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I have long felt an attraction to the poetry and teachings of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi. I recently stumbled upon a delightful book that condenses Rumi’s spiritual practices into a short, simple easily-remembered list.
Rumi’s Four Essential Practices: Ecstatic Body, Awakened Soul by Will Johnson explains the practices and connects them to the larger body of Rumi’s work.
As a hyper-kinetic sort, religious traditions that focus on what people DO rather than what they BELIEVE have always made the most sense to me. And Rumi’s lusty, laughing, twirling whirling poetry – especially as translated by Coleman Barks – is captivating.
The four practices:
- Eat lightly
- Breathe deeply
- Dance
- Gaze raptly into the eyes of the beloved
How can I not follow a spiritual teacher who counts dancing as one of his most important practices?