Rumi in the World: March 2020
/Rumi’s teachings invite us to an inward journey. This journey takes us from the path of duality to the path of Unity. Body, mind and soul unify only when we pay attention to the world within us. In this section, from our Monthly Newsletter, we relate Rumi and his wisdoms to the world around us — whether this means current events, culture, philosophies, and much more. We examine how his wisdoms can be used to navigate our every day and to help us understand different aspects of life…
“Mandalas are “sand paintings” intricately made over many days and even weeks, by hand, by Tibetan Buddhist monks. The detailed process is a form of meditation for the monks who, when finished, pour the sand into a body of running water. This “destruction” reinforces a core teaching in Buddhism, impermanence. Recently a robot was designed to draw the mandalas. Its inventor argues that the creation can remain a meditative process by watching the mesmerizing movements of the machine. This may be a step toward modernity but is it a step away from the lesson it teaches? Can it still act as a true form of meditation? This is just one example of how the modern world is adjusting to ancient religions and practices. Our spiritual search and growth are forced to coexist with technology, something often contrasted with spirituality. We have to learn to navigate our personal growth through a world so removed from nature and engulfed in technology.”
