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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Barks points out the use of the word "_______" in one of the poems to be intended for the end of a vigil.

2. The poem at the start of this section describes the idea that human beings visit space through breaking one's ________ down.

3. Barks talks in his commentary about the mysterious "________" in the poem, though he defines it differently.

4. When asked how long he would remain in pain, Rumi answered that he was a _________ and his friend was the whole night.

5. When the poet talks about tearing down the ___________, he is talking about tearing down the self.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the fragrance bring back to Rumi, when he's lost a connection to a loved one, according to the poem?

2. What does Rumi say that he doesn't regret in his life, according to one of his poems?

3. What do the Sufis think about love and about its ability to help people, according to the book?

4. What happens as the result of surrendering to love, according to the writings of Rumi?

5. What does Rumi think that cow might experience when they are in Baghdad?

6. What are the differences that Rumi says do not exist in the garden of mystic lovers?

7. How does Rumi describe the person named David in his writings and poems?

8. What does Rumi tell the reader to do in order to start their own spiritual journey, like Moses or Joseph did?

9. What does Rumi have to say about the gamble of love and what does he urge the reader to do?

10. What happens as the result of the spiritual journey that Shams and Rumi discuss?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Rumi continues to use metaphors in the poems, helping to show the reader how they are akin to other beings and plants in the world.

Part 1: Why do you think poets rely on metaphors to help them with their messages?

Part 2: Do you think it's better to use metaphors or to speak directly to a reader?

Part 3: How do you think the metaphors affect a reader? How did the metaphors affect you as you read them?

Essay Topic 2

Rumi says that the emptiness inside of a person is what allows for music to be sung and heard.

Part 1: What do you think Rumi means by the emptiness inside of a person?

Part 2: Do you agree that having emptiness is essential for creating music in one's life?

Part 3: How do you think a person can cultivate emptiness in order to create music in one's life?

Essay Topic 3

Barks points out that repetition can be spiritual, not numbing as many people have come to think of it, in his opinion.

Part 1: Why do you think repeating something again and again can be spiritual?

Part 2: Are there any things you do again and again which you might find spiritual?

Part 3: How do you think the brain changes when it has to repeat the same action again and again?

(see the answer keys)

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