the health of self-forgetfulness,
looking out at the sky through
a notch in the valley side,
the black woods wintry on
the hills, small clouds at sunset
passing across. And I know
that this is one of the thresholds
between Earth and Heaven,
from which even I may step
forth from my self and be free.
Wendell Berry
Work in the Invisible
The prophets have wondered to themselves, "How long
should we keep pounding
this cold iron? How long do we have to whisper into an
empty cage? Every motion
of created beings comes from the creator. The first soul
pushes, and your second
soul responds, beginning, so don't stay timid. Load the ship
and set out. No one knows
for certain whether the vessel will sink or reach the harbor.
Cautious people say, "I'll
do nothing until I can be sure." Merchants know better.
If you do nothing, you lose.
Don't be one of those merchants who won't risk the ocean!
This is much more important
than losing or making money. This is your connection to god!
You must set fire to have
Light. Trust means you're ready to risk what you currently
have. Think of your fear and
hope about your livelihood. They make you go to work
diligently every day. Now
consider what the prophets have done. Abraham wore fire
for an anklet. Moses spoke
to the sea. David molded iron. Solomon rode the wind.
Work in the invisible world
at least as hard as you do in the visible. Be companions
with the prophets even though
no one here will know that you are not even the helpers of
the quth, the abdals. You
can't imagine what profit will come! When one of those
generous ones invites you
into his fire, go quickly! Don't say, "But will it burn
me? Will it hurt?"
Rumi, (trans. By Coleman Barks)
Quth: a spiritual being, or function that can reside in a human or several humans, or in a moment. Abdals are helpers of the quth.
