Jalaluddin Rumi—commonly known as Rumi—was born in 1207 in modern day Afghanistan. He was a Sufi mystic and poet. Sufism is a mystical dimension of Islam which emphasizes an individual’s direct personal experience with the Divine. According to Britannica.com, Rumi’s philosophy included the idea that “life should be a journey to union with the one true God, which is achieved by practicing love—by disregarding oneself as an independent being and turning toward the truth of God’s oneness. Aided by spiritual guides, one lives—loves—into that truth, gradually ascending to full knowledge of the one divine presence, then guiding others. [After Rumi’s death, a loose fraternity of his disciples was organized] into the Mawlawiyyah, known in the West as the Whirling Dervishes because of the mystical dance that constitutes their principal ritual.”
Unitarian Universalism embraces diverse teachings from many different global religions and philosophies. We celebrate the spiritual insights of the world’s religions, recognizing wisdom in many scriptures. To honor these beliefs, we have installed an (8) poster poetry walk of Rumi verses on the grounds of the church as part of our World Spiritual Practices grant. Please take some time for self-reflection and spiritual introspection by visiting the poetry walk between August 31 and September 14.