The Flow of Emotions

June 13, 2011

A Song of Being Empty

A certain sufi tore his robe in grief,
and the tearing brought such relief,

he gave the robe the name faraji,
which means ripped open, or happiness,
or one who brings the joy of being opened.

It comes from the stem faraj, which also
refers to the genitals, male and female.

His teacher understood the purity
of the action, while others
just saw the ragged appearance.

If you want peace and purity,
tear away your coverings.

This is the purpose of emotion, to let
a streaming beauty flow through you.

Call it spirit, elixir, or the original
agreement between yourself and God.

Opening into that gives peace,
a song of being empty,
pure silence.

Rumi

Such beautiful words! 

Tearing away the mask, the persona, the facade. 

Bringing down the walls I have built around my heart.

I believed those walls were protecting me, insulating me from pain

Yet all the while they were really creating darkness, 

keeping the light out.
Of my heart.

I hid behind the walls to cope with day to day life.

It was the only way I knew to be.

This poem shows another way.

A way that is full of the richness of life.

Allowing the expression, the flow of emotions.

"This is the purpose of emotions..."

"...To let a streaming beauty flow through you"
Streaming beauty...how simple and inspiring...

Tearing down the walls, ripping open the 'cloak'
releases the beauty that has been there all along.

By accepting and allowing the flow

brings peace, pure silence, God.

...my heart is full and hollow...