Latifah Taormina from Facebook:
Speaking of poetry . . .
In a talk (excerpt below) Bapak speaks of “Sastro Jendra” — Javanese for the writing on your inner heart, writing that if spoken aloud would sound like “Allah, Allah, Allah.”
In her book, Saved by a Poem, Kim Rosen speaks of the healing power of poetry. She reminds us that the ear of the unborn child in the womb is close to the heart: “ba boom ba boom ba boom,” the iambic rhythm of poetry. Early baby cries have the same rhythm. It’s an inner understanding of the origin of poetry and how we are born with it. Eric Booth reminds us that the origin of the Greek word for Poem means TO CREATE.
Here’s the Excerpt from the talk by Bapak in Cilandak, 3 February 1980 (provisional translation Sharif Horthy):
“In Islam —especially in the tasa’uf (spiritual teaching) it is said that there exists within your selves something of a nature which forms the source of your life; the life of your selves, brothers and sisters. This is what is usually called the heart. In Islam, it is called the hati sanubari, the inner heart. It is said that in the hati sanubari there is something written. The Javanese call it sastro jendra. In Islam it is said that what is written there, if pronounced aloud, sounds like “Allah, Allah, Allah“. This is in the tesa’uf. . . What is this sastro jendra? Sastro means writing. It is a secret writing. It is a writing which is very great, very wide, very wise, very glorious…
… That is how it is, brothers and sisters, that Bapak always explains that this latihan kedjiwaan is the source of all culture in this world. Formerly, before human beings had been able to establish schools for architects, doctors and so on, those skills originated from this source, from this latihan. That is why culture originated in holy places, which were quiet and peaceful. In the case of Islam it came from the mosques, from the seminaries; in the case of Christianity from the churches. Those were the sources of all culture. That is why if people who receive this really think about it, these cultures are very, very close to the nature of the latihan kejiwaan.
“Thus it is as if in the latihan kejiwaan there is this dalang or puppet-master. When he pulls the strings in this way or this, or this, then this and this happens . . . that happens in the latihan kejiwaan. After you have done . . . like this, then you do like this – Allahu Akbar; that is your worship. That is like that. Yes, you have to receive all these things. Then there is no fanaticism. There are no fanatics, it is clear that all the actions and behavior of human beings on this earth all have their origin in the power of God. You must not claim that any of this comes from your own selves. Culture should be manifested. What emerges after deep thought is called science, which is something other than culture. Culture comes from kodrat (divine decree); science from irodat. (will).
That is Bapak’s explanation for today; the explanation he gives to all of you. It is not like a latihan, but it really is like the evidence in the latihan kedjiwaan. Indeed, brothers and sisters, to produce evidence for the growth of culture, this can be seen in Europe, in Russia, and in Austria. In the past, both the Russian and the Austrian races were deeply immersed in religious matters, so that out of their quietness, their peace, their freedom, they were able to receive things that were beyond expectation. They had a way of singing which developed long ago in Austria, if one can receive it. (Bapak utters sounds). That is Austrian. In Russia, in the same period, it was like this. (Bapak utters sounds). That is Russian. Then we can go back to Persia in the old days, to what is now Iran. Receive it if you can (Bapak utters sounds). That was Persia in the old days. So this still continues.”
Thank you Latifah, very good to read !