Rumi by Candlelight

 

Rumi by Candlelight

is a rare non-denominational community event

that marries literature, music, and spirituality,

with a focus on unity.

 

We envision the evening as a refuge from the turbulence of daily life, where members of the general community come together to enjoy introspective and inspiring words by world-renowned poet/mystic Rumi with accompanying live music.

 

Rumi’s poetry

often refers to unity,

& transcends time periods,

religions, cultures & borders.

 

Rumi’s poetry

reminds many audiences

 that we can continue to evolve

as individuals and as a society,

 increasing compassion

 for one another

and devotion

to the

DIVINE

 in all things.

 

by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi

There is a candle in your heart,
ready to be kindled.

 

There is a void in your soul,
ready to be filled.

 

You feel it, don’t you?
You feel the separation
from the Beloved.

 

Invite Him to fill you up,
embrace the fire.

 

Remind those

who tell you otherwise

that 

Love
comes to you of its own accord,
and the yearning for it
cannot be learned in any school.

 

Translated by Sharam Shiva

It is held in a sanctuary setting, with simple decorations of flowers and candlelight to create a serene gathering place for the community. The attendees will hear selected inspirational readings of poetry by Rumi, the current best-selling poet in the US, with accompanying background music and musical interludes by live musicians. 

 

We will provide two to three experienced readers, including one reader to read an excerpt in the original Farsee language. There will be four musicians playing live composed and improvised music.

 

 

Jalalud’din Rumi is one of the world’s most revered mystical poets. During his lifetime he produced a prolific range of inspiring and devotional poetry which encapsulates the Sufi’s experience of union with the divine. These timeless classics have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, as Rumi has become one of our most popular poets. Although Rumi was a Sufi and a great scholar of the Qu’ran his appeal reaches across religious and social divisions. Even during his lifetime, he was noted for his cosmopolitan outlook. His funeral, which lasted 40 days, was attended by Muslims, Jews, Persians, Christians, and Greeks.

• BBC – Culture – Why is Rumi the best-selling poet in the US?
• A Spiritual Biography of Rumi
• Jalal al-Din Rumi – Poet | Academy of American Poets
• Rumi‘s Untold Story
• The Erasure of Islam from the Poetry of Rumi | The New Yorker