The Forty Rules of Love
I’ve been reading The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak, which I highly recommend. It weaves together the life of the Sufi poet, Rumi and his spiritual mentor, Shams of Tabriz, in a way that is both poetic and illuminating. Beyond being a beautiful story rich with history and universal life lessons, it exquisitely reveals the teachings of the Sufi mystics — teachings that feel remarkably aligned with the Vedic wisdom we hold so dear.
There is something deeply comforting to me in recognizing that when we strip away the dogma and outer forms of religion, Truth remains — radiant, steady, and unchanging — no matter the culture or tradition from which it emerges. The names may differ, but the Light is the same.
The book is filled with passages worth highlighting, but this one in particular stood out to me. I felt called to share it with you because of the sacred bond we share — our love and reverence for our Guru, Acharya Shunyaji.
“There are more fake gurus and false teachers in this world than the number of stars in the visible universe. Don’t confuse power-driven, self-centered people with true mentors. A genuine spiritual master will not direct your attention to himself or herself and will not expect absolute obedience or utter admiration from you, but instead, will help you to appreciate and admire your inner Self. True mentors are as transparent as glass — they let the light of God pass through them.”— Shams of Tabriz
That final line especially moved me: "True mentors are as transparent as glass — they let the light of God pass through them."
Our dear, wise, and beautiful Guru so effortlessly allows the light and love of Ishvara to shine through her — as her. To sit in that presence, to receive that grace, feels like an immeasurable blessing. What a gift it is to be guided by one who reflects back to us our own inner Light. 🙏
Thanks for this share Monica! I read this book some years ago and it had a deep impact on me at that time. I grew up in Islamic culture and Sufism as the mystic branch of it always attracted my attention. Seeing everything as one with God helped my heart to open up. Since Divine love is the central concept of this tradition, it was almost an early introduction to Bhakti for me. It is indeed relieving to see that one truth is expressed in many ways acrosss cultures and traditions. Although I truly enjoy this deeply spiritual and poetic approach, Vedanta provided me more structured and systematic teachings. I am so grateful that our teacher expounds upon these concepts in such a systematic manner that this knowlledge does not easily wear off and stays with us. 🙏💛