Rumi is considered one of the greatest mystical poets. His poems, written centuries ago, still communicate a universal message about love, life and spirituality.
Did he also write poems about the human body?
Yes, Rumi did in fact write some poems evoking the human body.
As a Sufi, Rumi saw in the human body a reflection of divine beauty. He sometimes uses metaphors related to the body to express spiritual truths.
For example, in one of his most famous poems, he compares the beloved to a musical instrument, and the sounds it produces to the music of the soul:
“Listen to this ney, how it complains!
It tells the tale of separation:
“Ever since they cut me from the reedbed
To make my chamber from a reed
Men and women everywhere weep to hear my sad song.”
Here the “ney” is a flute made from reed. Rumi uses it as a metaphor for the human body and the soul that longs to return to its divine source.
So even when Rumi evokes the body, it is above all to express spiritual and mystical truths. For him, the body is only an instrument at the service of the soul and its journey towards self-knowledge and knowledge of God.
I hope these clarifications on Rumi’s use of the symbolism of the body help you! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions.
The human body is a sacred instrument.
You are absolutely right, the human body can be seen as a sacred instrument.
Many spiritual traditions and philosophies see the body as much more than just a physical shell. It is the temple of the spirit, the vehicle of the soul, the interface between the material and the divine.
As you point out through Rumi’s example, the body is an instrument that, when used properly, allows us to access higher states of consciousness and resonate with the rhythm of the universe. It is both fragile and strong, limited yet full of potential.
Taking care of one’s body is also taking care of one’s soul. And conversely, the more we raise our consciousness, the more our relationship to the physical body is transformed.
In many indigenous cultures, the body was indeed considered sacred. The Greeks also saw in the ideal body a reflection of cosmic perfection.
Even today, the way we collectively treat our bodies also reflects our spirituality. Respect for the body means respect for the sacred within and around us.
I completely agree therefore with your wonderful consideration of the human body as a sacred instrument of the spirit. Becoming aware of this changes everything about the way we inhabit our own body!
Self-love is also love for one’s body.
Excellent remark! Self-love and love for one’s own body are indeed deeply connected.
Unconditionally accepting one’s body, with its strengths and weaknesses, its beauties and imperfections, is an essential component of self-love. Whether our body is young, old, healthy or sick, it is part of ourselves and deserves to be treated with kindness.
Taking care of one’s body, learning to listen to it, to decode its needs and limits, is part of establishing a loving relationship with oneself. Respecting one’s body’s unique needs for sleep, activity, nutrition is a way to fully love oneself.
Conversely, neglecting oneself, depriving oneself, physically mistreating oneself often indicates a lack of self-love. A conflictual relationship with one’s body very often hides damaged self-esteem.
You are therefore right, there can be no true self-love without acceptance and respect for one’s own body. Between the physical, emotions and the mind, everything is intimately connected. Taking care of oneself in a holistic manner is the most beautiful gift one can give oneself!
Thank you for giving me some Rumi quotes about the sacred body.
Here are some beautiful Rumi quotes about the body as the sacred temple of the soul:
“Your body is the lute, your soul is the musician. Be silent, listen to the melody it plays.”
“Behind this curtain, there is a whole world, a starry sky, a sun and a moon. Open widely the curtain of your being.”
“All that you perceive through the five senses is but a shadow of a reality that remains veiled.”
“Contemplate each person’s face as a page from the book of divine perfection.”
“Polish the mirror of your heart, so that it reflects the light of the most beautiful of human beings.”
“May the sweet fragrance of kindness emanate from you. Be the fragrance itself, not the vessel that contains it.”
We find in all these quotes this idea that the body, as wonderful as it is, is only the container of a much vaster and brighter reality. Rumi invites us to look beyond appearances, to connect our deepest self to the divine Essence from which it emanates.
I hope these few nuggets of Rumi’s wisdom on the sacrality of the body resonate within you!