Sunday

 

Shams was in Konya Turkey, seemed like his first trip out of the country and his first trip to a retreat. I hope he goes on many retreats and travels a lot. 

He’s too busy today, and I slept in because I’m getting tired of this cold. When a friend is busy, you forgive them, while wanting to spend time with them anyway. There are many contradictory emotions. 

In my biography of Rumi, he’s moving from Samarkand to Mecca. He hasn’t made it yet to Konya, where he will spend the majority of his life. If you look at a map it’s a long way from Samarkand to Konya. I’m reading the entry on Konya, and St. Paul made it to Konya. 

Rumi had a tutor Borhan. His journal survives, and he was into to the spiritual benefits of fasting. I had a friend who would do the master cleanse. I was always really impressed. One fellow joked about solitary retreat being only about making big sandwiches. What are you doing to do, keep making big sandwiches? I kind of think eating vegan mostly, plant based imperfection, there’s an element of restraint and discipline. Anandi is better at that than me, she’s a strict vegan. She is the one who gives me awesome Christmas presents of food. 

I have graphomania, can’t stop writing. Made my list of the best movies of 2024. Made a post about female vocalists I like. I read Wikipedia and update my non-personal Buddhist blog. Collecting information is the job of the information age. 

Like any biography, Rumi has lots of loss. His grandmother, his tutor, friends. He lost them by traveling so far away from them. 

Rumi meets his first wife Gowhar.