A BLESSED NEW DAY

Greeted by fiery splendour of the golden dawn,
A bright new day begins, each fine auspicious morn.

We welcome all that happens, both inside and out,
For all's His Grace without a hint of doubt.

What ever God sends us, is always for the best,
As children on His path we're very, very blest.

All are predestined to perform His mighty will,
Whether one likes it or not for good or for ill.

He knows what's most needed to heal each soul,
To wake and shake us up, and so make us whole.

With Faith, we hand him all our worldly cares,
Such trust's a quantum leap for the one who dares.

We free the mind from foolish thoughts that run to fear,
And save errant soul from drowning in sadness drear.

Vain ego says 'I'm the doer, the one who knows',
But the Lord makes us see by shocks and blows,

All is for our good, to make us search within,
And end all sad sinful woes, and freedom win!

DIVE DEEP

There's a vast ocean of blueish green beauty,
Reminding us it's our paramount duty,
To plunge into the Heart, and seek the source
Of vile ego with all our might and force.

That ocean's the symbol of the spiritual heart,
Which we must probe until one day that part
Of malign vasanas leaves the monkey mind,
And then Enlightenment is there we find.

So suggested our great Sage Ramana,
The Blessed Lord of Mount Arunachala.
He brought Atma Vichara right to the fore,
To help suffering devotees for ever more,
And save them from dreaded dire samsara;
Such was the greatness of dear Sage Ramana!

ADVAITACROSTIC

S upreme devotion
e ternal life
l ove unconditional
f aith

R ighteousness
e thereal vision
a bsolute resignation
l iberation
i am that i am
s urrendered totally
a t perfect peace
t rusting in God's wisdom
i immutable
o ne
n irvana

BRIDAL MARRIAGE

The King's daughter glows, all radiant within,
Her raiment's woven from purest gold,
She surrendered to her precious God of old.
She lives without a hint of guilt or sin,
She's triumphant, certain always to win
The struggle, to save her flock and fold.
She's well beyond all reproach, and we're told
Her word's still heard, within world's dreadful din.

An aspiring pilgrim pined to wed,
This fair daughter of the heavenly King,
He wished to woo her in the royal bed,
The sacred marriage of which the mystics sing.
She consented, if first he Realised Self,
And freed himself from foul egoistic elf.

SESTINA TE DEUM

My hymn is sung to that great and holy One,
Who dwells in splendour, a radiant light,
That shines in every heart, and every Sun
Of Self-effulgent beauty, blazing bright.
Thou art All, and Thy mighty will be done!
Make our actions worthy in Thy holy sight.

Oh Lord, we pray to keep Thee ever in our sight,
Oh Thou, whom we adore, our God, the holy One.
Thy rays of grace and love are always bright
In strength and power, as in the golden Sun.
Keep us from wavering, fix our hearts on light,
Thou art All, and Thy mighty will be done!

Thou art All and Thy mighty will be done!
Not foolish will of ego, lest it darkens sight
And screens us from Thee, oh majestic One.
Thy blinding brilliance of eternity bright
Is stronger, deeper, than summer’s noon-day Sun.
Let’s bathe in Thy blissful balm of blessed light.

Lead us from nescient dark to conscious light!
Thou art All, and Thy mighty will be done!
And ever mindful, we’re resting in Thy sight;
Thou art father, mother, friend, oh holy One,
Thy perennial fire is shining clear and bright,
Deep in our hearts, flames Thy splendid inward Sun.

Thou within us, who hides, is also in the Sun,
Dark clouds are dispelled by thy beacon light.
On bended knee we praise Thee, primordial One,
Who through grace revealed, demists our frosted sight.
Thou art All, and Thy mighty will be done!
Polish the mirrors of our souls, make them bright.

Oh jewel of faith, that sparkles diamond bright,,
And shines fiercely like our bosom friend, the Sun,
Thaw our frigid hearts with warmth and light,
Thou art All and Thy mighty will be done!
Oh, let our deeds be worthy in Thy holy sight,
To hymn our love for Thee, oh great and holy One.

Praise to the wondrous One, burning beryl bright,
Make Thy wisdom light to guide us, as the Sun,
And may Thy will be done, in Thy all knowing sight!

GOLDEN ROD

Glamorous glowing gracious golden bloom,
An emblem of blessing is strong Goldenrod,
She bows down in the breeze to mighty God,
A glimpse of her disperses worldy gloom,
When cut she'll grace your sacred altar room.
She grows firm and tall from an earthy clod,
The weight of her head makes her gently nod;
A bloom to hold on flight from womb to tomb.

Sad pilgrim depressed by unlucky fate
Was garden strolling for consolation;
Engrossed in profoundest contemplation,
He glimpsed a bed of golden rod so great,
It raised his spirit before it was too late,
He fell into deepest blissful meditation.

SAGE WISDOM

Whoever is awake to the material world
Is fast asleep to the spiritual world.
This wakefulness is far worse than sleep,
When our soul’s asleep to God, it’s a door
Closing, to prevent the entry of His grace.
All day we suffer from a host of fantasies,
Thoughts of loss, gain or degeneration.
For the Soul there is neither joy nor peace
Nor a way of progression heavenwards.
The sleeper has his hope in each vain fancy
And converses idly with these foolish voices.

The bird of the soul flies cheerily on high
While its shadow is speeding upon Earth,
Some fools hasten to chase their shadow
And rushing hurriedly become exhausted,
Not understanding that it’s a reflection,
Nor knowing from where it originates.

They vainly shoot arrows at this phantom,
His quiver soon empties from the long quest.
The contents of his worried life become a void,
Time passes in chasing after this grey shadow.
But when God’s shadow becomes a nurse maid.
It saves him from fantasies and illusion.
God’s shadow is the true servant of God.

Dead to this world yet living through Him.
Take hold of His hem quickly so your skirt
May also be saved at the end of your days.
Never enter this dark valley of the shadow
Without a guide who’s a true son of God.
Desert the grey shadow, gain the bright Sun
Hold the hem of the orb of Shams Tabriz.

If you don’t know the way to the bridal feast
Enquire into God’s radiance named l’Haqq.
If envy grabs you by the throat on the way
It is Satan who reaches beyond all bounds.
Because from green envy he hates Adam
And he’s at constant war with happiness.

On the way there’s no harder bridge to cross.
Happy is he who hasn’t made envy his friend.
The body is a mansion packed full of hate,
The family and servants are all tainted.
Yet Almighty God made the body to be pure
So sweep clean His house. The purified heart
Is a true treasure and Earth’s gold talisman.

If you indulge in guile, deceit and envy
Against one who’s without a hint of blame,
Then black stains swell up in your heart.
So rest as dust under the feet of a Sage
Amd scatter the dust on envy’s bald head.

Any fool who mtorments his body is unfit
For comprehending the spiritual life .
The nose catches fragrance leading to truth
That scent is the God revealed religion.
If he’s whiffed this perfume with ingratitude,
It comes and destroys his organ of perception.

Give thanks! be a slave to those who are grateful,
Be in their presence as one truly steadfast.

THIS IS A VERSIFICATION I HAVE MADE FROM RUMI'S MATHNAWI-THE COMPLETE LITERAL TRANSLATION BY REYNARD NICHOLSON