Category: The Jewelled Garden

Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol (1781 – 1851 CE), born in northeastern Tibet, entered monastic studies at the age of eight, took full ordination at the age of 21, and became a Continue Reading →

Marguerite Porete (13th century – 1 June 1310), also known as Marguerite of Hainault, was a mystic and author of The Mirror of Simple Souls. Nothing is known of her life Continue Reading →

Mechthild of Magdeburg (ca. 1207 – ca. 1282/1294 CE) was a Christian mystic who had her first deep vision of unity when she was twelve. In her early twenties she Continue Reading →

Seyh Galib (1757 – 1799 CE) is considered to be the last of the classical Ottoman poets. He was born in Istanbul, and following family tradition, established a career for Continue Reading →

This poem by Shankaracharya or Adi Shankara, the mystic who reformed and unified yogic practice in India, expresses a thought very similar to the recently posted tale about King Janaka. Continue Reading →

Sivavakiyar (ca. 9th c. CE) was a Tamil poet and Siddha yogi who rebelled against the caste system and ritualised worship, as may be seen from this verse. In bricks Continue Reading →

Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani (1098–1131 CE) was a Persian jurist, philosopher, mystic, poet and mathematician. He is ranked with Imam al-Ghazali in setting out fundamental principles of Sufism, and it is Continue Reading →

For more about the 10th c. Sufi Sheikh Abu Saeed Abil Khair, see this earlier post. The Beloved is always true.Whenever you become trueyou will find Him.When you become His Continue Reading →

Shiwu (1272–1352 CE) was a Chinese Chan monk and poet. At the age of forty, he left the monastery where he had studied, and went to live as a hermit Continue Reading →

Very little is known about Binavi Badakshani. He perhaps lived in the 13th c., and was probably from Afghanistan. An early account says that he was a Sufi initiated by Continue Reading →