Penguin Books The Purity Of Desire
JALALUDDIN RUMI (1207–1273) is one of the greatest poets known to history. For nearly eight hundred years he has had an astounding influence throughout the Islamic world, and more recently in Western countries.
The son of a scholar, jurist, and mystic, Rumi succeeded his father as the sheik of a divinity college. At the age of thirty-seven his sober life as a teacher was irrevocably changed upon meeting the wandering mystic of astonishing presence, Shams-e Tabriz, whom Rumi recognized as a doorway to God. Shams became Rumi’s beloved companion and Master, and thus began an indefinable relationship of divine longing and union. Rumi’s tremendous creative outpouring of verse was born from his love for Shams.
The body is like Mary, and each of us has a Jesus inside. —RUMI
Introduction The Wing Comes Alive In His Presence
I think that is it, something of the answer. The wing, the soul, the heart, comes alive in the presence of a real teacher. And we all live to feel alive, don’t we? It seems to me our every moment is about that—wanting, needing, to experience life as fully as we can. Loving is the greatest freedom and fulfillment, so the wise, being wise, cash in on that.
Then we can spend less time repairing our hearts and aspects of our lives, because we are becoming less entangled with that which may impede. Yes, well-being with all its trimmings—of peace, fun, laughter, and a deeper, more intense engagement in work, play, passions, contentment—all that starts to become the norm in our days.
The true gauge of success and functioning intellect is having what you want. Otherwise, are you not at war with conflicts and the unrequited?
All external action of the human being is traceable back to some internal, spiritual need. Each of us goes out into the world and bucks heads with it, in some way—providing what shelter and nourishment we can for our families, for the precious we hold, once felt, or deeply believe in. We are all trying to create that space, the environment, where truth, or the height of our experience, can happen again or anew. We want to fully relax and breathe in as much beauty as we can. We want to feel, think…Hey, that was joy that just stopped in for a visit! Glad it came by. I was wondering where the hell it had been.
I think we are using all our wits to enter some inner sky again where we once played with the Divine. But our senses, our abilities to know more of our Self, are broken in places—caged, cracked, sheared, and often denied. That is why we cry. That is why there are wars. That is why there is hatred, why we fear and know greed. That is why a life can seem so empty and hopeless at times, and this surely must add to and perpetuate anyone’s desperation, or depression.
Everything the guy serves is perfectly cooked and draws us near to his—and our own—inner light. His startling synergy of images germinates Realization. From head to toe this guy is blazing. He is like a cyclone one wants to be drawn into, though at the same time, one can feel rightfully hesitant. Yet, the treasuries in this world are spotted close when in his presence. And then someone yells, “Gold! There is fucking gold everywhere!”
If I Had A Son Or Daughter
THE GAME To penetrate into the essence of all being and significance and to release the fragrance of that inner attainment for the guidance and benefit of others—by expressing in the world of forms, truth, love, purity, and beauty—this is the sole game which has intrinsic and absolute worth. All other happenings, incidents and attainments in themselves can have no lasting importance. —MEHER BABA, from the book Discourses
TO MARVEL AT Be like the wing on the way to the party that can lift yourself and others. Expectations, let them serve you, until the present is always enough to marvel at.
A saint is like a snow leopard, and God the prey the pir’s heart constantly seeks to devour. For then, God will be forever inside, more alive than ever, and the Beloved will never then leave you—in His true home, in your heart, as Shams is now always inside of me.
A MAN ON A GALLOPING HORSE A crazed man on a galloping horse, crazed with thoughts of trinkets in the market and grudges against others, even family and friends, what will he see of the gardens all around, and the miracle of his own hand?
TRY TO BE THE LEAST IN NEED It is a person’s duty to get oneself into a position where one can be generous with their time and silver. Whenever you gather with friends or are in a crowd, try to be the one least in need. For simply doing that is giving.
His melody attracted a lot of attention, as one might suspect, and a wonderful chaos happened when He began to sing. My neighbor’s cows and chickens jumped their fence and crowded near. Women ran from their bath houses, barely covered—to that, I had no complaints. Planets leaned down and began to take notes, and otherwise stingy merchants started offering their goods for half price. When the Beautiful One has His wine pitcher in hand, the rules of the universe bow, prejudices die, laws are repealed, our jail time is cut short. People roll on the ground laughing. What are you waiting for? There are always great lovers of God in this world…to party-hard with.
But then you fell asleep and awoke so overgrown, you forgot your great powers and felt fear. Seeing from where you came and which direction you are heading, it is a miracle to me, a miracle, that you might think you ever did anything wrong. When my neighbor’s dog lost its toy, it began to look around, confused and sad. But being a friend of God’s, I just reached into His pocket and found another. The dog never told anyone about this, and I appreciated that. But I thought I would let you know…how I can be.
Our friendship can be like this: a needed lift, a sail, a pillar, a springboard to taste the unfathomable. It is to tend you as you come into being, like a new world, that causes me to stay, gives me a purpose. Of course I thank you for that…for letting me help.