LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #102. Rumi’s Little Book of Life: The Garden of the Soul, the Heart, and the Spirit

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#102. Rumi’s Little Book of Life: The Garden of the Soul, the Heart, and the Spirit (translated by Maryam Mafi and Azima Meita Kolin)

Rumi, born with his original name Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, was a famous 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic.

Born in 1207 in Central Asia, he spent most of his life in Anatolia, which explains the name “Rumi,” meaning “Roman.” His life changed dramatically when he met the wandering mystic Shams Tabrizi, inspiring him to explore spiritual love and poetry. Through his poetry, Rumi takes us on a journey of self-discovery, helping us appreciate who we are and the beauty of being part of the universe.

 

“Separation bends the back of hope

Cruelty ties the hands of longing

yet the lover never despairs.

For a committed heart

everything is possible.”

ð     Being apart from someone we love can make hope feel heavy, fragile, and sometimes meaningless. It is simply because pain and obstacles may prevent us from following our deepest desires. But a devoted heart continues to hope, even in the darkest moments of our lives. Genuine love and determination can overcome even the greatest obstacles. No matter how much pain and hardship may test us, they cannot easily defeat a heart filled with true love, devotion, and hope.

 

“If you only knew what bliss I found in being nothing

   you would not advise me how to live.

When the sword of nothingness ends my life

    I will laugh at those who mourn my death.”

ð     This poem is telling us about how we could find genuine peace. When the ego or selfish desires die, the fear of physical death loses its power. Rumi sees ‘death’ as some kind of a joyful return to the divine source. That is, when we finally stop worrying about wealth, status, and others’ opinions, we can discover a deeper sense of peace in this life. Rumi suggests that people often give advice based on worldly fears, but spiritual joy lies beyond material concerns.

 

“One early morning in the garden I picked a flower

     The Gardener suddenly appeared and I panicked.

    “Why worry about a flower, when I have given you the entire Garden!”  “

ð     This poem reminds us that we often focus too much on small desires, trivial mistakes, or temporary possessions of ours to care the infinite love and abundance of the Divine. Instead of worrying about our small flaws or attachments, we can trust in a greater love and appreciate the vast beauty and abundance that surrounds us.

 

“Heart, be considerate

     Soul, be tolerant

Patience, run if you cannot bear grief

Reason, go and play your childish games.”

ð     This poem lets us see that deep emotional pain can be too overwhelming for logic, reason, or even patience to handle. Sometimes, the only way to survive grief or sorrow in life is through gentleness, surrender, and simply allowing ourselves to feel. Be kind to yourself while carrying the pain and try to endure the sorrow without letting it break you. When the burden or sadness feel unbearable, it is okay to let go rather than force yourself to remain strong. Logic cannot always make sense of deep sorrow. Sometimes, we simply need to feel and accept it.

 

“When you bury your secret deep in your heart

    your wish will come through more quickly.

     The secret of seeds buried in the ground

        Manifest in the flourishing garden.

         If gold and silver were not hidden

          how could they age in the mine?”

ð     In this poem, we learn that sometimes, the best way to nurture a dream is to keep it quietly in our hearts until the right time comes to let it bloom. Keeping our dreams and intentions private can give them time and space to grow stronger before we share them with the world. Like a seed growing quietly beneath the soil, our dreams need time to develop before they bloom. It is probably because revealing our plans too soon can distract us or weaken our focus.  Just as gold and silver gain their value deep within the earth, our dreams can become stronger and more meaningful through time, patience, and perseverance.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Reading it piece by piece, page by page, I felt as though I had received a precious gift—one I could return to throughout my life as a guide to finding peace within. Rumi’s poems offer food for thought, not as lessons to teach or enlighten us, but as gentle companions for soothing and searching the soul. This collection captures Rumi’s timeless message through a few powerful themes: peace, love, unity, and respect.

As a lifelong worrywart, I have come to realize that true peace begins when we let go of our false identities, attachments, and egos. Freedom comes from recognizing that we are part of something greater than ourselves. Otherwise, we risk becoming puppets or avatars, controlled by illusions created by forces we may not even recognize unless we stay strongly impervious to what is going on in this world. It must be miserable to quietly quit life by becoming what the world expects us to be. I believe we become truly ourselves when we break free from the illusions of this world.

When it comes to love, as Rumi describes in his poems, it is the deepest force in life that already lives within us. We do not need to search for love outside ourselves. Love in our hearts is waiting for us to remove the walls of fear, anger, and ego. True love goes beyond logic and transforms us by teaching us to surrender, accept both joy and pain, and recognize our profound connection with everything around us. Furthermore, when grief becomes too heavy, we don't always need answers or explanations. Sometimes, we simply need to be gentle with ourselves and let the pain pass through us, hoping it won’t pass like a kidney stone, though.

If people today truly lived by Rumi’s spirit and teachings, perhaps there would be far fewer wars and divisions. Rumi reminds us that everything comes from one divine source and that the boundaries between people, religions, and nations are ultimately illusions. Like drops of water returning to the same ocean, we are all part of a greater spiritual unity. We may appear separate, but deep down, we are invisibly connected. You deserve my respect, just as I deserve yours.