Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, has this way of striking a chord with pretty much everyone. No matter how you feel—lost in thought, head over heels in love, or simply looking for a moment of tranquility—Rumi’s poetic wisdom always resonates. So here they are—25 quotes from the great Sufi teacher to inspire and uplift you. Enjoy.
1. “Love is the whole thing. We are only pieces.”
2. “Why do you stay in prison
When the door is so wide open?”
3. “Out beyond ideas
of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.”
4. “A thousand half-loves must be forsaken to take one whole heart home.”
5. “Love calls – everywhere and always.
We’re sky bound.
Are you coming?”
SEE ALSO: Beautiful Love Quotes from Literature
6. “You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?”
7. “Close your eyes, fall in love, stay there.”
8. “You think you are alive
because you breathe air?
Shame on you, that you are
alive in such a limited way.
Don’t be without Love,
so you won’t feel dead.
Die in Love
and stay alive forever.”
9. “If you want money more than anything,
you will be bought and sold.
If you have a greed for food,
you will become a loaf of bread.
This is a subtle truth.
Whatever you love, you are.”
10. “People want you to be happy. Don’t keep serving them your pain. If you could untie your wings and free your soul of jealousy, you and everyone around you would fly up like doves.”
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11. Do not feel lonely,
the entire universe
is inside you.
Stop acting so small.
You are the universe
in ecstatic motion.
Set your life on fire.
Seek those who fan your flames.”
12. “Keep on knocking
’til the joy inside
opens a window
look to see who’s there.”
13. “On a day
when the wind is perfect,
the sail just needs to open
and the world is full of beauty.
Today is such a day.”
14. “Be patient where you sit in the dark. The dawn is coming.”
15. “Listen with ears of tolerance! See through the eyes of compassion! Speak with the language of love.”
16. “Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.”
17. “The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.”
18. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
19. “You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.”
20. “Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation.”
21. “I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.”
22. “Your heart and my heart are very, very old friends.”
23. “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”
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24. “I said: what about my eyes?
He said: Keep them on the road.
I said: What about my passion?
He said: Keep it burning.
I said: What about my heart?
He said: Tell me what you hold inside it?
I said: Pain and sorrow.
He said: Stay with it.
The wound is the place
where the Light enters you.”
25. “I went inside my heart
to see how it was.
Something there makes me hear
the whole world weeping.”
Alright, it’s your turn now! Which Rumi quote resonated the most? Comment below or share on your socials—just don’t forget to tag The Rockle. And hey, we have more poetic inspo just for you:
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