Rumi (1207–1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic. He’s becoming more widely read and respected for his wisdom and insights. Here’s a short verse that speaks to the reason you and I should make room for a daily practice of meditation.
Terrible destruction dances and the world’s days darken. If you want Supreme Reality, hide from fame. You’re looking for the Pearl? Plunge, now to the sea’s bottom. What’s on the shore is only foam. – Jalal-ud-Din Rumi (Translated by Andrew Harvey from A Year of Rumi)
Every generation believes the world is falling apart. This is nothing new. Even Socrates in the 5th century BCE complained about how things were deteriorating for the future of the world with the declining respect for authority in children. In a thousand years, the complaint will still be around. Life is about change and until we accept it, instead of trying to bring back the good ole days, it will be difficult to experience much peace and harmony in life.
What does it mean that if you want Supreme Reality, you should hide from fame? The desire for fame or recognition tends to drive some people to superior performance. I can remember as a youth that I wanted to be like people who had achieved fame and fortune. That seemed to be a goal or purpose in life. We are drawn to the recognition others are receiving because we simply want to be recognized for our own worth.
Fame isn’t the answer. Your worth is inherent. Your worth was built in the day you took your first breath. You simply have to see it and acknowledge your own worth before you’ll ever be on the road to harmony.
Most religions have stated we are all infused with a spark of the Divine. The Supreme Reality (God, Allah, Alaha, Creator) is the power within each person to create his or her own life, or reality.
In order to know the Supreme Reality, you have to take the time to seek and know the Pearl of great worth – the Divine within you. That’s what meditation will do for you. You are the sea. The Pearl is found at the deepest depths of yourself.
Yet too often we end up chasing the foam on the shore, thinking the surface and shallow things of life will bring us what we want. Day after day it’s proven that money, power, and fame are not the key to peace and harmony in life. The answer lies within, not on the outside.
So learn to go deeper, plunge to the depths of the sea because that’s where you will find the Pearl.