Review of You, nature, and a book with words of Rumi
Posted: 14 Sep 2021, 12:48
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "You, nature, and a book with words of Rumi" by Jalal al-Din Rumi (Author), Ahmad Alandalucy (Author, Editor, Translator).]
You, Nature, and a Book with Words of Rumi is a poetry book by Jalal al-Din Rumi and edited and translated by Ahmad Alandalucy. The verses in the book came from the 13th-century works titled the Masnavi and the Kulliyat-e Shams by Rumi, who was a famous Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and Islam scholar. Rumi's poems have transcended time and geography due to their profound mystical and spiritual meanings.
Alandalucy, a pharmacist, used to believe only in the healing power of conventional medicine. Alandalucy's belief system changed during a walk near the coast in which he felt close to the beauty of the sunshine, the sand, and the sea waves. He felt love and peace and had the idea of putting together Rumi's poems about nature in a book. He divided the poems into thematic sections related to the natural world. Examples are light, darkness, universe, rain, river, cave, spring, and fall.
As a spiritual rather than religious person fond of the outdoors, I chose this book to experience Rumi's beautiful words about nature. The minimalistic cover and the book's title, which implies a connection between the reader and nature, also caught my attention. Light, Universe, and River are my favorite sections of the book. "The cave that you fear to step inside may hold the light that you seek," reminds me that sometimes we fear leaping forward to a new path in life. "Shine as if the entire universe is yours," is beautiful advice I apply to my life, as I think there is nothing more pitiful than those who live in the shadows. "When you do things from your soul, you feel a river flowing inside of you, a gladness," means that one feels satisfied after doing the best one can do at any task or role.
There is no doubt that this book provides the reader with a deep spiritual and mystical experience. However, the numerous repetition of verses is distracting and disappointing, even more considering Rumi's vast amount of work. The Masnavi alone has about 25,000 verses. For example, the verse on page 22 is the same verse that appears on pages 39 and 68. Besides that, the book has formatting issues in the introduction and conclusion.
I rate You, Nature, and a Book with Words of Rumi, edited and translated by Ahmad Alandalucy, 3 out of 4 stars because it is a pleasant read for making a spiritual connection with the natural world. I deducted a star due to the repetition of verses and formatting issues. Since Rumi's poetic words are praised worldwide, people from all religions can enjoy this book. I recommended it to readers who enjoy books about spirituality, nature, and mysticism. Poetry and New Age fans would like it, too.
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You, nature, and a book with words of Rumi
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
You, Nature, and a Book with Words of Rumi is a poetry book by Jalal al-Din Rumi and edited and translated by Ahmad Alandalucy. The verses in the book came from the 13th-century works titled the Masnavi and the Kulliyat-e Shams by Rumi, who was a famous Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and Islam scholar. Rumi's poems have transcended time and geography due to their profound mystical and spiritual meanings.
Alandalucy, a pharmacist, used to believe only in the healing power of conventional medicine. Alandalucy's belief system changed during a walk near the coast in which he felt close to the beauty of the sunshine, the sand, and the sea waves. He felt love and peace and had the idea of putting together Rumi's poems about nature in a book. He divided the poems into thematic sections related to the natural world. Examples are light, darkness, universe, rain, river, cave, spring, and fall.
As a spiritual rather than religious person fond of the outdoors, I chose this book to experience Rumi's beautiful words about nature. The minimalistic cover and the book's title, which implies a connection between the reader and nature, also caught my attention. Light, Universe, and River are my favorite sections of the book. "The cave that you fear to step inside may hold the light that you seek," reminds me that sometimes we fear leaping forward to a new path in life. "Shine as if the entire universe is yours," is beautiful advice I apply to my life, as I think there is nothing more pitiful than those who live in the shadows. "When you do things from your soul, you feel a river flowing inside of you, a gladness," means that one feels satisfied after doing the best one can do at any task or role.
There is no doubt that this book provides the reader with a deep spiritual and mystical experience. However, the numerous repetition of verses is distracting and disappointing, even more considering Rumi's vast amount of work. The Masnavi alone has about 25,000 verses. For example, the verse on page 22 is the same verse that appears on pages 39 and 68. Besides that, the book has formatting issues in the introduction and conclusion.
I rate You, Nature, and a Book with Words of Rumi, edited and translated by Ahmad Alandalucy, 3 out of 4 stars because it is a pleasant read for making a spiritual connection with the natural world. I deducted a star due to the repetition of verses and formatting issues. Since Rumi's poetic words are praised worldwide, people from all religions can enjoy this book. I recommended it to readers who enjoy books about spirituality, nature, and mysticism. Poetry and New Age fans would like it, too.
******
You, nature, and a book with words of Rumi
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon