Pouria Montazeri visits the Mindrolling Podcast for a conversation with Raghu Markus around the poetry of Rumi and the different paths of the heart.
Pouria Montazeri grew up with Rumi’s poetry and teachings. He draws from his 28 years of experience with Sufism, Advaita Vedanta, and other mystical and contemplative practices and his experiences as a teacher, spiritual director/coach, speaker, poet, mindfulness instructor, sangha guide, mentor, and filmmaker to support himself and others to live more creative, peaceful, and meaningful lives. He wrote, directed, and shot the award-winning film, Shams & Rumi: The Fragrance of Axis Mundi. Learn more about Pouria and his tuition-free in-person and online courses dedicated to providing authentic translations and windows into the heart of Rumi’s teachings at footprintsofrum.com
Love is the Antidote
Pouria shares his early attraction to the ceremony and practices of the Sufi tradition while growing up in Iran. He describes the roadmaps to the heart provided through the poetry of Sufi mystics. Raghu and Pouria discuss the non-dual teachings of Advaita Vedanta. Teachings which might seem very different from dualist paths of the heart like Sufism and Bhakti yoga, but actually resonate deeply together.
“We have to use our capital in order to find the truth. Everything that has been provided to us so freely – our breath, our heartbeat, each moment. So we have to show up and we have to do our work knowing that, ultimately, its only grace. “- Pouria Montazeri
True Selflessness (17:50)
How can we in the modern world truly appreciate what it means to be selfless when so much of our world revolves around ourselves? Pouria looks at Rumi’s writings around transforming our perspective, along with our ego, to one that is able to see beyond our limited perspective.
“We are caught in our “me’ness” on such a day to day basis that we hardly peek out from behind that perspective. Even those who have been on the path decades and decades. I know many of us that still have that issue. We can’t peek out from behind our “me’ness” – Raghu Markus
Where Radical Love Meets No-Self (35:05)
Raghu and Pouria speak more deeply about the formidable spiritual path that is formed when blending the seemingly divergent pathways of dualist and non-dual philosophy. Pouria looks at how these paths teach the essence of unity.
“The most important question on any path is to ask who is on the path.” – Pouria Montazeri
To find more wisdom on Rumi and pursuing the path of radical love, subscribe to the Sufi Heart Podcast with Dr. Omid Safi from the Be Here Now Network!
