Nowhere to go but the heart - Rumi
[from: sunlight@onelist.com]

For the lovers,* there is no seeking (done) by themselves,
(for) there is no additional seeker in the world other than Him.*
This world and the next are a single substance; in reality,
there is no unbelief, religion or faith.*
O you whose breath (is like that of) Jesus!* Don't breath from
(such) a distance! I am the admirer* of the one who is not far thinking.*
If you say, "I'll go behind," Don't go! (There's) no behind.
(And) if you say, "[I'll go] ahead," No! There's no way ahead.*
Open (your) hand [and be generous], (and) grab (the hem of) your
own robe* [and be merciful]. (For) there is no bandage for this
wound except this garment.*
All good and bad (qualities) are parts of the dervishes;* whoever is
not like this, is not a dervish.
Whoever has gone beyond "place," his (only) place is the heart --
such a heart* for which there is no place in the world!

-- Ghazal 425
Translated from the Persian, with commentary
(C) Ibrahim Gamard
Oct. 7, 1999

*the lovers: means the lovers of God.
*other than Him: Chittick translated this (single) line as, "Lovers
themselves do not seek-- in the whole world, there is no seeker but He."
("The Sufi Path of Love," 1983, p. 210). Sufis have often extended the
Islamic creed, "There is no divinity except God," to obtain further
mystical realizations, such as: there is no (ultimate) being, existence,
reality, actions, qualities, etc. except God's Being, Existence, etc.-- and
here, that there is no seeker except God. This is another way of saying,
"Seek God within, not outside of yourself, and you will find that you don't
exist, because there exists only God who is the Seeker of Himself"--
seeking the reflection of His own Divine Attributes in the completed human
being. *or faith: means that all of creation (including this world and the
next world, good and bad) is a unity (reflecting the Divine Unity of God).
And in contrast to the mystic's direct experience of the overwhelming
reality of the Presence of God, mental beliefs about the Divine are
irrelevant. *breath of Jesus: refers to the healing miracles brought by God
through the Prophet Jesus (Qur'an 5:113). *I am the admirer: literally, "I
am the slave of." An idiom expressing admiration. *far thinking: Rumi
usually uses this term in a positive sense, relating to the wisdom of
foresight. Here, however, he uses it as a word play to his beloved
spiritual master (Shams-i Tabriz): "Don't keep distant from me, in any
way!" *no way ahead: means, "You and I are not separate; in our mystical
unity there is no distance behind or ahead that you can go!" *your own
robe: an idiom meaning to beg for help and mercy by grabbing the hem of
someone who has the power to be merciful or just. Here it means: "Grab the
hem of your own robe, for my sake, and be merciful to me-- who is
yourself!" *this garment: a pun on the two meanings of the word "rêsh":
"wound" (Persian) and "embroidered garment" (Arabic). Means that the
spiritual master's "robe of mercy" is the only bandage (or poultice, with
medicinal ointment on it) which can be wrapped around and heal the wound of
the lover's longing sorrow. *parts of the dervishes: means all the Divine
Attributes, beautiful or severe, can be reflected in someone who is a true
dervish-- and who is truly surrendered to the Divine Will. *such a heart:
means that the heart of the dervish is mystically transcendant and beyond
physical location in the universe. *no place in the world for it: This
circumstances of the composition of this ode were described by Aflaki
(1353, eighty years after Rumi died): "Sirâjuddîn said that one day
Hazrat-i Mawlana [Rumi] said, 'All of the world are parts of a single
person, and in reference to [the saying of the Prophet Muhammad], 'O God,
guide my people for truly they do not know,' is an expression of this--
(meaning) 'My people! O parts of me!' For if the unbelievers are not parts
of him, (then) he is not the whole." After quoting this poem, Aflaki added
two verses in the same rhythm and rhyme: "Whoever has been soothed by the
grace of Shams-i Tabriz, there is no stinging wound on his heart caused by
oppression./ He pounds the drum of (spiritual) kingship in the kingdom of
(spiritual) poverty, since because of the treasure of (mystical) knowledge,
he is not poor!" [har ke luTf-é shams-é dîn be-n'wâz-ad-ash/ bar del-ash az
qahr-é zakhm-é nêsh nêst. kûs-é sulTânî zan-ad dar mulk-é faqr/ k-ô
ze-ganj-é ma`rifat darwêsh nêst] (Farûzânfar, footnote; see Aflaki, p. 163,
661)