The Psychology of Rumi’s Poetry

“Don’t feel alone, the whole universe is within you” — Rumi

A few months ago, I adopted an apricot-colored mini poodle. When I met him for the first time, I looked into his eyes and felt a deep, loving wisdom. I immediately named him Rumi, after my favorite Sufi poet.

Yesterday, to celebrate his 70th birthday,^Number Around my birthday, I was reading a lot of the work of Jalaluddin Rumi. He has been my teacher and guide for many years, someone who has given me words to experience and emotions close to home. His poetry is so much about the heart, mind and soul, and I believe with all of the uncertainty and chaos in the universe, his poetry is what we all need right now.

Timeless poetry

According to Dr. Marianna Poghosyan (2023), poetry has been motivating humanity for thousands of years, and research has shown that there are many reasons for this: poetry evokes deep emotions, sends readers on a journey to find meaning, provides aesthetic pleasure, and is where healing happens.

Rumi’s poetry conveys a deep sense of love interwoven with themes of self-knowledge and self-acceptance, which are essential for personal transformation, and the importance of the love and deep sense of connection that Rumi advocated centuries ago cannot be overstated. Connecting with all of humanity will bring more compassion into the universe.

In fact, we are all connected by our egos, but through Rumi’s poetry we are reminded that we are more than just our egos. Egos cause us to forget the common source of our humanity. Egos tend to divide rather than connect. This is one of the many reasons his poetry is timeless.

His poems remind us of the longing for belonging.In his doctoral dissertation, Mansouri (2010) compares six of Rumi’s poems to explain the longing for belonging with a loved one through the lens of Jungian individuation, a return to the wholeness inherent in the essence of life.

Rumi was born around September 30, 1207 and died on December 17, 1273, a very short life by today’s standards. He was born in what is now Afghanistan. It is not surprising that he descended from a long line of judges, theologians, and mystics. His family eventually settled in Konya, in what is now south-central Turkey. There, Rumi met his teacher and mentor, Shams. Before he became a poet, Rumi was a preacher. When he met Shams, a philosopher and free thinker, he was inspired to create poetry.

In his book, Rumi: The Big Red Book (2010), According to Coleman Barks, who translated much of Rumi’s poetry, Rumi wrote or dictated his longest and most brilliant poem, “Masnavi,” during the last 12 years of his life, which ultimately ran to 64,000 lines and was divided into six books.

Bridging psychology and culture

Rumi was a universalist whose poetry transcended religious disciplines and beliefs with great wisdom, clarity, and love. Many claim that his poetry not only served as a bridge from religion to culture and psychology, but also deepened their own spiritual practice.

Rumi’s funeral was attended by people of all faiths, and one of his epitaphs reads: “Look not for him here, but in the hearts of those who loved him.”

Burks (2010) states that Rumi is one of the greatest souls and spiritual teachers. He has shown us the glory in many ways. He wants his readers to feel more alive, awakened, happy and full of love. “Fundamentally, Rumi wanted to help us recognize the beauty in ourselves and in others.”

Words from the Heart

Rumi’s poetry is best understood with the heart, as it was written from the heart. Reading his poetry is also a way of opening our hearts. Essential Rumi, Burks writes, “His poetry is not of interest to me, or to most readers, as an exhibit in a thirteenth-century museum. His poetry is food and drink, nourishment for those who hunger for what it provides” (p. xv).

Every generation has its moments of uncertainty, but with six grandchildren, I can’t help but wonder what future generations will value and what universal truths they will follow. I look forward to the day when my grandchildren are old enough to share my love for Rumi with them, and hopefully find his wisdom living in their hearts as well.

Below is an excerpt from one of his famous poems:

(sauce: Rumi: The Big Red Book(Translated by Coleman Barks)

guest house

This human being is a guesthouse.
A new one arrives every morning.

Joy, melancholy, meanness,
A moment of realization comes
As an unexpected visitor.

We welcome and entertain you all!
Even if it’s a crowd of sorrows
Someone who cleans your house vigorously
The furniture is gone,
Treat each guest with respect.
He may be trying to get rid of you.
In search of new joy.

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