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Rumi: Poet Of The Heart

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"Rumi - Poet of the Heart" is a fifty-five minute documentary that introduces us to the work of Persian poet Jelaluddin Rumi. This is accomplished through an intimate dialog with Coleman Barks, his English language translator. The work also features the narration of actress Debra Winger and sensitive observations by scholars such as Huston Smith, Robert Bly, Simone Fattal, Deepak Chopra and the Sufi mystic Sheik Jelaluddin Loras.

The first fifteen minutes of the video relate the biography of Rumi, who was born in Afghanistan during the year 1207. Rumi's family moved to Turkey, where his father became the head of an Islamic Sufi learning community. Upon his father's death, Rumi took his place as the head of this ancient community of prayer.

Rumi eventually met with a desert mystic named Shams of Tabriz and mentored under him for a number of years. The grief that Rumi felt, upon the death of Shams, led to the birth of his poetry of longing and also to the creation of the Whirling Dervish dance tradition.

The story of how Coleman Barks came to his decades-long project as translator of Rumi's Persian texts is then revealed. We witness recording sessions where Mr. Barks reads from his acclaimed translations of the poet. These sessions are often accompanied with musical instrumentation such as the oud, harmonium, dotar, tabla, violin, ney and sarod. Video talks by the various scholars, which were often shot within beautiful natural settings, are interspersed among the studio sessions. All of these elements combine to suggest both the tone and the meaning of Rumi's poetry.

"Rumi - Poet of the Heart" is a devotional work that gently guides viewers through an introduction to the life and spirit of one of America's most widely read poets. Join with Coleman Barks and company to explore Rumi's compelling inner secret world. You will be transformed through their intoxicating spirit of contagious enthusiasm.

A wonderful DVD for lovers of Rumi's poetry. The photography is exquisite, the interviews very educational, and the superb poetry readings, enlightening! Highly recommended for inquisitive spiritual souls as well as for all poetry lovers. Visit my web site: http://thirdeyephotocreations.com/

For lovers of the poet Rumi, this film is wonderful collection of live readings, music and history. Coleman Barks, Robert Bly, Deepak Chopra and others all contribute to a moving and beautifully made film. Great music, too, from oud master Hamza El Din and world music musician Jai Uttal.

... then this is a must see documentary on him, his life, his works, and scholars and laymen alike, to explain and explore one of the worlds most enduring poets. Indeed aptly named as the "poet of the heart", as he seems to speak from there, and to there. Brilliant and honest.

This video was a feast for the eyes, ears, heart and soul. In less than an hour of time, it gave a nice introduction to Rumi, his significance and a poignant taste of his poetry. I found the poems that were accompanied by traditional instruments particularly good.

Also, there was some good scholarly commentary included on the CD. Huston Smith, Robert Bly and Deepak Chopra all shed light on the significance of the Sufi path and Rumi's place within this tradition.

There are also some good nature scenes that accompany some of the poetry and the overall impact is effective. If you are not familiar with the best selling poet in America (Rumi)... this is an excellent place to start.

In the video it is pointed out by various scholars that translating Rumi is exceedingly difficult. I believe Coleman Barks captures the essential spirit of the poems and he is one of the most popular translators of his work although he is sometimes criticized for various reasons. I believe this can be said of any translator. The only think that was a bit distracting is that Coleman Barks had a slight to moderate Southern accent, which I am not used to hearing and don't associate with this poetry. This is more about me and what I'm used to hearing than the DVD itself.

Overall, the DVD is so well done that it didn't take me long to get used to hearing Coleman Bark recite Rumi's poetry with great feeling in a context with traditional Middle Eastern instruments. This CD is a winner and a good value in my opinion.

Lastly, I studied Sufism at the graduate school level with a gentleman who was a Sufi for nearly 40 years and had a Ph.D. from Harvard in religious studies. While Coleman Barks may not be perfect, I didn't have any issues with his translations or the way Sufism was positioned within the video.

What a great DVD! For me, Rumi: Poet of the Heart is just as much about Coleman Barks as it is about Rumi. Mr. Barks has "the gift" of transcending language to speak directly to your heart, to your soul. I believe he was meant to bring the poetry of Rumi to the West. Deepak Chopra and others help to bring this DVD to life. Beautifully and professionally filmed & produced, I would highly recommend Rumi: Poet of the Heart to any lover of mystic poetry or fan or Rumi/Barks.

Rumi-Poet of the Heart, the dvd provides a very intimate, transpersonal experience of poetry and the inner world of our own Divinity. The imagery is stunning. The Sufis are the mystics of Islam and the ecstatic Jalal-ad-Din Rumi became the first whirling dervish due to his grief upon the loss of his mysterious mentor, Shams of Tabriz. Enjoy the passionate readings by Coleman Barks and Robert Bly, the eloquent commentary by Huston Smith and Deepak Chopra & Michael Meade. Debra Winger narrates and the enchanting soundtrack and vocals are by musician Hamza El Din and singer Jai Uttal. And if that is not enough---the Special Features has encore poetry readings too!

This DVD tells the story of Rumi's life and offers some of his poetry as read by some of the foremost Rumi translators of our time. It is a truly inspiring and beautiful video.

Let me quibble first and say this might have been called 'Rumi, poet of the heart's longing for the everliving presence', although the dervish on the cover might clue us that transcendental ecstasy is being offered.
All involved in the making of this, please take a bow; accept my gratitude.
You have the light that Rumi left here, more intensely says Deepak Chopra, than others have done,certainly than other poets have.
Some have recommended this to those who love Rumi; I suggest this more for those who are not familiar with Rumi; they have a possibility of great gain from this. See it at least twice and then ask yourself what you love.

Since I heard an NPR special about the poet Rumi, I was interested in this DVD so I might learn a good deal more. Instead, it seemed to be much more about the people who were "into" Rumi than the poet himself. While the poetry was very insightful, the staging and presentation was more important.