One of the most fascinating aspects of Rumi’s thought is his healing perspective — what we may call his therapeutic gaze.
A significant part of this healing comes from his emphasis on the role of thought and perception in shaping our emotional states. If you look at the world through tinted glass, the whole world will seem tinted and dim:
You held a blue-tinted glass before your eyes —
and thus, the world appeared blue and deprived.
One of these “blue glasses” is idle, aimless thought. Most people are sorrowful and weary because they’ve surrendered their minds to fruitless, wandering thoughts. As a result, their beings are like rudderless boats, adrift in the stormy sea of unpleasant emotions and moods.
All people are captives of their own thoughts —
That is why they are weary, sorrowful, and lost.
Rumi conveys this beautifully through analogy.
He says:
“I govern my thoughts; they do not govern me.
Just as a builder governs the building, not the other way around.”
He likens himself to a master builder, and thought to a structure. The builder shapes and designs the building however he wishes. And like a high-soaring bird, he declares that the flies of idle thoughts can never reach the heights of his wings:
I am like the bird of the skies, while thought is but a fly —
How can a fly ever reach or touch me?
This insight is precisely the foundation of cognitive schools of psychology, such as CBT and REBT.
They assert that our emotions are primarily shaped by how we perceive and interpret events — not the events themselves. External occurrences have only secondary, indirect influence compared to the power of our perception. In many cases, we cannot control our circumstances or other people’s behaviour, but we can reduce our suffering by changing the way we see and think.
The reverse is also true — many people live in comfort, surrounded by supportive companions, yet still suffer from anxiety, anger, or depression. The difference lies in their perception and mindset.
As both an individual and a counsellor, I’ve found this insight incredibly effective in emotional and relational healing, and I frequently use it in therapy sessions. Training ourselves to recognise and regulate unwanted thoughts, and to develop a strong, vibrant, and self-respecting perspective, is among the most essential practices for emotional growth, healthy relationships, and self-actualisation.
