An image of the poet Rumi, by RassouliThe Way of the Heart, an evening of ecstatic poetry, music and the stories of Rumi, performed by TAMIR, with music by Yuval Ron. TAMIR is an actress, poet and playwright, author and performer of three one-woman shows including "I Belong Elsewhere." Her CD of devotional readings "Poetry on Prayer" is an interfaith celebration of the human spirit. Visit her Rumi site.

Yuval Ron is an oudist, vocalist and musical director of the Yuval Ron Ensemble. He has performed with many of the best Middle Eastern musicians of our time, and published numerous recordings including Seeker of Truth, The Yuval Ron Ensemble Live at the World Festival of Sacred Music; Oud Prayers on the Road to St. Jacques, Sacred Music of the Abrahamic faiths; and Tree of Life. Visit his site.

Maulana Jalal-ul-Din RUMI (1207-1273) was born in Balkh, Persia and died in Konya, Turkey. R.A.Nicholson called him "the greatest mystical poet of any age." His spiritual and literary influence is so pervasive in the East that his name is often prefaced by the reverential term "Maulana" (our Master). He composed over 70,000 verses of poetry of divine love and ecstatic illumination. He was a pillar of Islam and a sober scholar until he met a wandering wild dervish—Shams of Tabriz and was transformed into an enraptured lover of God; traveling from knowledge to vision.

"Love has everyone by the ear dragging us back by secret ways,
the one who secretly hears this is senseless."

Rumi reached a rare level of intimacy with the Beloved. His poetry is an enthusiastic torrent of spontaneous outpouring. Ecstatic love poetry rooted in the divine with its endless permutations of longing, union, separation and intoxication. We can only hold up our cupped hands in humble supplication and become drenched with the dizzying fragrance of his gifts. The variety and sheer number of his cannon has become essential reading for modern day seekers and lovers.

Sponsored by Southern California Science of Spirituality.