Conference of the Birds

"The Conference of the Birds," written by the Sufi, Attar, is more than just a poem about thirty birds and a hoopoe on a journey to find a king sharing stories along the way. The whole purpose of their journey is to find the Simurgh or their next ruler. Through this journey, each bird shares a story or personal experience as to why or why not they should be the next king. Each story represents a sin committed in the life of humans that keep them from reaching enlightenment. Through this journey that they are set on they must cross seven valleys, which are the seven lessons and stages we must go through to reach the understanding of the true nature of God. These seven paths include the valley of the quest, love's wide valley, insight into mystery, detachment and serenity, unity, awe,  and lastly poverty and nothingness. As the birds reach the Simurgh they come upon a lake which reflects nothing but themselves; it is then that they realize they are the Simurgh. This parallels with a Sufism teaching that God does not exist an external universe as a separate being, but that he is reflected in the summation of all that exists.