Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, met with young people who read his book “Mesnevi Therapy.” At the program organized by the Çorum Provincial Representation of the Turkish Youth Foundation, Tarhan stated, “If life is a journey, then traffic signs are needed on this journey. And those traffic signs are in Mesnevi.”
Why Mesnevi Therapy?
While young people showed great interest in the program held on a digital platform within the scope of pandemic measures, Tarhan stated that there are lessons to be learned from Rumi. Tarhan said, “Rumi used concrete reasoning methods regarding spiritual reality. He performed data mining in the spiritual realm. That’s why he discovered new things. It saddened me greatly that Rumi’s messages, given centuries ago, were discussed under the name of Positive Psychology by developing a methodology without any reference. Westerners did not even give reference. I was very disturbed by this. As someone who knows Rumi and psychology in Turkey, I wrote the book Mesnevi Therapy, saying this requires a responsibility.”
“Rumi had already discovered it centuries ago”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that Rumi used treatment methods centuries ago, which scientific methodology is only now realizing, and said that Rumi treated the traumas of the masses. Tarhan, noting that Mindfulness therapies, or third-generation psychotherapy, are widely used in the US today, said, “This is used extensively in trauma treatment. It is awareness-focused psychotherapy. Believing in a higher power to overcome traumas. A person believing in a higher power and value and seeking refuge in it. They describe surrender and reliance on God. In metacognitive therapies, how a person can be forgiving. There are modules called gratitude and forgiveness. They apply the values in our belief system and culture as a method and see great benefits.”
“Rumi helps one discover themselves”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that Positive Psychology is also known as the “science of happiness” and is taught as a course in leading universities around the world, said: “Positive psychology is currently taught as a course at Harvard. Positive psychology is the most preferred course at Harvard University. They announced it on their websites as a groundbreaking course. At Yale University, Positive Psychology was added to the curriculum as a course in 2018. As a university, we have been teaching the science of Positive Psychology as a course since 2013. Positive Psychology is actually referred to as the science of raising good people or the science of happiness. Concepts such as how to be a good person, gratitude education, forgiveness, and thankfulness, and the importance of these concepts are taught. All of these are present in Rumi. He explained them through stories in Mesnevi. He narrates events using various metaphors, allegorical stories, and analogies, thereby enabling a person to discover themselves and find the truth.”
“Traffic signs are in Mesnevi”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that a person can direct their life through these stories, saying, “A person finds themselves there. If life is a journey, then traffic signs are needed on this journey. And those traffic signs are in Mesnevi.”