Rev Left Radio [BEST OF 2025] The Sufi Path of Rumi: Islamic Mysticism and The Journey to Divine Love
Jan 4, 2026
Dr. Rory Dickson, an associate professor focused on Sufism and the author of 'Dissolving Into Being,' dives deep into the spiritual world of Rumi. He explores Rumi's transformative relationship with Shams of Tabriz and how their bond led Rumi from scholar to ecstatic poet. The conversation touches on the Sufi concepts of fana and baqa, the importance of divine love, and the integration of inner transformation with social action. Rory also highlights the complexities of translating Rumi's poetry while maintaining its essence.
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Heart Knowledge As A Distinct Faculty
- Mysticism trains an underused faculty called the 'eye of the heart' to know reality directly through love and taste.
- Cultivating this faculty via practice reveals an inner ocean of being as expansive as the outer world.
A Sufi Meditation That Felt Like Wine
- Dr. Rory Dickson described a meditation with a Sufi teacher where he felt like an infant in the arms of a giant love.
- He left the session stumbling and realized why Sufis compare spiritual intoxication to wine.
Shams As The Catalytic Teacher
- Shams of Tabriz functioned as a catalytic, uncompromising teacher who short-circuited Rumi's intellectualism to spark ecstatic poetry and practice.
- Their intense bond transformed Rumi from a sober scholar into an ecstatic poet and dancer.
