Friday, March 11, 2011

A Full Year of Rumi Readings



Was there a beginning to this journey? Is there an end?

I began to post daily readings here from the book A Year with Rumi on March 11, 2010. Odd, I know, to start in the third month of the year, but what can I say, I'm a late bloomer. I have now completed a full year of posts. Rumi said:


Do not grieve. Anything you lose
comes round in another form. 

As ever, I will continue at my main blog, the eclectic synch-ro-ni-zing, where I express my own deeply felt connections with the world, as well as at the blog that the artful and soulful Lorenzo of The Alchemist's Pillow and I co-host, A Year with Rilke, where the readings of poems and prose excerpts by Rainer Maria Rilke and commenter discussions are as spiritually resonant as anything I've found in Rumi. I heartily invite you to these blogs where you will be most welcome to read quietly or add to the discussions.

I have loved the quiet meditation of typing up Rumi's words via Coleman Barks' earthy and sublimely unpretentious translations, and I will miss the practice. But now, I can come and read them again, meeting them like new friends.

You can still read daily. You can enter a date in the search box on the sidebar to find the reading for a given day of the year.  I have formatted the archives daily, so you can click on 2010, then October, then October 11, for example. This way, you can continue to read Rumi daily if you wish. Search poem titles, words and phrases in the "Search the Archives" box on the sidebar. Unfortunately, you can't search dates, since they are not in the text of the posts, and therefore dates such as "October 11" are not searchable.

I feel obliged to plug the book these readings are from. Click on the book on the sidebar to go to the publisher's page. The book is available online and on land in local bookstores.

Thank you for riding with me here in this caravan of rubies and sunrises, in which we stop off each evening in a different caravanserai . . .

Come, come, whoever you are.
Wanderer, idolator, worshipper of fire, come even though
you have broken your vows a thousand times,
Come, and come yet again. Ours is not a caravan of despair.

~ Jalal ad-Dīn Muhammad Rumi


The lines above are inscribed
on Rumi's shrine in Konya, Turkey.
Followers of Rumi call the day he passed away,
December 17, 1273,
his "Wedding Night"
because he was united with the Beloved.

This epitaph is also there,
and again are his words:

When we are dead,
seek not our tomb in the earth,
but find it in the hearts of men.


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28 comments:

  1. dsMarch 11, 2011 at 1:02 AM

    I will miss your Rumi (but I have another of Barks's collections to stay in the caravan). Thank you for having done this, Ruth.

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  2. Dan GurneyMarch 11, 2011 at 1:23 AM

    Thank you, Ruth! It has been a enriching journey. See you over on Rilke's blog!

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  3. Lorenzo — Alchemist's PillowMarch 11, 2011 at 2:29 AM

    What a beautiful journey it's been and now we stop at the caravanserai and plot out new treks. I have read every single day's entry and am much the richer for it. I will probably do a daily re-reading, as I find that revisiting a post always brings me something new as in, say, the day you give as an example, October 11th, which, you cannot deny me, is just another day and yet so special, full of wine and dangerous ecstasies; or in, say, another day, August 22nd for example, with its kabob and wine and cat-and-lamb games.

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  4. whoMarch 11, 2011 at 3:51 AM

    I think I should make it clear to people who continue to read these posts Ruth, that I honestly thought you were writing these poems daily just to mess with me. So I hope that it will be known I was not convinced you were actually, daily, posting pages of the book until I had my own copy to verify.

    I know this sounds completely irrational and out of character for me, so that is why I feel the circumstances should be reiterated if people keep reading.

    and thank you Ruthi, for sharing your Rumi

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  5. ElisabethMarch 11, 2011 at 5:25 AM

    Thank you for a year of Rumi, Ruth. It has been a pleasure. I feel privileged to have read the great poet day after day, week after week and month after month.

    At least we will still be able to read Rumi's words elsewhere, as you say, and find you on your blog.

    Thanks again, Ruth, for your generosity in sharing Rumi with us.

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  6. DasMarch 11, 2011 at 5:51 AM

    Thank you Ruth.

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  7. Grandmother MaryMarch 11, 2011 at 6:41 AM

    This ending makes me sad. Thank you for shring Rumi for a year; I love his poetry. I'm sad to lose it so I will revisit.

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  8. FrikoMarch 11, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    The journey has come to an end and, as you say, it is possible to lean back on a comfortable divan and immerse oneself at leisure in the heart of Rumi.

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  9. Katherine KrigeMarch 11, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    You did a great service to highlight this fabulous poet. I enjoyed the poetry, even though I only found your blog late in your year. Good luck with your other ventures.

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  10. nazeletMarch 12, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Ah, there is no end. I have decided to download this wonderful journey with Rumi into my Itouch, always at my fingertips. Each reading uncovers another layer for me. Since I am downloading today, I will begin 12 March 2011. But there is no beginning middle or end... so 12 March is fine. Some days we chose for ourselves and some are chosen for us - maybe it's the same thing.
    Thank you. Blessings

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  11. The Solitary WalkerMarch 13, 2011 at 4:36 AM

    This was a fine enterprise, Ruth, and Blogworld has been the richer for it. Thanks for taking the time and the trouble. But it was no trouble, I'm sure, as I know it was a labour of love.

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  12. GeorgeMarch 14, 2011 at 5:12 PM

    Sorry I was late to the game on this one, Ruth, but I applaud what you have done with Rumi. Now on with Rilke and a hundred new projects for your questing heart. Thanks for shining a light on the light of others.

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  13. sandyMarch 15, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    I have been so busy with the "house" stuff and grandkids I didn't get here in the last months. Good to know this will still be up so I can peek in.

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  14. Carmen Troncoso BaezaMarch 31, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    Ruth
    All of I read about Rumi is wonderful, I really appreciate A year with Rumi, it is a great experiencie,

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  15. NanYogaApril 7, 2011 at 5:10 PM

    Ruth, I have truly enjoyed meeting you through Rumi! I was away from my computer for a while and just realized that your year ended while I was vacationing! I will continue to met you at synch-ro-ni-zing. What an amazing year! And I will purchase the book! :)

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  16. AnonymousApril 27, 2011 at 5:37 AM

    If you desire peace of soul and happiness then believe.
    If you want to be a disciple of the truth then enquire.

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  17. Taf TehApril 30, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    Ruth,

    Thank you.

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  18. AnonymousMay 9, 2011 at 11:51 PM

    Cool site

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  19. CallySeptember 1, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    Very beautiful site.....thanks

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  20. ClaraOctober 16, 2011 at 4:31 PM

    Thank you for this. I'm just beginning my journey with Rumi and your writing inspires me.

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  21. ClaraOctober 16, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    I'm just beginning my journey with Rumi and this inspires me. Thank you.

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  22. johnFebruary 6, 2012 at 9:52 AM

    so beautiful. not to identify ourselves as a 'sinner', but return again and again to that Hope.

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  23. dxnMarch 14, 2012 at 4:21 PM

    I am Lost in GOD
    and GOD is found in ME. ♥ Rumi ♥
    http://kalam-e-rumi.blogspot.com

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  24. dxnMarch 14, 2012 at 4:23 PM

    Download Teachings of RUMI Book from http://kalam-e-rumi.blogspot.com/2011/10/masnavi-manvi-teachings-of-rumi-in.html

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  25. Laetitia LisaAugust 4, 2012 at 5:06 AM

    Beautiful job you have done here, for the love of Rumi !! Congratulations !

    I also thought you would like this book :http://domgabrielli.blogspot.ch/2012/07/a-strange-frenzy-new-book.html

    (and here are some lines I wrote about it :
    « All writing is a love letter. » Dom Gabrielli's eagerly awaited last opus « A Strange Frenzy » begins with this quotation by Gilles Deleuze.
    With a most sensitive and constantly moving poetry, Gabrielli invites us with these 17 poems to dialogue with the mystic Rumi. Through these poems, he brings us to explore love, silence, the Universe ... the soul, and following the lead of turning dervishes to dance with the stars. Delicate illustrations by Emily Faccini complete the book, with magnificent results.
    No hesitation here. If you do not know Rumi, he will make you love him. And if you already do, you will definitely love « A Strange Frenzy. »

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  26. tabulyogangNovember 26, 2012 at 9:53 AM

    All i can say is Ahhh... Rumi's writing is always, always and invitation. I dont know where but it takes you somewhere. Maybe to the field where he is :)

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  27. sourabh sharmaDecember 6, 2012 at 7:32 AM

    we love rumi

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  28. UnknownJuly 30, 2013 at 2:28 AM

    Wonderful gifts, I honour you. I see you're intoxicated with Rumi, so am I. So much so I am writing a book of poetry in response to some his great works in an attempt to evoke his spirit in a completely unique way. I encourage you to explore it, it may charm you. http://mrmichaeldale.com/man-of-words/conversations-with-rumi/

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At the request of a Rumi Reader, I have enabled comments, because I agree that someone, sometime might want to write about the power of Rumi's words. So many times they have met me in ways I just have to share, and so I want you to have that opportunity here. There is no expectation for comments, but please do write something if you feel the urge. ~ Ruth