Rooming With Rumi

From the file of I-didn’t-realize-what-I-had-until-it-was-gone:

Last year, while in Turkey, we visited the city of Konya.  We visited a museum/shrine connected to Hazrati Mevlana, a Muslim mystic from the 1200’s.  The most intriguing bit of that day to me concerned the Whirling Dervishes, followers of Mevlana’s who practiced a unique form of dance as a spiritual exercise of submitting and uniting their spirits to God.  Odd my most standards around me, I found it touching.  Along that same day, a few mentions of the famous poet Rumi were made.  I confess that I was only marginally familiar with the name.

In the past twelve months, Rumi (aka Mevlana) has crossed my path a dozen times or more, I kid you not.  And the thought that we were in his tomb before I knew who he was–well, that’s a bit unfortunate!

But in a recent quest to stretch my reading list and to seek out something beautiful, I’ve come upon Rumi’s poetry.  A couple pieces that have initially resonated with me go like this:

All your stress and all of your troubles
are due to your reading your own letter all the time
and not listening to the melody of the Darling.

And:

Listen, O drop, give yourself up without regret,
and in exchange gain the Ocean.

Listen, O drop, bestow upon yourself this honour,
and in the arms of the Sea be secure.

Who indeed should be so fortunate?
An ocean wooing a drop!

In God’s name, in God’s name, sell and buy at once!
Give a drop, and take this Sea full of pearls.

Spoken Word (6/30)

Check this out. This form of worship expression strikes my chords.

It’s like the meeting place of Scripture reading, public prayer, artistic expression, finely-tuned language, rap, and more.

This first video introduces a woman named Amena Brown and some of her story.

This second video gives you a sampling of what I’m talking about. I hope it blesses you, as it did me.

Here’s one more if this is doing good things for you.

The Madness… Canada Style

It’s time…

For Canada’s version of March Madness. Hey, we do Thanksgiving a month later than the US… why not bump the Madness by thirty days as well?

So as we begin, a limerick…

The season has come and it’s gone.
It’s time to grow playoff beards long.
For nothing’s more manly,
Than the quest to kiss Stanley,
And to share in the joy of the Don.

Poem

Yesterday, I enjoyed a quiet corner in my favourite library in town.  In a prayerful moment, these words came to mind…

Lord, I am needy,
Always in need.
I’m joyed to be Yours,
I’m thrilled to be freed.
Longing to serve You,
Desiring to give,
Aware of the mystery:
To die is to live.

Above highest heavens,
Outside “our” domain,
You dwell in Your fullness,
Released, uncontained.
Creator of wonders,
You beckon us to
Our life, purpose, longing,
You call us to You.