Are you grieving right now? here are 3 quick steps you can take, as stated by this 13th-century Persian poet.
How can I sell sorrow when you know it’s a blessing?
Persian mystical poet and Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi writes about the pure love we can achieve beyond the ego when we allow ourselves to experience grief as a blessing.
He writes:
I saw grief drinking a cup of sorrow and called out, “it tastes sweet, does it now?” “you’ve caught me,” grief answered, “and you’ve ruined my business; how can I sell sorrow when you know it’s a blessing?” ―JALALUDDIN RUMI (1207 -1273
Here are three alternatives to the grief/sorrow dilemma:
- Practice— honestly expressing your feelings of loss without believing that you must be filled with sorrow as well. Allow what is there to be there, do not demand instant changes.
- You may have accepted grief and sorrow as inseparable because you have been taught that being otherwise is cold and inhuman. But when you realize all falls, setbacks, and traumas are blessings and that all losses are in divine order, you will gradually sweeten the sorrow to soar to higher altitudes.
- Stop in the middle of a sorrowful moment and ask yourself: “Do I have to suffer now, inside and outside, over this loss, which I will ultimately come to see as a blessing?” Then listen and follow your response. Because when we can’t change the external reality (such as a loss of a loved one) the only available option is to tap into our inner experience. Perhaps you can focus on the blessing you received from that loss, their wisdom, and the lessons they’ve taught you. Because whether or not we can alter external circumstances, living with mindfulness helps us know where we are and supports us through the journey of finding our way.
Stay strong my friend, you’ve got this.
