Writing I Love — Self-Awareness and Rumi

Up until about a month ago, once a week I posted “Writing I Love”, then chose to stop setting a regular schedule for it and simply to allow #Flow, with that last post being one I wrote the day Anthony Bourdain died.

More recently I wrote “Leadership — The impact of beautiful art” which was in part inspired by one beautiful line from David Foster Wallace:

“We’re all lonely for something we don’t know we’re lonely for.”

I love to read widely and be inspired by art and writing.

This week I read an article called “A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Awareness” and all of this lead me back to the favourite poem above by Rumi, The Guest House, which speaks to me about the bravery it takes to choose to be the truly open and vulnerable self it takes for self-awareness.

You see, while the article notes that “a high level of self-awareness was the strongest predictor of success.” for leaders, it also goes on to note how difficult it can be to truly see ourselves and to accept ourselves, to love ourselves at a level that allows true and deep self-awareness.

I often go back to Rumi. Why ? Let us go to source, and the most powerful line he ever wrote:

“I belong to no religion. My religion is love. Every heart is my temple.” ~ Rumi