Home The Forty Rules of Love
divine-love,
soulmate-relationship,
relationship as spiritual guide ,
shadow work
ढाई आखर प्रेम का पढ़े सो पंडित होइ
The book explores the soulmate relationship between the poet Rumi and his spiritual mentor Shams of Tabriz.
A romantic partner is often regarded as one's soulmate = Mirror certain aspects of the "shadow" side of one's personality. (Carl Jung)
... he shows you the void in your soul ... That person can be a lover, a friend, or a spiritual master..... Find the one who will be your mirror.
She did love me in her own self-centered and self-destructive way.
The whole universe is contained with a single human being - you. ... When a person knows himself or herself, he or she knows God.
shadow = unconscious personality, undesirable
The shadow is the hidden part of one's behaviour.
It influences most of the decision making. But one actively suppress this part of personality because it doesn't fit image of the ideal self.
Modern psychology also suggests - "we're often drawn into relationships with people who reflect our 'emotional wounds' back to us".
What we reject about ourselves is, surprisingly, what we project onto our romantic partners. So, without realizing it, we're actually falling in love with our own shadow=hidden-self.
The partner's personality then triggers our insecurities, fears, and unhealed inner conflicts. Forcing us to face what we've been avoiding.
Thus, the spouse or soulmate becomes a spiritual helper. Their daily interactions expose hidden parts of ourselves, fostering spiritual growth.
Rumi was a respected scholar who have already multiple stages of spiritual growth through knowledge and meditation. Shams was the one responsible for transforming scholar-Rumi into the world-famous poet and mystic-Rumi.
The book revolves around the theme of divine love.
I feel the book not meant to be understood intellectually. Just as Rumi's mystical poems, spirituality can not make sense until suddenly... it does.
Spirituality cannot be explained.
- Your destiny is the level where you will play your tune. You might not change you instrument but how well to play is entirely in your hands.
- God is a meticulous clockmaker. So precise is his order that everything on earth happens in its own time... For each there is a time to love and a time to die.
- This world is erected upon the principle of reciprocity... Not even a leaf stirs outside God's knowledge. Simply and fully believe in that.
- Fret not where the road will take you. Instead concentrate on the first step. That's the hardest part and that's what you are responsible for. Once you take that step let everything do what it naturally does and the rest will follow.
- Do not go with the flow. Be the flow.
God
- They say there is a thin line between losing yourself in God and losing your mind.
- How we see God is a direct reflection of how we see ourselves.
- The path of the truth is a labour of the heart, not of the head. ... Knowing yourself will lead you to the knowledge of God.
- It is easy to love a perfect God ... difficult to love fellow human beings with all their imperfections and defects. One can only know what one is capable of loving. There is no wisdom with love.
- God created suffering so that joy might appear through its opposite ... Things become manifest through opposites. Since God has no opposite, He remains hidden.
Love
- In love, boundaries are blurred.
- Because love is the very essence and purpose of life ... it hits everbody, including those who shun love ..
Love had nothing to do with "plans for tomorrow" or "memories of yesterday".