My dear heart, never think you are better than others. Listen to their sorrows with compassion. If you want peace, don't harbor bad thoughts, do not gossip and don't teach what you do not know.
RumiRead
This silence, this moment, every moment, if it's genuinely inside you, brings what you need. There's nothing to believe. Only when I stopped believing in myself did I come into this beauty. Sit quietly, and listen for a voice that will say, 'Be more silent.' Die and be quiet. Quietness is the surest sign that you've died. Your old life was a frantic running from silence. Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking. Live in silence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Embracing silence allows for deeper self-awareness and connection to the present moment.
In this quote, Rumi emphasizes the profound value of silence and stillness as a means to discover one's inner truth and beauty. He suggests that true fulfillment comes not from external beliefs or distractions, but from turning inward and embracing the quiet, where clarity and understanding reside. By letting go of the noise of fear and constant activity, one can experience a transformative sense of peace and presence.
Themes
SilenceSelf-AwarenessInner BeautyPeaceFearTransformation
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, I shared Rumi's quote to encourage participants to embrace the power of silence.
More from Rumi
All quotes →The Law of Wonder rules my life at last, _x000D_ ...I burn each second of my life to Love _x000D_ Each second of my life burns out in Love _x000D_ In each leaping second Love lives afresh.
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Lovers have heartaches _x000D_ That can't be cured by drugs _x000D_ Or sleep, _x000D_ Or games, _x000D_ But only by seeing their beloved.
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Every fragile beauty, every perfect forgotten sentence, you grieve their going away, but that is not how it is. Where they come from never goes dry. It is an always flowing spring.
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Whatever you keep hidden in your heart, God _x000D_ manifests in you outwardly. Whatever the root of _x000D_ the tree feeds on in secret, affects the bough and _x000D_ the leaf.
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Come on sweetheart let's adore one another before there is no more of you and me
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