Don't Leave Me Raw

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Hand-drawn art by Rupali Bhuva
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Verlass mich nicht roh
--von Omid Safi

Eine Frau stand über einem Feuer und warf eine Handvoll trockener, hart gewordener Kichererbsen ins Wasser. Während sich das Wasser bis zum Siedepunkt erwärmte, begannen ihre Gedanken zu schweifen. Dann hörte sie eine Stimme: „Ich brenne!“

Aus ihrem Tagtraum aufgeschreckt, schaute sie nach rechts und nach links. Sie sah niemanden, also versank sie wieder in ihrem Tagtraum. Wieder hörte sie: „Ich brenne!“ Diesmal schaute sie etwas genauer hin und sah, dass das Geräusch von....innerhalb des Topfes mit kochendem Wasser kam. Eine Kichererbse im kochenden Wasser, um genau zu sein. Die kleine Kichererbse wirbelte um das kochende Wasser herum und begann mit der Frau zu sprechen: „Ich brenne..... Hol mich hier raus!“

Die Frau betrachtete die Kichererbse mit Mitgefühl. Auf und ab schwamm sie im kochenden Wasser. Das Feuer war so heiß, dass das Wasser kochte.

Was ist das für ein Feuer, das Wasser zum Kochen bringt?

Die Kichererbse flehte die Frau erneut an: „ Hol mich hier raus!“

Sie griff hinüber und schnappte sich einen Schöpflöffel. Sie langte in das Wasser. Und schob die Kichererbse zurück ins kochende Wasser. Die Kichererbse schwamm um den Schöpflöffel herum und kam wieder an die Oberfläche: „Hast du nicht gehört? Es kocht hier drin. Hol. mich. raus!“

Die Frau sah die Kichererbse liebevoll an. Sie sagte: „Meine liebe Kichererbse, ich lass dich drinnen, denn du bist noch nicht fertig gekocht. Du bist noch hart. Du musst erst gekocht werden, bevor du es wert bist, mit hinein genommen zu werden.“

Wie Rumi es ausdrückt: Wenn du diesen Ort für einen vollendeten verlassen solltest, wirst du ein kleiner Happen sein und dann wieder als Häppchen auferstehen.

Wir alle sind so, verhärtete Herzen, die gerade weich werden, die gekocht werden. Das ganze Leben ist so: Kochen im Feuer der Liebe, von der Härte zur Weichheit, von der Rohheit zum spirituellen „Kochen“.

Es gibt eine Transformation, die jeder von uns durchlaufen muss, bevor wir „fertig“ sind. Rumi selbst fasste sein eigenes Leben so zusammen: Mein ganzes Leben lässt sich in diesen drei Sätzen zusammenfassen: Früher war ich roh. Dann wurde ich gekocht. Jetzt bin ich in Flammen.

Die meisten von uns würden sich damit begnügen, vom rohen zum gekochten Zustand überzugehen. Für einige wenige, die nicht nur gerettet, sondern geheiligt werden wollen, besteht das Ziel darin, tatsächlich zu „entflammen“. Auf diese Weise kann jeder, der in ihre Nähe kommt, vom rohen zum gekochten Zustand übergehen.

Es gibt ein solches Feuer, das Feuer der göttlichen Liebe (eshq). Diese Liebe ist nicht nur ein Gefühl oder eine Empfindung. Sie ist nicht weniger als das Wesen Gottes, das auf diese Welt losgelassen wird.

In einem anderen Gedicht fleht er seine Liebe an, seinen Shams, dessen Liebe auch ihn verzehrt: Lass mich nicht im rohen Zustand bleiben. Wie oft sind wir am Ende so.

Wir finden das Feuer der Liebe, das uns kocht, das Feuer, das uns verwandelt. Wir beginnen zu kochen, zu reifen, weich zu werden und als Menschen zu reifen, nur um uns von der Liebe abzuwenden. Gekocht zu werden ist schwer, unser „Rohsein“ loszulassen ist schmerzhaft.

Das Ego kann die Liebe nicht ertragen, es bettelt und fleht darum, aus dem Feuer der Liebe genommen zu werden. Wir bleiben halb gebacken, halb gekocht, das heißt: halb roh. In diesem Zustand in einen anderen Menschen hineingenommen zu werden, verursacht bei jedem eine Verdauungsstörung. Wir selbst sind die rohe Kichererbse, wir selbst sind das Feuer der Liebe, und wir selbst sind der mystische Koch/Liebhaber, der uns zurück in die Flamme stößt.

Mögen wir das Herz, den Mut haben, (das Wort Mut kommt vom Wortstamm für "ein Herz haben") durch das Kochen zu gehen. Mögen wir den Mut haben, uns der Flamme hinzugeben. Mögen wir den Mut haben, unserfertig gekocht zu werden,, um jeden von uns würdig zu machen, im Herzen eines anderen Mitmenschen zu sein.

Welch ein Unterschied zwischen gekocht sein und halb gekocht sein. Welch ein Unterschied, ob man einen anderen Menschen ernährt oder ob man ihm Verdauungsprobleme bereitet. Und wie schön ist es, eine Frau zu finden, die uns wieder in das kochende Feuer der Liebe stürzt, damit wir fertig kochen. Oh mystische Köchin, die du die Gabe des Feuers der Liebe hast, ich bitte dich nur darum: Lass mich nicht im Rohzustand zurück.

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Kernfragen zum Nachdenken: Was halten Sie von der Vorstellung, dass wir selbst die Kichererbse, das Feuer und der mystische Koch sind, der uns zurück ins kochende Wasser schubst? Können Sie eine persönliche Geschichte aus einer Zeit erzählen, in der Sie sich ganz dem Gekocht Werden hingegeben haben? Was hilft Ihnen, zwischen einem Prozess, der Sie weich macht, und anderen Prozessen, die Sie verhärtetn zu unterscheiden?
Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the notion that we ourselves are the chickpea, fire and the mystic chef that pushes us back into the boiling water? Can you share a personal story of a time you committed to being cooked fully? What helps you distinguish between a process that will soften you from other processes that will harden you?

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16 Past Reflections
TA
Tania
Apr 16, 2025
For me, the metaphor of the chickpea is our heart becoming tender as we go through the experiences of life. The gentle mention of the loving cook who pushes the chickpea back into the boiling water stood out for me - I thought of some people I find difficult that I could be grateful for their push.
DF
Apr 2, 2025
How beautiful. I have never heard it expressed quite like that. Tht
AM
Apr 2, 2025
I found this story at the right time. I am struggling hard to work with some very difficult people, and constantly being in this stressful environment, in which internet and chatgpt and everything around suggests to leave all places where you aren't acknowledged or if it is difficult, i stopped consuming all of this, only because, I see my father struggling, and how people have in past, to get where they are, nothing really comes easy. But we are not taught resilience, which is a core life skill. Process that softens you is when you grow in empathy, and hardens you is, when you become resilient to all situations in life and still come out unaffected internally.
LY
Apr 1, 2025
The question I end up having to ask myself is if any good will result from what I want or don't want to say or do. There is often not a wise, loving external voice in the moment to convince me that my discomfort is necessary or transformative, and that I am on the right path. Spiritual teachings contain wisdom and educate and soothe one side of the brain, and help us through hard times where there can be no knowing of how things will turn out, by softening the hard facts that the other side of the brain sees and must acknowledge to survive. I try to follow the Dalai Lama and be kind, especially when I don't feel like it. A lot of what people do in the world makes absolutely no logical sense. Fate will deliver its blows or heat, or learning to all of us regardless. Our nation is at an apex of that kind of experience right now. It is often the kindness or caring of others that makes life bearable, and keeps from aggravating the wounds in unnecessary ways that will be remembered... View full comment
EM
Emily
Apr 1, 2025
Becoming yourself is a challenging path that tests your resilience.
I find that I carry 2 extremes at the same time; the pain and discomfort of transformation and the joy of simultaneously experiencing growth.

This path of extremes feels longer than ever before. The joys enable me to continue to walk through the fire.
JT
Apr 1, 2025
I wanted to rescue the chickpea. I had to awaken that I had a choice. Earlier today I had breakfast and it included chickpeas. I finished each one mashing the last. Raw or half cooked it would’ve stayed on my plate. Now it is within I am digesting it fully and completely. It is nourishing. I am nourished.
AW
Mar 31, 2025
It’s a dance isn’t it, between opening and closing. I’ve had tastes of how it tastes to be cooked. Sweet, tender blissful times, but I don’t sustain them. I adhere to my practices, maintain trust and faith, outwardly look like I’m simmering away, cooking gently. But inwardly, the fire is but a few struggling embers and there is a stress with this a disquiet. Much the same as any stress, an underlying sense that something is wrong and with it a deep sadness at the alienation from the connectedness with the comfort of a glowing fire. So I breathe deep, bellowing into the dying embers. The next breath or the next, the fire may leap into life and the dance take a merry turn.
JA
jatin
Mar 31, 2025
i was getting irritated just by reading this story.. and then it hit me.. i was getting cooked.. thanks for a beutiful read.
GU
Gururaj Apr 1, 2025
Lovely. Good for you
RM
Mar 30, 2025
A chickpea is born, and it attains salvation only when it becomes soft enough to be a morsel inside a mouth. It burns in the fire of the mystic chef—our own soul—and this fire is fueled by our actions. The fulfillment of our lives lies in salvation, which comes when our ego is burned away in this transformative fire. Our soul will not leave us hard; it will keep the fire burning until we are truly ready for liberation.

I willingly chose the path of service, where my ego faced hard blows—something that would have been impossible otherwise. This journey has cooked me to a great extent, though I cannot claim it is complete. The moment I declare myself fully cooked, the chickpea that is 'me' hardens once again. When our ego is exposed to challenges and hardships, it softens in the process. But when we protect our ego and refuse to step out of our comfort zone, it only grows harder.
SH
Mar 29, 2025
"May we have the heart ( Courage) to commit us to the flame. May we have the heart to finish our cooking, to make each of us worthy of being inside the heart of another fellow human being.". Such profound words.
Can this be our prayer during life's turbulations, difficult times? Can we be willing to be sanctified ? The passage touches us deep .
JD
Mar 28, 2025
The ultimate goal of all religions is freedom, liberation, salvation, moksha. Freedom from self-created bondage, freedom from self-created darkness, freedom from temptations. There are many ways of attaining freedom. Knowing oneself (Gnana Yoga). Freeing oneself from self-created temptations without expectations of getting any personal rewards (Karma Yoga). Path of devotion (Bhakti Yoga) and path of meditation Dhyana Yoga. Follow your own path according to your own disposition. Listen to your clear voice and follow it. Follow your self- chosen path and remain committed. Temptations will come that may take us off our path. We need to discipline ourselves. This will help us stay on our path. Our goal is to keep on walking until we attain our goal. If we have deviated from our path it will make it hard to achieve our goal. It will prolong our journey and we may have to come back on our path until we get fully liberated and be united with the Creator. My path is the path of Medi... View full comment
DD
Mar 28, 2025
I agree that we are chickpea, the fire, and the mystic chef. My view is that we are all, and the challenge is to accept and live that. I'm not fully cooked. Some of me is fully cooked, and some of me isn't. I've held back from allowing fully cooked. I think to be fully cooked is to not be in this world, and I've done what I have thought is necessary to still function in the world. I feel in the world but not of it. I think I don't want to be totally in or out, and I find some middle area that seems right for me, but I may be fooling myself and cowardly in doing that. Distinguishing between what softens me and what hardens me seems easy and obvious. When I harden I'm into defending and fighting, and when I soften I'm into being open and working together. It's up to me which way I go. I more often soften, but sometimes I harden.
VG
VG Apr 2, 2025
Hello.. I was , lets call it guided, to this site in 2020 when the covid crap started.
I have been searching for years to find a way to live "outside of this Dream/Illusion" or as this story goes to become fully cooked..
all of our answers are "with in us" not out there..
Frank Wanderer and Ervin Kery. are the two self publishing authors ..and have different pen names..
Rebal Budha is the latest book.. and I highly recommend it.
if you google consciousness-books dot com
also on amazon
this is Frank's frankmwanderer. dot com
the books can be down loaded to kindle or PDF and to have in hand

there is saying:
Learn from the mistakes /lessons of others
because you do not live long enough
to learn them on your own

that is what they have done
they have had their experienced the "head blowing off" sort of speak..
and have searched for years...all their wisdom is being shared.
on how to live in the Present/Now as that is all there is..
I personally can say.. it truly has helped me. I am calmer, take things as they come..
and control the ego no more stupid thoughts, learn to be the observer.

I just wanted to share that with you.. and if you feel do check out the books
they are all there to help us in our awakening...

sending
PEACE & LOVE
VerA
AL
Mar 27, 2025
“We ourselves are the raw chickpea, we ourselves are the fire of love, and we ourselves are the mystic chef/lover who pushes us back into the flame.”
What beautiful sentiments of ordinary awareness of the flames of attention that awakened love nourishes.
And the dance goes on and on…
♾️🌀💞