Radio Rumi Program 57: Dancing Around a Rainbow

In this summer special episode, I discuss the worldly awareness of medieval Persian poets and thinkers, emphasizing their attention to cultures different than their own. Three figures are showcased: the philosopher Aziz Nasafi, Rumi, and Sa'di of Shiraz.

This episode focuses on the complexity of the concept of madness in Rumi's poetry. It explores our poet's approach to madness as a tool that curbs the power of rules and regulations to allow the formation of human spiritual originality.

This program is dedicated to the significance of dancing in human life. I start with Hafiz of Shiraz, then move on to Sa'di's approach to the topic and end with a ghazal of Rumi which uses the refrain "Come on! Dance!" We explore what these medieval poets think dancing does for us.

On the occasion of the arrival of spring, millions of people across the globe are celebrating "Nowruz." In this program, I explore the literary, symbolic, and spiritual meanings of the concept of spring through a few examples from the ghazals of Hafiz, Sa‘di, and Rumi. 

In this program, I focus on wine and wine-house in the poetry of Hafiz of Shiraz. In the journey that we take from Konya to Shiraz, instead of asking whether the wine that Hafiz drank was real or allegorical, I explore the wine-house itself as a counter space to places of worship.

In this episode, I focus on the ways in which one of my favorite philosophers and a few life-companion poets (including Rumi) discuss an important aspect of our life journey: traveling from the isolation of an ego to the generosity of sharing ourselves with trusted companions.

I start this program with a quote from a modern Western philosopher about the interconnection of all life everywhere. Comparing his view with that of a medieval Persian Sufi, I then share with you Hafiz and Rumi's poetic expressions of the same idea: life as a harmonious interrelation.

A large part of the world has just celebrated Christmas. This program looks into the poetic presence of Jesus in classical Persian poetry and his symbolic dedication to perpetuating life and honoring its sanctity.

In this episode, we take another poetic journey to Shiraz to spend Yalda with the master poet, Saʿdi. He speaks of the symbolic significance of nights as moments of repose, and of cruelty to others as the true darkness. We return to Konya wishing Iranians' suffering in this Yalda of cruelty to come to an end soon.

This episode is dedicated to the Iranian children suffering as the violent response to the uprisings causes them harm. I focus on children as the dynamic, playful, and growing presences in our lives. Rumi speaks of them frequently as he alludes to our child within, the part of us which yearns for growth.