In Turkey, they refer to the poet and Sufi mystic Rumi as Mevlana, meaning, “our master”.
If you have ever read Rumi’s work, then you know that he writes of an unbridled passionate love, an ecstatic love. The love for his teacher, his companion, Shams, is revered as a love of humankind, of deity.
I visited Rumi’s shrine in Konya, Turkey. As I looked at his burial site, one of my favorite quotes of his came to mind:
“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?”
He saw far beyond his time. Rumi’s mastery of language (brilliantly translated by Coleman Barks) and understanding of the nuances of love have touched many across over the world. I, among many, venerate Rumi as a philosopher, a divine influence. As Coleman Barks said himself, “Rumi is one of the great souls, and one of the great spiritual teachers. He shows us our glory. He wants us to be more alive, to wake up.”
Rest In Peace, and in Pleasure, Mevlana Rumi.
“On the Day I Die”
On the day I die,
when I am being carried toward the grave,
don't weep. Don't say, He's gone. He's gone.
Death has nothing to do with going away.
The sun sets and the moon sets,
but they're not gone.
Death is a coming together.
The tomb looks like a prison,
but it's really release into union.
The human seed goes down into the ground
like a bucket into the well where Joseph is.
It grows and comes up
full of some unimagined beauty.
Your mouth closes here
and immediately opens
with a shout of joy there.
Konya, Turkey
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