Words from the East
The poetic tradition of the Mevlevi Order is not limited to the beautiful poetry of Mevlana Rumi. The Mevlevi Order has produced great poets, musicians, and artists throughout the centuries. Abdulbaki Golpinarli, the great chronicler of all things Mevlevi, said of the Mevlevi Order:
Its aesthetic and technical achievements have been of enduring importance—it has produced magnificent works of music, poetry and art. Wherever Mevlevis have established themselves, they have made profound contributions to society, nurturing a deeper humanity. They have courageously spoken their minds, often taking a determined stance against those who oppose progress; and, as much as they have cultivated an appreciation of the mystical life, they have also added to the pleasures of a fully human one.
To celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, and as evidence of the creativity still in full flow within the Mevlevi Order, we offer below some poetry from a contemporary Mevlevi teacher, Camille Hamilton Adams Helminski:
Muhammad, you are as an oasis
in the desert of many lives,
a place of refuge
and refreshment
where weary souls may rest
and be renewed
receiving guidance inwardly
for the long journey ahead,
hearing the Voice of God
through the Holy Quran
which came in a single night
and was subsequently revealed
that all those thirsting in the desert
might rise up and be healed,
healed from doubt,
healed from ignorance,
healed from loneliness and pain,
fed by the holy bread
of the Holy Word of God.
The simplicity of the message,
and yet its wideness and detail
support our tired ears
perking them up that they may say,
“Oh, yes,
this is something to which I must listen.
Let me hear these words;
let their meaning sink deeply into me
that I may know
and be alert
and listen to the Will of God,
that I may do my part
to bring His Will to fruition
restoring the desert of many hearts,
healing this land of His Making,
restoring its beauty that men have disturbed.”
O Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon you . . .
thank you for bringing His Word.
And thanks, abundant thanks be to You,
O Lord Most High
for letting Your Source run through,
not cutting us off,
not abandoning us,
but offering us, ever anew,
Your water
that we may be filled with that which is pure,
and return,
ever again return,
to You.[Excerpt from Words from the East, by Camille Hamilton Adams Helminski]
Those interested in purchasing Words from the East, please email love@rumiscircle.com
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