Sufi Poetry

[janielee]

The Stairway of Existence

We
Are not
In pursuit of formalities
Or fake religious
Laws,

For through the stairway of existence
We have come to God’s
Door.

We are
People who need to love, because
Love is the soul’s life,

Love is simply creation’s greatest joy.

Through
The stairway of existence,
O, through the stairway of existence, Hafiz

Have
You now come,
Have we all now come to
The Beloved’s
Door.

~ Hafiz

[sentient]

:smile:

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.

https://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-lovers-don-t-finally-meet-somewhere-they-re-in-each-other-all-along-rumi-36-59-25.jpg
*

[janielee]

“Still in the dark womb how could he imagine the indescribable majesty of this world? In the same way, when the mystics speak of worlds beyond scent and color, the common man deafened by greed and blinded by self-interest cannot grasp their reality.”

― Jalaluddin Rumi, Rumi's Little Book of Life: The Garden of the Soul, the Heart, and the Spirit

[Uma]

These are beautiful janilee - I love the romantic spirit of the divinely besotted

[janielee]

Same, Uma. The beauty is effervescent.

[Miss Hepburn]

I went looking for Him
And lost myself;
The drop merged with the Sea --
Who can find it now?

Looking and looking for Him
I lost myself;
The Sea merged with the drop --
Who can find it now?

-Kabir

[dybmh]

Thank you for posting these. I am not familiar with Sufi Poetry. It was recommended by a friend, but my to-be-read book list is very long... It's a good problem to have. :) This thread has inspired me to read more Sufi poetry. Subscribed and rated. Many thanks.

[Miss Hepburn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKAFFqthFzk


Rumi to music

[Miss Hepburn]

When you see my corpse
is being carried
don't cry for my leaving
I'm not leaving
I'm arriving at eternal love.


~Rumi

[Untersberg56]

Seekest thou Layla
When She in thee is manifest? (1)

Thou countest Her other,
Yet other than thee She is not. (2)

(1) Moroccan Sufi poet Mhd.al-Itarraq
(2) Bughyat a-Mushtaq, p.170 Bulag, 1881

"Whoever, then, is of the chosen and predestinate will have the Blessed Virgin living within him, and he will let Her plant in his very soul the roots of every virtue." (3)

(3) St Louis Marie de Montfort: The Secret of Mary.

[Miss Hepburn]

I wish I could show you when you
are lonely or in darkness,
the astonishing light
of your own being.


~Hafiz

[TheGlow]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQh7fr53Xy0&feature=youtu.be

This is one of my favourite songs. The lyrics are a rumi poem, or part of it.
Sung in Persian it moves you without even knowing the words.
Mind you the words make it even better.

Translation is apparently inexact so here are a few.

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/man-o-you-and-i.html#songtranslation

Joyous, blissful moment, sitting on the porch, you and I
Two forms, two faces, yet one soul together, you and I
Cast aside absurd stories and nonsense, you and I
You and I united as one in the ecstasy and delight


------------------------------------------The poem in full translated
One Soul, You and I
Ghazal 22141
23477 That moment (is) joyous and blessed when we are sitting
(together) in the veranda, you and I; with two forms and faces,
(yet) with one soul, you and I.

The gifts of the orchard and the speech of the birds will offer (us)
the Water of (Eternal) Life2 (at) the moment when we come into
the garden, you and I.

The stars of the (night) sky will come as our observers, (and) we
will reveal the moon itself3 to them, you and I.

23480 You and I, devoid of "you" and "I" due to extreme joy and
delight,4 will be united (in friendship); (we will be) happy and
without concern about absurd stories and distracting nonsense,5
you and I.

All the parrots of the sky will be (happily) chewing sugar6 in a
place where we will laugh in such a way, you and I.

This is (even) more astonishing: that you and I (are) in one corner
here, (yet) in this moment we are both in `Irâq and Khorâsân,7 you
and I.

23483 (We have) one form on this earth and another form on that
(world) in everlasting Paradise and the (Home) Land of Sugar,8
You and I.

--From The Dîwân-é Kabîr (also known as "Kulliyat-é Shams" and
"Dîwân-é Shams-é Tabrîz") of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard, 7/12/03
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)

Notes on the text, with line number:

1Ghazal 2214: Compare to: the translation by R. A. Nicholson,
"Selected Poems from the Dîvâni Shamsi Tabrîz," no. 38, p. 153,
1898 (based on an older, inferior text); the translation by A. J.
Arberry, "Mystical Poems of Rumi: Second Selection, " no. 280, p.
64, 1979 (based on the oldest manuscripts); the translation by
Annemarie Schimmel, "Look! This is Love - Poems of Rumi,"
1991; the version by Jonathan Star (based a translation by Shahram
Shiva), "A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of
Rumi," p. 141, 1992.

2(23478) the Water of (Eternal) Life: a legendary stream which
bestows immortality upon those who drink from it. A frequent
image in Rumi's poetry, symbolizing eternal spiritual joy.

3(23479) the moon itself: means a beautiful radiance will be shown
to the stars about which they have never known, similar to the
luminous beauty of the full moon (but a spiritual illumination).

4(23480) devoid of "you" and "I" due to extreme joy and delight:
means the state of ecstatic consciousness that occurs during
moments when the personal and separate self or ego passes away
in "annihilation" [fanâ].

5(23480) absurd stories and distracting nonsense: may refer to the
gossip circulated by disciples and the people in the town of Konya
where Rumi lived--many of whom were jealous because of Rumi's
devotion toward his beloved spiritual master, Shams-i Tabrizi.

6(23481) chewing sugar: parrots were rewarded with sugar when
teaching them to speak. "Sugar-chewing parrots" is a frequent
image in Rumi's poetry, symbolizing the bliss of the souls blessed
by God.

7(23482) `Irâq and Khorâsân: the first country is in the Near East,
the second in Central Asia (eastern Iran extending into
Afghanistan)

8(23483) the (Home) Land of Sugar: means eternal delight and
enjoyment in Paradise. The meaning here is that Rumi's soul is
united with Shams' soul in a state of Heavenly bliss, while at the
same time their physical bodies are in different locations.

[Miss Hepburn]

If I Adore You

–
If I adore You out of fear of Hell,
Burn me in Hell!
If I adore you out of desire for Paradise,
Lock me out of Paradise.
But if I adore you for Yourself alone,
Do not deny to me Your eternal beauty.
Rabia al-Basri
–

[Wally]

The Stairway of Existence

We
Are not
In pursuit of formalities
Or fake religious
Laws,

For through the stairway of existence
We have come to God’s
Door.

We are
People who need to love, because
Love is the soul’s life,

Love is simply creation’s greatest joy.

Through
The stairway of existence,
O, through the stairway of existence, Hafiz

Have
You now come,
Have we all now come to
The Beloved’s
Door.

~ Hafiz
fake religious laws? I wouldnt call them fake.
Not a fan of legalism but also not a fan of disrespecting the laws. Laws are there for a reason. To guide us. Not browbeat us.

[JosephineB]

I have a lovely book with Rumi's love poems. Which one to choose :-)

All the precious words
you and I have exchanged
have found their way
into the heart of the universe
one day they'll pour on us
like whispering rain
helping us arise
from our roots again

Rumi

[Miss Hepburn]

My body is flooded
With the flame of Love.
My soul lives in
A furnace of bliss.

Love's fragrance
Fills my mouth,
And fans through all things
With each outbreath.


~Kabir

[JosephineB]

I shall talk to you
with no words
I shall whisper to you
no ears will hear
even if among the crowd
I tell my story
I know my tales
can only nest in your ears

Rumi

[TheGlow]

I have a lovely book with Rumi's love poems. Which one to choose :-)

All the precious words
you and I have exchanged
have found their way
into the heart of the universe
one day they'll pour on us
like whispering rain
helping us arise
from our roots again

Rumi

Beautiful!

[janielee]

+1

Sufi poets and mystics = Beautiful

[JosephineB]

Lets have another look in the book.

you are the letter
written by God
you are the mirror
that reflects the divine
seek inside for
all you want is all you are
there is nothing
above and beyond

Rumi

[Taking a Break]

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.

[sentient]

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.

Thank you for that blast from the past :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj5DfpuvJZE

*

[Taking a Break]

Thank you for that blast from the past :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj5DfpuvJZE

*
That was too fast :laughing9: :laughing6: :laughing1:

:wav:

[sentient]

That was too fast :laughing9: :laughing6: :laughing1:



What can I say, without giving too much away ....

- Was good .....:smile:

:wav:

[Miss Hepburn]

Thy Spirit is mingled in my spirit
even as wine is mingled with pure water.
When anything touches Thee,
it touches me.
Lo, in every case Thou art I!

al-Hallaj, Kitab al-Tawasin,

[Miss Hepburn]

God and I have become like
two giant fat people living in a tiny boat.
We keep bumping into each other and laughing.

-Hafiz

[Miss Hepburn]

To get what you love
You must be patient with what you hate.

~Al-Ghazali
d. 1111 CE, Sunni Mystic

(CE=Christian Era, btw)

[sentient]

This Aloneness
This aloneness is worth more than a thousand lives.
This freedom is worth more than all the lands on earth.
To be one with the truth for just a moment,
Is worth more than the world and life itself.


There is a loneliness
more precious than life.
There is a freedom
more precious than the world.
Infinitely more precious
than life and the world
is that moment when one is alone with God.

― Rumi

[Miss Hepburn]

What is seen is not the Truth
What is cannot be said
Trust comes not without seeing
Nor understanding without words
The wise comprehends with knowledge
To the ignorant it is but a wonder
Some worship the formless God
Some worship His various forms
In what way He is beyond these attributes
Only the Knower knows
That music cannot be written
How can then be the notes
Says Kabir, awareness alone will overcome illusion.

[JosephineB]

:icon_flower:

You're like a flower
Born from the
Essence of laughter
Good fortune & happiness
You're free & luscious
Like a blossoming branch

Rumi

[Miss Hepburn]

Tilok Chand Mehroom from The Portrait of Mercy:

"To honour you is to honour all existence Guru Nanak
Your luminosity illuminates every particle Guru Nanak
Your estate endows the intoxication of enlightenment Guru Nanak
Your writings are the summit of worshipping truth Guru Nanak
Divine mercy streams down from your portrait Guru Nanak
Is it your portrait or is it a replica of kindness
Is it your portrait or is it an imprint of reality
Is it your portrait or is it an evidence of nobility
Is it your portrait or is it comfort for a troubled heart
Divine mercy streams down from your portrait Guru Nanak"

[Miss Hepburn]

There is some kiss we want
with our whole lives,
the touch of Spirit on the body.

Seawater begs the pearl
to break its shell.
And the lily, how passionately
it needs some wild Darling!

At night, I open the window
and ask the moon to come
and press its face against mine.
Breathe into me.
Close the language-door,
and open the love-window.

The moon won't use the door,
only the window.


Rumi
d. 1273

[JosephineB]

There is some kiss we want
with our whole lives,
the touch of Spirit on the body.

Seawater begs the pearl
to break its shell.
And the lily, how passionately
it needs some wild Darling!

At night, I open the window
and ask the moon to come
and press its face against mine.
Breathe into me.
Close the language-door,
and open the love-window.

The moon won't use the door,
only the window.


Rumi
d. 1273



:love9: that!

[sky]

Go sweep out the chamber of your heart.
Make it ready to be the dwelling place of the Beloved.
When you depart out, He will enter it.
In you, void of yourself, will He display His beauties.


Mahmud Shabistari.

[janielee]

No More Leaving

At
Some point
Your relationship
With God
Will
Become like this:

Next time you meet Him in the forest
Or on a crowded city street

There won't be anymore

"Leaving."

That is,

God will climb into
Your pocket.

You will simply just take

Yourself

Along!

From: 'The Gift'
Translated by Daniel Ladinsky

[Miss Hepburn]

Spring and all its flowers
By Hafiz
(1320 - 1389)


Spring and all its flowers
now joyously break their vow of silence.
It is time for celebration, not for lying low;
You too -- weed out those roots of sadness from your heart.

The Sabaa wind arrives;
and in deep resonance, the flower
passionately rips open its garments,
thrusting itself from itself.

The Way of Truth, learn from the clarity of water,
Learn freedom from the spreading grass.

Pay close attention to the artistry of the Sabaa wind,
that wafts in pollen from afar,
And ripples the beautiful tresses
of the fields of hyacinth flowers.

From the privacy of the harem, the virgin bud slips out,
revealing herself under the morning star,
branding your heart and your faith
with beauty.

And frenzied bulbul flies madly out of the House of Sadness
to unite with the flowers;
its love-crazed cry like a thousand-trumpet blast.

Hafez says, and the experienced old ones concur:

All you really need
is to tell those Stories
of the Fair Ones and the Goblet of Wine.

[Miss Hepburn]

We carry inside us
The wonder we seek
outside us.

-Rumi

[Miss Hepburn]

Friend, our closeness is this: anywhere you put your foot,
feel me in the firmness under you.

Rumi

[Miss Hepburn]

Lifting up the curtain, I have seen.

Kabir says: “Listen, my friend! there is no other satisfaction,
save in the encounter with the Beloved.”

[BigJohn]

                   "What you seek is seeking you."


                                                                 Rumi

[BigJohn]

‮
        I choose to love you in silence, for in silence I find no rejection.

I choose to love you in loneliness, for in loneliness no one owns you but me.

I choose to adore you from a distance. For distance will shield me from pain.

     I choose to kiss you in the wind, for the wind is gentler than my lips.

 I choose to hold you in my dreams, for me in dreams, you have no ends.

[BigJohn]

"If all you can do is crawl, start crawling."

                                                          Rumi

[BigJohn]

"You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.
                  You have wings.
           Learn to use them and fly."


                                                            Rumi

[BigJohn]

Anything which is more than our necessity is poison.

                         It may be power,
                                wealth,
                               hunger,
                                 ego,
                               greed,
                             laziness,
                                love,
                            ambition,
                      hate or anything.

                                                                            Rumi

[Miss Hepburn]

Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find
all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.

-Rumi

[BigJohn]

                                          This being human is a guest house.
                                             Every morning is a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor…
                                            Welcome and entertain them all.
                                                Treat each guest honorably.
  The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
          Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.


                                                                                          ⁃℺                                        ℛꭒꭑℹ

[BigJohn]

                                                      Sorrow prepares you for joy.

              It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter.

It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place.



                                                                              ⁃℺                                                                    ℛꭒꭑℹ

[BigJohn]

This silence, this moment, every moment, if it’s genuinely inside you, brings what you need.
                                            There’s nothing to believe.

              Only when I stopped believing in myself did I come into this beauty.
                   Sit quietly, and listen for a voice that will say, ‘Be more silent.’


                                                Die and be quiet.
                               Quietness is the surest sign that you’ve died.

                             Your old life was a frantic running from silence.
                                 Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.

                                                     Live in silence.



                                  ⁃℺                                                                    ℛꭒꭑℹ

[Miss Hepburn]

How did the rose ever open its heart
And give to this world all its beauty?
It felt the encouragement of light
Against its being.
Otherwise, we all remain
Too frightened.


- Hafez (or Hafiz)

[BigJohn]

                                           “It is not easy to stop thinking ill of others.

Usually one must enter into a friendship with a person who has accomplished that great feat himself.
                               Then something might start to rub off on you of that true elegance.”

                                                                                                                                                 Hafez

[BigJohn]

I’ve been looking for a long, long time,
          for this thing called love,
    I’ve ridden comets across the sky,
    and I’ve looked below and above.

  Then one day I looked inside myself,
            and this is what I found,
          a golden sun residing there,
    beaming forth God’s light and sound.

[Miss Hepburn]

I wish I could show you,
When you are lonely or in the darkness,
The Astonishing Light
Of your own Being!

Hafiz 14th c

[Miss Hepburn]

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
― Rumi

[Cally31]

This Aloneness
This aloneness is worth more than a thousand lives.
This freedom is worth more than all the lands on earth.
― Rumi Absolutely beautiful ... this touches my soul, many thanks :hug2: