Rumi is one of the most quoted spiritual figures on our planet, known primarily for pithy quotes on love and ecstasy that make easy material for social media posts. It's almost as if Shakespeare were only known by certain catchphrases that had entered the colloquial language, and the great tragedies and comedies were nowhere in sight. What Rumi expects us to understand is awesome. His take on reality is comprehensive, profound, and beautiful, but it requires knowledge of a context, a spiritual universe, to be appreciated. Perhaps, too, a living spiritual experience is needed to meet Rumi where he is.
Shaikh Kabir Helminski has lived with Rumi for more than 40 years, as a translator, and as someone trained in the living tradition that began 750 years ago with Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi. This conference was part of the Meditatio Centre London Programme, 2019.