This months BIOPHILIA Mentorship focused on themes of death, funerals, grief composting and trauma amongst other earth element attributes. Seeing as the last mentee session is this morning, it felt appropriate to begin the day and close the week with this beautiful passage from one of my favourite poets. Little did I know when rooting out this quote that today is his "Wedding Night"...
Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, Persian poet and mystic, passed away on Dec 17, 1273. This date is known as Sheb-i Arus, which means '' Wedding Night''. Every year, the 17th of December is celebrated as the night of Rumi's reunion with his Beloved. When I die, when my coffin is being taken out You must never think I am missing this world. Don't shed any tears, don't lament or feel sorry. I'm not falling into a monster's abyss. When you see my corpse is being carried, Don't cry for my leaving. I'm not leaving, I'm arriving at eternal love. When you leave me in the grave, don't say goodbye. Remember a grave is only a curtain for the paradise behind. You'll only see me descending into a grave, now watch me rise. How can there be an end? When the sun sets Or the moon goes down, it looks like the end, It seems like a sunset, but in reality it is a dawn. When the grave locks you up, that is when your soul is freed. Have you ever seen a seed fallen to earth not rise with a new life? Why should you doubt the rise of a seed named human?. . . When for the last time you close your mouth, Your words and soul will belong to the world of no place, no time. ~ Rumi
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