The Spiritual Journey: From Rumi’s Mesnevī, Part 2 of 2

Here, the venerated Master Rumi expounds on the importance of finding God and our inner self through the story of a Roman ambassador’s journey to an enlightened Master who helps him open his heart to God.

“[…] The ambassador now asked: ‘Of true believers, Prince! How can a soul from Heaven come down to Earth’s province; How can so great a bird be cooped up in a cage?’

He answered: ‘God speaks words of power, most sage. Those words, addressed to nothings without eyes or ears, Set them in motion. Like a ferment, fruit it bears. Those words no sooner spoken, quick those nothings all In motion put themselves, and reach existence’ hall. Or He commands these beings, creatures of His own; And they return to nothing, whence He them had drawn. […]

The hesitations of each puzzled child of thought Arise from some enigma by which God’s him caught. On horns of a dilemma is he fixed, poor man. “Shall I do this,” says he, “when it’s opposite, I can?” From God, too, is the power to make selection’s choice Of two solutions. One is taken, through inward voice. Would thou be always free from hesitation, fool? Stuff not thy mind’s ear tight with doubt’s dull cotton-wool; That thou may solve the riddles God may set for thee; That thou may understand the full of mercy free. Then shall thy heart receive His inspiration’s gift, A power of speaking from an inward impulse’ drift. The ear and eye of soul are organs not of sense; The ears of sense and mind are not like soul’s, intense. The word “compulsion” puts me out of humor quite. Who has not love of God, compulsion’s servant’s, by right. […]

Ask not how copper vile, by wise alchemist’s are, Is changed to gold when solved by elixir in part. Election and compulsion, fancies both, in thee; But when by saints they’re viewed, God’s glory may they be. Upon the table, bread’s a lifeless, senseless mass; When taken in man’s mouth, the soul it joins, in class.

On table, transubstantiation takes not place; The soul it is transforms it, nourished by God’s grace. Such is the soul’s great power; most perspicacious man, So long as that soul-life and power retain can. A human being, mass of mingled flesh and blood, Moved by the Lord, can cleave hill, dale, mine, perspicacious and sea’s flood. The strength of strongest man can merely split a stone; The Power that informs man’s soul can cleave the moon. If man’s heart but untie the mouth of mystery’s sack, His soul soon soars aloft beyond the starry track. […]’”