You

Source: Favim

You were born with potential. 

You were born with goodness and trust. 

You were born with ideals and dreams. 

You were born with greatness. 

You were born with wings. 

You are not meant for crawling, so don't. 

You have wings. 

Learn to use them and fly.

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

You

Source: Favim

You were born with potential. 

You were born with goodness and trust. 

You were born with ideals and dreams. 

You were born with greatness. 

You were born with wings. 

You are not meant for crawling, so don't. 

You have wings. 

Learn to use them and fly.

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

Being human

This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor...Welcome and entertain them all. Treat each guest honorably. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

Being human

This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor...Welcome and entertain them all. Treat each guest honorably. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

Chickpea to Cook

Photo credit: mconnors from morguefile.com

A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot

where it’s being boiled.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.

“Don’t you try to jump out.

You think I’m torturing you.

I’m giving you flavor,

so you can mix with spices and rice

and be the lovely vitality of a human being.

Remember when you drank rain in the garden.

That was for this.”

Grace first. Sexual pleasure,

then a boiling new life begins,

and the Friend has something good to eat.

Eventually the chickpea

will say to the cook,

“Boil me some more.

Hit me with the skimming spoon.

I can’t do this by myself.

I’m like an elephant that dreams of gardens

back in Hindustan and doesn’t pay attention

to his driver. You’re my cook, my driver,

my way into existence. I love your cooking.”

The cook says,

“ I was once like you,

fresh from the ground. Then I boiled in time

and boiled in the body, two fierce boilings.

My animal soul grew powerful.

I controlled it with practices.

and boiled some more, and boiled

once beyond that,

and became your teacher.”

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

Chickpea to Cook

Photo credit: mconnors from morguefile.com

A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot

where it’s being boiled.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.

“Don’t you try to jump out.

You think I’m torturing you.

I’m giving you flavor,

so you can mix with spices and rice

and be the lovely vitality of a human being.

Remember when you drank rain in the garden.

That was for this.”

Grace first. Sexual pleasure,

then a boiling new life begins,

and the Friend has something good to eat.

Eventually the chickpea

will say to the cook,

“Boil me some more.

Hit me with the skimming spoon.

I can’t do this by myself.

I’m like an elephant that dreams of gardens

back in Hindustan and doesn’t pay attention

to his driver. You’re my cook, my driver,

my way into existence. I love your cooking.”

The cook says,

“ I was once like you,

fresh from the ground. Then I boiled in time

and boiled in the body, two fierce boilings.

My animal soul grew powerful.

I controlled it with practices.

and boiled some more, and boiled

once beyond that,

and became your teacher.”

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

What Was Told, That

Photo credit: taylorschlades from morguefile.com

What was said to the rose that made it open was said
to me here in my chest.

What was told the cypress that made it strong
and straight, what was

whispered the jasmine so it is what it is, whatever made
sugarcane sweet, whatever

was said to the inhabitants of the town of Chigil in
Turkestan that makes them

so handsome, whatever lets the pomegranate flower blush
like a human face, that is

being said to me now. I blush. Whatever put eloquence in
language, that's happening here.

The great warehouse doors open; I fill with gratitude,
chewing a piece of sugarcane,

in love with the one to whom every that belongs!

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

(translated by Coleman Barks)

_____________________________________________________

Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes. 

 ~ Theodore Dreiser

What Was Told, That

Photo credit: taylorschlades from morguefile.com

What was said to the rose that made it open was said
to me here in my chest.

What was told the cypress that made it strong
and straight, what was

whispered the jasmine so it is what it is, whatever made
sugarcane sweet, whatever

was said to the inhabitants of the town of Chigil in
Turkestan that makes them

so handsome, whatever lets the pomegranate flower blush
like a human face, that is

being said to me now. I blush. Whatever put eloquence in
language, that's happening here.

The great warehouse doors open; I fill with gratitude,
chewing a piece of sugarcane,

in love with the one to whom every that belongs!

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

(translated by Coleman Barks)

_____________________________________________________

Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes. 

 ~ Theodore Dreiser

Love Rode 1500 Miles

Love rode 1500 miles on a grey
hound bus & climbed in my window
one night to surprise
both of us.
the pleasure of that sleepy
shock has lasted a decade
now or more because she is
always still doing it and I am
always still pleased. I do indeed like
aggressive women
who come half a continent
just for me; I am not saying that patience
is virtuous, Love
like anybody else, comes to those who
wait actively
and leave their windows open.

~ Judy Grahn

_______________________________________

Let the lover be disgraceful, crazy, absent-minded. Someone sober will worry about events going badly. Let the lover be. 

~  Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

Love Rode 1500 Miles

Love rode 1500 miles on a grey
hound bus & climbed in my window
one night to surprise
both of us.
the pleasure of that sleepy
shock has lasted a decade
now or more because she is
always still doing it and I am
always still pleased. I do indeed like
aggressive women
who come half a continent
just for me; I am not saying that patience
is virtuous, Love
like anybody else, comes to those who
wait actively
and leave their windows open.

~ Judy Grahn

_______________________________________

Let the lover be disgraceful, crazy, absent-minded. Someone sober will worry about events going badly. Let the lover be. 

~  Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

Be With Those Who Help Your Being

Source: Unknown/Favim.com

Be with those who help your being.

Don't sit with indifferent people, whose breath

comes cold out of their mouths.

Not these visible forms, your work is deeper.

A chunk of dirt thrown in the air breaks to pieces.

If you don't try to fly,

and so break yourself apart,

you will be broken open by death,

when it's too late for all you could become.

Leaves get yellow. The tree puts out fresh roots

and makes them green.

Why are you so content with a love that turns you yellow?

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

_________________________________________________

The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is not diminished by the indifference of others.

~ Dag Hammarskjöld

Be With Those Who Help Your Being

Source: Unknown/Favim.com

Be with those who help your being.

Don't sit with indifferent people, whose breath

comes cold out of their mouths.

Not these visible forms, your work is deeper.

A chunk of dirt thrown in the air breaks to pieces.

If you don't try to fly,

and so break yourself apart,

you will be broken open by death,

when it's too late for all you could become.

Leaves get yellow. The tree puts out fresh roots

and makes them green.

Why are you so content with a love that turns you yellow?

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

_________________________________________________

The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is not diminished by the indifference of others.

~ Dag Hammarskjöld

A Stone I died

A stone I died and rose again a plant;
A plant I died and rose an animal;
I died an animal and was born a man.
Why should I fear? What have I lost by death?

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

__________________________________

"DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING," said Death. "JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH."

~ Terry Pratchett

A Stone I died

A stone I died and rose again a plant;
A plant I died and rose an animal;
I died an animal and was born a man.
Why should I fear? What have I lost by death?

~ Maulana Jalalu'l-din Rumi

__________________________________

"DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING," said Death. "JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH."

~ Terry Pratchett