Immortal Echoes, Mortal Words

Rumi's Cry: “Shams, Do Not!” | Ghazal 2054 of Divan | Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Recitation: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
Location: Mazandaran (Northern forests of Iran)
In this episode of the Rumi Podcast, we explore ghazal 2054 from Rumi’s Dīwān-i Shams Tabrizi, a heart-wrenching cry to the Beloved—Shams of Tabriz. This mystical poem explores themes of separation, divine love, longing, and spiritual intoxication, speaking directly to the universal human experience of spiritual abandonment and inner yearning. We uncover how this poem is not just about loss—but about the soul’s transformative confrontation with divine absence. These verses resonate deeply today in a world of emotional distance and spiritual seeking.
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=m5l2JJfTOLetqpST
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
🔻 Guiding Questions:
What does this poem teach us about the pain of spiritual separation and longing?
Which verse struck your heart the most, and why?
How do you personally experience the paradox of divine nearness and absence?
Can spiritual longing lead to awakening, or does it deepen the wound?
#RumiPoetry #Sufism #SpiritualWisdom #PersianMysticism #RumiExplained

Ep.3. Divine Will and Saints (Awliya) | Shii Mysticism Podcast

Why does God say “We” in the Quran? | Imam Sadiq’s (a.s.) Insight into Divine Speech
Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
Why does the Qur’an use the plural “We” when God speaks—despite His absolute Oneness? In Shi‘i Mysticism and Islamic spirituality, this question opens a gateway to esoteric interpretation, divine light, and Imamology. In this episode of Shi‘i Mysticism, I explore a profound interpretation by Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (a.s.), who elegantly explains God’s use of the plural in the Qur’an. Join me in this exploration.
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations 
Watch more from Shi'i Mysticism Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HFFxjOWCPTZXunQ6B_xzBz6&si=kx-T_U38A6wnOQfw
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
🔻Guiding Questions:
How do you understand God's use of "We" in the Qur’an?
In what ways does Imam Sadiq’s interpretation shift your understanding of God’s Oneness?
#ShiismExplained #Irfan #MullaSadra #IslamicMysticism #ImamAliWisdom

Ep.13. Ibn ʿArabī & Henry Corbin: Imagination (khayal) | Ibn Arabi Podcast

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
In this episode of our Ibn ʿArabī Podcast, I explore Henry Corbin’s interpretation of Ibn ʿArabī’s conception of imagination (al-khayāl) as the very organ of divine manifestation and ontological mediation. Ibn ʿArabī’s metaphysics of imagination bridges Essence and existence, the divine and the human, revealing how every act of imagination is an act of creation—a theophany (tajallī) through which Being discloses itself. This teaching is central to sufism and Islamic metaphysics.
 My latest book: Sarayān: The Real’s Permeation: Ibn ʿArabi on the Divine Presence in the Cosmos with Neoplatonic Insights (available in both digital and print formats): https://immortalechoes.org/pages/our-press
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from our Ibn Arabi Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HG0qkYvbH9dyTAWnncKZGLp&si=sCNGBNjB7RRRIZat
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
Guiding Questions:
What does it mean that imagination “creates being”? How does this reshape our understanding of creativity and divine manifestation?
In what way can human imagination reflect the Divine Imagination that Corbin describes?
How does the concept of barzakh or “isthmus” help us understand the relationship between spirit and body, unseen and seen?
#IbnArabi #Sufism #IslamicPhilosophy #Metaphysics #Mysticism

Rumi on Why God Hides: The Pedagogy of the Veil & Seeing through it, Ghazal 2894, Divan

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
In this video, we explore ghazal 2984 from Rumi's Diwan, a beautiful and profound dialogue between the soul and the Divine. This poem invites us into the interplay of concealment and revelation, the hidden artistry of the cosmos, and the awakening of the heart. Through the imagery of birds, veils, wine of meaning, and divine artistry, we see that every form is a sign pointing back to the Beloved, that every struggle is part of a greater design, and that spiritual growth is a journey from perception to participation—even into silence itself.Guiding questions: 
What does the idea of “veils” in this poem mean for your own inner life?
In what way might your suffering or trials be a pathway rather than a barrier?
What does it mean for you to move “from perception to participation” in spiritual life?
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=m5l2JJfTOLetqpST
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani#RumiPoetry #Sufism #PersianMysticism #SpiritualWisdom #RumiExplained

Rumi: Divine Feast & Inner Beast | Ghazal 10 | Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Recitation: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
What does it mean to be invited by the Divine? In this episode of the Rumi Podcast, we explore Ghazal 10 from Rumi’s Diwan. This mystical poem blends Sufi spirituality, symbolism, and paradox—inviting us to reflect on God’s Mercy, Wrath, and our inner readiness. We begin with the image of a nightly banquet where God Himself is the Host, reminding us that all spiritual longing begins with His Grace. But not all guests are worthy—Rumi contrasts the lion (the spiritually awakened) with the monkey (the spiritually unprepared), warning that we must refine ourselves to sit at the table. The episode unfolds deep themes of divine hospitality, spiritual immaturity, and the paradox of human nature, with Rumi portraying sin not as rebellion but as the innocent error of a lion’s cub. He pleads for God’s compassion in a world where even saints carry swords of justice within soft hearts.
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=m5l2JJfTOLetqpST
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
🔻Guiding Questions:
What does it mean to be a “guest at the King's table” in your own spiritual journey?
Have you ever felt like the “monkey among lions” in a sacred or transformative space?
How do you interpret the paradox of God being both infinitely Merciful and terrifyingly Just?
In what ways do you relate to the lion cub—making mistakes out of innocence rather than malice?
What inner “beasts” do you feel Rumi is calling us to recognize—and eventually tame?
#RumiPoetry #Sufism #PersianMysticism #SpiritualWisdom #RumiExplained

Fayz Kashani on Love & Gnosis | Mystical Persian Masnavi Poem: "Clear Water" (Āb-i Zulāl)

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Recitation: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahak
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
What is the fire that can turn spiritual night into day? In this episode of the Persian Poetry Podcast, we explore verses from Fayd Kashani's Masnavi poem: Āb-i Zulāl (Clear Water). These verses explore themes of divine love, gnosis, self-transcendence, and spiritual awakening. We discuss how Fayḍ unites philosophy, mysticism, and ethics in his poetry, addressing questions of human restlessness, longing for meaning, and the soul’s path toward enlightenment. His vision speaks directly to our modern challenges—where spiritual coldness can only be overcome by the warmth of divine love and self-knowledge.
Watch more episodes from our Persian Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=wpPAoEOfnofob2jQ
 
Guiding Questions:
How does Fayḍ Kāshānī’s idea of divine love as “fire” challenge modern views of love and desire?
What does it mean for the soul to be “cold” or “stone-hearted,” and how do you see this in contemporary life?
Can love and knowledge truly coexist, or must one dominate?
How do these verses reflect the mystic journey of fanāʾ (self-transcendence) and baqāʾ (subsistence in God)?
Which line from Fayḍ’s poem speaks most to your current spiritual state?
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
 
#PersianPoetry #MysticalPoetry #Sufism #SpiritualWisdom #FaydKashani

Rumi: The Drunken Camel & the Beloved | Ghazal 1828 of Diwan | Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Recitation: Dr. Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
In this episode of the Rumi Podcast, we dive deep into Ghazal 1828 from Rumi’s Divan-i Shams Tabrizi, exploring his mystical symbolism through the image of the camel—a metaphor for the spiritual seeker, drunk with divine love’s overwhelming pull. Rumi’s poetry invites us to reflect on spiritual surrender, divine madness, and the paradox of ecstatic challenges. Rumi illustrates the lover’s journey toward the Beloved, where self-transcendence becomes the path to divine union. This wisdom offers insights into spiritual awakening, inner transformation, and soulful resilience.
Guiding Questions:
What does Rumi's choice of the camel metaphor tell you?
How do you interpret Rumi’s idea of love as both a burden and a liberation?
What is Rumi teaching us about the nature of divine intoxication and its role in transformation?
In what ways does Rumi’s poetry help you navigate the emotional and spiritual complexities of life today?
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=m5l2JJfTOLetqpST
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
#RumiPoetry #Sufism #PersianMysticism #SpiritualWisdom #RumiExplained

Rumi: The Rose-Faced One & the Lost Self | Ghazal 2059 | Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Recitation: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
How does Rumi dramatize the soul’s struggle between divine presence and worldly distraction? In this episode of the Rumi Podcast, we explore Ghazal 2059 from Rumi’s Dīwān-i Shams Tabrīzī. This stunning poem begins with a sudden mystical utterance and spirals through divine rebuke, distraction, symbolic misguidance, and eventual reorientation toward truth. Through the symbols of the rose garden, thief, crow, owl, and moon behind clouds, Rumi constructs a journey of self-forgetting and divine recollection, where speech, knowledge, and even poetry itself become both a veil and a vehicle. Let's explore this magnificent poem together.
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=m5l2JJfTOLetqpST
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
🔻Guiding Questions:
How do distractions and even beautiful things (like poetry) distance us from what truly matters?
What is the significance of the “strike across the mouth”? How do you interpret this act spiritually?
Do the owl and crow represent types of people—or types of perceptions within us?
How does this poem reflect your own journey between loss, distraction, and return to truth?
#Rumi #PersianPoetry #MysticalPoetry #DivineLove #SufiWisdom

Ep.14. Fayz Kashani's Reinterpretation of Ibn Arabi's Perfect Man

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Music: @amirmohamdmonjezi
The concept of the Perfect Man (insān kāmil) lies at the heart of Islamic philosophy and mysticism, bridging the gap between the transcendent Absolute and the multiplicity of creation. In this episode, I explore Fayz (Fayḍ) Kashani’s metaphysical vision of the Perfect Man as developed in his Kalimāt-i Maknūna, where divine self-manifestation (tajallī) becomes the key to understanding both the cosmos and the human being. Building upon Ibn al-ʿArabī’s doctrine of the Perfect Man and Ḥaydar Āmulī’s Shiʿi reinterpretation, Fayḍ unites Imamology and Sufi metaphysics into a theology of divine presence. The Perfect Man—manifested in prophets and Imams—mirrors the Names and Attributes of God, serving as the bridge between essential Absolute Oneness (aḥadiyya) and multiplicity (kathra). Through this lens, the Prophet Muḥammad, ʿAlī, and the al-Mahdī represent successive seals of divine manifestation, culminating in the consummation of sainthood (walāya) and the metaphysics of longing and return.
Texts discussed: Kalimāt-i Maknūna by Fayḍ Kāshānī; Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam by Ibn al-ʿArabī; Jāmiʿ al-Asrār by Ḥaydar Āmulī.
Interpretive Questions:
How does Fayz's notion of the Perfect Man reconcile divine transcendence with human participation in being?
In what ways does the idea of walāya (sainthood) deepen our understanding of spiritual authority beyond formal religion?
What does it mean that the world continues to exist “as long as the Perfect Man remains”?
What is the Muhammadan Reality's role?
How does this doctrine invite us to reflect on our own potential as mirrors of divine attributes in daily life?
 
 My latest book: Sarayān: The Real’s Permeation: Ibn ʿArabi on the Divine Presence in the Cosmos with Neoplatonic Insights (available in both digital and print formats): https://immortalechoes.org/pages/our-press
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from our Ibn Arabi Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HG0qkYvbH9dyTAWnncKZGLp&si=sCNGBNjB7RRRIZat
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
 
#IslamicPhilosophy #Sufism #Mysticism #FaydKashani #InsanKamil #Metaphysics #SpiritualWisdom #IbnArabi #MullaSadra #ShiiteMysticism

Rumi’s Secret to Eternal Joy?” | Ghazal 578, Divan | Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
💫 "I have a pact with joy that it will always be mine; I have a promise with my Beloved that He will always be my soul." Rumi’s poetry redefines joy—not as a fleeting feeling, but as a spiritual commitment. In Ghazal 578, he reveals the source of eternal happiness: a love so deep that it shields the heart from fear and sorrow. But what does it mean to form a pact with joy? How does Rumi’s devotion to the Beloved grant him unshakable inner strength?
 
Key Themes in this Episode:
Rumi’s pact with joy—why is happiness a choice?
The Sultan of the heart—how Rumi’s faith is unbreakable.
The fortress of love and devotion—why fear cannot enter.
Persian poetry, Farsi recitation, and deep mystical insights. Join us as we recite Rumi’s original Farsi verses and provide an insightful English analysis, uncovering his secret to finding joy beyond life’s struggles. With Persian traditional music enhancing the experience, this episode will transform the way you view happiness and faith.
🔻 My questions for you:
What does it mean to make a pact with joy?
Why does Rumi say that his Beloved is his soul?
How would life change if we trusted something greater than ourselves?
What does Rumi mean when he says, "No thought dares to invade my heart, for my Sultan guards my kingdom"?
Can we cultivate a joy that remains unshaken by life’s struggles?
 
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHJERERmZ7fn8cYrLJOzvqy&si=m5l2JJfTOLetqpST
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
#Rumi #SufiPoetry #Mysticism #InnerJoy #PersianPoetry