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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. Rumi's poem begins by stating that this state of being is the only _______ of which he knows.

2. Shams comes down from the ___________, the poet says, and the readers will become the doorkeepers.

3. The poet states that ________ don't prepare us for the journey we all have to make, according to one of the poems.

4. Rumi describes a field, beyond right and wrong, where the ________ goes and loses ideas and language.

5. The poets asks for a __________ to climb into the Friend, and the response is that this item is in the person's head.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Barks suggest is the identity of the 'you' in Rumi's poem, as it is not clear who this person is?

2. What did the poet's teacher teach him to do, according to the writings of Rumi?

3. What happens during the chess game between Shams and Rumi, according to Barks?

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

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

6. What are the three ways in which Rumi could write, according to Shams?

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

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

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

10. What does Barks say that openings are a place for, according to his commentary in this section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Some of the poems in this collection of Rumi's work celebrate the idea of openness in life and in spirit.

Part 1: Why do you think openness is essential in life?

Part 2: Do you think that openness is something which can be easily cultivated in life?

Part 3: How do you think that you can personally cultivate more openness in your own life?

Essay Topic 2

Human beings don't know what they are, according to Rumi. He believes human beings are much more powerful than they realize.

Part 1: Do you think that human beings are more powerful than they realize?

Part 2: What sorts of powers might human beings have which they are not using as well as they could?

Part 3: Why do you think Rumi wants to ensure the reader knows they are powerful?

Essay Topic 3

In many cases, Rumi seems to be struggling with his feelings about God and about his life, writing them out in his poems.

Part 1: Do you think it's normal to have problems deciding what you feel about your religion and your faith?

Part 2: Why do you think Rumi continues to struggle with his relationship with God, its meaning, and its importance?

Part 3: Should there come a time when you don't have to struggle with the idea of your faith anymore?

(see the answer keys)

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