Mastering the Senses: Rumi’s Wisdom on the Spiritual Journey
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There is no doubt that Rumi penned some amazing poetry and words of wisdom. But I have developed a new appreciation for how insightfully he describes the mind, and in particular, the five senses.
I have always believed that Rumi’s teachings share a lot of similarities with Buddhist philosophy, and no where do I find that more apparent than in the verses below from the Masnavi (translation by Maryam Mafi and Azima Melita Kolin from their book, “Rumi’s Little Book of Life”).
I hope you enjoy them and find yourself cultivating a deeper awareness — one that enables you to travel beyond the senses to reconnect with the soul.
The five senses are linked together
For all five have grown from the same root,
When one is strengthened, the rest are enhanced.
Seeing enhances speech, communication increases vision,
And sight stimulates and awakens every sense
to spiritual perception.
If one sense breaks free from its bonds
Having a glimpse of the invisible
It makes it apparent to all the others.
You have seen how when one sheep jumps over the creek
The whole flock follows.
So drive the flock of your senses to pasture
And let them graze on the heavenly flowers
In the Garden of Truth.
~ Masnavi, Book II: 3236–3244
The senses are the tools of the mind
And the mind is the tool of the Spirit.
When the mind becomes confused,
It is Spirit that brings back clarity and harmony.
Our desires and thoughts spread over the soul
As weeds spread over the surface of a pond.
The ego thrives in muddy water
While the mind needs clarity and transparency.
Let the mind become the master
And the senses, its obedient servants.
A master who puts his senses to sleep
Is able to perceive the unseen
Emerging from Spirit.
Even in his waking state he dreams,
Dreams that open the gates to Divine Truth.
~ Masnavi, Book III: 1824–1834
A seeker of Truth looks beyond the apparent
And contemplates the hidden.
What the senses perceive is only a distortion.
We all look for something that is not yet in existence,
Beggars look for coins, shopkeepers for profit,
Farmers for harvest, pupils for knowledge,
And seekers for enlightenment.
Non-existence is the treasure house of God
In the process of becoming manifest.
~ Masnavi, Book I: 1360–1367
