Planted hyacinth bulbs in the garden yesterday as October is Bulb Planting Month. Hyacinths are a flower of the lily-family which was already highly cultivated (especially in Holland) before the end of the 16th century. The fragrance is heady and intense. The story of the flower's cultivation spread from southern Turkey through Lebanon and Syria, to northern Israel/Palestine to Iraq, to north east Iran and Turkmenistan.
Rumi, The 13th century Persian poet and Sufi mystic wrote:
If you have three loaves of bread,
give two to the poor,
sell the third,
and with the money
buy hyacinths for your soul.
Like Jesus' parable of the merchant who searched for fine pearls and was un-relenting until he found the most perfect one, (Matthew 13:45ff), Rumi's poem declares that our inner life is more important than anything. And that inner life requires the attentions of beauty, silence, sacrifice, study and consideration.
What challenges there are to living in this awareness and intent! We weren't made for so much stress and speed. Monks and nuns understand. We need to pay attention and make some changes as we're able. Any ideas?
What challenges there are to living in this awareness and intent! We weren't made for so much stress and speed. Monks and nuns understand. We need to pay attention and make some changes as we're able. Any ideas?
"You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience; you are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience." Father Teilhard
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| Jan Bos ~ Brilliant Carmine Red |
