In his poem called Tripping Over Joy, the poet Hafiz gives us much to reflect on regarding surrender. He portrays life as a chess game with the Divine. Most of us, he notes, take playing the game much too seriously. We can feel this seriousness in the rigidity of our shoulders or the tight set of our jaw. We can feel it in a sudden outburst of emotional turbulence. The mystic, he notes, has a very different experience.
Tripping Over Joy
What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?
The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God
And that the Beloved
Has just made such a Fantastic Move
That the saint is now continually
Tripping over Joy
And bursting out in Laughter
And saying, “I Surrender!”
Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think
You have a thousand serious moves.” -Hafiz (translated by Daniel Ladinsky)
Week One. What is your reaction upon reading this poem, especially as you experience your existence in the world today?
Week Two. Notice your body each time you experience something you don’t like. Where do you feel the clenching and tightness? What would it be like to instead relax, take a deep breath, perhaps even appreciate what just occurred….and then discern your next move?
Yes. Sometimes life feels like a competition against… I’m not sure what. When I don’t get my way, it feels like I lost. Like I failed. Such a sadness or regret or shame that can turn up. Yet. What if it is merely a game, and all for fun? I’m going to chew on that. Burst out in laughter and say “I surrender!” Thank you for sharing this playful metaphor.
I’m going to practice bursting out laughing, too. It would be fun to hear more laughter in the world right now! Thanks for your comment, Erika.