inspirational quotes from Rumi that will change your life

50 Rumi Quotes That Will Change Your Life

Rumi was a Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and philosopher who lived from 1207 to 1273. He wrote more than 45,000 verses on various topics such as love, friendship, and spirituality in his native Persian language. His work has been widely translated into many languages across the world. Rumi’s poetry has been described as being filled with love, ecstasy, and spirituality. Even today, his work continues to impact millions of people from all walks of life on every continent of the world.

Here are 100+ inspirational quotes from Rumi that will change your life

The brilliant Sufi poet Rumi once said The wound is where the light enters you. It’s hard to deny that some of life’s most memorable experiences come from pain and suffering, but we often forget about them until years later when one trigger—one smell, one song, one sight—is all it takes to bring us back to that moment. 

During these trying times, quotes from your favorite poets can give you solace and inspiration.

Here are 100+ of our favorites from Rumi.

1. Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form. —Rumi 
2. You are not a drop in the ocean, but rather, an ocean in a drop. —Rumi 
3. You can cut all of someone's flowers but you cannot keep them from blooming again.—Rumi 
4. Don't be satisfied with stories, and how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.—Rumi  
5. The wound is where light enters you.—Rumi 
6. Let it go, let it flow - whatever happens, happens - like a river flowing.—Rumi 
7. No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may.—Rumi 
8. The wound is where the light enters you. —Rumi 
9. There's a war between two wolves inside me—one is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt inferiority, lies, and ego—and then there's joy hope peace love truth compassion gentleness bravery, and kindness. The same fight is going on inside you and every other person too.—Rumi 
10. You were born with wings; why prefer to crawl through life? —Rumi 
11. Don't be satisfied with stories, about how things have gone for others. Unfold your own myth.—Rumi 
12. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. —Rumi 
13. Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, and even the phrase each other don’t make any sense. —Rumi 
14. You are not a drop in the ocean; you are an entire ocean in a drop. —Rumi 
15. The wound is where light enters you. —Rumi 
16. There’s nothing wrong with you that forgiveness can’t cure. —Rumi 
17. Come, come whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. —Rumi 
18. If your compassion does not include yourself it is incomplete. —Rumi 
19. Every cell in my body knows that something else lives within me... —Rumi 
20. If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got! —Rumi 
21. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. —Rumi 
22. The wind turns around every corner without knowing why or how, but if you open your heart to it, it will lead you home. —Rumi 
23. Someone told me that each person has his own zenith: some people live high up on their zenith for years without ever knowing they have passed it. —Rumi 
24. Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so let us all be thankful. —Rumi 
25. Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form. —Rumi 
26. What is it? Who made it? Where does it come from? Where does it go? —Rumi 
27. The sky opens up like a book when I look into your eyes. —Rumi 
28. You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? —Rumi 
29. To understand what another person is saying, you must become him. —Rumi 
30. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. —Rumi 
31. We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are. —Rumi 
32. For those who love God, all things work together for good. —Rumi 
33. When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. —Rumi 
34. At nightfall, Allah sent an angel to write down in books those who had done evil deeds. The angel was about to finish his task when Death appeared before him and said, A man whom I just took away from his house asked me to give him more time so he could say goodbye to his family. —Rumi 
35. A minute's success pays for the failure of years. —Rumi 
36. You are not a drop in the ocean; you are an entire ocean in a drop. —Rumi 
37. If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. —Rumi 
38. No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We must walk the path. —Rumi 
39. The only real failure in life is not to be true to thine own self. —Rumi 
40. As you start to accept your flaws, you start to appreciate your imperfections. —Rumi 
41. The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it. —Rumi 
42. If we listened to our intellect we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go in business because we'd be cynical: It's gonna go wrong. Or She's going to hurt me. Or, I've had a couple of bad love affairs, so now I'm afraid. Well, that's nonsense. You're going to miss life. You've got to jump off that cliff all the time and build your wings on the way down. —Rumi 
43. This being human is a guest house; each morning a new arrival. —Rumi 
44. If something goes wrong, don't go with it! —Rumi 
45. How much longer must I live? I am ready now! —Rumi 
46. If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished? —Rumi 
47. The wound is where the light enters you. —Rumi 
48. Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form. —Rumi 
49. Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. —Rumi 
50. There's no need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Don't even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still, and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet. —Rumi 
51. It is not necessary that you leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, just wait, be quiet, still, and solitary. The world will present itself to you for its unmasking, it can do no other, in ecstasy it will writhe before you. —Rumi 

We hope they change your life. We hope they help you heal. We’ve also included a few of his paintings for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Sufi master, mystic, poet, and humanist Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi are known as one of the greatest poets in history. His poems have been translated into over 40 languages and are still read by millions of people around the world. Rumi’s poetry touched on a variety of topics such as love, friendship, spirituality, and self-awareness.  

After a tragic accident left him partially paralyzed, famed poet and philosopher Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi began a journey of spiritual transformation. His faith in God helped him through many difficult times, as reflected in his wisdom, which he often expressed through poetry. From passion to perseverance, read on for 100 of his most memorable quotes—and find out how they can change your life.