Introduction to the Study Texts Cardiff Sufi Group Loves Universe

The Sacred Poetry of Rumi

In the Name of God, the Infinitely Compassionate and Merciful

Perhaps youve heard it many times: Rumi is the most popular poet in the estern !orld" #any have found in him a voice of a universal spirituality rooted in love$ free of artificial constraints$ compassionate$ earthy$ ecstatic$ %oyful" &ut are !e a!are that the foundation of this poetry is a coherent teachin' a(out !hat it is to (e truly human) *or Rumi the primary purpose of human life is to +no! and love the ,ivine" Rumi !as intoxicated !ith the (eauty of God" -e !anted us to +no! this Truth as deeply and passionately as he +ne! it" In this eCourse a 'roup of friends$ all practicin' Sufis !ho have (een on Rumis path for many years$ offer some selections from Rumis vast !or+ that capture the essence of his teachin'" The main source of these selections is his 'reat six volume teachin' !or+$ the ./$01. couplets of the Mathnawi$ from translations (y the internationally respected Sufi teachers 2a(ir 3 Camille -elmins+i$ (ased on the classic translation (y 4icholson" The Mathnawi is a !or+ consistin' of inter!oven stories$ metaphors$ poems$ metaphysical discourses and ecstatic prayers !ritten over 566 hundred years a'o" It is a map for spiritual travelers as relevant today as it has (een since the 71 th century" This map leads us (ac+ to our Source$ on a path of love returnin' to the Source of Love" 8 e come into this !orld$ and !e experience a profound for'etfulness9 !e are asleep" :verythin' that happens from then on is the process of !a+in' up to the fact that Love (rou'ht us here$ that !e are loved (y a &eneficent Unseen Reality$ and that the core of our (ein' is Love"; 7 Rumi says this ho!ever concernin' his explanations of love:
<our true su(stance is concealed in falsehood$ li+e the taste of (utter in (uttermil+" <our falsehood is this perisha(le (ody9
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*rom The Knowing Heart$ 2a(ir -elmins+i$ Sham(hala Pu(lications"

your truth is that exalted spirit" *or many years$ this (uttermil+ of the (ody$ is visi(le and manifest$ !hile the (utter$ !hich is the spirit$ is perishin' and i'nored !ithin it= until God sends a prophet$ a chosen servant$ a sha+er of the (uttermil+ in the churn$ !ho s+illfully sha+es it$ so that you mi'ht +no! your true self !hich !as hidden" >I?$ 1616@161AB

Rumi offers us +no!led'e of the three realms at activatin' spirit;. verses"

more than inspirin' poetry9 he offers a systematic transformation of the self" 8Cn the Sufi path !e !or+ in once: transformin' the e'o$ purifyin' the heart$ and Rumi descri(es the attri(utes of the self in the follo!in'

The idol of your self is the mother of all idols" The material idol is only a sna+e9 !hile this inner idol is a dra'on" It is easy to (rea+ an idol$ (ut to re'ard the self as easy to su(due is a mista+e" >I$ 55.9 55DB Invulnera(le in spirit9 your (eauty comes from !ithin$ <ou (elon' to the #a%estic9 a ray from the li'ht of God" hat have you seen of your o!n still concealed (eauty) Cne of these days at da!n$ you !ill rise from !ithin yourself li+e a sun" >GhaEal .DA6$ partialB

This Sufi perspective on the self is an important foundation of this tradition and descri(ed (y all of the masters of Sufism" This teachin' shifts the perspective from one of (ein' deficient to one of (ein' !hole" The human (ein' is created in the ima'e of God" In this !orld$ !e are separated from our Source9 !e have for'otten9 !e have allo!ed our spiritual nature to (e o(scured (y so many thin's" The Sufi path and Rumis Mathnawi reminds us that !e are !hole and that our !or+ is to +no! our true self and manifest the divine ima'e that is !ithin us" Cur prayer is that Rumis !ords !ill spea+ to you concernin' each of the themes" F forum !ill (e provided to share !hat spea+s to you$ ho! you are experiencin' the practices and to as+ Guestions" This offerin' is made (y mem(ers of the Threshold Society$ affiliated !ith the #evlevi Crder$ the spiritual linea'e that traces (ac+ to Rumi" It is offered in the spirit expressed (y Rumi a(out his Mathnawi"""
:very shop has a different +ind of merchandise: the #athna!i is the shop for spiritual poverty$ my son" In the shoema+erHs shop there is fine leather: if you see !ood there it is only the mold for a shoe" The drapers have sil+ and dun@colored cloth in their shops: if iron is there$ itHs only to serve as a measurin'@rod" Cur #athna!i is the shop for Unity:
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*rom The Knowing Heart$ 2a(ir -elmins+i$ Sham(hala Pu(lications"

anythin' you see there other than the Cne God is %ust an idol" >?I$ 7/./@7/.DB

e invite you to enter this 8shop; and in the !ords of RumiI

C drop$ 'ive yourself up !ithout re'ret$ and in exchan'e 'ain the Ccean" Listen$ C drop$ (esto! upon yourself this honor$ and in the arms of the Sea (e secure" ho indeed should (e so fortunate) Fn Ccean !ooin' a dropJ In GodHs name$ in GodHs name$ sell and (uy at onceJ Give a drop$ and ta+e this Sea full of pearls" >I?$ .07K@.0..B

e su''est this four step approach to !or+in' !ith these selections: 7" ." 1" 4. Read each selection$ out loud if possi(le$ seven times" ,!ell upon the phrase or sentence that touches you" Fs+ yourself !hat relevance or application this has to yourself" *inally$ sit in the after'lo! of these reflections and open yourself to !hatever ne! insi'ht or messa'e the ,ivine mi'ht have for you"

If you !ould li+e to 'ain the full (enefit from these readin's$ !e offer the follo!in' practices !hich !ill create a vi(rational resonance and state of consciousness conducive to this !or+: Sit in a relaxed (ut upri'ht posture: &reathe out all tension$ anxiety$ fear$ ne'ativity$ and psycholo'ical idols9 (reathe in Gods presence" &reathe out 8La illaha; Lthere is no 'odM9 (reathe in 8il Fllah; L(ut GodM Sufis vie! this as the Guintessential proposition of the F(rahamic tradition" &reathe in 8<a; LCM9 (reathe out 8-u; Lthe 8pronoun of ,ivine Presence;$ one of the most sacred 84ames; in Sufi traditionM" This simple (ut extremely po!erful practice should only (e en'a'ed in !ith the 'reatest respect and humility"