Look past the foam. See the sea.

What it means

We fixate on the surface froth of events and miss the depth that moves them. Rumi asks for a different kind of seeing. When the surface is noisy, look for the ocean underneath.

The source

"Look past the foam. See the sea." Rumi said it in Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark. Translated by E. H. Whinfield, 1898.

"The sea itself is one thing, the foam another ; Neglect the foam, and regard the sea with your eyes."

E. H. Whinfield, 1898, Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Rumi (1207–1273). Persian poet and Sufi teacher, born near Balkh and settled in Konya. His Masnavi, six books of rhyming couplets, opens with the song of a reed flute.

Questions

What does "Look past the foam. See the sea." mean?

We fixate on the surface froth of events and miss the depth that moves them. Rumi asks for a different kind of seeing. When the surface is noisy, look for the ocean underneath.

Who said "Look past the foam. See the sea."?

Rumi (1207–1273). Source: Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark.

What is the original wording?

The sea itself is one thing, the foam another ; Neglect the foam, and regard the sea with your eyes (E. H. Whinfield, 1898). Translated by E. H. Whinfield, 1898.

Is "Look past the foam. See the sea." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Look past the foam. See the sea." (Rumi, Masnavi III, The Elephant in the Dark, trans. E. H. Whinfield, 1898). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/look-past-the-foam-see-the-sea