classes ::: Letters On Poetry And Art, Sri Aurobindo, Integral Yoga, chapter,
children :::
branches :::
see also :::

bookmarks: Instances - Definitions - Quotes - Chapters - Wordnet - Webgen


object:2.3.1.09 - Inspiration and Understanding
book class:Letters On Poetry And Art
author class:Sri Aurobindo
subject class:Integral Yoga
media class:chapter

23 Feb 1937

Everything depends on the inspiration. But then I cant change any line or word since I dont understand what I am writing.

From your explanations you seem to understand all right. The question is about the inspiration itself. It is sometimes more successful, sometimes less for various reasons. What one has to see is whether what has come through is quite satisfactory in language, image, harmonious building, poetic force. If not, one can call a farther inspiration to emend what is deficient. At first one allows the inspiration to come through without interference, to establish the habit of free flow. But that does not mean one must not afterwards alter or improveonly it should be done not by the mind but by a fresh and better inspiration. If in the course of writing itself, a correcting inspiration comes, that can be acceptedo therwise one does the perfecting afterwards.

23 February 1937
***
7 Dec 1936

The poet herself says that, as far as she can tell, the sestet has no relationship to the previous lines.

What does that matter? Is she the intellectual creator of these poems or is she the medium of their transmission? If the latter it does not matter a penny damn that she does not intellectually understand her poemprovided she transmits it correctly.

7 December 1936
***
18 Jul 1936

Does it help a writer to know the particular source of inspiration from where he or she writes?

Not at all necessary.

18 July 1936
***
27 Jan 1937

Some poems that come are unintelligible to the mind. Why? Is it because they come from higher planes?

Yes, the mind is used as a medium: it may be an understandingtranscribing agent or it may be only a passive channel. If an agent, it transcribes what comes from above, understands but does not pass its opiniononly transmits. If it is only a channel, then it sees the words and passes them but knows no more.

If one could understand it when it comes, would that not help to improve the poem?

Not to improve for that would mean the mind interfering, refusing to be a medium and trying to do better in its own active account. But to understand is desirable. If the mind is watchful and awake to the symbols being used or the images it can acquire the habit or knack of understanding.

27 January 1937
***
17 Feb 1937

But seriously, how can I write this surrealist sort of stuff better? What is the trick?

The trick is to put your demand on the source for what you want. If you want to fathom (not understand) what you are writing, ask for the vision of the thing to come along with the word, a vision bringing an inner comprehension. If you want something mystic but convincing to the non-mystic reader, ask for that till you get it.

17 February 1937
***

So you are getting plenty of surrealist poets, eh? Happy at the prospect?

Not at all. Look here, sir, two are enough in all conscience, with an occasional Nishikantian outburst thrown in. If others cut in I will have to strike. I cant spend all my life from set to dawn explaining the inexplicable.
***



questions, comments, suggestions/feedback, take-down requests, contribute, etc
contact me @ integralyogin@gmail.com or
join the integral discord server (chatrooms)
if the page you visited was empty, it may be noted and I will try to fill it out. cheers


OBJECT INSTANCES [0] - TOPICS - AUTHORS - BOOKS - CHAPTERS - CLASSES - SEE ALSO - SIMILAR TITLES

TOPICS
SEE ALSO


AUTH

BOOKS
Letters_On_Poetry_And_Art

IN CHAPTERS TITLE
2.3.1.09_-_Inspiration_and_Understanding

IN CHAPTERS CLASSNAME

IN CHAPTERS TEXT
2.3.1.09_-_Inspiration_and_Understanding

PRIMARY CLASS

SIMILAR TITLES

DEFINITIONS



QUOTES [0 / 0 - 0 / 0]


KEYS (10k)


NEW FULL DB (2.4M)


*** NEWFULLDB 2.4M ***


IN CHAPTERS [0/0]









WORDNET


































IN WEBGEN [10000/0]



change font "color":
change "background-color":
change "font-family":
change "padding":
change "table font size":
last updated: 2022-02-04 14:02:24
231554 site hits