The spiritual revolution carried out by the 13th-century Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi proves that spirituality and organized religion are not necessarily the same. Spirituality is essentially a process of self-discovery and self-realization. Through this process, a new path is illuminated, and it continues to guide the whole of humanity like a lighthouse.
When a person begins the search for truth and self-knowledge, the first obstacle that often comes in the way is the institution called religion. This happens because the very ideas on which religion is built begin to develop cracks during the process of inner questioning. Long-held beliefs start to be challenged. From Socrates onward, we can see how religion treated many Western thinkers who dared to question established truths.
Today, religion as a major institution is changing its form according to capitalism and market forces. It appears to be adapting and transforming itself, but these changes are mostly superficial. The reason is that religion, by its very nature, often resists deep transformation.
The real question is: why does a human being feel the need for religion?
When a person feels lonely or goes through suffering, they try to bow before a higher power that they believe can help them come out of their immediate pain or difficult situation. This becomes a turning point where the person could either look within themselves or try to become one with nature. However, fear of insecurity and fear of being separated from society makes them restless. As a result, they turn toward temples, churches, mosques, or gurudwaras, and their process of self-search often stops there.
Because of this, religious institutions become stronger, while the individual’s journey toward freedom gets interrupted. In this way, a person loses the opportunity to attain ultimate knowledge and true bliss.
During the medieval period, several Sufi saints and Western thinkers tried to remove these institutional obstacles that stood in the way of human liberation. Among them, saints like Jalaluddin Rumi and Sant Kabir challenged these barriers through their words and poetry and helped open a path toward inner freedom.
Today, there is once again a need to clear the thorns and obstacles lying on this path and return to oneself—to attain ultimate joy and true liberation.
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