Happy March 1st, 2025
... From a beautiful Soul...
Nature speaks louder than the call from the minaret.
Bowl of Saki, March 1, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
One may ask, what should one study? There are two kinds of studies. One kind is by reading the teachings of the great thinkers and keeping them in mind, the study of metaphysics, psychology, and mysticism. And the other kind of study is the study of life. Every day one has an opportunity for studying; but it should be a correct study. When a person travels in a tramcar, in the train, with a newspaper in his hand, he wants to read the sensational news which is worth nothing. He should read human nature which is before him, people coming and going. If he would continue to do this, he would begin to read human beings as though they were letters written by the divine pen, which speak of their past and future. He should look deeply at the heavens and at nature and at all the things to be seen in everyday life, and reflect upon them with the desire to understand. This kind of study is much superior, incomparably superior, to the study of books.
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VI/VI_15.htm
The deeper we look into life the more it unfolds itself, allowing us to see more keenly. Life is revealing. It is not only human beings who speak; if only the ears can hear even plants and trees and all nature speak, in the sense that nature reveals itself, reveals its secret. In this way we communicate with the whole of life. Then we are never alone, then life becomes worth living.
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/VI/VI_15.htm
Just as there is a communication between persons who love each other very much, so the sympathy of a person whose soul has unfolded itself is so awakened that not only every person but even every object begins to reveal its nature, its character and secret. To him every man is a written letter.
We hear stories of saints and sages who talked with rocks and plants and trees. They are not only stories; it is reality. It is also told of the apostles that at the moment when the Spirit descended upon them they began to speak many languages. When they understood so many languages, they understood the language of every soul. It means that the illuminated soul understands the language of every soul. And every soul has its own language. It is that which is called revelation.
All the teachings that the great prophets and teachers have given are only interpretations of what they have seen. They have interpreted in their own language what they have read from the manuscript of nature: that trees and plants and rocks spoke to them. Did nature only speak to those in the past? No, the soul of man is always capable of that bliss if he only realized it. Once the eyes of the heart are open, man begins to read every leaf of the tree as a page of the sacred Book.
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/XIV/XIV_2_19.htm
In the swinging of the branches, in the flying of the birds, and in the running of the water,
Beloved, I see Thy waving hand, bidding me good-bye.
In the cooing of the wind, in the roaring of the sea, and in the crashing of the thunder,
Beloved, I see Thee weep and I hear Thy cry.
In the promise of the dawn, in the breaking of the morn, in the smiles of the rose,
Beloved, I see Thy joy at my homecoming.
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/say/vadan_ragas.htm
Love for God is the expansion of the heart, and all actions that come from the lover of God are virtues; they cannot be otherwise.
Bowl of Saki, May 17, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
The Sufi establishes his relationship with God as the relationship between him and the Beloved. His worship of God is the expansion of the heart. His love for all beings and for every being is his love for God. He cannot find anyone to love except God, because he sees God in all. If his love is shown in devotion to parents, to wife, to children if it is shown to neighbors, to a friend or in tolerating enemies, the Sufi considers this as an action of his love towards God. In this way he fulfills in his life the teaching of the Bible, ' We live and move and have our being in God.'
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/IX/IX_36.htm
Jesus Christ not only told us to love our friends, but also, he went as far as to say we should love our enemies; and the Sufi treads the same path. He considers his charity of heart towards his fellow man to be love for God; and in showing love to everyone, he feels he is giving his love to God.
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/X/X_6.htm
Love for God is the expansion of the heart, and all actions that come from the lover of God are virtues; they cannot be otherwise. There is a different outlook on life when the love of God has filled a man's heart. The lover of God will not hate anyone; for he knows that by doing so he will hate the Creator by hating His creation. He cannot be insincere, he cannot be unfaithful; for he will think that to be faithful and sincere to mankind is to be faithful and sincere to God. You can always trust the lover of God, however impractical or however lacking in cleverness he may appear to be, for simply to hold strongly in mind the thought of God purifies the soul of all bitterness, and gives man a virtue that he could obtain nowhere else and by no other means.
from https://wahiduddin.net/mv2/III/III_IV_2.htm
~~~ Love for God is the expansion of the heart, and all actions that come from the lover of God are virtues; they cannot be otherwise.
Wonderful - thanks for sharing these profound truths as expressed so beautifully by the Sufi's.
The Universe may be summarised by a single word - LOVE.
"Love means to reach for the sky
and with every breath to tear a
hundred veils. Love means to step
away from the ego, to open the eyes
of inner vision and not to take this
world so seriously" ~ Rumi
And so much more, of the Heart.
Adrian, I love that poem by Rumi.
And I love the additional quote in your signature. I took a screen shot of your reply, it means a lot to me. Thank you.
The Rumi poem you shared in the post above... Is exactly the subject I was touching up on yesterday with a sweet and lovely friend.
What is God? I believe God is Love. A profound intelligence.
But what else? In this conversation yesterday we got to talk about a few things...
One of the most beautiful and contradictory/complicated things about human experience is the crystallization of beliefs.
We come in to this world free form preconceived notions. An infants expression is so pure and simple whether they are smiling, crying or laughing. And as we get older, we overwhelm ourselves with how we think we should be- with what is correct, what is the best way to be, how we think others should behave- how we should pray, how we should meditate, how we should eat, when we should do this, when we should do that- why we need to think in this manner, what it means when we talk to this person but not that person.
And the list goes on, and on, and on. And we've become quite accustomed to the weight of these impressions- not always aware of the noise happening in the background.
We think we will be happy if we achieve this perfect idea, and press a great anxiety on our minds when we deviate from these contrived thoughts.
But I realize-
The crystallization of beliefs is a part of the human saga. Not a negative. It's our holding on to the closest expression we have of God- of Truth. On a long enough timeline we see what certain tribes, societies and cultures have defined as beautiful. We can see what is considered worthy of praise. And not one thing is always the same. But we as individuals cling to what resonates most, and maybe explore baby steps here or there.
And this journey shows us we are not only meant to be infants. Perhaps it is better to strive for the ease in simple expression coupled with the wisdom attained through experience.
That is no easy task. As we get older, we find ourselves saying just how hard it is to Love our fellow man.
I think a key to liberation is in the poem from Rumi you decided to share above... So I thank you once again.
Love is simple. It is we who make it complicated. We have all experienced a love that transcends- that heals wounds, that forgives, that humbles the ignorant... and that is our driving force.
It's a beautiful thing, despite the mess we make of things... We don't need to condemn our fellows who hold on to that which brings them closest to PRESENCE... But often, we do(despite likewise holding on to some cherished ideas). We think we are so different from them- we have a different belief than they, so what they share repels or repulses us(sometimes unconsciously).
Yes I believe Love is simple... Strive, but allow yourself to be vulnerable. To be wrong, to be guided. Not always take things so seriously... Realize the blessings in simplicity, in spontaneity and have courage to live from the Heart.
May our compass point ever-Godward, to experience and Know Love.
Ultimately... I pray we always remember the relationship with God as ALIVE/LIVING. Everything else is as a shadow, and we try to bottle it time and time again.
Wonderful post Tides, and topic, and beautifully stated. The wisdom and message of the Sufi's is most profound, and worthy of further discussion. It is also very apparent how other religions and Spiritual traditions, such as Jesus are in complete alignment.
Ultimately all Spiritual traditions and messengers such as Jesus have one core, and most important message, that of Divine, Unconditional Love and our relationship with Source, God through the Heart, our fellow humans, and with life as a whole..
The meaning and purpose of lives - "incarnations" - on Earth is very simple - transcend the influence of the ego, to become One with the Heart, Divine Love. Then, and only then, can the path to Source, God, truly begin.
Plain and simple - to hate or dislike anyone, for any reason, is to hate or dislike God and self in the same degree.
Jesus taught this:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:
this is the first commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these. ~ Mark 12:30-31
Which is completely in alignment with the message of the Sufi's.
We have already discussed in this topic, the Sufi "expansiveness of the Heart", but Rumi states the meaning of life here on Earth very succinctly in the context of the need to first completely overcome the influence of the ego:
"Till man destroys "self" he is no true friend of God." ~ Rumi
By this he means, that until the ego, which identifies with self, is completely vanquished, there can be no true Spiritual progress on the Divine Path leading to One-ness with Source, God, in absolute terms.
Jesus said:
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. ~ Matthew 18:3
From birth to age 7 or so children generally have no ego and retain a close connection with Spirit, the Kingdom of Heaven. After that they become progressively indoctrinated by parents, schools and society into the "ways of the world", and the higher connection is lost as the ego progressively takes control
So, by "converted", he meant converted away from the ego back to the natural and original Unconditional Love, as a small child, and connection with Source, before the gateway to the true to path of full Source realisation can be realised .
So, although the Sufi's and Jesus where of different eras and circumstances, the message of the Heart is always the same.
If anyone has ever wondered how "prophets", messengers, avatars etc. such as Rumi and Jesus have the knowledge to teach as they do, the entire knowledge of the Universe is within everyone - but only through the Heart.
"A pure heart, open to the Light, will be filled with the elixir of Truth." ~ Rumi
Thanks Adrian,
It's as if the Living Spirit is affirming this very discussion, by having the "random" message from todays bowl of saki perfectly aligned with our discussion and thoughts... See for your self:
https://wahiduddin.net/saki/saki_date.php?m=5&d=18
But also interesting to note is... I am reminded of Moses who followed Al Khadir(an immortal mystic) in his travels... Al khadir was said to be executing the will of God, which included killing a person.
As a personality incarnate, I would not wish to humor such an act. However, the reasons for it are supposed in alignment with Gods Will.
It tells me that we do not understand the totality of God, Gods Will, and can not assume to know.
Likewise is the human expression a dazzling array of light, even if only of a particular bandwidth, full of contradictory forces. Separate but not.
I recognize our expression as mortal beings as one that evolves over time. And I acknowledge the Living Intelligence as not bound by linear reality. Interesting, puzzling. Collectively we are growing closer towards God Realization.
I believe it. And the Saki message I shared with you in the link above explains how we might rise with Love rather than Fall.
The eternal career- a journey of the ages... No matter the teachings, no matter what gets written- it is more important to feel the partnership with that Presence. Between creation and Creator. And our expression/of and with Infinite expression is clearly refined through time.
How beautiful to have been gifted free will to explore our desires and be granted experiential wisdom. Even in the face of contradictory forces, anything is possible.
Eternal career is a daunting and overwhelming thought... And still, I believe this is not the end- and there is an even greater realization of Love than what current civilizations and personal understanding display.
_____Peace friend <3