My heart has become kabab from the fire of Love

“My heart has become kabab from the fire of Love.”

– Page 72, Rumi’s Sun (on Maturity)

This line from Shams-e-Tabriz is something that I read yesterday for the first time, and it is one of my instant favorites.  It is classic!  This spiritual teacher is full of Truth – each word of his carries weight.  As my father would say, I am missing out by not being fluent in Farsi (I’m working on it), because much of the beauty and meaning of such poetic spiritual guidance gets lost in translation.  Nonetheless, this line alone gives a good analogy of what the true Spiritual Work is like for a seeker.

The idea is one of letting your guard down, silencing your mind, and allowing the process or words of the teacher to work on your emotions.  So much of our training in school and elsewhere generally builds our intellectual capacity, which is positive in so long as we also learn when to suspend mental activity and allow ourselves to get close to the fire – close enough to get cooked.  Shams makes a similar note in saying “Rather than asking questions too readily, be silent and let the words cook you so as not to lose the fruitfulness of the words that may not come again.”

It is no mistake that this guidance comes under a section of his lectures titled “Maturity”.  Personally, I have experienced the benefits of this practice in various group work that I have participated in.  Instead of being defensive and ready with counter-points, I worked on letting my guard down, and letting feedback that people had for me sink in.  This can be very tough and uncomfortable, as we feel vulnerable when our guard is not up.  But if you want to develop internal strength, I believe that it is necessary to open up and be silent.  Be watchful not to let your guard down in front of just anybody, for some will manipulate those who are vulnerable.  Find a master chef or someone of good moral character, and then let your heart be cooked!