“Sit, be still, and listen,
because you’re drunk
and we’re at
the edge of the roof.”
This quote by Rumi is difficult to add to. But I find it so amazing that I’m going to try. We seem to be filled with our own thoughts and agendas. We don’t originate those thoughts or the agendas, yet they drive us. They are mechanical and we act them out like a machine or sleepwalker. Rumi is suggesting that we might want to wake up and that we might want to do it before we fall off the roof. As I like to say “If only, if only, if only – dead.
Rumi is saying we are asleep, drunk. Just a few minutes of being awake in the beautiful unknowable world. What is it worth? How much we might experience and be able to do if we weren’t drunk.
He gives us the key to all of it. Sit, be still and listen. In addition to that we can practice not being asleep/drunk in our daily lives. These actions create a powerful practice. That practice is transmitted from one person to another, handed down through time for those of us who are not completely drunk. We can act on that esoteric or special knowledge. It takes courage and making up our minds.
The edge of the roof is in sight.
If only, if only, if only – dead.
Wow!
What a quote, what a picture, what a complement.
A perfect meal!
And I find myself sitting on that roof, for a moment not drunk, and my first reaction is fear – maybe the reason why we keep ourselves drunk? But overcoming this, what a wonderful new vieuw, what a life!
Thank you sensei for this gift!
A great reminder to empty the mind after a weekend of miscommunications which lead to frustration and anger. When I am attached to an agenda or a thought, when I am so sure – it is at this point that I become frustrated, angry. I am off to start again, to practice, to sober up! Thank you.
I have to ask, what happens if we jump?
@Annette
Thank you Annette. Yes I love the quote and am happy I could do something with it.
@Liz
From your other activities I know that you are familiar with determination and yes you will need that to sober up. You me and everyone else. Thank you Liz.
@Amergin
It depends on whether you land on your but or your head -or maybe you can fly? Sometimes I see lost Coin as a flight school:)
Flight school seems a good metaphor. While I don’t think Rumi intended to imply such in this passage, the image of “the edge of the roof” for some reason immediately brought to mind that of “the sacred jumping off point” (as in Castaneda) – something which I think you have to be drunk (in the Sufi sense) to do. In any case, I suppose bungee cords are cheating. . .
The world can be so overwhelming that I sometimes feel completely steamrolled by what happens. In these moments, I’d do anything to avoid seeing the edge of the roof, like taking another drink instead of sobering up, or closing my eyes (both strategies would make nice slapstick scenes I think). To sit down, be still, listen takes more courage than ever in these moments when the here and now seems to be just too hard to stay with. But then, sometimes, it makes me take a breath,
@ Chris
Thank you Chris. Yes I understand. Perhaps the real breather we need is from our own thoughts.
Thank you for this invaluable gift!
@ Vicki
Thank you so much Vicki. Its nice to hear from you. How are you?
Hello Daniel. Today is my birthday, and your talk was a wonderful gift I received during a quiet moment. “thanks” for “giving” it to me!
Vicki
Interesting and great stuff you got here. Keep posting! I’m constantly looking to read on that issue.