This night of sleep...

"First into the state of mineral he came;
And then, as vegetable, ages spent,
Forgetting all he felt as mineral;
Then into the state of animal he passed,
Oblivious of the vegetable state;
Ascending thus, stage after stage, he now
Is man, intelligent, knowing and strong,
Yet forgetful of his previous states.

From this stage of intelligence also
He has to rise, since it is full of greeds
And clingings to small things and jealousies.
When he has done so, then a myriad of paths
Of knowledge, wonder, and great mysteries,
Will open out before him endless.

He will not be allowed to lose himself;
He will be dragged out of his night of sleep,
Into the wakefulness of day again,
Till he laughs at himself in ecstasy"


Jalaluddin Rumi
in Bhagavan Das
The Essential Unity of All Religions
Wheaton, IL: The Theosophical Press, 1932, p. 169