For a Rumi to be, there must be a Shams.
How easily we forget that St. Francis of Assisi was not just a flower child. He was a deeply disciplined practitioner of daily prayer, surrendered to his Master Jesus. How easily we forget that Buddhist poets who spoke of spontaneous satori were profoundly absorbed in meditation practices of 'Zen,' a word which comes from the Chinese 'Chan,' which comes from the Sanskrit 'Dyan,' which is the seventh limb of Astanga Yoga, meaning 'Meditation.'
How easily we quote Rumi's most ecstatic verses, forgetting that he was devoted to the feet of his guru, Shams, from whom he received initiation; that he and his master were embroiled in the religious disputes of their age, committed for life and for death. Rumi spent his life in exile because of his beliefs; his master, Shams, was murdered by his rivals.
How easily we smell the rose blossom, and forget that it has been deeply rooted in one place for a long time, humbly grateful for its daily watering.
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