Reflections on Rumi & Shams
An Educational Curriculum – Four Volumes
“Poetry and mysticism are both universal languages of the human soul and nowhere do they reinforce each other more than in the life and legacy of Jalaluddin Rumi.” – Huston Smith, Religious Historian
The UN described the 13th-century poet Jalaluddin Rumi as “one of the great humanists, philosophers, and poets who belong to humanity in its entirety.” Beyond the recent cross-over appeal, Rumi’s core teaching of tolerance, acceptance, and unity consciousness is crucial to the survival of human society, especially in these times of severe religious conflict and ideological polarization.
For several years, CEM has been gathering interviews with some of the most renowned and articulate scholars, artists, translators, and spiritual teachers and practitioners from around the world. Small parts of each interview will be used in a feature-length film: Beyond Translation: Jalaluddin Rumi Meets Shams of Tabriz, which is currently in post-production.
Reflections on Rumi and Shams is our current effort to make these rich interviews available to students of philosophy, religion, literature, humanities, history, and other academic departments, as the first interdisciplinary, educational curriculum based on the work of Jalaluddin Rumi and Shams of Tabriz. Each program will have three components:
1. The Video Program (using the name of the person being featured).
2. A transcript of the video program.
3. A conversation guide (for teachers & students), with specific questions to generate discussion along with additional resources listed.
This collection will be packaged in four volumes of thirty-minute programs, each program featuring one scholar, teacher, artist, or translator.
Volume I: The Scholars
This collection of Rumi scholars offers a spectrum of highly knowledgeable academic sources for students and seekers of all kinds.
Dr. Elahi Ghomshei
Scholar, philosopher, author, and lecturer on literature, art, and mysticism. He’s also a culture and art advisor and an Iranian T.V. personality.
Dr. Leonard Lewisohn
(1953 – 2018) American author, translator, and lecturer in the area of Islamic studies and a specialist in Persian language and Sufi literature.
Dr. Leili Anvar
Iranian author and professor in Persian Language and Literature, Head of the Iranian Languages Department at INALCO, Paris.
Professor Negargar
Bio
Dr. Hossein Nasr
Professor emeritus of Islamic studies at George Washington University, and an Islamic philosopher, author of numerous scholarly books and articles.
Volume II: The Teachers
From shaykhs to shaykhas, eastern to western, traditional to eclectic, this unique collection of teachers will engage and inspire many viewers, especially those on the sufi, mystical or spiritual paths.
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
Sufi mystic in the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya Sufi Order. He is an extensive lecturer and author of several books about Sufism, mysticism, dreamwork, and spirituality.
Kabir Helminski
Mevlevi Shaikh, author, translator, and activist. Under Kabir’s direction, The Mevlevi Order is working to apply traditional Sufi principles to the conditions of contemporary life.
Cemalnur Sargut
President of Turkish Women’s Cultural Association, Istanbul (TURKKAD), and teacher of Sufism who sees knowledge as a state to be practiced and sees worship as a journey towards love.
Jelaleddin Loras
Founder/Director of the Mevlevi Order of America. He came to the U.S. in 1978 and has taught the Mevlevi teachings and turning to Sufi communities in California, New York, and Hawaii since that time.
Zia Inayat Khan
Scholar and teacher of Sufism in the lineage of his grandfather, Inayat Khan. Spiritual leader of the Sufi Order International, a universalist Sufi order, and the founder of the Suluk Academy.
Volume III: The Translators
Beyond debates on the literal vs. poetic translations of Rumi & Shams, the works of these translators confirm that there is something universally powerful in Rumi’s poetry and verse which has proven to be of great value to individuals throughout the world.
Shahram Shiva
A performance poet, award-winning translator, and scholar of Rumi and author of several books. Shiva was born to a Persian Jewish family in Iran and migrated to the US at the age of 16.
Andrew Harvey
British author, religious scholar and teacher of mystic traditions, known primarily for his popular nonfiction books on spiritual or mystical themes.
Camille Helminski
Author and translator who has worked in the Mevlevi tradition for over 25 years. She has recently authored a book on the original writings of Shams of Tabriz as well as translated a substantial portion of the Qur’an.
Coleman Barks
American poet, and former literature faculty at the University of Georgia. He is most renowned for his profound interpretation of Rumi’s poems based on other English translations.
Kabir Helminski
Translator of numerous books of Sufi literature, especially the poetry and verse of Rumi. He is also the author of Living Presence: A Sufi Way to Mindfulness and the Essential Self.
Volume IV: The Artists
Since visual representations can never encapsulate the sheer magnitude of the infinite eternal Being, most orders of sufis look to artists in their abilities to communicate the “divine presence” in ways that respect the true power and omnipresence of the Divine.
Mahmoud Farshchian
Master of Persian painting and miniatures from Isfahan in Iran. His masterpieces have been hosted by several museums and exhibitions worldwide.
Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Turkish musician and composer who has developed a style that builds on traditional Sufi music and includes inspiration from ambient electronic musicians, most notably Brian Keane.
Arkin Allen
Turkish composer, ney and bendir player, DJ and producer. He is a world music artist, playing a fusion of traditional acoustic Turkish and other oriental musics with electronic sounds.
Sahika Caglar
Painter, educator, and author from Turkey Since 1979, she has had 25 national and international exhibitions of her paintings through which she has expressed the different “States of Love.”
Timucin Cevikoglu
Turkish musician, composer, conductor, and voice instructor. Since 1986, he has worked at the Turkish Ministry of Culture as a performing artist, conductor, and director.
Sponsorship Opportunities
SPONSOR A PROGRAM: 6,000 USD
SPONSOR AN ENTIRE VOLUME: 30,000 USD
SPONSOR THE ENTIRE COLLECTION: 108,000 USD
You can also choose a different level of support toward any volume or character of your choice at the links below.