Let Go of Your Worries by Jalaludhin Rumi

 

LET GO OF YOUR WORRIES

Jalal al-Din Rumi

About the Poet

Jalal al-Din Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic. He is widely known by the title Mawlånå which means "our master". Rumi's popularity spread beyond geographical boundaries and centuries. Rumi's writings have been translated into several languages. Most of his works are in Persian. He has also written in Turkish, Arabic and Greek. Rumi influenced the writers of the past and the present generation.

His verses present a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to become one with God, they speak of love and its omnipresence in the world.  He believed that humanity ought to seek oneness with God.

Through the poem "Let Go of Your Worries", Rumi conveys the idea of being responsible and self-aware. His simple diction makes the message clear. It is said straightforwardly, though the poem has a deeper level of meaning which is about self-awareness and integrity.

It shows how pure our heart is, how clear our soul is and how organized our mind is. The mirror is a symbol that reflects our honesty towards ourselves. One ought to explore the inner transparency of life and the truth of existence. No individual should get caught in the murky waters of life. On the contrary, one must focus on the 'inner truth'.

    Rumi advocates the readers to give up their negative thoughts and worries. One should know oneself, i.e., one should look within oneself to understand what one is. Rumi believed that a self-aware human being is one with clear ideals.

Line by line explanation

                                                                 Let Go of Your Worries

        Let go of your worries

        and be completely clear-hearted,

        like the face of a mirror

        that contains no images.

The poet asks you to give up your worries and clear your heart like the face of a mirror. A mirror doesn’t contain any images. Your heart should be clean without preconceived notions or prejudices. The poet uses the symbol of a mirror to convey the idea of knowing oneself. The mirror shows who you are, without any deviation. A mirror honestly reflects what is in front of it.

If you want a clear mirror,

        behold yourself

        and see the shameless truth,

        which the mirror reflects.

If you want to see a clear mirror, see yourself in a mirror, the mirror honestly reflects things as it is. The mirror reflects truth, which is shameless to show up. The mirror symbol is used to show how pure your heart, mind and soul are.

      If metal can be polished

     to a mirror-like finish,

     what polishing might the mirror

     of the heart require?

A mirror is polished out of metal which reflects reality. The heart also requires polishing. But what kind of polishing might the mirror of the heart require? So that man becomes self-aware and knows himself.

     Between the mirror and the heart

     is this single difference:

     the heart conceals secrets,

     while the mirror does not.

There is only a single difference between the mirror and the heart. The heart hides secrets, while the mirror doesn’t.

Analysis

    The diction used in the poem is simple, and hence the message of the poem is clear, explicit and concise. It’s easy to understand and follow. “Let go of your worries” is a command, not a statement. There’s no confusion as to what he wants. When he says, “be clear-hearted”, “behold yourself”, and “See the shameless truth” you understand exactly what he is trying to express.

    In this poem, Rumi uses the symbol of the mirror. He says, “if you want a clear mirror, behold yourself and see the shameless truth, which the mirror reflects”. The poet uses the symbol of the mirror to show how pure the heart, soul, and mind are. These mirrors always show the truth of who you are.

    The theme of this poem is that people should explore the inner transparency of their existence to not get caught up in the mud life throws at them and focus on their inner truth. Rumi wants the reader to release negative energy and worries and look inside themselves.

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