The Flights of the Soul

Rumi, a Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic from the 13th century, fell deeply in love with Shams (Shams e Tabriz), a dervish poet from Tabriz. While the countless tales of their initial encounter are considered apocryphal, the meeting itself undeniably transformed Rumi's life. The profound connection with Shams compelled Rumi to relinquish his esteemed status, embarking on a spiritual journey to greater depths under Shams's guidance.

As the story goes, he started to whirl in the street to the sound of blacksmiths hammering the iron. He abandoned classrooms, companions, and podiums, trading conventional postures for ecstatic whirling in the search for the 'hidden truth.'

Beyond the romanticized tale, what does Love between Rumi and Shams mean? In what category does one place their relationship? Is it merely a friendship, and why is it labeled as 'Love'? What broader insights does this narrative offer us regarding encounters and interactions at various levels between human beings?'

First, let's delve into scholarly definitions. Greek offers four distinct words for love: philia, storge, agape, and eros. Further complicating matters, philia is translated as 'friendship' and 'affection,' antonyms to phobia. Storge embodies 'familial love,' denoting' natural or instinctual affection.' Agape represents 'the highest form of love, charity,' and 'the love of God for man and of man for God.' Finally, eros is linked to 'sensual or passionate love', giving rise to the term 'erotic.' In its modern context, Love is predominantly defined through eros. However, it's noteworthy that before the 20th century, love was characterized by agape.

Aristotle further classifies friendship into three categories: friendships of utility or, in my terms, 'business relationships', friendships of pleasure, and friendships of the good. While the first is clear, the second refers to people sharing the same interests (any type of leisure), the third is mutual appreciation, and 'the motive behind it is [solely] care for the friend.'

Given the above, the 'Love' between Rumi and Shams could be categorized as a 'friendship of the good.' Nevertheless, it transcends the simple bounds of this friendship category and any other terms associated with love as defined by the Greeks. Here, an element of closeness and fusion exists, related to universal unity, as articulated by Rumi.

The philosophy of 'universal unity' finds its poignant expression in the works of Attar of Nishapur, a Sufi poet from the 12th century in the Seljuk Empire, particularly in his epic poem 'The Conference of the Birds.'*

In Lili Anwar's excellent translation titled 'Le Cantique des Oiseaux,' she suggests, 'to approach the 'Cantique of the Birds,' you have to forget your landmarks, accept the journey... Lose yourself. Take flight, the soul's flight to unknown lands. With humility...' I embrace her recommendation as the essence of the mystic journey. She writes the poem 'tells the story of all the birds in the world, who come together one day to search for the Supreme Being.' This Supreme Being is known as The Simorgh, a 'benevolent bird in Persian mythology and literature.' 'Simorgh' means thirty birds in Persian, and Attar employs this linguistic play to symbolize his narrative. Sholeh Wolpé briefs, 'On the way, many [birds] perish of thirst, heat or illness, while others fall prey to wild beasts, panic, and violence. Finally, only thirty birds make it to the abode of Simorgh. In the end, the birds learn that they themselves are the Simorgh'. The core concept resonates at the heart of Rumi's philosophy, following in Attar's profound footsteps. The tale's message is that we are part of the supreme truth (divine), and the supreme is part of us.

While numerous paths may guide us to our inner truth, some risk leading us astray, and only a fortunate few achieve enlightenment on this journey. Encounters play a pivotal role in our inner quest. In navigating the complexities of various forms of love and friendships, as defined above, we may encounter delays on our spiritual path. Yet, the risk is worth the reward.

On our journey to self-development, surprises often arise in unexpected circumstances. Hafez poetically expresses this sentiment: 'I see the light of God in the pleasure house | An unlikely location for the divine light.'

I encountered such surprises on social media, a realm I usually avoid. The overwhelming torrent of information sometimes may appeal to our rawest instincts. For instance, a famous dating app encourages us to sort individuals by visual inspection—sweeping right for those we desire and left for those we do not. The vast amount of information initially leaves no room for love beyond raw eros. However, upon further reflection, the brain starts eventually categorizing pictures beyond eros.

Through this process, I realized Rumi's love for Shams belongs to yet another category. Rumi fell in love as he saw that Shams had reached spiritual development beyond saints and prophets, no longer requiring religious dogmas. However, Rumi needed Shams in a mystic love to further his journey on the spiritual path.

This mystic love transcends eros and 'friendship for good.' Statistically speaking, the sheer number of faces one browses on social media is expected to increase the chances of positive encounters, but only if we are vigilant to avoid traps. Some of these encounters can be lifesaving, bringing us closer to the spiritual destinations we have journeyed toward all our lives. Many birds perished in Attar's epic poem—only a few, sometimes by the benevolence of fellows with the better capacity for enlightenment.

I flew long over plains and seas

I advanced step by step with my head in the skies

I crossed mountains, valleys and deserts

I traveled a world in the time of the deluge*

When mystics encounter eros, is it the path to heaven or certain perishment?

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The title is inspired by Charles Nicholl's biography of Leonardo da Vinci, titled 'Leonardo da Vinci: The Flights of the Mind.'

*The Conference of the Birds by Attar, edited and translated by Sholeh Wolpé, W. W. Norton & Co 2017

The photos are from Instagram @fernlichtsicht and @ayuta.mori, respectively.