Fasting is the Wine of Soul - Quotes From Mevlana Rumi For Ramadan From the Mathnawi and Divan

This video is intended to share the profound wisdom of Jalaluddin Rumi, the revered 13th-century Sufi poet and mystic, particularly qith quotes regarding the transformative practice of fasting. This exploration delves into Rumi's poetic insights, revealing that within the act of fasting lies a secret so profound, it connects us to the divine essence that pervades all existence.

**Who is Rumi?**
Jalaluddin Rumi, born in 1207 in present-day Afghanistan and settled in Konya, Turkey, stands among the most beloved and widely read poets globally. His work transcends religious, cultural, and national boundaries, echoing the deepest yearnings of the human heart. Rumi's legacy is a testament to the power of the mystical path and the search for inner truth.

**The Paradox of Fasting**
The video "You are the Secret" presents a series of Rumi's reflections on fasting, a practice that, while seemingly counterintuitive, holds profound spiritual benefits. Rumi suggests that the pangs of hunger nourish the spirit, revealing a state of fullness far beyond physical satiation. The video elegantly portrays how fasting serves as a means to cleanse the body and the spiritual canal, bringing us closer to the divine and heightening our inner awareness.

**The Wisdom of Emptiness**
Through selected quotes, Rumi elucidates the concept that true spiritual richness is often found in emptiness. When the body is hungry, our spirit finds its true sustenance, becoming full and vibrant. Rumi draws parallels to the Prophet Muhammad's teaching that a believer is akin to a lute, resonating with divine music when empty. Fasting, then, is not merely an abstention from food but an opening to the music of the cosmos.

**The Ascetic's Delight**
Rumi describes fasting as a way to elevate the soul beyond the mundane pleasures of the world. He invites us to envision a reality where simple, moldy bread becomes a delight to a fasting person, akin to a layered pastry. Through the lens of hunger, we rediscover gratitude and the subtle joys that excess often veils.

**The Lions of God**
Not everyone is called to the path of fasting, Rumi notes. It is a path for those who wish to become "God's lions," those who seek to rise above the ordinary and embrace a life of spiritual boldness. True hunger, a hunger that is a gift to God's chosen, is a rarity in a world where we are constantly invited to indulge.

**The Spiritual Fast**
Rumi poetically narrates that fasting is the soul's wine, an intoxication that draws us into an embrace with the divine. It is a paradoxical feast that, while denying the body, fills the spirit to the brim with the presence of the divine lover. Fasting becomes a dance of nearness, where each moment without physical food is a step closer to the eternal.

**The Elixir of Purity**
As we journey through the video, Rumi's verses paint fasting as a divine alchemy, transforming the lead of our baser instincts into spiritual gold. He describes the process of purifying the body's canal, clearing it of muddiness so that the reflection of our inward essence may shine forth unobstructed.

**A Divine Reflection**
The act of fasting, according to Rumi, is like preparing a mirror to reflect the divine. It is about emptying oneself of the debris of excess so that the heart becomes a clear vessel for God's light. This spiritual clarity is what allows us to perceive the divine breaths that are akin to those of the Messiah, illuminating our path and guiding us toward the heart's true desires.

**The Music of the Soul**
The practice of fasting, as illustrated by Rumi's quotes, attunes us to the rhythm of the divine. It allows the soul to play its music, unhindered by the fullness that silences its melody. In the video, we are invited to become empty, to be held gently between the fingers of the divine, and to savor the intoxication of "nowhere.

Reference of Books used in the video:

- Mathnawi of Rumi {book}:{page}, translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
https://www.amazon.com/Mathnawi-Jalaluddin-Rumi-Vol-Translation/dp/0906094089/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?crid=2ACHP8IDJJTZK&keywords=Mathnawi+Elias&qid=1698679700&s=books&sprefix=mathnawi+elias%2Cstripbooks%2C148&sr=1-2-fkmr0

- Feeling the shoulder of the Lion
https://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Shoulder-Lion-Teaching-Stories/dp/1570625220

- Divan of Rumi {book}:{page}, translation by Nevit O. Ergin
https://www.amazon.com/Divan-i-Kebir-Mevlana-Jalaluddin-Rumi/dp/1947666037/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?crid=3K7T1R9ZJTYQ4&keywords=Divan-E+Kebir+Rumi&qid=1698679756&s=books&sprefix=divan-e+kebir+rumi%2Cstripbooks%2C88&sr=1-1-fkmr1

#rumi #sufism #mysticism #fasting #ramadan #eid #spirituality #islam