My third incarnation as Bhikṣu or – in the words of everyday life – as wanderer who followed the annual trek of the birds, ended in Istanbul. In this former capital of the Eastern Roman Empire [1] I became part of the “polis” [2] – not only part of the City State with a public secular politics, but at home in the universal community of environment and people
[3]
My Acropolis was not a temple where in the past the Greeks gave a house [4] to their Gods with all the splendour and exceptional beauty. Although I was at home everywhere, I found no lasting home in a church, mosque or temple.
[5]
Between the many churches and mosques of Istanbul I experienced my body and “polis” – in the form of the universal living environment – as the temple of God [6].
[7]
In the poem “This we have now” by Rumi I read a reflection of my world in Istanbul:
This
That we are now
Created the body, cell by cell,
Like bees building a honeycomb.
The human body and the univers
Grow from This [8]
During my first three incarnations – first as Kṛṣṇa in Kenya, then as idol in Amsterdam and several Northern cities, and thereafter as Bhikṣu who followed the annual trek of the birds between South and North Europe – I had only seen reflections of “This” within my own living environment.
In my fourth incarnation I wanted to leave the protection of the cave [9] – in which I found shelter until now – with only reflections of the all-encompassing “This” as Plato described in his Politeia [10].
[11]
Slowly at the beginning of my new incarnation I became perfectly included in the universe. In the libraries of Istanbul I read translations of the works of Rumi. Along with his poems I swirlingly began a new existence.
With the new spring – at the invitation of Carla Drift – Man Leben arrived in Istanbul. Carla, Man and I decided to start “Who are you – a survey into our existence”. Before we entered everyday life on this quest, we wrote each other’s biographies.
[1] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul
[2] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polis
[3] Source image: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corne_d%27Or
[4] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polis
[5] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polis
[6] See also: The first letter to the Corinthians 12 – 20
[7] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul
[8] Part of the English version of the poem “This we have now” by Rumi. See also: Barks, Coleman, The Essential Rumi. New York: Castle Books, 1997, p. 262
[9] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave
[10] In English the Politeia is often translated with “State” or “Republic”. See also: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staat_(Plato)
[11] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave
Who are you 