Rumi's Silence

 

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.

Where did I come from, and what should I do?

 I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere,

I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there.

                                                                                                                                  Rumi

Rumi's prose, as you describe it, beautifully captures a common theme in mystic poetry and philosophy: the sense of a profound connection to a spiritual realm beyond the physical world. Rumi's reflection on his inability to express his inner thoughts during the day, contrasted with his silent revelations at night, illustrates a mystical journey inward, where the soul yearns for its true home—a divine origin or an existence beyond the material world.

In saying that he is "from something else" and "not a creature of this world," Rumi emphasizes his awareness of the spiritual nature of his being. This awareness leads to a form of detachment from worldly affairs, as mystics often view the material world as a temporary state, a stepping stone to a higher, more meaningful reality.

Similarly, Khalil Gibran’s metaphor of the dying as a ship sailing out of sight aligns with this mystical understanding. The ship’s departure from one shore and its simultaneous arrival at another reflect the soul's journey from the physical world to the spiritual realm.

In short, both Rumi and Gibran's works reflect a detachment from the mundane and a deep yearning for a connection to the spiritual. It not something taking refuge from once responsibilities, but it is the cry of the heart that feels away from the body. We all are back toward the home but this does not mean excuse.