When you read the words of Rumi, the 13th-century Sufi poet, Meister Eckhart, the 13th- to 14th-century Christian mystic, or Dogen, the 13th-century Zen master, you might notice something striking.
Despite their different cultures, religions, and times, their words feel as if they’re speaking about the same deep truth. They all talk about letting go—of our egos, our illusions, and even our sense of self—to discover something greater. Their ideas resonate across traditions because they tap into what’s universal about being human.
These three mystics offer profound insights into selflessness, unity, and finding peace in a noisy world. Their wisdom transcends religious boundaries, speaking to anyone who seeks a deeper, more meaningful way to live.
Letting Go of the Self
One of the most powerful ideas in Rumi, Eckhart, and Dogen’s teachings is the need to let go of the self. For all three, the ego isn’t who we truly are—it’s something that keeps us stuck, preventing us from seeing the bigger picture. Letting it go doesn’t mean losing yourself; it means finding your truest self.
Rumi expresses this beautifully in his poetry. In one of his most famous verses, he says, “I died as a mineral and became a plant… Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?” He’s not talking about physical death here but about shedding the layers of ego that keep us separate from divine love. Each “death” he describes is a step closer to freedom and unity with the Beloved—a metaphor for the infinite, the divine, or whatever you want to call it.
Meister Eckhart takes a different route but arrives at the same idea. He writes, “The soul must forget all things and herself too.” For Eckhart, letting go of the self is how we make space for God. It’s not about erasing yourself but opening up to something larger. It’s like clearing out a cluttered room to let in the light.
Dogen, the Zen Buddhist, has his own take. In his writings, he says, “To study the self is to forget the self.” For him, the self is an illusion. When we drop it, we realize we’re not isolated beings but deeply connected to everything around us. Whether it’s the stars in the sky or the person sitting next to you, we’re all part of the same infinite reality.
A Vision of Unity That Transcends Borders
Another idea these mystics share is a sense of profound unity. They’re all pointing to the same truth: beneath the surface differences, everything is connected. It’s a perspective that feels more relevant than ever in today’s divided world.
Rumi captures this idea through the metaphor of love. For him, the lover and the Beloved are not separate—they’re one and the same. He writes, “You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?” His poetry is an invitation to rise above the limits of individuality and experience the oneness that connects all things.
Meister Eckhart describes unity in a more theological way. He talks about the “ground” where the soul and God meet. He says, “The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me.” This isn’t just poetic—it’s a profound statement about how deeply interconnected we are with the divine.
For Dogen, unity isn’t something mystical; it’s practical and immediate. He emphasizes that when we sit in meditation, we experience how everything is connected. He says, “When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away.” In other words, the boundaries between you and the world dissolve, and you realize you’ve always been part of something greater.
Why Words Aren’t Enough
If you’ve ever read something that moved you deeply but left you at a loss for words, you’ve already encountered what these mystics knew well: ultimate truths can’t be fully captured by language. Rumi, Eckhart, and Dogen all use different approaches—poetry, paradox, and meditation—to help us grasp what lies beyond words.
Rumi’s poetry is filled with metaphors that ignite the imagination. He doesn’t try to explain divine love; he helps you feel it. Take this line, for instance: “Try not to resist the changes that come your way… How do you know the side you are used to is better than the one to come?” His words open a door to something you can’t quite explain but know to be true.
Meister Eckhart, on the other hand, uses paradox to challenge conventional thinking. He says things like, “God is not found in the soul except the soul be wholly dispossessed of itself.” At first, it sounds confusing, but that’s the point. His words are meant to shake you out of your usual mindset and make you see things differently.
Dogen’s approach is the simplest yet, and also the hardest: just sit. His Zen teachings emphasize that realization doesn’t come from intellectual understanding but from direct experience. His instruction to “just sit” is deceptively simple, inviting us to let go of all our mental chatter and simply be.
Bridging Divides Through Reflection
So what can we learn from these mystics today? At a time when the world often feels divided, their teachings offer a way to see beyond differences and connect with something deeper. Meditating on their words isn’t just an intellectual exercise—it’s a way to embrace diversity while finding common ground.
Rumi’s call to love reminds us that our shared humanity is stronger than the things that divide us. Eckhart’s emphasis on detachment challenges us to let go of rigid identities that keep us apart. Dogen’s practice of interconnectedness shows us that we’re all part of the same world, whether we realize it or not.
Engaging with their works doesn’t mean abandoning your own beliefs. It’s about opening yourself up to the wisdom of others and seeing how their insights resonate with your own experiences. By doing this, we can learn to respect and celebrate the richness of different traditions while recognizing the universal truths that unite us.
Finding the Universal in the Personal
What makes Rumi, Eckhart, and Dogen so timeless is their ability to speak to something universal. They remind us that beyond all the noise of daily life, there’s a deeper reality waiting to be discovered. This isn’t something reserved for mystics or monks—it’s something we can all experience, whether we call it divine love, unity, or simply being present.
Their teachings challenge us to let go of the ego, embrace the infinite, and step into the silence where the deepest truths reside. In doing so, we don’t just find answers—we find a way of living that’s more compassionate, more connected, and ultimately more human.
Whether you find inspiration in Rumi’s ecstatic verses, Eckhart’s radical detachment, or Dogen’s Zen simplicity, their message is the same: let go of the self, and you’ll find everything. And in a world that often feels fragmented, their wisdom offers a way to feel whole again.
Image by Sound H2s
Tom’s Blog 