The Graze V.180: The Root of the Root

Hi Friends:

Rumi, the passionate, mystic Islamic poet was born in what is now Afghanistan in the 13th century. Despite being born in a time of great violence, his poetry was the heart love - he is said to have been, “a spiritual bridge between human beings and God.” Perhaps in these days of escalating conflict, his words might be a meeting place where broken and betrayed hearts can meet.

When you lose all sense of self,

the bonds of a thousand chains

will vanish.

Lose yourself completely.

Return to the root of the root

of your own soul. - Rumi

At the root of faith is hope. It is hope that sustains through days filled with news of violence and terror that seem neverending. It is a tapestry of hope that keeps my spirit intact and connects me to the wholesomeness and wholeness of Creation.

Roots are what give us structure and take us to the origins of truth. We watched the floods sweep away vast areas of land this summer in Vermont. If roots are in place in the forest or wetland, even a hard rain cannot dislodge the soil. But remove the roots and even a breeze will send soil tumbling downhill in a muddy slide.

Where do we search for the roots of our roots - that radical love that pours through the Jesus of Nazareth, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Muhammad of Arabia? through ancestors, through faith, through the created cosmos?

“The root of the root” holds the goodness of promise of the ongoing Creation of our natural world, for us and for future generations. If we are able to find a space of healing, perhaps we might find peace. As Rumi said:

“Out beyond the ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field - I’ll meet you there.”

Blessings for a return to that field - the root of roots,

🌱 💚 Lisa