Breathing Life into Meanings

red porridge - an embodied meaning

Last month I was making red porridge. In Javanese tradition, when we - Javanese, are celebrating something or sending prayer / wishes they are usually accompanied by making red porridge. Actually, the color isn't red, it is brown just like the color of the palm sugar that is used. Basically the red porridge is made of rice, palm sugar and coconut milk with a little bit of salt to be added. Some people sometimes just use common rice, some people add glutinous rice. Mine was a combination of both using 1:1 portion. The coconut milk is either mixed up with the porridge or served separately as sauce when the meal is distributed to the neighbors.





No Javanese (especially from the East and Middle of Java) is making red porridge just for the sake of making it, like common meal. They usually make it because they have certain intention behind the making. I did too. This was my first cooking ritual in which I made it myself. In the past, it was my mother who made it for me as a good wish after I finished my first Quran reading (khataman Qur'an) and when I was to open my shop at home.

In the process, as I did my stirring, I had my heart focusing on this whole experience, trying to grasp the meanings behind the cooking ritual in order to bring out the wisdom out of it. I mean, my Javanese ancestors wouldn't do something as common as making porridge to be meaningless that it has become part of culture and has been maintained by their descendants as up to now.

And I did get mine. Inwardly I was in joy for the enlightenment I had, that I understood the reason why those Nine Javanese Saints known as Wali Songo had integrated it into Javanese culture. Now you may think making porridge is simple that all you have to do is just letting the rice being overcooked. At least that's what I thought, considering that I had never made one.

As my friend told me that I had to keep stirring the rice so that it won't get burned at the bottom of the pan, I observed the changes that happened to the rice. From hard turned to semi hard then to soft; from raw turned to cooked rice and then to porridge. At first I thought it took only half an hour. Apparently it took more than that. I started the cooking about 7am and ready about 9am. So it was about two hours for half kg mixed rice. When I asked her it was done, she said "No, keep going. It isn't ready yet!" and added some more water into the cooking pan.

From this cooking ritual, I learned about patience and the right moment. To make a good red porridge is to have it taste like smooth taste of porridge not like cooked rice. And palm sugar and salt were added just about the time when the porridge was ready so that the sweet delicious taste will be fresh and no caramel (burned sugar) taste in it.

All the action together with the knowledge given after doing it, has created a meaningful ritual that at that time, I felt the intention has been met and fulfilled. The process has reminded me to the Matsnavi of Jalaluddin Rumi. Here is his saying;


The Chickpea
Mathnawi III, 4159-4211
translated by Reynold A Nicholson

Look at a chickpea in the pot, how it leaps up when it is subjected to the fire. At the time of its being boiled, the chickpea comes up continually to the top of the pot and raises a hundred cries, Saying, "Why are you setting the fire on me? Since you bought (and approved) me, how are you turning me upside down?"

The housewife goes on hitting it with the ladle. "No!" says she: "boil nicely and don't jump away from one who makes the fire. I do not boil you because you are hateful to me: nay, 'tis that you may get taste and savour, So that you may become nutriment and mingle with the (vital) spirit: this affliction of yours is not on account of (your) being despised. You, when green and fresh, were drinking water in the garden: that water-drinking was for the sake of this fire."

His (God's) mercy is prior to His wrath, to the end that by (God's) mercy he (the afflicted person) may suffer affliction. His (God's) mercy (eternally) preceded His wrath in order that the stock-in-trade, (which is) existence, should come to hand (be acquired);

For, without pleasure, flesh and skin do not grow; and unless they grow, what shall the love of the Friend consume? If, because of that requirement, acts of wrath come to pass, to the end that you may give up that stock-in-trade, (Yet) again (afterwards) the Grace (of God) will come in order to excuse it (the act of wrath), saying, "(Now) thou hast washed thyself (clean) and hast leaped forth from the river (of tribulation)."

She (the housewife) says, "o' chickpea, thou didst feed in the springtime: (now) Pain has become thy guest: entertain him well, That the guest may return (home), giving thanks (for his entertainment), and may relate thy generosity in the presence of the King, So that the Bestower of favour may come to thee instead of the favour, and that all favours may envy thee.

I am Khalil (Abraham), and thou art my son: lay thy head before the knife: lo, I see (in a dream) that I shall sacrifice thee. Lay thy head before (my) wrath, with heart unmoved, that I may cut thy throat, like (that of) Isma'il (Ishmael).

I will cut off thy head, but this head is the head that is immune from being cut off and (from) dying; Yet thy giving thyself up is the object of (God's) eternal purpose: o' Moslem, thou must seek to give thyself up.

Continue, o' chickpea, to boil in tribulation, that neither existence nor self may remain to thee. If thou hast (formerly) laughed in that (earthly) garden, (yet) thou art the rose of the garden of the spirit and the (spiritual) eye.

If thou hast been parted from the garden of water and earth, (yet) thou hast become food in the mouth and hast entered into the living. Become nutriment and strength and thoughts! (Formerly) thou wert milk (sap): (now) be a lion in the jungles!

By God, thou grewest from His (God's) attributes in the beginning: go back nimbly and fleetly into His attributes. Thou camest from the cloud and the sun and the sky; then didst thou become (diverse) attributes and ascend to heaven.

Thou camest in the form of rain and heat: thou wilt go into the goodly (Divine) attributes. Thou wert a part of the sun and the cloud and the stars: thou becamest soul and action and speech and thoughts."

The existence of the animal arose from the death of the plant: (hence the command) "slay me, o' trusty friends" is right. Since there is such a victory for us after the checkmate (of death), (the words) "verily, in my being slain there is a life " are true.

Action and speech and sincerity became the food of the angel, so that by means of this ladder he mounted to heaven, Just as (when) that morsel became the food of Man, it mounted from (the state of) inanimateness and became possessed of soul...

"The caravan (of spirits) is incessantly arriving from heaven, that they may traffic (on the earth) and go back again. Go, then, sweetly and gladly with free-will, not with bitterness and loathing, like a thief.

I am speaking bitter words to thee, in order that I may wash thee (clean) of bitternesses. The frozen grape is thawed by cold water and lays aside its coldness and congealment.

When, from (having endured) bitterness (self-mortification), thy heart is filled with blood (like the grape), then thou wilt escape from all bitternesses. (If) a dog is not (kept) for hunting, he has no collar: the raw and unboiled is naught but the insipid."

The chickpea said, "Since it is so, o' lady, I will gladly boil: give me help in verity! In this boiling thou art, as it were, my architect: smite me with the skimming-spoon, for thou smitest very delightfully.

I am as the elephant: beat and brand my head, that I may not dream of Hindustan and (its) gardens;
So that I may yield myself (submit) to the boiling, to the end that I may find a way to that embrace (of the Beloved);

Because Man, in (the state of) independence, grows insolent and becomes hostile, like the dreaming elephant. When the elephant dreams of Hindustan, he does not hearken to the driver and displays viciousness."

The dame says to it, " Formerly I, like thee, was a part of the earth. After I had drunk a (cup of) fiery self-mortification, then I became an acceptable and worthy one. For a long while, I boiled in (the world of) Time; for another long while, in the pot of the body.

By reason of these two boilings I became (a source of) strength to the senses: I became (animal) spirit: then I became thy teacher. (Whilst I was) in the inanimate state I used to say (to myself), 'Thou art running (to and fro in agitation) to the end that thou mayst become (endued with) knowledge and spiritual qualities.'

Since I have become (animal) spirit, now (let me) boil once more and pass beyond animality."

Beseech God continually that you may not stumble over these deep sayings and that you may arrive at the (journey's) end, For many have been led astray by the Qur'an: by (clinging to) that rope a multitude have fallen into the well.

There is no fault in the rope, O perverse man, inasmuch as you had no desire for (reaching) the top.
Source: http://wahiduddin.net/mevlana/chickpea.htm

Personification of Meanings

I think we all have - at least once - come across story that using personification as a way to impart some wisdom. Those who ever read mysticism story will find that this is quite common. When we were young, we had fable. It made sense to us to relate to the story and the purpose of using animals or plants or utensil made them so alive and imaginative to our childish mind and pure heart. I mean even as up to now, I like those animated movies like Beauty and the Beast where all the utensils were dancing and singing, or Kungfu Panda where all the animals were living in a Chinese village or Happy Feet where the penguins sang and danced. All these personification usually related to human activity for the original story comes from human activity. I mean we don't know for sure if those animated ones were really acting as such in real life, do we?

But how can we impart wisdom that comes from the Unimaginable? The wisdom that comes from the Realm of Beyond Creation? It is the same. The only difference is any creation can act as the bearer of wisdom story from the world beyond and that the interpretation thus depends on how the mind and the heart comprehend it. Because of such state, there are many interpretation to the verses of holy scriptures. Most religion used this animated process and relate it to God. This is the tricky part. Because without the proper guidance, people can misunderstand it and then created their own story of humanized God, like Krishna or Jesus. The Old Testament and Mahabharata were the example of the case.

I remember how I used to think that Mahabharata was just a story of war between two relatives. And it remained so until my inner Self-Knowledge teacher taught me to see the story from different perspective. I then saw something else. I saw a much deeper wisdom in the epic and reflected on the story to help me resolving the inner struggle. Further more, the process taught me to go beyond description and grasp the essence that is wordless.

And as my Lord teaches the Adam (read: the mortal)of mine the names inwardly [QS 2:31] I learn to comprehend their true form and see that which is beyond description and imagination. It is in this light the Muhammad (read: the admirable) of mine takes the teaching of Allah [QS 96 :4-5] and why quite so often Allah has to remind me "do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge." [QS 20:114].

Long ago, I had taken to heart the saying of a wise man, that said "In reading Qur'an, one needs to read it as if it were revealed directly to him / her." Since then I consider that understanding the Qur'an is about realizing its revelation into my life. Each of its verses found its significance in shaping my life. It enlightened me and I'm eternally grateful for the teaching. That which seemed to be a story is no longer just a story, but it carries a deeper meaning and wisdom that in a way also happening into my life in its own unique way.

He certainly can't be perceived by this sight [QS 6:103], but His Signs and Teaching are vastly revealed in each moment of our life. His Beautiful Names have manifested in our life. A personification meanings for the inner sight to see and understand that indeed He is closer than anything we have ever thought of.

Personified Meanings

We have personification meanings as a way to bring to life the wisdom that is hidden using words. And there is another way that is personified meanings, it is a way to bring to life the hidden wisdom that comes from the Realm Beyond Words using action. And it may not be a common practice in mundane life, but in truth, most of Islamic ritual are the personified meanings. As I learned thariqah, I realized its truth and how those Javanese Saints had purified many of so-called ancient javanese ritual, turned the myth into a wise action thus created so called Javanese Culture. Making the red porridge is one of the personified meanings in the Javanese culture.

Shalat - The personified Meanings

Most important action that reflected this personified meanings is shalat - the prayers. In each movements and dua' (prayers), carries the hidden meanings that is brought to life when it is executed. It is the highest personified meanings that is taught by our Lord on how we can express our love and joy being His servant. The ablution (wudl) that is to done before shalat carries the hidden meanings that is personified in us human being. The alms-giving  the fasting and the Hajj that form the five pillars of Islam are the personified meanings to be carried out by us - the Muslim.

The result of doing it right, understanding its meanings is then reflected in the person who do it. Just like the personification meanings found its marks on the things that animated it, the personified meanings also found its marks on the person that animated it. As Allah had stated Himself:

"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward." [QS 48:29]. 

Now, some people make claimed that 'their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration' is by having a darker shade in the forehead. I'm sorry to say that it isn't true. It is something that emanates from within and reflected in their faces for the personified meanings had found its mark.

In writing this, I don't claim that I am pure. I am not. I pray for the unceasing hope to My Lord that He will keep on teaching me and guiding me to be as He wishes me to be. May Allah grant me to be a better person and be in His proximity.