Revisiting Life: “The Reed Flute’s Song” — Rumi
Rumi was exceptional poet of century though he was found by world after his poems were translated to English.
Rumi had taught and still teaching us about philosophy and deeper aspects of life.
‘The Reed Flute’s Song” is one of such poems. He introduced reed flute for the first time in him book “Masnavi”/ “Mathnawi”. The Reed flute is like a hollow bamboo, in Sufi culture it is called “Ney”. Meaning of Ney in sufi is;
To let go of the ego. Let go of the identity instead open the possibility for God to come in.
There are several translations of this poem, but learnings and ideas remain same. But below is an early English translation by E. H. Whinfield.
Learnings
The reed flute symbolizes the human soul, which is separated from its source and experiences pain as a result.
Poem suggests that this suffering can be transformed into a source of growth and enlightenment, as it causes the soul to “unfold its pain” and to realize the importance of love.
9 Learnings from this poem
- Separation: The poem speaks of the pain of separation, as symbolized by the reed flute being cut from its source.
- Pain as growth: It suggests that pain and suffering can be transformed into growth and enlightenment.
- Love as transformative: Love is portrayed as both dangerous and transformative, and as requiring the taking of risks and surrender to the unknown.
- Embracing emotions: The poem encourages readers to embrace their emotions and experiences, including their pain, in order to live a more fulfilling life.
- Inner wisdom: Poem suggests that the path to enlightenment and understanding lies within the human soul, and that one must be willing to look within to find it.
- Intimacy and longing: It explore the relationship between intimacy and longing for intimacy, suggesting that they are intertwined and that the longing for connection is a fundamental human desire.
- The importance of listening: The poem highlights the importance of listening, and the role of the ear in understanding the hidden messages within the reed’s song.
- Ignoring the message: It cautions against ignoring the message of the reed, suggesting that it is better to cut off conversation with those who are not receptive.
The Poem
Listen to the story told by the reed,
of being separated.
“Since I was cut from the reedbed,
I have made this crying sound.
Anyone apart from someone he loves
understands what I say.
Anyone pulled from a source
longs to go back.
At any gathering I am there,
mingling in the laughing and grieving,
a friend to each, but few
will hear the secrets hidden
within the notes. No ears for that.
Body flowing out of spirit,
spirit up from body: no concealing
that mixing. But it’s not given us
to see the soul. The reed flute
is fire, not wind. Be that empty.”
Hear the love fire tangled
in the reed notes, as bewilderment
melts into wine. The reed is a friend
to all who want the fabric torn
and drawn away. The reed is hurt
and salve combining. Intimacy
and longing for intimacy, one
song. A disastrous surrender
and a fine love, together. The one
who secretly hears this is senseless.
A tongue has one customer, the ear.
A sugarcane flute has such effect
because it was able to make sugar
in the reedbed. The sound it makes
is for everyone. Days full of wanting,
let them go by without worrying
that they do. Stay where you are
inside sure a pure, hollow note.
Every thirst gets satisfied except
that of these fish, the mystics,
who swim a vast ocean of grace
still somehow longing for it!
No one lives in that without
being nourished every day.
But if someone doesn’t want to hear
the song of the reed flute,
it’s best to cut conversation
short, say good-bye, and leave.
One Para Summary of Poem
It encourages us to embrace our pain, to seek love and connection, and to listen deeply to the wisdom hidden within our own souls.
Final thoughts
Doing this series is an amazing practice, I am learning several things while researching.
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