Discourses of Rumi

84 V DISCOURSES OF RUMItheir own actions as well as God—they are notdrowned in the water. That person is drownedwhen no movement, nor any action belongs tothem, all their movements spring from the movementof the water.A lion was chasing a deer, and the deer wasfleeing. There were two beings evident: the lionand the deer. But when the lion caught up withthe deer, and the deer was overpowered beneaththe lion’s clutch, and out of terror became unconsciousand senseless, collapsing before the lion inthat moment only the lion remained. The deerwas effaced and no longer existed.True absorption is when God creates in saintsa fear. This is not the fear of men and women whoare scared of lions, leopards and death. Rather, itis the fear of separation. This fear is a gift fromGod, just as security, pleasure and joy, eating andsleeping—all these are gifts from God.God shows the saints, while they are fully conscious,forms that only they can see. The innerform of the lion, leopard, and fire become visibleso they will know that reality is not of this world,