[.ca] The Soul of Rumi: A New Collection of Ecstatic Poems (ISBN 0060604522)

From Amazon.com:
When Rumi was born in Afghanistan in 1207, it was a time of tremendous political turmoil in the Near East. Paradoxically, it was also a time of "brilliant mystical awareness," writes translator Coleman Barks in The Soul of Rumi. This brilliance shines through in every passage, as Barks celebrates the ecstatic nature of Rumi's poetry. Barks (The Essential Rumi) has been given much credit for leading modern Westerners to this astounding poet. His sensitivity to the reader is evidenced in how he organizes the poetry according to themes. Since Rumi is often quoted at public gatherings, such as weddings and memorial services, this makes referencing especially easy. In the section entitled "When Friend Meets Friend," readers find the poem "The Soul's Friend": The most living moment comes when those who love each other meet each other's eyes and in what flows between them then. To see your face in a crowd of others, or alone on a frightening street, I weep for that…. Barks offers a gracefully rendered introduction to each section, providing personal and historical background of the poetry. Elegantly designed and printed on cream-colored, heavy-stock paper, this is a delight for Rumi fans. --Gail Hudson

Love's Embodiment:
Although I own and have read most of Coleman Bark's Rumi books, never until today did I suspect that he so profoundly misunderstood the relationship of Shams and Rumi. He writes, "Their meeting in the heart is beyond form and touch and time." (p.188) Of course their relationship was spiritual even mystical, but where does the spiritual start but in "form and touch and time"? Barks seems to be denying that Rumi's poems describe an embodied connection with Shams. This is gnostic, erotophobia and perhaps homophobia. Barks arrogantly writes: "The question is often asked if Rumi and Shams were lovers in the sexual sense. No." (p.188) How can Barks write that sentence with such dogmatic certainty, especially after reading hundreds of Rumi's love poems to Shams? How does he know that this love is merely spiritual ("beyond touch")? I am glad that Barks has finally shown us his ideological position. I worry how this "spiritual disembodied viewpoint:" has shaped his translations of Rumi. I think it is impossible to know the exact details of the physical relationship of Rumi and Shams but the love poems express an incredibly embodied physicality. So I personally imagine that they did have one of the great sexual relationships of all time. But my evidence is in the poetry. The poetry describes a profoundly embodied relationship between two mystical men. In the future, I will seek other translators of Rumi so as not to be influenced by this disembodiment? Rumi and Shams were two physical men who met in a physical place in November of 1244. This meeting was within _form_, with _touch_ and within _time._ Coleman Barks is wrong.

Film corroborates this Barks publication:
Tina and Rumi- Turning around the world! Sometimes in order to help He makes us cry. Happy the eye that sheds tears for His sake. Fortunate the heart that burns for His sake. Laughter always follows tears. Blessed are those who understand. Life blossoms wherever water flows. Where tears are shed divine mercy is shown. Spiritual Ecstasy is a natural high. No one thinks it has to do with Faith and Poetry. Tina Petrova has made that connection- a few years ago, when she drove off a cliff and right into the lap of Persian 13th century poet Rumi. Today she has accomplished more than just a Rumi Festival of Peace in 1999 in Toronto, with noted Rumi translator Coleman Barks. Rumi-Turning Ecstatic is a brand new film that premiered last Tuesday 27th Sept at Regent Cinema Toronto- to a sold out crowd, on this noted Muslim's ascetic life and the unique axis he created around adherents of all faiths and cultures. The film is a remarkable documentary, with timely passages, and mystical sensations of Sufi music, set against the backdrop of Tina traveling from the cliff of death to the pillow of Divine love. When asked what has she gained from this film's experience (an actress herself) she claimed, with a dancing light in her eyes, "I've learned humbleness". Today Rumi has been such a successful poet in the West that many websites and books have dedicated themselves to his study. There were over 50 pieces on sale and display at the premise, including, the Mevlevi Order representative in the West, Kabir Helminski's translations of his poems. Mr. Kabir is a convert to Sufism and fell in love with Rumi in his quest for Oriental spirituality. Contemplatives or those involved in interdisciplinary traditions this astute lover of Rumi commented, when asked if the emerging principle of Interfaith practices should move beyond mere academics and enter the realm of metaphysics, that Interfaith activity is not a path! Interfaith activity is an honoring of God's guidance in many paths, as stated in Q 49:13 - and only those who have reached completion could initiate a Path- Tariqa. As a matter of fact Tina's Saint and this Muslims' Imam is more widely read than Shakespeare, in the West and this is so for the last 2 decades! The most wonderful element of this film is that it works as an elixir to world peace - it features some of the world's religions interpreted in Rumi verses of oneness of humanity. The word maslak, routinely featured in his 35000 verses of Mathnawi Sharif, is so wide and ambiguous that any school of thought, sect or creed polemically reads into its definition. As Hafiza Assadzada solemnly sang it directly in Rumi's Dari dialect, opening the event, we can only contend with this struggled translation. Unless I have the face of the heart towards thee, I deem prayer unworthy to be reckoned as prayer If I turned my face to the qibla, it was for love of thine; Otherwise, I am weary of both prayer and qibla...." Tina's search for Rumi, seen in a dream but made into flesh took her to a Rumi disciple in the faraway plains of Mid West America, as much as it flew her into the realms of love and mystical philosophies - she met UN Award Winning Architect Nader Khalili and Andrew Harvey, both acclaimed environmental activists for global peace and awareness. As Rabbi Chiam Yoseph Ben Leizar said: a voice of love that comes from the sons of Ishmael - and as Galiha Lonis said, being an ardent reader of Rumi works herself: she couldn't miss the near experience of his ecstatic poems! This film is an ample example of the power of the human mind, as Tina transferred a dream into reality. Visionary Media Inc produced this film and Radiant Media Inc.and is truly a project of Unity in Diversity- produced by Vision TV In Canada. Now available to the general public, anyone could contact her for screenings in their community, university class or study group anywhere in the world. www.rumi-turningecstatic.com Tina has brainstormed a gift to Humanity she calls " World Rumi Day" where she invites peoples of all faiths and backgrounds- all over the planet, to show the film on the day this Muslim saint met his Beloved and lifted the final veil- His Wedding Day, or day of death. The first annual Rumi day, celebrating a Muslim Icon of Peace and Tolerance, and a true representative of Interfaith Unity, will be held Dec. 17th. 2005. Inshallah and continued as an annual tradition. I think Muslims all over the world have a true gift for their media PR here, even though the teachings and writings of Sufism may not coincide with orthodox Islam fully. This film will be aired 10 pm 18th January 2006 on Vision TV, whose Executive Producer, Alberta Nokes exclaims, as a partner of this project, that it's a "resonance of inclusivity within Islam and people are looking for this even more than Rumi could imagine!" Habeeb United Views www.islam.am 10/4/05

Best introduction to Rumi available:
If there is only one book of Rumi you purchase, this should be it. But warning, the purchase may send you into a frenzy to learn and read more. Barks' works as a translator here make poetry come alive, leap off the page and fly circles around your mind. A single poem can bring a person to great thoughts. The book begins with a great introduction to Rumi's life, work, culture, spirituality, but Barks also includes some history of Sufi poetry. Then Barks divides the poetry into logical sections. Some involve community, others involve love, some love of God, peace between religions, inner life, work, home, playing... The range of catagories Barks creates represent human life in a wholeistic manner. They make Rumi's poetry easier to grasp, much more enjoyable, and center on the needs of all human beings. Barks also introduces each section (usually no more than a page). Barks' intros are concise, clear, and point toward key ideas in the most notable poems of each section. This large collection of poetry is worth reading for a lifetime. Not to mention as Robert Bly asked of Barks years ago, Barks follows through in "releasing these translations from their cages."

Nice...:
When I first began to read this book, I didn't like it nearly as much as the essential rumi, some of the poems just didn't speak to me in quite the same way. But this last winter break, I read through the whole masnavi at the end of the book, and it gave me a very different feeling from anything I've ever read before. It was like there was a deeper message, or an understanding which is difficult to say other then just a deeper understanding of everything.

Embodied Love?:
Although I own and have read most of Coleman Bark's Rumi books, never until today did I suspect that he so profoundly misunderstood the relationship of Shams and Rumi. He writes, "Their meeting in the heart is beyond form and touch and time." (p.188) Of course their relationship was spiritual even mystical, but where does the spiritual start but in "form and touch and time"? Barks seems to be denying that Rumi's poems describe an embodied connection with Shams. This is gnostic, erotophobic and perhaps homophobic. Barks arrogantly writes: "The question is often asked if Rumi and Shams were lovers in the sexual sense. No." (p.188) How can Barks write that sentence with such dogmatic certainty, especially after reading hundreds of Rumi's love poems to Shams? How does he know that this love is merely spiritual ("beyond touch")? I am glad that Barks has finally shown us his ideological position. I worry how this "spiritual disembodied viewpoint:" has shaped his translations of Rumi. I think it is impossible to know the exact details of the physical relationship of Rumi and Shams but the love poems express an incredibly embodied physicality. So I personally imagine that they did have one of the great sexual relationships of all time. But my evidence is in the poetry. The poetry describes a profoundly embodied relationship between two mystical, physical men. In the future, I will seek other translators of Rumi so as not to be influenced by this disembodiment. Rumi and Shams were two physical men who met in a physical place in November of 1244. This meeting was within _form_, with _touch_ and within _time._ Coleman Barks is wrong.