The Mystery of Union with Love and the Ascent of Humanity
The understanding of love that bursts forth from Jalaluddin Rumi’s Divan-i Kebir is more than just an emotional experience; it is the key to humanity’s ascent to the divine realm. For Rumi, love is ‘the state of removing veils and entering within’; meaning a state of drawing closer to God by overcoming obstacles within oneself. This approach involves transcending the values that humankind holds dear, and reaching truth with the power of love. Meeting with love is an important step in an individual’s journey of self-knowledge and solving the mystery of the universe; in this journey, the ‘life garment,’ i.e., awareness of one’s true self, accompanies humanity.
The Path of Love and the Balance of Reason and Heart
Rumi’s teachings emphasize that the path of love goes beyond traditional beliefs and even the limits of reason. The path of love is ‘outside of seventy-two sects,’ because this path requires listening to the heart’s lamentations and overcoming the limitations of reason. For those who remain with reason, dualities such as fear and hope, merit and sin may be valid, but lovers have risen above these dualities. According to Rumi, becoming a particle in the sun of the beloved’s sorrow – that is, perceiving even pains as sweet experiences – is a sign of true love. However, achieving this understanding requires one to transcend oneself and distance oneself from worldly expectations; otherwise, one is destined to remain in a state of ‘sleep.’
Intoxication with Truth and Beyond Existence
Rumi states that those intoxicated by the exuberance of truth can guide everyone in the world. To truly understand, one must be ‘blind’; meaning going beyond worldly perceptions and listening to the voice of the heart. Rumi’s teachings encourage individuals to turn towards God while forgetting themselves: ‘I drink blood, you eat food,’ this expression represents different levels of existence. The most important thing is to give up hope in reason and ideas and surrender to the infinity of love. The phrase ‘tearing the letter garment’ found in Rumi’s poetry refers to going beyond symbolic narratives and experiencing truth directly; this is an important step on the path to transcending the limits of existence and reaching divine unity.