Poems of Rumi

[Ginnie]

Mevlawa Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi Is one of my all time favourite poets. He is from the sufi tradition and I thought I would share some poems with a bit of commentary.





Wean Yourself



Little by little, wean yourself.
This is the gist of what I have to say.


From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood,
move to an infant drinking milk,
to a child on solid food,
to a searcher after wisdom,
to a hunter of more invisible game.


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,
and orchards in bloom.


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
in the dark with eyes closed.






Listen to the answer.



There is no "other world."
I only know what I've experienced.
You must be hallucinating.



The Embryo besides being an amazing piece of art speaks of the development of the human being, but not our physical development. In Gnosis there is the idea that contained within each of us is a divine spark. This spark may remain in embryonic form and so, "embryo" represents a human being prior to being born (again) spiritually because there has been no spiritual awakening. The Judeo Christian biblical passages will speak of 'seed(s)' in this same sense.


I wanted to add more but I am passing out! I will tomorrow evening.

[Meneldur Olvarion]

I like Rumi also.

His poetry has that sort of "recursive involution" effect on me that many logia from The Gospel of Thomas also have.

[Ginnie]

I would like to demonstrate how I would interpret this poem

I've already spoken of embryo but I want to look at some of the other words as well to demonstrate the double rendering of metaphysical language that is common regardless of culture and religion.




If someone reads this and see's only the exterior, that emryos are pre-born children in their mothers womb and are nourished in the blood this is seen to make 'sense' and no further thought is required. However, these words all had religious/spiritual symolic application.

From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood,

So if we understand that the word "embryo" to mean a human being as yet unaware of the need or ability to evolve spiritually what does it mean that "whose nourishment comes in the blood"?


In the article The Beliefs, Myths, and Reality Surrounding the Word Hema (Blood) from Homer to the Present written by John Meletis and Kostas Konstantopoulos there is mention of the commonality of blood as a symbol of life.

All ancient nations hinged their beliefs about hema (blood) on their religious dogmas as related to mythology or the origins of religion. The Hellenes (Greeks) especially have always known hema as the well-known red fluid of the human body. Greek scientific considerations about blood date from Homeric times. The ancient Greeks considered hema as synonymous with life.

and further in the article you can see how this was a widespread use of the word blood to signify "life" or "lifeforce"

Most ancient people or nations of the East (Phoenicians, Persians, Egyptians, and Hebrews) hinged their beliefs about hema (blood) on their religious dogmas to such a degree that they could be seen as directly related to mythology or the origins of religion.

We can find this remarkable consistency of spiritual symbolism in mystical language
regardless of country of origin or religion.

In Hinduism the vermillion Tikka is applied to the forhead of a wife by her husband upon marraige to signify that he will protect her with his life's blood. It is also used to signify the desire to open the third eye of spiritual sight. (among other definitions)

In Judeo-Christian literature

"Only be sure that you eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and you may not eat the life with the flesh. Deuteronomy 12;23

and

"But flesh with its life, which is its blood, shall you not eat." Genesis 9;4

Milk is another of these words that are significant across cultures and religion

For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.Hebrews 5;13

I most often use the biblical texts themselves to find the meanings however as you can see, it's possible to search much further in trying to find the more gnostic meanings behind the use of various words.

I hope this small illustration is useful to you.

Dave, yes, it is this similar type of literature that can be found as a teaching tool in the Gnostic Gospels as well.












move to an infant drinking milk,
to a child on solid food,
to a searcher after wisdom,
to a hunter of more invisible game

[Lúthien]

I will read this with the attention it deserve. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I will

[Ginnie]

No worries, take your time.