Poetry and Inner Experience

On the occasion of World Poetry Day, enjoy this conversation between Sadhguru and Muzaffar Ali on the expression of profound inner experience.

During a wide-ranging conversation between Sadhguru and filmmaker, fashion designer, poet and artist Muzaffar Ali, the topic turns to certain exemplary poets of the past. Rather than trying to imitate a Rumi or Kabir, says Sadhguru, we must look at the inner experience which brought forth the poetic outpouring. On the occasion of World Poetry Day, read on as two poets discuss the expression of profound inner experience. read more...

Muzaffar Ali: How do we understand exemplary lives? There are certain exemplary lives, which are very important from a human perspective, from an artistic perspective, from a perspective of bringing mankind closer. We need to celebrate those lives - like Rumi, Khusro, Kabir, so many - and maybe that can also be a source of illumination.

Sadhguru: When you say exemplary, you mean that it is worthy of being an example to others. But Rumi, Kabir or someone like that, we should just enjoy them. We should not try to imitate them. They are like flowers in the garden. You do not try to become a flower. You just enjoy the flower. It is nice that such people blossomed wherever they did. Many of them have blossomed.

Even today, there is someone in every village and town. Maybe they have not attained to that level of fame. Someone may attain a certain stature, someone may not - that is a social and historical matter, but that aspect is not dead, and it can never die. Somewhere, it finds expression in so many ways. Instead of making a Kabir an example for ourselves, we should go back to that experience within Kabir that makes him such an overflowing human being.

When it comes to external capabilities, we are all differently competent. What you can do, I cannot do. What I can do, you cannot do. But when it comes to inner possibilities, we are all equally capable. Why it has happened within one person and not happened within another person is only because one person has paid attention to that dimension, but the other has not. read more...