Spiritual masters. Rumi, Kabir and Hafez. Though born in different lands and centuries, their poetry shares a spiritual resonance, that transcends time and culture. Lal Ded of India, Meera, Rabia and Saint Francis. "Last night, the cup-bearer’s song
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Spiritual masters. Rumi, Hafez, Kabir and Lalla, Meera and Rabia. Also: Saint Francis and John of the Cross. -------------------------------------------- Kabir was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, born in or near Varanasi, who is celebrated for his powerful verses that cut across the boundaries of religion and caste. Though his origins are shrouded in legend—some say he was the child of a Muslim weaver— Kabir grew to become a voice of spiritual rebellion, questioning both Hindu and Islamic rituals while calling for a direct, personal experience of the divine. His dohas (couplets) are simple yet profound, filled with metaphors drawn from everyday life, urging people to look beyond external practices and discover God within their own hearts. Kabir’s fearless and universal message of love, truth, and unity has made him one of India’s most beloved saints and poets, with his songs still sung by seekers across generations. From an early age, Kabir showed a restless spirit, seeking the truth beyond temple bells and mosque calls. He is said to have longed for the guidance of a true master and eventually became a disciple of the great Hindu sage Ramananda, though the story says Kabir did not undergo formal initiation. Instead, he received a single divine word from Ramananda—“Ram”—which became his mantra of love for the formless God. Kabir lived simply, weaving cloth by day and composing verses that pierced through the hypocrisy of both Hindus and Muslims. He would ride his small donkey through the narrow lanes of Kashi (now Varanasi), singing his bold dohas (couplets) that urged people to look within themselves for God, rather than in rituals or dogma. The people called him Kabir Das, the servant of the Infinite. Neither Hindu nor Muslim, Kabir was loved and feared for his fearless words. He called for unity, declaring that God is one, beyond name and form. His followers grew among common villagers, saints, and mystics alike. He died around 1518, Toward the end of his life, Kabir moved to Maghar. A tomb and samadhi both exist in Maghar, showing Hindu and Muslim reverence for him. "I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. --------------------------------------------- Hafez Themes of his ghazals include the laments of the lover to the Beloved, many profound spiritual nuggets of Truth and poetic depiction of the stages of inner attainment, as well as an unabashed criticism of hypocrisy. In his ghazals, Hafez deals with subjects like wine (metaphor for divine love), taverns (places of gathering for aspirants), Saqi (wine-bearer, Master), shedding tears of blood (intense longing for the Beloved), and so much more, all representing aspects of the human journey, whether interpreted in the worldly sense or in the voice of the lover of God who has renounced the attractions of the world in exchange for spiritual ecstasy, freedom from orthodoxy, and ultimate union with the real Self (God), which is the destiny of all beings, and the true purpose of life. The Tavern of Ruin Last night I went to the tavern of ruin, There, in the shattered walls of my heart, What need have I for heaven or hell, ---------------------------- Hafez HAFEZ POETRY ... Book and more info on Hafez ----------------------------------------- Rumi, born in 1207 in present-day Afghanistan, was a Sufi mystic, poet, and theologian who became one of the most widely read and loved spiritual poets in the world. After meeting his spiritual guide, Shams of Tabriz, Rumi’s life was transformed, and his poetry began to flow with ecstatic love for the divine. His magnum opus, the Masnavi, often called the "Quran in Persian," is a vast collection of stories, parables, and teachings about the soul’s journey toward union with God. Rumi’s poetry, filled with the imagery of longing, music, dance, and love, transcends religious boundaries, speaking directly to the heart of anyone seeking truth. Today, Rumi’s verses continue to inspire people globally, celebrated for their timeless wisdom and universal call to divine love and unity. "The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along". Rumi. Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, known simply as Rumi, was born in 1207 in the city of Balkh, in present-day Afghanistan, though his family fled westward due to the threat of Mongol invasions. After years of travel through cities like Nishapur, Baghdad, and Mecca, his family eventually settled in Konya, in present-day Turkey, which was then part of the Seljuk Empire. Rumi became a prominent Islamic scholar, theologian, and mystic in Konya, but his life was transformed by his meeting with the wandering dervish Shams of Tabriz, whose companionship awakened in him a deep and poetic longing for the divine. After Shams’ mysterious disappearance, Rumi turned increasingly inward, composing thousands of verses of spiritual poetry. He died in Konya in 1273, where his tomb—now a major pilgrimage site—is part of the Mevlana Museum, attracting admirers from around the world. "The Guest House" This being human is a guest house. A joy, a depression, a meanness, — Jalal al-Din Rumi ================================ Rabia, Meera, and Lalla — women saints whose poetry of divine love has echoed through the centuries, touching hearts and guiding seekers on the path to God. -------------------------------------------- Rabia al-Adawiyya " Brothers, my peace is in my aloneness. My Beloved is alone with me there, always. I have found nothing in all the worlds that could match His love, this love that harrows the sands of my desert. If I come to die of desire and my Beloved is still not satisfied, I would live in eternal despair. To abandon all that He has fashioned and hold in the palm of my hand certain proof that he loves me- That is the name and the goal of my search."... Meera Bai - Mihira. and Her Lord Krishna: " I am dyed in the color of my beloved. I have given up everything for him— my family, my honor, my pride. — Meera Bai Lalla (Lalleshwari) "Lord I 've never known who I really am, or you. I threw my love away on this lousy carcass and I never figured it out: You'r me, I'm you. All I ever did was doubt: Who am I? Who are you? " Lal Ded Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-WDEG2ts6c&t=24 ============================== St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1224) St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1181–1226) was born into a wealthy merchant family in Assisi, Italy. As a young man, he lived a carefree and worldly life until a series of spiritual experiences led him to renounce his wealth and devote himself completely to God. Embracing a life of poverty, humility, and service, he cared for the poor and the sick, preached peace, and regarded all creatures as his brothers and sisters. He founded the Franciscan Order, which emphasized simplicity, compassion, and a deep love for nature. He died in 1226. He is remembered as the patron saint of animals and the natural world. 'The Canticle of the Sun' " Praised be You, my Lord, .......with all Your creatures, Especially Sir Brother Sun, ....... through Sister Moon and the stars, ....... through Brother Wind, And through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, Through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures. ........ through Sister Water, ........ through Brother Fire, Through whom You light the night, ........ through our Sister Mother Earth, ================================ St. John of the Cross (1542–1591, Spain) In the stillness of night, John of the Cross walked the narrow path of the soul’s surrender. A Carmelite monk and poet, he wrote of the dark night — not as despair, but as the hidden passage through which the soul is stripped of all it clings to, His verses are filled with longing, like a lover seeking the Beloved, yet beneath them flows the quiet certainty that union is nearer than breath. For John, the night was not absence but preparation, a tender silence in which God’s presence dawns more fully. |