From Rumi, with love

Local Opinion

Published Wednesday, August, 14, 2002 by Majid M. Naini

The "Rumi phenomenon" has taken the world by storm.
His poetry is read by people of all religions, quoted by Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer, recited by movie stars such as Demi Moore and Martin Sheen, and even sung by Madonna.
Who is this amazing mystic who has been the best selling poet in the U.S. for the past several years?
Rumi was a conservative theologian who lived around 750 years ago. Love transformed him into a liberated, euphoric Sufi poet who fervently fell in love with the Divine Creator and the whole universe.
Divine destiny placed in Rumi's path an old Sufi drifter, Shams of Tabriz, who guided him to the glorious path of love. Rumi had a lot to lose when he took his enormous gamble on love and followed Shams. However, this new majestic path elevated Rumi to the peak of such euphoria and enlightenment that nothing mattered to him anymore.
When Rumi threw off his turban and robe and started to whirl jubilantly, the most beautiful poetry poured from his lips.
Rumi, through his higher senses, experienced the most astonishing visions about the mechanism and structure of the universe, its realities and mysteries.
He described phenomena such as the creation of the universe, the origin of music, force of gravity, nuclear explosion, the sun's light, the spinning Earth and galaxies, matter and antimatter, our five higher senses, and many other scientific phenomena that scientists discovered many centuries later.
Above all, Rumi's poetry emphasizes love, the miraculous force that quickens the flow of the energy of our souls and allows us to soar to the highest state of ecstasy.
Rumi declares that love is the reason for the creation of the universe. Love makes mountains dance and the whole universe sing a heavenly song of divine unity.
Love surpasses all the boundaries of race, nationality, gender, religion, civilization, custom and culture. As love is universal, so is the truth. Human beings share the same magnificent journey of life in this universe and beyond.

I was dead,
I became alive.
I was tears,
I became laughter.
The majesty of love came,
And I became an everlasting majesty myself.

A lot of the so-called translations of Rumi's poetry are the work of people who do not know Rumi's language (Farsi) and do not fully comprehend Rumi's mystical culture and background.
As a result, sometimes the most important essence of Rumi's insight and teachings has been lost. Rumi's works are so profound that one can study them for many years, from several different perspectives, yet still find that some of his verses remain elusive. Although Rumi's poetry sometimes appears deceptively simple, it is actually very complex if one understands the deeper meanings of his verses and usage of words, rhythms, and parables.
Rumi's practical methods and teachings set forth a road map for human beings to reach the highest state of serenity and ecstasy. It is amazing that one who truly follows Rumi's insights and teachings, cannot only learn how to live happily in our troublesome world, but also peacefully and productively with oneself and others.
Rumi shows how to appreciate the wonderful journey of life in time and space on this earth and beyond.

A Delray Beach resident, Dr. Naini has a written a book about Rumi called "Mysteries of the Universe and Rumi's Discoveries on the Majestic Path of Love," He will speak about the mystical poet at a workshop Friday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Science of Mind Center, 2 S.W. 12th Ave., Boca Raton. The phone number is 368-8248. www.naini.net

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