seem to drip of the divine, and startle a profound rememberance that links all back to the Soul-Essence. Born in what is present day Afghanistan in 1207, he produced his master work the Masnawi which consists of over 60,000 poems before he died in 1273. The best way to fully say in words his impact, is that he has the ability to describe the Indescribable, Ineffable-- God.

    According to the teachings of our Master, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani (may God bless him and raise his spiritual station higher), the Sufi whirling technique which was taught by the famous Sufi Master Muhammad Jalal ad-Din Rumi (qs) contains tremendous realities.

    Continued on the Next Page...
  • The first interaction that many Western people have with Sufism is often through the poetry of Rumi, a poetry which sought to explain a Heavenly love which flowered in his soul, and what our Master wants us to realize is that while this poetry is nice to read, the “sema” or the practice of whirling is a technique which can actually open that love, which is what Rumi is trying to encourage people to do through his poetry. Rumi was saying in his poetry, “seek the beloved!” and the question comes to us, “how do I seek Him?” It means that the poetry of love and Divine attraction is first rooted in the whirling and what was trying to be taught by the whirling. We are a micro version of this greater galaxy. Therefore, in order to understand this greater reality we are taught to look within and understand ourselves. As God says in the Holy books

    “We will show them our signs on the horizon and within themselves, until it will be manifest to them that it is the truth.” (41: 53)
  • Rumi Poetry Selection

    Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
    there is a field. I'll meet you there.
    When the soul lies down in that grass,
    the world is too full to talk about.
    Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
    doesn't make any sense.

    From Essential Rumi
    by Coleman Barks
  • There is a community of the spirit.
    Join it, and feel the delight
    of walking in the noisy street
    and being the noise.
    Drink all your passion,
    and be a disgrace.
    Close both eyes
    to see with the other eye.

    From Essential Rumi
    by Coleman Barks
  • This We Have Now

    This we have now
    is not imagination.
    This is not
    grief or joy.
    Not a judging state,
    or an elation,
    or sadness.
    Those come and go.
    This is the presence that doesn't.

    From Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks
  • There is a way between voice and presence
    where information flows.
    In disciplined silence it opens.
    With wandering talk it closes.
  • Moving Water

    When you do things from your soul,
    you feel a river moving in you, a joy.
    When actions come from another section, the feeling disappears.
    Don't let others lead you. They may be blind or, worse, vultures.
    Reach for the rope of God. And what is that?
    Putting aside self-will.
    Because of willfulness people sit in jail,
    the trapped bird's wings are tied,
    fish sizzle in the skillet.
  • Moving Water cont...

    The anger of police is willfulness.
    You've seen a magistrate inflict visible punishment.
    Now see the invisible.
    If you could leave your selfishness,
    you would see how you've been torturing your soul.
    We are born and live inside black water in a well.
    How could we know what an open field of sunlight is?
    Don't insist on going where you think you want to go.
  • Moving Water cont...

    Ask the way to the spring.
    Your living pieces will form a harmony.
    There is a moving palace that floats
    in the air with balconies and clear water flowing through,
    infinity everywhere, yet contained under a single tent.

    From The Glance
    by Coleman Barks