The essential Rumi (original 1995; edition 1995)

This is a wonderful collection of Rumi's writing, along with some small bits of insights from Barks regarding history and Rumi's life. There are some spectacular pieces within this collection, which make me want to memorize much of Rumi's poetry.

I thoroughly enjoyed the organization of these pieces, according to theme rather than chronology. This allowed the reader to focus on the meaning of the words and the teachings of Rumi. ( )

A collection of Rumi's work from many sources, and not just restricted to the Masnavi.

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1682802.html

This is a selection of poetry translated from the original Persian of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī, known as Mowlānā in Persian and Rūmī in the English-speaking world, whose followers founded the Mawlawī Sufi order, better known as the Whirling Dervishes, after his death. The poetry is expressive and profound, but also fairly easy to digest. Rūmī's basic philosophy is that one can find a path to the ineffable through meditation on love - his best one-liner is that "Love is the astrolabe that sights into the mysteries of God". Unlike the Christian monastic tradition, he stresses the importance of human contact (though I noted that while he writes a lot about both friendship and romantic love, he has less to say about parenthood). He includes a number of Sufist parables, in a style which I was familiar with from my encounter with the Bektashi in the Balkans (founded at about the same time and in roughly the same place, and also Sufist in orientation), though Rūmī is both more profound and more basic (the parable of the maidservant, the donkey, and the importance of taking essential preliminary measures will linger in my mind for a while).

I was slightly concerned while reading it that the translator, Coleman Barks, might have taken considerable liberties with the original text. I have no way of knowing, but I am reassured by the appendix which includes reference to each of the original poems, and also, unusually for a poetry book, several curry recipes.

Anyway, a fascinating insight into a different tradition of spirituality. ( )

Passionate, ecstatic poems from the 13th century Sufi poet, Jelaluddin Rumi. Coleman Barks gets these translations just exactly right. If you are going to take a book of poems to a desert island, take this one. (And, maybe, the Book of Questions by Pablo Neruda.) I take my well-thumbed copy on my travels. I can open it anywhere and be immediately transported into a different place. If you ever run across a recording of Barks reading this poetry with his jazz band, snatch it up. It will be the best present you ever bought yourself. ( )

THE ESSENTIAL RUMI is a more than worthy introduction to the enchanted spiritual poetics of Jalaluddin Rumi.

Rumi’s famed mad dancing and his inspired utterances of pure genius gave birth to a major religious order known today as the Whirling Dervishes. His writings have influenced not only Persian literature but world literature and world spirituality. His richly inspired work has been translated and published in languages all over the globe. In English alone, there are more than a dozen writers and scholars who frequently publish volumes of Rumi’s work. Interpretations of his poetry have been recorded as musical compositions by such diverse individuals as motivational speaker Deepak Chopra and famed music producers Graeme Revell and Roger Mason, among numerous others.

In addition, calendars, biographies, web sites, and discussion groups all based on the life and passion of Rumi are in plentiful supply. Rumi himself in many parts of the world is greatly revered as a saint. When he died, representatives from every major religion hailed him as one of their own.

Aberjhani
author of VISIONS OF A SKYLARK DRESSED IN BLACK
and ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE ( )