Sufi + Yaqui + Coyote, Spider Trickster, Raven + Sweeney Astray
Death before Dying: The Sufi Poems of Sultan Bahu.
Started down this road because of Zizek’s discussion on Joan Copjec’s book Cloud Between Paris and Tehran — where they talk about Sufi Islam. Havent read yet, it’s on its way.
I think of there being seven sects/approaches to Islam.
Suni,
Shia,
Sufi,
Muslim in India,
European Diaspora, trés diverse.
America, has two I know of.
Diaspora, seems a blend, from what I understand, of any branch of Islam - is a unification in a way ?
The other is home grown from Elijah Mohammed — who is first American Islamist prophet. I think of him as being closer to Smith and the Mormons - In that he was, the American progenitor of an American religious extension that exists, within the greater Islamic fold, visiting Mecca and all. And of course the evolution of Malcom X. Who is an important American figure. Born 1925, whose history is very much of his time, mid century, the forties in New York. When he was known as Red. Through to the 1960s, birth of the cool, 1965 he was assassinated.
In terms of Islamic teachings, I have only read the Koran. And my impression of it was as a Guide to Living an Islamic Life, and Rules for being a Good Muslim. In some ways more Talmud than Torah. Though also includes plenty of history of by and about Mohammed. Have read couple bios of Mohammed as well. Whose contribution is a lot like Moses - unquestionably formidable inspiration in creation of Islam.
Sufi Poetry
I think of Sufism outside of Islam. As having its own existence as well, beside Islam.
And had only known via casual acquaintance with a couple of its poets.
Rumi (Jalaluddin Rumi): A 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic, Rumi's Masnavi (Mathnawi) is considered one of the greatest poems in the Persian language and a cornerstone of Sufi thought. His poetry is widely translated and appreciated for its themes of love, divine connection, and the spiritual journey.
Hafez (Hafiz Shirazi): A 14th-century Persian poet, Hafez is known for his evocative and often sensual imagery, exploring the themes of love, wine (symbolizing divine intoxication), and the search for truth. His poetry is deeply rooted in Sufi mysticism and has been admired for its lyrical beauty and philosophical depth.
However, at a particular time, in the encumbrance of hell, I ran into Death before Dying: The Sufi Poems of Sultan Bahu.
Hit me like a lovable brick.
Tho, in terms of being religious, I rather skipped through the Islamist emphasis and just listened to the poet. I had by that point, stopped seeing emanations of god as a singularity, as infinity equaling 1 —
And instead, to some extent via the Tibetan Book of the Dead, as infinity equaling many.
Couple of Clips from Death before Dying: The Sufi Poems of Sultan Bahu
It is not just love poems.
Every day, at the time I came across this book, was a death, my “spirit” clinging to a kind of Coyote craziness, dying over and over and over. Only to wake up the next day and live through it again as perpetually on edge of death breathing in its terror.
Did not realize, as it started coming up in Novel, that I was working off of Sufi idea of imagination coming through breadth as creative impulse and its links to cloud and atlas of gods -
Until Zizek’s article pointed out to me.
Yaqui + Coyote + Raven
Living Sierra Nevada Mountains, read Carlos Costenada, Peruvian-born anthropologist and writer of books based on the mystical secrets of a Yaqui Indian shaman.
Its there where I first ran into the notion of death before dying, and it being precursor of knowledge.
Twas already there somewhat due to Burroughs and Kerouac. Hunter and Kirkeguaard.
The Indian thing, Coyote and Raven, showed up with Poe first. Then in Shakespeare and Company Bookstore basement, ran into Hyde’s Trickster Makes this World.
Trickster gods, Coyote especially, exists as repetitions of hunger for life and overturning deaths, when fall to doom. And wake up the next day having to learn it all over again.
AI Overview American Trickster Figures
American Indian cultures feature many trickster figures, often animal spirits like Coyote, Raven, or Rabbit, who engage in cunning and mischief.
Here's a more detailed look at some prominent tricksters:
A spider-trickster spirit in Lakota mythology, often wise, cunning, and sly, and comes out on top in many stories.
Coyote:
A popular trickster figure across various Native American cultures, especially in the Southwest and Great Basin, known for stealing fire and engaging in pranks.
Raven:
A trickster spirit in the Pacific Northwest, often depicted as a cultural hero and creator figure, and also known for stealing the sun, moon, and stars.
The Ojibwe trickster and culture hero, who can take the form of animals or humans, and often combines both trickster and culture hero archetypes.
Glooscap:
An Algonquin trickster and culture hero who created natural features, often battling his evil twin brother to shape the landscape.
A figure in Anasazi and Hopi mythology, often depicted with a hump, known for being a prankster, fertility deity, and storyteller.
A trickster and friend to humankind in Algonquin, Menominee, and Cree cosmologies, more of a culture hero who teaches morals.
Feasting on Sweeny Astray
The Glen. Glen Bolcain. The Birdman of Glen Bolcain. Druidic knowledge… about escaping to the trees and getting stuck there, never wanting to leave.
There’s several translations of it. Heaney’s is the first I read. After discovering my “Birdman” coming under spells, including the fallen, the sponge, the thief etc.
My char babies early formations. I call LuLu a char. Char baby for me is about Cinder Ella, it’s about a life of feeding the fireplace. Char comes from Char Lotta, whether or not you have character, and not one, but many. And as between the whole lot, eclipses again and again: The Vanishing Mediator.