However, unlike the madman, the mystic is forced to reconcile a lifetime of perceiving life as an individual with the idea of being a messenger for divinity.

Finally, mystics and madness are alike in that they are perceived as being irrational, in part because of their desires. Madmen are irrational because they lack reason and the ability to verbalize their own condition. In fact, madmen may be so labeled because of their inability to communicate their feelings. Madmen are characterized by discrepancies between their internal states and their external realities. However, according to Rumi, that perspective is one that is shared by almost every member of society when confronted with desire. The saying "love is blind" encapsulates the idea that desire can cause one to abandon rational thought.

If earthly love is enough to cause a person to abandon rational thought, it is no surprise that mystics are also perceived...
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