When someone asked just last night -- the hostess to a full round table of women -- if we could choose how we might like to be if we started our lives over again -- would it be as a musician, sportsman, painter or what else? I could feel my dancer-self inside -- wanting to express such purity of movement...
Then a few hours later, I did "homework" for a class which was exploring how we find ourselves relating to the Divine, I felt again inwardly -- as a dancer seeking to follow Him in a conversant way -- sometimes yet not always mirroring...sometimes loving to follow -- sometimes playfully being me -- yet from and to and out from again -- that is the right metophor for my relating....
Finally, I wanted to find some way to guide me to sleep -- having been up too long wrestling with these considerations...and immediately here's what I found...and finding such a description from one of God's most playful and insightful messengers,
Hafiz, I am now ready to go dancing in my sleep... this poet once again showed up at just the right time...
Perhaps, he or He will whisper such comfort to your ear as well?
My Sweet, Crushed Angel
You have not danced so badly, my dear,
Trying to hold hands with the Beautiful One.
You have waltzed with great style,
My sweet, crushed angel,
To have ever neared God's heart at all.
Our Partner is notoriously difficult to follow,
And even His best musicians are not always easy
To hear.
So what if the music has stopped for a while.
So what
If the price of admission to the Divine
Is out of reach tonight.
So what, my dear,
If you do not have the ante to gamble for Real Love.
The mind and the body are famous
For holding the heart ransom,
But Hafiz knows the Beloved's eternal habits.
Have patience,
For He will not be able to resist your longing
For Long.
You have not danced so badly, my dear,
Trying to kiss the Beautiful One.
You have actually waltzed with tremendous style,
O my sweet,
O my sweet crushed angel.
-- Hafiz
dancer above found http://www.pbase.com/rcalmes/dancing_silhouettes
Then a few hours later, I did "homework" for a class which was exploring how we find ourselves relating to the Divine, I felt again inwardly -- as a dancer seeking to follow Him in a conversant way -- sometimes yet not always mirroring...sometimes loving to follow -- sometimes playfully being me -- yet from and to and out from again -- that is the right metophor for my relating....
Finally, I wanted to find some way to guide me to sleep -- having been up too long wrestling with these considerations...and immediately here's what I found...and finding such a description from one of God's most playful and insightful messengers,
Hafiz, I am now ready to go dancing in my sleep... this poet once again showed up at just the right time...
Perhaps, he or He will whisper such comfort to your ear as well?
You have not danced so badly, my dear,
Trying to hold hands with the Beautiful One.
You have waltzed with great style,
My sweet, crushed angel,
To have ever neared God's heart at all.
Our Partner is notoriously difficult to follow,
And even His best musicians are not always easy
To hear.
So what if the music has stopped for a while.
So what
If the price of admission to the Divine
Is out of reach tonight.
So what, my dear,
If you do not have the ante to gamble for Real Love.
The mind and the body are famous
For holding the heart ransom,
But Hafiz knows the Beloved's eternal habits.
Have patience,
For He will not be able to resist your longing
For Long.
You have not danced so badly, my dear,
Trying to kiss the Beautiful One.
You have actually waltzed with tremendous style,
O my sweet,
O my sweet crushed angel.
-- Hafiz
dancer above found http://www.pbase.com/rcalmes/dancing_silhouettes
Our Partner is notoriously difficult to follow,
ReplyDeleteAnd even His best musicians are not always easy
To hear.
I loved it. Thank you!!
Somehow I felt you would quickly like & get this prayer-poem from your own experience...
ReplyDeleteA mysterious yet rewarding experience, this deeply spiritual yet playful dancing.
What a tradition of great long-ranging poets you have in your part of the world!
Dancing is praying in movement, this is a prayer of all heavenly bodies, the sun, the moon, our own earth, when human beings dance they try to allude to the act of the cosmic movement of planets, stars and galaxies. Your urge for dance means your participation in this cosmic act :)
ReplyDeleteWow, I certainly am intrigued by your explication. Picturing all of this certainly stretches my imagination. How do you know all of this? :)
ReplyDeleteSome readers may also want to see an article on peacemaking in Kabul
ReplyDeletewritten by John Dear who's been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu:
http://nomorecrusades.blogspot.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012 Learning a nonviolent lifestyle in Kabul
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDear van nelle,
ReplyDeletethanx so much for coming by -- you are an encouragement to me.
I do so look forward to looking over you site very soon!
Oh, especially fo AWD:
ReplyDeleteI had the experience you pictured for me & tho't of this -- after one very meaningful hour with a special person & danced across the room with all my heart to Pacebel...reaching out for the planets, stars, galaxies to join thei dance...I felt a part of this great cosmic act and filled with love. I danced in beauty although I am not practiced in it...it was a gift which you helped me to experience. First time in years...I now want to take up dance again...