October 26, 2004

Silence

Words split apart, Silence unites. Words scatter, Silence gathers together. Words stir up, Silence brings peace. Words engender denial, Silence invites even the denier to find fresh hope in the confident expectation of a mystery which can be accomplished within. In my active silence, I shall prepare myself to hear the Silence of God.

Pierre Lacout, God is Silence

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hello Meredith.

I noticed on your profile you have an interest in Rumi. I've had another Quakerly Friend speak fondly of Rumi.

What can you tell me about Rumi?

Meredith said...

Dear Kwakersaur,

It is sweet that you express interest in Rumi. I love Rumi because his poetry, written in a style reminiscent of poetic love letters, takes me to the heart of God, to my very own heart. He speaks to sacred truth deep within me.

Rumi was a great mystic of Islam, born in 1207, who founded the Mevlevi order of Sufis. One thing that makes Rumi unique is that Rumi honored all paths that lead to union with the divine. Therefore, he is like a true spiritual friend who honors whatever path you are on. I find the poetry of Rumi to be quietly brilliant. It has been said that "Rumi was the intellect of Plato, the vision and soul-force of a Christ and a Buddha, and the exquisite, extraordinary literary genius of a Shakespeare." Hanut

Rumi gives us a luminous challenge to realize “that the voice singing through him of divine love and divine identity is, in fact, our own voice, and the secret voice of every human soul in communion with God…”

“Lo, I am with you always,”
means when you look for God,
God is in the look of your eyes,
in the thought of looking,
nearer to you than your self
or things that happen to you.
Rumi

Rumi says: Ecstatic love is an ocean, and the Milky Way
is a flake of foam floating on it.

This is just a taste – there is so much more. I invite you to check out Essential Rumi, or any other of the numerous books of Rumi poetry translations. You may have an experience of loving God and of being loved by God that you never quite imagined before. Ahhh, Kwakersaur, a whole new world awaits you…

Meredith

Kasia said...

Thanks for Rumi He is very important to me. Kasia Dabrowa, Poland