Thinking of Rumi

In many parts of the Muslim world, and particularly among the Sufis the death of a saint becomes the time for memorializing, similar to the celebration of the death of a saint among the Christian Churches. The term is “urs” and means wedding, the final joining of the mortal and the divine.

While it appears this is not widely observed in contemporary Turkey, nonetheless this is the date that has come to be marked as the Urs of my favorite of all Sufi saints, Jellaludin Rumi. By contemporary reckoning Rumi died on this day in 1273.

But, of course, he does live on…

Perhaps Rumi is best known in the west as a poet. And, my goodness, he deserves to remembered as one of the greatest poets of wisdom. As perhaps becomes obvious in this Coleman Barks adaptation of A. J. Arberry’s translation.

When it’s cold and raining,
You are more beautiful.

And the snow brings me
even closer to your lips.

The inner secret, that which was never born,
you are that freshness, and I am with you now.

I can’t explain the goings,
or the comings. You enter suddenly,

and I am nowhere again.
Inside the Majesty.

But he was also the founder of a tariqah, a spiritual Order. In additional to what is becoming the standard “first look,” the Wikipedia article, here is a nice summary history from a “liberal” branch of the movement. (I just love the Zen connection to their teacher…)

Here is the “official” Rumi family webpage.

Here is a link to an electronic school devoted to Masnavi studies.

I’m aware of two “liberal” schools in Rumi’s lineage that teach in the West, three if the Dervish Retreat Center isn’t formally connected to the Mevlevi Order of America. In addition there is the Threshold Society. I suspect there are more, as well…