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NOURISH YOUR SEARCHING MIND

Nourish your searching mind.
    You will be happy
Nourish your serving heart.
    You will be more happy
Nourish your loving soul.
    You will be most happy.     (No. 505)
 
UNLEARN AND LEARN

Anything that binds you,
    Unlearn it.
Anything that blinds you,
    Unlearn it.
Anything that limits you,
    Unlearn it.
Anything that awakens you,
    Learn it.
Anything that liberates you,
    Learn it.
Anything that fulfils you,
    Learn it.        (no. 1203)

With the unfailing tact of the poet, however, Sri Chinmoy places such imperatives side by side with lyric cries, aphorisms, observations, appeals and dialogues-seeming to uncover fresh delight in the diversity of expression. Once familiar with Sri Chinmoy's mode of thought, his "soul-view" of man's spiritual evolution, one would expect to find a measure of sameness and predictability in his approach to this circuit of themes. He is, after all, retelling an ancient story-the story of the transformation of desire, the dawn of aspiration, the battles and victories of the seeker on the path of truth-yet he uses language, tone and imagery to stretch our souls, not that he may erect a barrier between us and the poem, but in order that we may be compelled to grasp his vision with determination and resolve.

The poet would seem to adhere to an inarticulated belief that personal, self-referential facts in poetry often limit and deflect the reader's appraisal of his theme. Even when the poems are composed under changing and stimulating conditions, they do not make the slightest gesture towards the time-bound world of personal history and context.[7] The poet seizes the quintessence of experience and casts aside all the accidental and irrelevant personal details.