This quote from Rumi is a profound reflection on the influence of external forces and the importance of preserving one’s inner peace and vitality. Let’s break it down and explore the deeper meaning:

1. “Ignore those that make you fearful and sad…”

• Psychological Impact: Rumi points to the power of others’ words and actions in shaping our emotional state. Fear and sadness are powerful, draining emotions, and when we are exposed to negative or harmful influences, they can easily infiltrate our minds and hearts. Rumi suggests that we have the agency to ignore such influences, recognizing that external negativity does not need to define or control us.
• Fear and Sadness: These two emotions often arise from a sense of threat (fear) or loss (sadness). Both can stem from external sources — whether they are people who speak in ways that instill doubt, make us feel unworthy, or simply engage in toxic behaviors. Rumi is urging us to recognize that these emotions, though natural, should not be allowed to dominate our mental and emotional landscapes.
• Active Choice: Ignoring doesn’t mean suppressing; rather, it’s an active choice to disengage from influences that drain our vitality. This disengagement is a form of self-preservation and empowerment.

2. “…that degrade you back towards disease and death.”

• Degradation: The term “degrade” here is significant. To degrade means to lower in dignity or quality, and Rumi is pointing out how certain people or situations can bring us down, diminish our sense of worth, and keep us stuck in unhealthy states of mind and being. These forces act as toxins, subtly eroding our well-being and vitality.
• Disease and Death: Disease here doesn’t just refer to physical illness but can also be seen as a metaphor for emotional, mental, or spiritual malaise. Negative relationships or toxic environments can create a kind of “disease” within us, leading us away from health and toward despair, stagnation, or decay.
• Spiritual Metaphor: In a spiritual sense, disease and death symbolize the loss of connection to one’s higher purpose, inner truth, and life force. When we are constantly surrounded by negativity, it takes us further from the light of our own potential, pulling us away from growth, peace, and harmony.

3. Deeper Implications of Rumi’s Teaching:

• Guarding One’s Energy: Rumi suggests that we have the power to protect our inner state. By ignoring those who diminish us or bring us down, we are choosing to preserve our energy and well-being. This is a radical act of self-love, as it requires boundaries and discernment in how we engage with others and the world.
• The Power of Awareness: This message speaks to awareness — the ability to recognize when someone or something is not contributing to our growth. We are not passive recipients of negativity; we have the agency to decide whether we engage with it or not. Rumi encourages us to cultivate the awareness to avoid situations and people that diminish our spirit.
• Focus on Life: The mention of “disease and death” is also a call to prioritize life, vitality, and spiritual well-being. To follow people or situations that bring us fear, sadness, or negativity is to step away from life itself. Instead, Rumi invites us to focus on what nourishes the soul, what inspires growth and vitality, and what brings us closer to our divine essence.

4. The Holistic View:

• Rumi’s wisdom also speaks to the idea of wholeness — mind, body, and spirit. The effects of negativity can manifest in all these areas. When we allow ourselves to be surrounded by toxic people or circumstances, we create dissonance within ourselves. The degradation he refers to is a form of fragmentation, where we become disconnected from our true, healthy, and harmonious state.
• Self-empowerment: Rumi’s call is not just to ignore the negative forces around us but also to empower ourselves to choose differently. By choosing to cultivate relationships and environments that support our well-being, we create the conditions for life to flourish in all its forms.

Conclusion:

At its core, this quote is a call for radical self-care and discernment. It emphasizes the importance of preserving our emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being by avoiding those who drain us or lead us into negative emotional states. Rumi invites us to step into the fullness of life by cultivating an environment of positivity, growth, and health. By ignoring harmful influences, we choose the path of vitality, allowing ourselves to rise above fear, sadness, and degradation, and instead align with life, love, and spiritual flourishing.