Jeanne Guyon (1648 - 1717)

... What do I mean by the law of central tendency? As you continue holding your soul deep in your inward parts, you will discover that God has a magnetic attracting quality! Your God is like a magnet! The Lord naturally draws you more and more toward Himself.

The next thing you notice is this: As you move toward the center, the Lord also purifies you of all the things that are not of Him.

This is illustrated in nature. Observe the ocean. The water in the ocean begins to evaporate. Then the vapor begins moving toward the sun. As the vapor leaves the earth, it is full of impurities; however as it ascends, it becomes more refined and more purified ...

There is one difference between your soul and those vapors. Although the vapor can only be passive,  you have the privilege of cooperating voluntarily with the Lord as He draws you inwardly towards Himself.  

Rabia of Basra

The sun is now in homage to my face,

because it knows I have seen God.

But that was not His payment.

The soul cannot describe His gift.

I just spoke about the sun like that

because I like beautiful words and

because it is true:

Creation is in homage to us.

Sunset, Crows & Bells

 

. . .

 

10/3/2018

Avec Jean-Marie Guénois, Emmanuel Godo, Frédéric Boyer et Réginald Gaillard

 

PSALM 47

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.         

      

         Clap your hands, all peoples!

       Shout to God with loud songs

            of  joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, is

        terrible,

    a great king over all the earth.

He subdued peoples under us,

    and nations under our feet.

He chose our heritage for us, 

    the pride of Jacob whom he

         loves.                       Selah

God has gone up with a shout,

    the Lord with the sound of a

         trumpet.

Sing praises to God, sing praises!

    Sing praises to our King, sing

        praises!

For God is the king of all the earth;

    sing praises with a psalm!

God reigns over the nations,

    God sits on His Holy Throne.

The princes of the peoples gather

    as the people of the God of 

         Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong 

        to God;

    he is highly exalted!

Rumi

 

Dam the torrent of ecstasy when it runs in flood,

so that it won't bring shame and ruin.

But why should I fear ruin?

Under the ruin waits a royal treasure.

He that is drowned in God wishes to be more drowned.

While his spirit is tossed up and down 

by the waves of the sea,

he asks, "Is the bottom of the sea more delightful, or the top? 

Is the Beloved's arrow more fascinating, or the shield?"

O heart, if you recognize any difference 

between joy and sorrow,

these lies will tear you apart.

Although your desire tastes sweet,

doesn't the Beloved desire you

to be desireless?

The life of lovers is in death:

you will not win the Beloved's heart

unless you lose your own.

 

Translation: Kabir & Camille Helminski

From The RUMI Collection 

Edited by Kabir Helminski

Shambhala, 1999