It was his meeting with the dervish Shams-e Tabrizi on 15 November 1244 that completely changed his life. From an accomplished teacher and jurist, Rumi was transformed into an ascetic.
There is solace, and restoration and rejuvenation of the spirit in Rumi's wisdom and insight. His words are as relevant today as they were in the 13th century.
Here are some of his words of wisdom:
1. DON’T AVOID TOUGH EXPERIENCES; THEY ARE WONDERFUL TEACHERS.
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
“These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.”
“You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.”
“The moon stays bright when it doesn’t avoid the night.”
“What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is your candle.”
“Don’t turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place. That’s where the light enters you.”
2. DON’T ALLOW THINGS OUTSIDE YOURSELF TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTION.
“If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”
“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”
3. LEAVE BEHIND A LEGACY WORTH REMEMBERING.
“Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious.”
4. DON’T ACT SO SMALL WHEN YOU HAVE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE INSIDE OF YOU.
4. DON’T ACT SO SMALL WHEN YOU HAVE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE INSIDE OF YOU.
“Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”
“Become the sky. Take an axe to the prison wall. Escape.”
5. FOCUS ON CHANGING YOURSELF, AND THE WHOLE WORLD WILL APPEAR DIFFERENTLY.
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
6. ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR HEART; IT WILL TAKE YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.”
“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”
7. YOU HAVE A PURPOSE HERE FAR BEYOND WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TOLD.
“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don’t you?”