Walking the Path of a Sufi
7 Principles
In generosity and helping others be like a river
In compassion and grace be like the sun
In concealing others’ faults be like the night
In anger and fury be like the dead
In modesty and humility be like the Earth
In tolerance be like the sea
Either appear as you are or be as you look
5th Book of Masnavi. A poem of Truth and Spirit.
There is a candle called the rules of the path. You need that candle to find the way, and you must follow the way to reach the truth.
If truth were obvious, no one would need the candle or the path.
As it issued, When copper becomes Gold, it doesnt need an Alchemist's laboratory any longer. Don't look for a guide after you reach the destination.
Path rules are like alchemical formulator mixing elements in the proper amounts and with proper heat. The joy of experiencing change when copper actually becomes gold.
The first stage says "We have read the theories"
the second says, "We do the practices"
the third rejoices, "We have been set free".
Each person loves the stage that he or she is in, in the alchemical process. Someone who is not there yet will only complain."
Sufism is a spiritual path that was practiced during Pre-Ottoman/Ottoman times 12th-14th century and is still practiced today. At the time of their existence, their surroundings were consisted of islamic values and ethics. They are inspired by Islam however they are not Muslims. They have adopted the culture of Ottomans and Islam because they have mastered the art of knowing.
"Art of knowing is knowing what to ignore".
They have fashioned their teachings around their culture and in a way that people at the time could understand. Pioneer of Sufism was Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ and his teacher Shams-i Tabriz of Iran (Refer to Malphas' Guide to Decent Human Beings)
Sufism taught the ethics and values of enlightenment and how to interact with other fellow human beings. Mevlana provided a school of meditation at the time for people who were interested in spiritual affairs. Sufism golden ages were lived with the help of Malphas (Shams-i Tabriz) why he chose to interact with Sufis' is unknown however his personal teachings/ethics and values are very much in line with Sufism. Although the understanding of his teachings have been lost with Mevlana (Rumi) and he is considered to be the first one to grasp the entirety of Malphas' teachings. Rumi very well knew the real identity of Shams-i Tabriz and he had kept it a secret. Malpas' came down on Earth to lead people to ethics and values as well as to experience being human from the first hand.
(Remember, Gods can split their consciousness and can be present in multiple bodies around the Universe)
Shams-i Tabriz: If these people knew who the real me is, they would surely get in line to kill me.
Shams-I Tabriz were a joker. Most of his dealings with other humans were sarcastic but he always had a lesson to teach at the end of his sarcasm.
Shams, by the time he met Rumi was in his 60s. By then he was known mainly as a blunt, antisocial and powerful spiritual wanderer. His nickname was the Bird. The Bird, because he couldn't stay in one place for too long, also he was known to be in two distant cities around the same time, as if he could fly or transport his essence at will.
This wanderer is known to have been seeking a "grandmaster student"--a student who would be greater than many masters at the time. He chose Rumi as his "master-student." Shams initially notices Rumi when he was 21, but judging the time inappropriate and the student not ready he waits 16 or so years to approach Mevlana again.
They meet again when Mevlana was in his late 30s and Shams in his early 60s. The initial spark of their connection inspires Rumi to take Shams into his home. Shams from then on becomes the new friend, the latest companion.
Rumi named the collection after his mentor to make sure Shams' name will be remembered alongside himself. Rumi knew well that his students, family members and historians had little intention to remember this wandering, wild holy man who was severely disliked by almost everyone in town. They considered Shams a blemish on Rumi's otherwise pristine reputation. Rumi as usual took the matter into his own hands. He not only named the collection after Shams, but used Shams as the pen name or signature at the end of hundreds of his poems. He assured that his successors had no possible alternative but to perpetuate Shams. Even altering the title of the epic would not have wiped Shams from the history books, since few hundred poems still enshrined him.
Rumi refers to the process of Soul Evolution as being cooked. The idea is just as meals can't be ready to be consumed until they're well cooked, a soul is not ready for ascension until it's also cooked. Cooking of the soul refers to maturity of the spirit which is achieved by life experiences but specially by learning of universal mysteries and the truth about soul's imprisonment on this planet.
Shams talks to Mevlana about ascension in this way:
From the dust of the earth to a human being,
there are a thousand steps.
I have been with you through these steps,
I have held your hand and walked by your side.
And I will be with you
as you move beyond this human form
and soar to the highest heavens
The process of Soul Evolution is about maturity of the soul and its readiness for ascension off this dark planet.
So, if you were to take a moment and analyze Shams you'd discover that he is truly one of the only real mystical masters of all time. Shams was in his 60s when he met Rumi. That's a full lifetime. If he wanted wealth or large following he could have accomplished that by then by ease. Shams was known to be extremely selective and his whole life was only about being true to himself and being genuine to his mission. Shams, before Rumi was a well known master but was known to reject friendships that was offered to him. He would say;
"You wouldn't be able to handle my friendship"
He was also holder of secrets of ancient mystery schools, including the famed Egyptian school (Thath). Yes, Shams was the real deal.
So, here we have two absolutely genuine, once in an eon bright, untarnished spirits coming together. The meeting of Shams and Rumi doesn't happen every century nor every millennium, it happens once every spiritual cycle (about 12,000 years).
So instead of a slow cooker, Shams put Rumi in a microwave oven. Instead of several life times, the process of ascension was sped up to a mere several years. Of-course Rumi has went through several reincarnations before. Rumi not only clearly understood this, but he did his absolute best to make sure no mystic ever forgot what happened between them.
Here are some facts about these two. Shams drank, Rumi did not. Their companionship, although short lived, was about transmission of power and high secret knowledge and it was never physical. Think about it, why else would Rumi offer him a wife if they were physically involved? Rumi powers grew while he was with Shams. Rumi saw mysteries he never thought possible.
I would tell you about their experiences but they are so magnificent and so far removed from our reality that they would fall into the zone of Sci-Fi. However, their meetings were not just about discourse, they were experiential. Meaning Shams was able to bestow direct experiences to Rumi, rather than just discussing them in theory. These direct experiences also included manifestation of imagery and beings from other times and dimensions.
800 years later we're still discussing, with great passion and interest, the mystery of Shams and Rumi. For any serious mystical students reading this, these two are real genuine in the whole human history of spirituality.
YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND
Shortly after meeting with Shams, Rumi went to his back garden to read his fathers books when Shams asked
"what are you reading?" Rumi answered "You wouldn't understand". Hearing this, Shams took Rumi's fathers' hand written book and threw it in to the pool. Rumi was raged because now the book was unreadable. He rushed to take the book out of the water but the book was completely dry. In shock, he asked to Shams,
"how did you do it?" Shams answered
"You would not understand".
Shams-i Tabriz Kills
This is where we see that even the Gods' can feel frustration of being a human even sometimes feeling human.
(One other example of this is Ishtar and her Actions back in the Sumerian times and I will explain this eventually. There are some misconceptions to this story)
From Maqalat
During Shams-i Tabrizi's travels from Syria to Konya (Turkey) he had come across a town so he decided to spend the night. Only problem was, all the inns were full at the time and the exhaustion of being on the road for several days got to him (As Gods' are not used to being tired).
So he went to the local Mosque to spend the night there. When he got ready to lay down, the Mosque's night security came in shouting for Shams to leave the Mosque immediately.
Shams then answered to the keeper:
"I mean no harm. I am but extremely tired and all the inns are full. Let me stay and I will be gone before the morning prayer. What happened to the brotherhood of men?"
The guard continued,
"If you don't leave now, you wont be seeing the morning"
while the towns people started to notice the conflict.
Hearing this, Shams proceeded to pack up his bags getting ready to leave, as he passed near the guard, the guard started to choke and fell short of his breath.
Town elders ran to the scene begging for Shams to forgive the night guard as he didn't knew who 'Master Shams' was
Before he left, Shams said;
'From now on, only thing I can do is to make his death pleasant"
As he finished his sentence, the night guard gave his last breath and Shams left the town to continue his journey to find his Master-Student.
Death of Shams-I Tabrizi
In late 1247 or early 1248, (humans) returning to their jealous ways, enmity from some disciples compelled Shams to depart once again. In a conversation with Hazrat Sultan Walad (Son of Rumi), Hazrat Shams warned him that this time he would disappear into thin air
This time I'll disappear in such a way
that none will know to where I've gone or am
all will fail in their efforts to find me
never will they detect the slightest clue
many years will pass, me vanished in thin air
as I draw out the time, someone will claim
"Surely he was slain at some foe's hand."
This he repeated several times for emphasis. Soon after, he disappeared permanently. Mavlana Rumi was for a period of time deeply saddened and he cut off his association with all those disciples that had showed hostility towards Shams. Later, he took a group of his closest disciples to Damascus in search of Shams but unsuccessful in their quest, they eventually returned.
A few years later, he undertook a second journey which again proved unfruitful.
Although nobody knows for certain what came of Hazrat Shams, Ahmed Aflaki in Manaqib al-'Arifin relates that he was murdered by disciples of Mawlana Rumi.
However, even according to this account, there were no witnesses to his apparent death. Furthermore, neither his son Hazrat Sultan Walad, nor his disciple Hazrat Sepahsalar mentioned a murder in their works that are earlier than Aflaki’s work. In addition, Mawlana Rumi traveled to Syria twice to look for him, so he certainly could not have believed he was murdered.
What is to he done, O Moslems? for I do not recognize myself.
I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Gabr,
I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea;
I am not of Nature's mint, nor of the circling' heaven.
I am not of earth, nor of water, nor of air, nor of fire;
I am not of the empyrean, nor of the dust, nor of existence, nor of entity.
I am not of India, nor of China, nor of Bulgaria, nor of Saqsin
I am not of the kingdom of 'Iraqian, nor of the country of Khorasan
I am not of the this world, nor of the next, nor of Paradise, nor of Hell
I am not of Adam, nor of Eve, nor of Eden and Rizwan.
My place is the Placeless, my trace is the Traceless ;
'Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved.
I have put duality away, I have seen that the two worlds are one;
One I seek, One I know, One I see, One I call.
He is the first, He is the last, He is the outward, He is the inward;
I am intoxicated with Love's cup, the two worlds have passed out of my ken ;
I have no business save carouse and revelry.
If once in my life I spent a moment without thee,
From that time and from that hour I repent of my life.
If once in this world I win a moment with thee,
I will trample on both worlds, I will dance in triumph for ever.
O Shamsi Tabriz, I am so drunken in this world,
That except of drunkenness and revelry I have no tale to tell.
-
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ
In generosity and helping others be like a river
In compassion and grace be like the sun
In concealing others’ faults be like the night
In anger and fury be like the dead
In modesty and humility be like the Earth
In tolerance be like the sea
Either appear as you are or be as you look
5th Book of Masnavi. A poem of Truth and Spirit.
There is a candle called the rules of the path. You need that candle to find the way, and you must follow the way to reach the truth.
If truth were obvious, no one would need the candle or the path.
As it issued, When copper becomes Gold, it doesnt need an Alchemist's laboratory any longer. Don't look for a guide after you reach the destination.
Path rules are like alchemical formulator mixing elements in the proper amounts and with proper heat. The joy of experiencing change when copper actually becomes gold.
The first stage says "We have read the theories"
the second says, "We do the practices"
the third rejoices, "We have been set free".
Each person loves the stage that he or she is in, in the alchemical process. Someone who is not there yet will only complain."
Sufism is a spiritual path that was practiced during Pre-Ottoman/Ottoman times 12th-14th century and is still practiced today. At the time of their existence, their surroundings were consisted of islamic values and ethics. They are inspired by Islam however they are not Muslims. They have adopted the culture of Ottomans and Islam because they have mastered the art of knowing.
"Art of knowing is knowing what to ignore".
They have fashioned their teachings around their culture and in a way that people at the time could understand. Pioneer of Sufism was Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ and his teacher Shams-i Tabriz of Iran (Refer to Malphas' Guide to Decent Human Beings)
Sufism taught the ethics and values of enlightenment and how to interact with other fellow human beings. Mevlana provided a school of meditation at the time for people who were interested in spiritual affairs. Sufism golden ages were lived with the help of Malphas (Shams-i Tabriz) why he chose to interact with Sufis' is unknown however his personal teachings/ethics and values are very much in line with Sufism. Although the understanding of his teachings have been lost with Mevlana (Rumi) and he is considered to be the first one to grasp the entirety of Malphas' teachings. Rumi very well knew the real identity of Shams-i Tabriz and he had kept it a secret. Malpas' came down on Earth to lead people to ethics and values as well as to experience being human from the first hand.
(Remember, Gods can split their consciousness and can be present in multiple bodies around the Universe)
Shams-i Tabriz: If these people knew who the real me is, they would surely get in line to kill me.
Shams-I Tabriz were a joker. Most of his dealings with other humans were sarcastic but he always had a lesson to teach at the end of his sarcasm.
Shams, by the time he met Rumi was in his 60s. By then he was known mainly as a blunt, antisocial and powerful spiritual wanderer. His nickname was the Bird. The Bird, because he couldn't stay in one place for too long, also he was known to be in two distant cities around the same time, as if he could fly or transport his essence at will.
This wanderer is known to have been seeking a "grandmaster student"--a student who would be greater than many masters at the time. He chose Rumi as his "master-student." Shams initially notices Rumi when he was 21, but judging the time inappropriate and the student not ready he waits 16 or so years to approach Mevlana again.
They meet again when Mevlana was in his late 30s and Shams in his early 60s. The initial spark of their connection inspires Rumi to take Shams into his home. Shams from then on becomes the new friend, the latest companion.
Rumi named the collection after his mentor to make sure Shams' name will be remembered alongside himself. Rumi knew well that his students, family members and historians had little intention to remember this wandering, wild holy man who was severely disliked by almost everyone in town. They considered Shams a blemish on Rumi's otherwise pristine reputation. Rumi as usual took the matter into his own hands. He not only named the collection after Shams, but used Shams as the pen name or signature at the end of hundreds of his poems. He assured that his successors had no possible alternative but to perpetuate Shams. Even altering the title of the epic would not have wiped Shams from the history books, since few hundred poems still enshrined him.
Rumi refers to the process of Soul Evolution as being cooked. The idea is just as meals can't be ready to be consumed until they're well cooked, a soul is not ready for ascension until it's also cooked. Cooking of the soul refers to maturity of the spirit which is achieved by life experiences but specially by learning of universal mysteries and the truth about soul's imprisonment on this planet.
Shams talks to Mevlana about ascension in this way:
From the dust of the earth to a human being,
there are a thousand steps.
I have been with you through these steps,
I have held your hand and walked by your side.
And I will be with you
as you move beyond this human form
and soar to the highest heavens
The process of Soul Evolution is about maturity of the soul and its readiness for ascension off this dark planet.
So, if you were to take a moment and analyze Shams you'd discover that he is truly one of the only real mystical masters of all time. Shams was in his 60s when he met Rumi. That's a full lifetime. If he wanted wealth or large following he could have accomplished that by then by ease. Shams was known to be extremely selective and his whole life was only about being true to himself and being genuine to his mission. Shams, before Rumi was a well known master but was known to reject friendships that was offered to him. He would say;
"You wouldn't be able to handle my friendship"
He was also holder of secrets of ancient mystery schools, including the famed Egyptian school (Thath). Yes, Shams was the real deal.
So, here we have two absolutely genuine, once in an eon bright, untarnished spirits coming together. The meeting of Shams and Rumi doesn't happen every century nor every millennium, it happens once every spiritual cycle (about 12,000 years).
So instead of a slow cooker, Shams put Rumi in a microwave oven. Instead of several life times, the process of ascension was sped up to a mere several years. Of-course Rumi has went through several reincarnations before. Rumi not only clearly understood this, but he did his absolute best to make sure no mystic ever forgot what happened between them.
Here are some facts about these two. Shams drank, Rumi did not. Their companionship, although short lived, was about transmission of power and high secret knowledge and it was never physical. Think about it, why else would Rumi offer him a wife if they were physically involved? Rumi powers grew while he was with Shams. Rumi saw mysteries he never thought possible.
I would tell you about their experiences but they are so magnificent and so far removed from our reality that they would fall into the zone of Sci-Fi. However, their meetings were not just about discourse, they were experiential. Meaning Shams was able to bestow direct experiences to Rumi, rather than just discussing them in theory. These direct experiences also included manifestation of imagery and beings from other times and dimensions.
800 years later we're still discussing, with great passion and interest, the mystery of Shams and Rumi. For any serious mystical students reading this, these two are real genuine in the whole human history of spirituality.
YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND
Shortly after meeting with Shams, Rumi went to his back garden to read his fathers books when Shams asked
"what are you reading?" Rumi answered "You wouldn't understand". Hearing this, Shams took Rumi's fathers' hand written book and threw it in to the pool. Rumi was raged because now the book was unreadable. He rushed to take the book out of the water but the book was completely dry. In shock, he asked to Shams,
"how did you do it?" Shams answered
"You would not understand".
Shams-i Tabriz Kills
This is where we see that even the Gods' can feel frustration of being a human even sometimes feeling human.
(One other example of this is Ishtar and her Actions back in the Sumerian times and I will explain this eventually. There are some misconceptions to this story)
From Maqalat
During Shams-i Tabrizi's travels from Syria to Konya (Turkey) he had come across a town so he decided to spend the night. Only problem was, all the inns were full at the time and the exhaustion of being on the road for several days got to him (As Gods' are not used to being tired).
So he went to the local Mosque to spend the night there. When he got ready to lay down, the Mosque's night security came in shouting for Shams to leave the Mosque immediately.
Shams then answered to the keeper:
"I mean no harm. I am but extremely tired and all the inns are full. Let me stay and I will be gone before the morning prayer. What happened to the brotherhood of men?"
The guard continued,
"If you don't leave now, you wont be seeing the morning"
while the towns people started to notice the conflict.
Hearing this, Shams proceeded to pack up his bags getting ready to leave, as he passed near the guard, the guard started to choke and fell short of his breath.
Town elders ran to the scene begging for Shams to forgive the night guard as he didn't knew who 'Master Shams' was
Before he left, Shams said;
'From now on, only thing I can do is to make his death pleasant"
As he finished his sentence, the night guard gave his last breath and Shams left the town to continue his journey to find his Master-Student.
Death of Shams-I Tabrizi
In late 1247 or early 1248, (humans) returning to their jealous ways, enmity from some disciples compelled Shams to depart once again. In a conversation with Hazrat Sultan Walad (Son of Rumi), Hazrat Shams warned him that this time he would disappear into thin air
This time I'll disappear in such a way
that none will know to where I've gone or am
all will fail in their efforts to find me
never will they detect the slightest clue
many years will pass, me vanished in thin air
as I draw out the time, someone will claim
"Surely he was slain at some foe's hand."
This he repeated several times for emphasis. Soon after, he disappeared permanently. Mavlana Rumi was for a period of time deeply saddened and he cut off his association with all those disciples that had showed hostility towards Shams. Later, he took a group of his closest disciples to Damascus in search of Shams but unsuccessful in their quest, they eventually returned.
A few years later, he undertook a second journey which again proved unfruitful.
Although nobody knows for certain what came of Hazrat Shams, Ahmed Aflaki in Manaqib al-'Arifin relates that he was murdered by disciples of Mawlana Rumi.
However, even according to this account, there were no witnesses to his apparent death. Furthermore, neither his son Hazrat Sultan Walad, nor his disciple Hazrat Sepahsalar mentioned a murder in their works that are earlier than Aflaki’s work. In addition, Mawlana Rumi traveled to Syria twice to look for him, so he certainly could not have believed he was murdered.
What is to he done, O Moslems? for I do not recognize myself.
I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Gabr,
I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea;
I am not of Nature's mint, nor of the circling' heaven.
I am not of earth, nor of water, nor of air, nor of fire;
I am not of the empyrean, nor of the dust, nor of existence, nor of entity.
I am not of India, nor of China, nor of Bulgaria, nor of Saqsin
I am not of the kingdom of 'Iraqian, nor of the country of Khorasan
I am not of the this world, nor of the next, nor of Paradise, nor of Hell
I am not of Adam, nor of Eve, nor of Eden and Rizwan.
My place is the Placeless, my trace is the Traceless ;
'Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved.
I have put duality away, I have seen that the two worlds are one;
One I seek, One I know, One I see, One I call.
He is the first, He is the last, He is the outward, He is the inward;
I am intoxicated with Love's cup, the two worlds have passed out of my ken ;
I have no business save carouse and revelry.
If once in my life I spent a moment without thee,
From that time and from that hour I repent of my life.
If once in this world I win a moment with thee,
I will trample on both worlds, I will dance in triumph for ever.
O Shamsi Tabriz, I am so drunken in this world,
That except of drunkenness and revelry I have no tale to tell.
-
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ
House of Mevlana
Were Shams and Rumi Gay?
The idea of Rumi and Shams being gay is one big contemporary projection. Not that being gay is a problem, but in this case it is highly unlikely. One of the biggest difference to this is the difference between Eastern and Western cultures.
The West don’t really have a tradition of the teacher/disciple relationship we see in Sufism, as well as Tantra and other ecstatic traditions/Religions of the East such as Babylonians, Egyptians, Syrians etc. used.
Hence, people tend to be overly skeptical and distrustful of what to be honest, they don't understand.
Because physical sexuality is seen as freedom and self-expression in western cultures and because of abrahamic religions banning of sexuality and oppression of spirituality, It lashed out as how the West perceives sexuality nowadays. Only physical.
Eastern teachings and poetry have deep tradition of using words like “wine” and “drunkard” and “tavern” "love" "kiss" "touch" to signify spiritual states of whirling drunkenness during meditation and their Astral travels.
Also the translation from the eastern languages to the west greatly loses its meaning. Reading Mevlana's poems or Shams Teachings in its original language uses words such 'Spiritual drunkenness'. However, Eastern traditions have multiple descriptions of such words. This often results in
equating this kind of intimacy in sexual terms, even though it may not be there at all. Some contemporary gurus indeed had sexual relationships with their disciples although it was frouned upon and banned in most teachings.
The use of terms like Beloved and Lover toward one’s teacher is not common in the West. There is hardly any Bhakti tradition to speak of in Western mysticism that parallels the ones found in Sufism.
Although Bhakti and Sufism are 2 different teachings they somewhat resemble each-other.
Western Culture just do not hug, hold hands with and gaze into the eyes of 'priests' 'Mentors' or 'teachers' in the West; the way these ecstatic Easterners have done for centuries. Nor do men walk the streets arm to arm the way people do in India, Syria, Turkey and Iran where Rumi had spent time and lived his entire life.
There is also no tradition of sexual imagery in the spiritual poetry of the West. In the East, sexual union also signifies inner ecstasies achieved through meditation. Also, most of Mevlana's poetry were written after the death of Shams-i-Tabrīzī.
While looking for Shams after his mysterious disappearance, Rumi finally realized:
“Why should I seek? I am the same as He.
His essence speaks through me.
I have been looking for myself!”
This is where we see the very intimacy, how strong is the spiritual connection between ons's teacher (Guardian) and his/her self has been explained by
Mevlana
While looking for ourselves, we sometimes need guides. While walking the path, through Elders working with us and by practice of meditation we quicken and intensify that road considerably (Self-realization)
.
Ultimately, love for the teacher, the Beloved, Mevlana understood, is simply love for our own inner Self.
Ultimately, the spiritual journey is about loving ourselves. About finding ourselves.
Humans tend to worship their idols. Enki, Malpahs, Ishtar, Utu, Amon.. or whoever your guide, guardian might be from all Gods', all of them teach us to be independent.
Prophets, Gurus, Priests, Rabbis.. These are for the weak-minded
The idea of Rumi and Shams being gay is one big contemporary projection. Not that being gay is a problem, but in this case it is highly unlikely. One of the biggest difference to this is the difference between Eastern and Western cultures.
The West don’t really have a tradition of the teacher/disciple relationship we see in Sufism, as well as Tantra and other ecstatic traditions/Religions of the East such as Babylonians, Egyptians, Syrians etc. used.
Hence, people tend to be overly skeptical and distrustful of what to be honest, they don't understand.
Because physical sexuality is seen as freedom and self-expression in western cultures and because of abrahamic religions banning of sexuality and oppression of spirituality, It lashed out as how the West perceives sexuality nowadays. Only physical.
Eastern teachings and poetry have deep tradition of using words like “wine” and “drunkard” and “tavern” "love" "kiss" "touch" to signify spiritual states of whirling drunkenness during meditation and their Astral travels.
Also the translation from the eastern languages to the west greatly loses its meaning. Reading Mevlana's poems or Shams Teachings in its original language uses words such 'Spiritual drunkenness'. However, Eastern traditions have multiple descriptions of such words. This often results in
equating this kind of intimacy in sexual terms, even though it may not be there at all. Some contemporary gurus indeed had sexual relationships with their disciples although it was frouned upon and banned in most teachings.
The use of terms like Beloved and Lover toward one’s teacher is not common in the West. There is hardly any Bhakti tradition to speak of in Western mysticism that parallels the ones found in Sufism.
Although Bhakti and Sufism are 2 different teachings they somewhat resemble each-other.
Western Culture just do not hug, hold hands with and gaze into the eyes of 'priests' 'Mentors' or 'teachers' in the West; the way these ecstatic Easterners have done for centuries. Nor do men walk the streets arm to arm the way people do in India, Syria, Turkey and Iran where Rumi had spent time and lived his entire life.
There is also no tradition of sexual imagery in the spiritual poetry of the West. In the East, sexual union also signifies inner ecstasies achieved through meditation. Also, most of Mevlana's poetry were written after the death of Shams-i-Tabrīzī.
While looking for Shams after his mysterious disappearance, Rumi finally realized:
“Why should I seek? I am the same as He.
His essence speaks through me.
I have been looking for myself!”
This is where we see the very intimacy, how strong is the spiritual connection between ons's teacher (Guardian) and his/her self has been explained by
Mevlana
While looking for ourselves, we sometimes need guides. While walking the path, through Elders working with us and by practice of meditation we quicken and intensify that road considerably (Self-realization)
.
Ultimately, love for the teacher, the Beloved, Mevlana understood, is simply love for our own inner Self.
Ultimately, the spiritual journey is about loving ourselves. About finding ourselves.
Humans tend to worship their idols. Enki, Malpahs, Ishtar, Utu, Amon.. or whoever your guide, guardian might be from all Gods', all of them teach us to be independent.
Prophets, Gurus, Priests, Rabbis.. These are for the weak-minded