Rumi (Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī)

The essential Rumi

Soham Dasgupta

From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood,

Think how it is to have a conversation with an embryo.

You might say, "The world outside is vast and intricate.

There are wheatfields and mountain passes,

At night there are millions of galaxies, and in sunlight

the beauty of friends dancing at a wedding."

You ask the embryo why he, or she, stays cooped up

Emily Morgan

Rumi was recommended to me by a friend, and I bought this edition that same day. I'd read pieces here and there, a poem before bed, or as soon as I rose. It became quite a meditative exercise. A chance to step outside myself for a few, silent moments, and just revel in this philosophy. As with almost all of my favourite books this year, Rumi also taught me a lot about the creative process and the importance of surrender for authentic expression;  "This poetry. I never know what I'm going to say. I don't plan it."  His words are full of such simplistic wisdom, you'll feel as though you're revisiting the most fundamental layer of Self. Some artists construct worlds, but I think the best ones are those who chip away at the illusions we surround ourselves with to reveal some sort of truth resting and awaiting us at the centre. 

 "We have a huge barrel of wine, but no cups.
That's fine with us. Every morning
we glow and in the evening we glow again.

They say there's no future for us. They're right.
Which is fine with us."

Pia Sophia

Reading Rumi makes me feel like the poems speak directly to me. Like I'm coming home, in a way. 
Every poem, every line seems to scream at me. This is for you, they say, open your eyes! 
Rumi's poems have given a different meaning to the things I felt negatively about. Emptiness, for example, isn't something to fear anymore. Seperation isn't necessarily a bad thing. And that's only two examples. This is a must-read for those who want to expand their minds and find peace in the things they can't find peace in.

The essential Rumi

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