The Rumi Collection

"The poetry of Rumi is an immense treasury of jewels. This delightful book provides glimpses of his many-faceted genius from the perspectives of different traslators, each of whom brings special gifts to this task. By linking these poems around the major themes of Sufısm, editor Kabir Helminski helps to clarify Rumi's spiritual contributions to our age."

- Carl W. Erns, Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, author of The Shambhala Guide to Sufism

Here is a wonderfully rich introduction to the work of the great mystical poet, featuring the leading literary translations of his verse. Translators include Coleman Barks, Robert Bly, Andrew Harvey, Kabir and Camille Helminski on the challenges of translating Rumi into English.

Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273) was a master of the Sufi tradition, the mystical branch of Islam. In his poetry, Rumi calls to us from beyond the concerns of institutional religion and limiting beliefs. A clear, powerful voice of divine, ecstatic love, he awakens us to the possibility of a direct and intimate relationship with the Divne. Through his masterful verse, Rumi shows us that not only could God be our Beloved, but that we are the beloved of God.

Kabir Helminski is a Shaikh, or master, of the Mevlevi Order founded by Rumi and the only Westerner to hold this title. He is the author of two books on Sufism, Living Presence and The Knowing Heart, as well as numerous translations of Rumi and other Sufıs. With his wife, Camille Helminski, he codirects the Theshold Society in Santa Cruz, California, which offers training programs, seminars, and retreats around the world. As the publisher of Thereshold Books for some twenty years, Kabir and Camille Helminski were largely responsible for making Rumi one fo the most widely read poets of our time.