Conference of birds is the story(i guess in form of a poem) by farid attar,a persian poet whose pupil was maulana rumi.i read the story while teaching class 4th in a religous centre in karachi.(that was just 1 yr back)It was in the class 4th new cirriculam (it still is) and i really liked it.However, since i have moved from karachi now, i dont have access to it.can someone help me out with this story.thanks
yam
Conference of birds
Mowla Ali Madad,
That book is pretty famous and i'm sure you can find it in a book store if you want the copy. Also, you can check the web. I'm sure there are numerous websites that summarize/analyze the story. All I can recall is that a group of birds are on a mission to find their leader known as the hoopoe. Many birds drop out of the mission and at the end they realize there is no one hoopoe bird and they, themselves, are what they were in search of. Sorry, if I messed any of that up.
That book is pretty famous and i'm sure you can find it in a book store if you want the copy. Also, you can check the web. I'm sure there are numerous websites that summarize/analyze the story. All I can recall is that a group of birds are on a mission to find their leader known as the hoopoe. Many birds drop out of the mission and at the end they realize there is no one hoopoe bird and they, themselves, are what they were in search of. Sorry, if I messed any of that up.
-
prince_visram
Really cool!kmaherali wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJgNrGoRwT4 part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebiUwf6M ... re=related part 2
Also, if you want the book, check the literature counter at your local Jamat Khana because I bought my copy from there. The story is amazing, i remember learning it in Camp Marifa a few years back..
Conference of the Birds
A Twelfth Century Persian tale
Will be performed at
Look About Lodge
South Chagrin Reservation
Cleveland Metroparks
On Saturday January 08 2011 at 7:30 pm
Performers are the Hassanali Family
Aziz (9), Muizz (11), Shirin & Muhammed
This event is free and open to the public
Call 440-734-6660 for reservations &
additional information
http://ismailimail.files.wordpress.com/ ... fbird1.pdf
A Twelfth Century Persian tale
Will be performed at
Look About Lodge
South Chagrin Reservation
Cleveland Metroparks
On Saturday January 08 2011 at 7:30 pm
Performers are the Hassanali Family
Aziz (9), Muizz (11), Shirin & Muhammed
This event is free and open to the public
Call 440-734-6660 for reservations &
additional information
http://ismailimail.files.wordpress.com/ ... fbird1.pdf
Children's book on Attar's "Conferenc​e of the Birds"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Nadurk ... ture=share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Nadurk ... ture=share
Performing Arts in the Islamic World: The Divine Spark -
Now, more than ever, the world needs to know that there are diverse interpretations of Islam such as the spiritual, mystical dimension evident in the Sufi allegory The Conference of the Birds presented at Brandeis Theater Company last month.
More....
http://howlround.com/performing-arts-in ... vine-spark
Now, more than ever, the world needs to know that there are diverse interpretations of Islam such as the spiritual, mystical dimension evident in the Sufi allegory The Conference of the Birds presented at Brandeis Theater Company last month.
More....
http://howlround.com/performing-arts-in ... vine-spark
Farid ud-Din Attar – The Simurgh
The Simurgh
by Farid ud-Din Attar
English version by Raficq Abdulla
Ah, the Simurgh, who is this wondrous being
Who, one fated night, when time stood still,
Flew over China, not a single soul seeing?
A feather fell from this King, his beauty and his will,
And all hearts touched by it were in tumult thrown.
Everyone who could, traced from it a liminal form;
All who saw the still glowing lines were blown
By longing like trees on a shore bent by storm.
The feather is lodged in China’s sacred places,
Hence the Prophet’s exhortation for knowledge to seek
Even unto China where the feather’s shadow graces
All who shelter under it — to know of this is not to speak.
But unless the feather’s image is felt and seen
None knows the heart’s obscure, shifting states
That replace the fat of inaction with decision’s lean.
His grace enters the world and molds our fates
Though without the limit of form or definite shape,
For all definitions are frozen contradictions not fit
For knowing; therefore, if you wish to travel on the Way,
Set out on it now to find the Simurgh, don’t prattle and sit
On your haunches till into stiffening death you stray.
All the birds who were by this agitation shook,
Aspired to a meeting place to prepare for the Shah,
To release in themselves the revelations of the Book;
They yearned so deeply for Him who is both near and far,
They were drawn to this sun and burned to an ember;
But the road was long and perilous that was open to offer.
Hooked by terror, though each was asked to remember
The truth, each an excuse to stay behind was keen to proffer.
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/20 ... e-simurgh/
The Simurgh
by Farid ud-Din Attar
English version by Raficq Abdulla
Ah, the Simurgh, who is this wondrous being
Who, one fated night, when time stood still,
Flew over China, not a single soul seeing?
A feather fell from this King, his beauty and his will,
And all hearts touched by it were in tumult thrown.
Everyone who could, traced from it a liminal form;
All who saw the still glowing lines were blown
By longing like trees on a shore bent by storm.
The feather is lodged in China’s sacred places,
Hence the Prophet’s exhortation for knowledge to seek
Even unto China where the feather’s shadow graces
All who shelter under it — to know of this is not to speak.
But unless the feather’s image is felt and seen
None knows the heart’s obscure, shifting states
That replace the fat of inaction with decision’s lean.
His grace enters the world and molds our fates
Though without the limit of form or definite shape,
For all definitions are frozen contradictions not fit
For knowing; therefore, if you wish to travel on the Way,
Set out on it now to find the Simurgh, don’t prattle and sit
On your haunches till into stiffening death you stray.
All the birds who were by this agitation shook,
Aspired to a meeting place to prepare for the Shah,
To release in themselves the revelations of the Book;
They yearned so deeply for Him who is both near and far,
They were drawn to this sun and burned to an ember;
But the road was long and perilous that was open to offer.
Hooked by terror, though each was asked to remember
The truth, each an excuse to stay behind was keen to proffer.
http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/20 ... e-simurgh/
-
shivaathervedi_3
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 7:29 pm
SOME QUOTATIONS FROM CONFERENCE OF BIRDS BY ATTAR
“The home we seek is in eternity;
The Truth we seek is like a shoreless sea,
Of which your paradise is but a drop.
This ocean can be yours; why should you stop
Beguiled by dreams of evanescent dew?
The secrets of the sun are yours, but you
Content yourself with motes trapped in its beams.
Turn to what truly lives, reject what seems --
Which matters more, the body or the soul?
Be whole: desire and journey to the Whole.”
“A man whose eyes love opens risks his soul -
His dancing breaks beyond the mind's control.”
“Heart’s blood and bitter pain belong to love,
And tales of problems no one can remove;
Cupbearer, fill the bowl with blood, not wine -
And if you lack the heart’s rich blood take mine.
Love thrives on inextinguishable pain,
Which tears the soul, then knits the threads again.
A mote of love exceeds all bounds; it gives
The vital essence to whatever lives.
But where love thrives, there pain is always found;
Angels alone escape this weary round -
They love without that savage agony
Which is reserved for vexed humanity.”
Among lovers, only those with wings
flee this worldly cage before death comes.
The condition of these lovers is hard to recount,
for such souls speak a different tongue.
The one who learns and speaks their language
will hold the elixir of happiness at Simorgh's court.”
“Cupbearer, fill the bowl with blood, not wine
And if you lack the heart’s rich blood, take mine.
Love thrives on inextinguishable pain;
Which tears the soul, then knits the threads again.”
“In this valley, Love is represented by fire, Reason by smoke. When Love bursts into flame, Reason is forthwith dissipated like smoke. Reason cannot coexist with Love’s mania, for Love has nothing whatever to do with human Reason. If ever you attain a clear vision of the unseen world, then only will you be able to realize the source of Love. By the odour of Love every atom in the world is intoxicated. It owes its existence to the existence of Love.”
“The home we seek is in eternity;
The Truth we seek is like a shoreless sea,
Of which your paradise is but a drop.
This ocean can be yours; why should you stop
Beguiled by dreams of evanescent dew?
The secrets of the sun are yours, but you
Content yourself with motes trapped in its beams.
Turn to what truly lives, reject what seems --
Which matters more, the body or the soul?
Be whole: desire and journey to the Whole.”
“A man whose eyes love opens risks his soul -
His dancing breaks beyond the mind's control.”
“Heart’s blood and bitter pain belong to love,
And tales of problems no one can remove;
Cupbearer, fill the bowl with blood, not wine -
And if you lack the heart’s rich blood take mine.
Love thrives on inextinguishable pain,
Which tears the soul, then knits the threads again.
A mote of love exceeds all bounds; it gives
The vital essence to whatever lives.
But where love thrives, there pain is always found;
Angels alone escape this weary round -
They love without that savage agony
Which is reserved for vexed humanity.”
Among lovers, only those with wings
flee this worldly cage before death comes.
The condition of these lovers is hard to recount,
for such souls speak a different tongue.
The one who learns and speaks their language
will hold the elixir of happiness at Simorgh's court.”
“Cupbearer, fill the bowl with blood, not wine
And if you lack the heart’s rich blood, take mine.
Love thrives on inextinguishable pain;
Which tears the soul, then knits the threads again.”
“In this valley, Love is represented by fire, Reason by smoke. When Love bursts into flame, Reason is forthwith dissipated like smoke. Reason cannot coexist with Love’s mania, for Love has nothing whatever to do with human Reason. If ever you attain a clear vision of the unseen world, then only will you be able to realize the source of Love. By the odour of Love every atom in the world is intoxicated. It owes its existence to the existence of Love.”
Book Review
The Seal of the Poets
Metropolitan Museum of Art ‘The Conference of the Birds’; detail of an illustration by Habiballah of Sava from a Persian manuscript of the poem by Farid ud-Din Attar, circa 1600
Robyn Creswell
OCTOBER 26, 2017 ISSUE
The Conference of the Birds
by Attar, translated from the Persian by Sholeh Wolpé Norton, 376 pp., $25.95
Almost nothing is known for certain about the life of Farid ud-Din Attar, a Persian poet celebrated for his delightful long poem The Conference of the Birds. He had no contemporary biographers and the few vignettes of his life that do exist feel apocryphal. He was born toward the middle of the twelfth century and made his living as an apothecary (Attar, a pen name, means “perfumist” or “pharmacist”). In addition to The Conference of the Birds, he composed three other long narrative poems, a large collection of shorter verses, and a charming book of anecdotes about famous followers of Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam. Later Persian poets such as Jalal ad-Din Rumi inthe thirteenth century and Hafez in the fourteenth were openly indebted to Attar’s work. He probably died around 1220, whenMongol armies sacked his home city of Nishapur. According to one tradition, after anenemy soldier decapitated him, Attar pickedup his head and recited the Bisar-nama
(“Book of the Man with No Head,” an actualwork, though Attar did not compose it).
The Conference of the Birds is widely understood to illustrate and allegorize Sufi teachings— Henry Corbin, the French scholar of Islamic philosophy, called it a “peak of mystical experience”—but it is not certain Attar ever belonged to a Sufi order or studied with a qualified master. This is curious, for the teacher–student relation was at the heart of medieval Sufism.Each congregation was centered on a particular sheikh, and one could only become a Sufi after intensive study. The early mystics of the ninth and tenth centuries preached austerity in response to the corruption of rulers in Baghdad and the Islamic east, and they countered the strict legalism of the clerics with esoteric, often symbolic interpretations of religious texts. The Sufis taught an exaggerated form of monotheism: not only is there a single God, but God is all that truly exists; everything else, including our worldly selves, is merely a shadow of His presence. Accordingly, Sufi sheikhs urged their followers to disdain wealth and bodily pleasures. By looking inward, believers were taught to recognize the affinity of their soul with God. Through ascetic discipline, they were guided toward a self-annihilating union with the divine.
More....
https://www.academia.edu/37998215/_The_ ... view-paper
The Seal of the Poets
Metropolitan Museum of Art ‘The Conference of the Birds’; detail of an illustration by Habiballah of Sava from a Persian manuscript of the poem by Farid ud-Din Attar, circa 1600
Robyn Creswell
OCTOBER 26, 2017 ISSUE
The Conference of the Birds
by Attar, translated from the Persian by Sholeh Wolpé Norton, 376 pp., $25.95
Almost nothing is known for certain about the life of Farid ud-Din Attar, a Persian poet celebrated for his delightful long poem The Conference of the Birds. He had no contemporary biographers and the few vignettes of his life that do exist feel apocryphal. He was born toward the middle of the twelfth century and made his living as an apothecary (Attar, a pen name, means “perfumist” or “pharmacist”). In addition to The Conference of the Birds, he composed three other long narrative poems, a large collection of shorter verses, and a charming book of anecdotes about famous followers of Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam. Later Persian poets such as Jalal ad-Din Rumi inthe thirteenth century and Hafez in the fourteenth were openly indebted to Attar’s work. He probably died around 1220, whenMongol armies sacked his home city of Nishapur. According to one tradition, after anenemy soldier decapitated him, Attar pickedup his head and recited the Bisar-nama
(“Book of the Man with No Head,” an actualwork, though Attar did not compose it).
The Conference of the Birds is widely understood to illustrate and allegorize Sufi teachings— Henry Corbin, the French scholar of Islamic philosophy, called it a “peak of mystical experience”—but it is not certain Attar ever belonged to a Sufi order or studied with a qualified master. This is curious, for the teacher–student relation was at the heart of medieval Sufism.Each congregation was centered on a particular sheikh, and one could only become a Sufi after intensive study. The early mystics of the ninth and tenth centuries preached austerity in response to the corruption of rulers in Baghdad and the Islamic east, and they countered the strict legalism of the clerics with esoteric, often symbolic interpretations of religious texts. The Sufis taught an exaggerated form of monotheism: not only is there a single God, but God is all that truly exists; everything else, including our worldly selves, is merely a shadow of His presence. Accordingly, Sufi sheikhs urged their followers to disdain wealth and bodily pleasures. By looking inward, believers were taught to recognize the affinity of their soul with God. Through ascetic discipline, they were guided toward a self-annihilating union with the divine.
More....
https://www.academia.edu/37998215/_The_ ... view-paper
-
swamidada_1
- Posts: 239
- Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:21 pm
In the dead of night, a Sufi began to weep.
He said, 'This world is like a closed coffin, in which
We are shut and in which, through our ignorance,
We spend our lives in folly and desolation.
When Death comes to open the lid of the coffin,
Each one who has wings will fly off to Eternity,
But those without will remain locked in the coffin.
So, my friends, before the lid of this coffin is taken off,
Do all you can to become a bird of the Way to God;
Do all you can to develop your wings and your feathers.
FARIDUDDIN ATTAR
He said, 'This world is like a closed coffin, in which
We are shut and in which, through our ignorance,
We spend our lives in folly and desolation.
When Death comes to open the lid of the coffin,
Each one who has wings will fly off to Eternity,
But those without will remain locked in the coffin.
So, my friends, before the lid of this coffin is taken off,
Do all you can to become a bird of the Way to God;
Do all you can to develop your wings and your feathers.
FARIDUDDIN ATTAR
Podcast
Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 12 – The Conference of the Birds
https://beherenownetwork.com/omid-safi- ... the-birds/
In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid shares the celebrated literary masterpiece “The Conference of the Birds” from Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar.
The Conference of the Birds
Omid introduces the “The Conference of the Birds” and it’s author, the Sufi poet, Farid ud-Din Attar.
Listen to another poem from Farid ud-Din Attar on Ep. 1 of the Sufi Heart Podcast
Beginning with God (8:45)
Our poem begins with a heartfelt invocation of God. Omid helps us understand the Sufi perspective of God that Attar writes from.
“All is God. God alone exists and everything other than God is but a name.” – Farid ud-Din Attar
The Winding Path (17:30)
Omid reflects on the ever-winding and unfolding spiritual path we each walk on. He looks at the role of the prophet on our spiritual path and the special that light they shine on us. We explore parallels between the story of “The Conference of the Birds” and our own spiritual path.
“The totality of ‘The Conference of the Birds’ is built around a pun. Where the birds who complete the path come to see themselves as a reflection of the divine. Attar already tells us at the beginning about this punchline. That we set on the path having been told the ultimate mystery, that we are reflections of God. Yet when we come to the end of the path, we realize ,with surprise, that we are in fact the reflections of God.” – Dr. Omid Safi
God’s Milk (28:50)
We look at a story within our main story that reflects the main themes of devotion and realization. Omid examines the ways that Attar challenged popular conceptions like gender and authority centuries before popular opinion would begin to catch up.
Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 12 – The Conference of the Birds
https://beherenownetwork.com/omid-safi- ... the-birds/
In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid shares the celebrated literary masterpiece “The Conference of the Birds” from Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar.
The Conference of the Birds
Omid introduces the “The Conference of the Birds” and it’s author, the Sufi poet, Farid ud-Din Attar.
Listen to another poem from Farid ud-Din Attar on Ep. 1 of the Sufi Heart Podcast
Beginning with God (8:45)
Our poem begins with a heartfelt invocation of God. Omid helps us understand the Sufi perspective of God that Attar writes from.
“All is God. God alone exists and everything other than God is but a name.” – Farid ud-Din Attar
The Winding Path (17:30)
Omid reflects on the ever-winding and unfolding spiritual path we each walk on. He looks at the role of the prophet on our spiritual path and the special that light they shine on us. We explore parallels between the story of “The Conference of the Birds” and our own spiritual path.
“The totality of ‘The Conference of the Birds’ is built around a pun. Where the birds who complete the path come to see themselves as a reflection of the divine. Attar already tells us at the beginning about this punchline. That we set on the path having been told the ultimate mystery, that we are reflections of God. Yet when we come to the end of the path, we realize ,with surprise, that we are in fact the reflections of God.” – Dr. Omid Safi
God’s Milk (28:50)
We look at a story within our main story that reflects the main themes of devotion and realization. Omid examines the ways that Attar challenged popular conceptions like gender and authority centuries before popular opinion would begin to catch up.
A Comparative Study of Self-expression and Catharsis in Theory of Mystical Journey at Mantiq-ut Tayr( Conference of Birds) and Biodanza
Abstract
—
Spiritual consciousness can come in many forms; it can happen during moments of dance or even in poetic narrations. This article is designed to compare self -expression and spiritual development through Dance and Poetic Mysticism. The question arises, how different theoretical foundation can reach to psychological catharsis. It is supposed that a mystic journey is going to be closed with catharsis. During this journey, the main character (the dancer, the reader or spectacular) will undergoes Discovery and Reversal to reach the catharsis, which means cleansing, purging, or purification. Seymour Feshbach, key proponent of the catharsis theory in communication research, separates three conceptions of catharsis: The Dramatic, the Clinical, and the Experimental models. The thought behind catharsis theory is that feelings formed and create stress if not expressed. Releasing emotions declines the tension in the person so they have less violent and anxiety. The Dramatic and Clinical models are emphasized on change, while differing in cathartic experience, in the degree of cognitive representation caused, and in the interpersonal context. The purpose of this study is to give a psychological study of mysticism by reviewing The Seven Valleys of spirituality in Conference of the Birds. Attar has described the seven stages of spirituality in this book as the tools of discovery and rehearsal: The Valley of Quest, The Valley of Love, The Valley of Wisdom, The Valley of Detachment, The Valley of Unity, The Valley of Amazement, and The Valley of Annihilation. To free from belongings, to release from the self, these seven valleys is suggested by Attar to be passed. self is one of the biggest obstacles in human
life. In the eyes of the mystics, you must ―Quest‖ first. Attar is a
mystic who has put "Annihilation" in the last place. Sober die has not a tragic meaning but means of getting free of self and join the real source of nature. On the other side, Biodanze is also another journey that can interpreted by theory of catharsis. Toro believes that when five categories are entirely developed within the individual, people (the dancer) can experience inner stability and emotional health. He named these categories as Vitality, Sexuality, Creativity, Affection, and Transcendence. Journey in Biodanza is started by vital impetus and happiness to be alive. The dancer will reach to catharsis when he connects to nature and feel part of a greater totality.
Keywords
—
Mystic, Catharsis, Biodanza, Conference of Birds.
Paper at:
https://www.academia.edu/39681181/A_Com ... view-paper
Abstract
—
Spiritual consciousness can come in many forms; it can happen during moments of dance or even in poetic narrations. This article is designed to compare self -expression and spiritual development through Dance and Poetic Mysticism. The question arises, how different theoretical foundation can reach to psychological catharsis. It is supposed that a mystic journey is going to be closed with catharsis. During this journey, the main character (the dancer, the reader or spectacular) will undergoes Discovery and Reversal to reach the catharsis, which means cleansing, purging, or purification. Seymour Feshbach, key proponent of the catharsis theory in communication research, separates three conceptions of catharsis: The Dramatic, the Clinical, and the Experimental models. The thought behind catharsis theory is that feelings formed and create stress if not expressed. Releasing emotions declines the tension in the person so they have less violent and anxiety. The Dramatic and Clinical models are emphasized on change, while differing in cathartic experience, in the degree of cognitive representation caused, and in the interpersonal context. The purpose of this study is to give a psychological study of mysticism by reviewing The Seven Valleys of spirituality in Conference of the Birds. Attar has described the seven stages of spirituality in this book as the tools of discovery and rehearsal: The Valley of Quest, The Valley of Love, The Valley of Wisdom, The Valley of Detachment, The Valley of Unity, The Valley of Amazement, and The Valley of Annihilation. To free from belongings, to release from the self, these seven valleys is suggested by Attar to be passed. self is one of the biggest obstacles in human
life. In the eyes of the mystics, you must ―Quest‖ first. Attar is a
mystic who has put "Annihilation" in the last place. Sober die has not a tragic meaning but means of getting free of self and join the real source of nature. On the other side, Biodanze is also another journey that can interpreted by theory of catharsis. Toro believes that when five categories are entirely developed within the individual, people (the dancer) can experience inner stability and emotional health. He named these categories as Vitality, Sexuality, Creativity, Affection, and Transcendence. Journey in Biodanza is started by vital impetus and happiness to be alive. The dancer will reach to catharsis when he connects to nature and feel part of a greater totality.
Keywords
—
Mystic, Catharsis, Biodanza, Conference of Birds.
Paper at:
https://www.academia.edu/39681181/A_Com ... view-paper
Podcast
Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 13 – The Conference of the Birds part 2
https://beherenownetwork.com/omid-safi- ... ds-part-2/
In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid concludes his exploration of the poem “The Conference of the Birds”.
Omid looks at the themes of Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar’s poem which represent our own spiritual journey and relationship with God.
Be sure to listen to the first part of this story: Ep. 12 – The Conference of the Birds
God = Guru = Self
Omid looks at the cast of characters in the “The Conference of the Birds”. He examines the allegories of God, Guru and the aspects of the self which are represented by each of the birds.
“Each bird corresponds to a tendency inside of us.” – Dr. Omid Safi
Courage for the Path (7:50)
We analyze the moment in our story when the wise hoopoe bird, the representation of the wise teacher, encourages his fellow birds to set out on a journey. A difficult journey which is symbolic of our own spiritual path. Omid explores the excuses each of the birds gives for resisting the call. What excuses of our own do we have for resisting our spiritual path? Where do we find the courage to begin?
“It is very telling that Attar begins the tale of this powerful mystical allegory, not by telling us how awesome the face of the beloved shall be. But actually, he starts us where we are – lame, sad, seeing ourselves as unworthy.” – Dr. Omid Safi
The Dance Between Lover and Beloved (26:50)
How does the hoopoe bird finally incite the flock to begin their journey? We look at the most unlikely love story that set a fire of love in the hearts of every listener in attendance.
Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 13 – The Conference of the Birds part 2
Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 13 – The Conference of the Birds part 2
https://beherenownetwork.com/omid-safi- ... ds-part-2/
In this episode of the Sufi Heart Podcast, Omid concludes his exploration of the poem “The Conference of the Birds”.
Omid looks at the themes of Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar’s poem which represent our own spiritual journey and relationship with God.
Be sure to listen to the first part of this story: Ep. 12 – The Conference of the Birds
God = Guru = Self
Omid looks at the cast of characters in the “The Conference of the Birds”. He examines the allegories of God, Guru and the aspects of the self which are represented by each of the birds.
“Each bird corresponds to a tendency inside of us.” – Dr. Omid Safi
Courage for the Path (7:50)
We analyze the moment in our story when the wise hoopoe bird, the representation of the wise teacher, encourages his fellow birds to set out on a journey. A difficult journey which is symbolic of our own spiritual path. Omid explores the excuses each of the birds gives for resisting the call. What excuses of our own do we have for resisting our spiritual path? Where do we find the courage to begin?
“It is very telling that Attar begins the tale of this powerful mystical allegory, not by telling us how awesome the face of the beloved shall be. But actually, he starts us where we are – lame, sad, seeing ourselves as unworthy.” – Dr. Omid Safi
The Dance Between Lover and Beloved (26:50)
How does the hoopoe bird finally incite the flock to begin their journey? We look at the most unlikely love story that set a fire of love in the hearts of every listener in attendance.
Omid Safi – Sufi Heart – Ep. 13 – The Conference of the Birds part 2
There is a thesis on Attar the author of the Conference of Birds. There is a section on the Conference of Birds from page 160 onwards.
The entire thesis can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/40931780/Poetr ... load-paper
The entire thesis can be accessed at:
https://www.academia.edu/40931780/Poetr ... load-paper
Conference of the Birds Read Aloud
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6jIRAFyNo0
REC students narrate the story of the Conference of the Birds by Farid al-Din Attar.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6jIRAFyNo0
REC students narrate the story of the Conference of the Birds by Farid al-Din Attar.
Courage for the Journey - Interpretations of The Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF5M0KQVpto&t=22s
A The Ismaili TV production, this film tells the story of a diverse group of individuals and their interpretations of this epic 12th-century Sufi poem, each seeking to understand its relevance to the challenges of our modern age. Drawing on the Talim Primary Four Book - a Fountain of Stories, the film focuses on the first part of the journey and draws parallels with the role of Mawlana Hazar Imam as our Guiding Light. The stories feature actors from the global Jamat and are interspersed with moving recitations of Ismaili devotional literature (Ginans and Qasidas) and beautiful visual animations.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF5M0KQVpto&t=22s
A The Ismaili TV production, this film tells the story of a diverse group of individuals and their interpretations of this epic 12th-century Sufi poem, each seeking to understand its relevance to the challenges of our modern age. Drawing on the Talim Primary Four Book - a Fountain of Stories, the film focuses on the first part of the journey and draws parallels with the role of Mawlana Hazar Imam as our Guiding Light. The stories feature actors from the global Jamat and are interspersed with moving recitations of Ismaili devotional literature (Ginans and Qasidas) and beautiful visual animations.