A Passage for April

This month we'd like to share the passage "Only God I Saw" by Baba Kuhi of Shiraz, an eleventh century Sufi poet. What we love about this passage is the idea of seeing God everywhere, in every aspect of our lives.

Many of us have certain associations with the word "God" which can make memorizing passages with that word kind of tricky. Luckily, we can turn to Easwaran for some clarification:

When I use words like “Lord” or “God,” I mean the very ground of existence, the most profound thing we can conceive of. This supreme reality is not something outside us, something separate from us. It is within, at the core of our being – our real nature, nearer to us than our bodies, dearer to us than our lives.  

Thinking about this quote from Easwaran's book Passage Meditation and this month's passage, it helped us to realize that Baba Kuhi of Shiraz wasn't talking about seeing a figure "God" in the market or the mountains, but about seeing that which is best and most holy in each situation.

We'd love to hear from you! In the comments section below, share your thoughts with us:

• Is there a line in the passage that stands out to you?
• What qualities might you gain by meditating on this passage?

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Only God I Saw – Baba Kuhi of Shiraz

In the market, in the cloister – only God I saw.
In the valley and on the mountain – only God I saw. 

Him I have seen beside me oft in tribulation;
In favor and in fortune – only God I saw. 

In prayer and fasting, in praise and contemplation,
In the religion of the Prophet – only God I saw. 

Neither soul nor body, accident nor substance,
Qualities nor causes – only God I saw. 

I oped mine eyes and by the light of his face around me
In all the eye discovered – only God I saw. 

Like a candle I was melting in his fire:
Amidst the flames outflashing – only God I saw. 

Myself with mine own eyes I saw most clearly,
But when I looked with God's eyes – only God I saw. 

I passed away into nothingness, I vanished,
And lo, I was the All-living – only God I saw.