Thursday, October 06, 2005
Sufi Infusion
For those of you who know me, surely you know of my Sufism obsession...
I am utterly fascinated by this whole Islamic Mysticism "cult" (yes, I consider it a cult... As are most religions).
My interest was sparked about a year ago actually... During Ramadan.
I think it all began after a (somewhat enlightening) trip to Turkey. And It took me a few months to read up on it etc...
In addition to my Sufi-fascination, I have fallen in love with the poetry of Jalal Al-Din Rumi.
(Sufi Poet and Mystic).
Seriously people. If you haven't read his work, you are missing out.
So, I have decided to post some random sufi-related pics for your viewing pleasure...
Some "Whirling Dervishes" in Turkey
I think this is a "Female" Dervish (which you never see)
More Whirling Dervishes...
A Dervish abstract
And This last one is interesting... It's a "Sufi Zurkhane" exercise (in Tehran, Iran).
The followers wear special paisely pants, thick leather belts and wield large clubs. They roll back and forth, swing the clubs in unison, and perform calisthenics. There is apparently a sufi mystical connection, sort of the Islamic equivalent of Tai Chi, or East Asia martial arts.
And I will leave you with the following poems by Rumi:
Last year I admired wines
This year I'm wandering inside the red world.
Last year I gazed at the fire
This year I'm burnt Kabob
Thirst drove me down to the water
Where I drank the moon's reflection
---------------------------------------------------------
We have a huge barrel of wine, but no cups.
That's fine with us.
Every morning we glow
And in the evening we glow again.
They say there's no future for us. They're right.
Which is fine with us...
---------------------------------------------------------
Out beyond the ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing
There is a field, I'll meet you there,
When the soul lies down in that grass
The world is too full to talk about
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
Doesn't make any sense.
---------------------------------------------------------
Come to the orchard in spring
There is light and wine, and sweethearts
In the pomegranate flowers
If you do not come, these do not matter
If you do come, these do not matter...
---------------------------------------------------------
You've so distracted me
Your absence fans my love
Don't as how
Then you come near
"Do not...," I say and
"Do not...," you answer.
Don't as why
This delights me.
---------------------------------------------------------
Pale sunlight
pale the wall
love moves away
the light changes
I need more grace
than I thought...
---------------------------------------------------------
You have said what you are
I am what I am
Your actions in my head
My head here in my hands
With something circling inside
I have no name
For what circles
So perfectly...
: 11:00 AM 
Oh and you're so right, it was taboo for women to be a Dervish!
& to pracitice their Sufism in public. Do women have their own rituals though? that I'll have to look up...
My favorite line from Jalal's poetry is..
Out beyond the ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing
There is a field, I'll meet you there
He's brilliant
Here is a quick Haiku por u
They are one with God
oneliness is holliness
round and round they go
urghh..Hate it when ppl agree with you all the time, its like PHS , don't you?
PHS: Paris Hilton Syndrome!
And obsessing over anything (Sufic or not) breeds many types of cultish behaviors that some people oddly choose to peel off their own person and slap on to external causations and collections. Yet, others choose to grab labels such as "authentic" and slap them back on their person. Both parties are afflicted by the same disease.
: 10:05 AM << Home
