As of March 26, we're $27,100 in the red for the quarter. Donate here to support this vital work
Subscribe here and join over 13,000 subscribers to our free weekly newsletter

'Rumi's Secret' offers an expanded view of the 13th-century poet and mystic
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of Christian Science Monitor


Christian Science Monitor, January 25, 2017
Posted: February 6th, 2017
http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2017/0125/Rumi-s...

The name Rumi is synonymous with love poetry. But [many readers] dont know much about the life of the beloved 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic. The new biography Rumis Secret, by Brad Gooch ... provides important insights. The idea of Rumis secret came from a conversation Gooch had with a merchant named Sebastian, [who] compared Rumi to the American Walt Whitman another poet revered for the universality of his writing who never tells his secret! Gooch follows that fascinating statement with one of his own: Rumi did have secrets personal, poetic, and theological that he was always both revealing and concealing. The books first section ... opens with Rumi, at five years old, seeing angels. His father, an esteemed Muslim preacher and teacher, explained that the beings had come to bring him favor and invisible gifts. The Rumi we know today might never have emerged if not for three profound friendships. The first and most impactful was with Shams of Tabriz, a mystic. Shams urged Rumi ... to be honest and heartfelt, rather than refined, and to ... use music, sung poetry, and whirling to literally spin loose of language and logic, while opening and warming his heart. Rumi had two other cherished friends: a goldsmith named Salah, who had studied with Rumis tutor from childhood, and Hosam, one of Rumis loyal followers. Each man helped the poet learn about love (both human and divine), the process of giving up the self to make room for something purer and higher, and transcendence.

Note: Explore a treasure trove of concise summaries of incredibly inspiring news articles which will inspire you to make a difference.


Top Inspiring News Articles


Top Inspiring News Articles from Years Past