I thank the person who brought the works of Jelaluddin Rumi to my attention. Rumi is a famous Persian Sufi who lived in the years 1207-1273. He was a ” saint and mystic, inspiration for the Mevlevi Order of the whirling dervishes, highly revered for the great Mathnawi which is a majestic tribute to the depth of spiritual life.”

I shall leave the rest for you to discover. Bear in mind though, that you need to approach the works of Sufis with delicate care and no prejudice. Prejudice, or preconceived ideas, will only serve to make your refusal of the texts hasty. Do not be tempted by effect of what you have thus learned to pass a ruling and dismiss the works of Sufis, denying yourself the pleasures of exploring them.

In the orchard and rose garden
I long to see your face.
In the taste of Sweetness
I long to kiss your lips.
In the shadows of passion
I long for your love.

Oh! Supreme Lover!
Let me leave aside my worries.
The flowers are blooming
with the exultation of your Spirit.

By Allah!
I long to escape the prison of my ego
and lose myself
in the mountains and the desert.

These sad and lonely people tire me.
I long to revel in the drunken frenzy of your love
and feel the strength of Rustam in my hands.

I’m sick of mortal kings.
I long to see your light.
With lamps in hand
the sheikhs and mullahs roam
the dark alleys of these towns
not finding what they seek.

You are the Essence of the Essence,
The intoxication of Love.
I long to sing your praises
but stand mute
with the agony of wishing in my heart.

- ‘The Love Poems of Rumi’ By Deepak Chopra