I tried to find Him on the Christian cross, but He was not there;
I went to the temple of the Hindus and to the old pagodas, but I could not find a trace of Him anywhere.
I searched on the mountains and in the valleys, but neither in the heights nor in the depths was I able to find Him.
I went to the Kaaba in Mecca, but He was not there either.
I questioned the scholars and philosophers, but He was beyond their understanding.
I then looked into my heart, and it was there where He dwelled that I saw Him;
He was nowhere else to be found.
-Jalaluddin Rumi, poet and mystic (1207-1273)
9/07/2007
into my heart
A provocative thought from Rumi, sent to me by a Friend today:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I like that quote because it goes with some thoughts I've had lately. I'm finally accepting that nobody can interpret my spiritual experiences for me. Having grown up in Mormonism where I was spoon-fed all of the "right" answers and interpretations of my experiences, this is a really big thing for me to accept! I've read about many different religious traditions, and the one golden thread through them all is that peace, joy, and love come from finding the greatest treasure: unconditional love. I can call unconditional love whatever I want (God, Jesus, etc.), but experiencing and accepting this love inside of me, and sending this love to others is more important than any label I can give it.
wildhorses:
Thank you so much for your thoughts...it's satisfying to know that there are others on this same path.
I agree that unconditional love overrides orthodoxy (of any stripe)and/or dogma. It's so liberating and satisfying to truly understand this...
I liked quote of Sufi Jalaluddin Rumi. It is always refreshing to read such mystical poems.
Post a Comment