Behind Me — dips Eternity –
Before Me — Immortality –
Myself — the Term between –
Death but the Drift of Eastern Gray,
Dissolving into Dawn away,
Before the West begin –
– Emily Dickinson (Behind Me – dips Eternity)
Mystical Poetry
Poetry is one of the most useful expressions of a mystic’s inner experiences. By nature a mystic is able to access a state of consciousness that is beyond the usual awareness of humanity. At a certain stage mystics and great seekers have said it is impossible to describe the consciousness they have attained.
However through poetry it is possible for the mystic poets to give a glimpse of higher worlds, like a finger pointing to the moon there inspiring utterances offer a poetic description of their elevating experiences.
Selected Mystical Poems
- The Absolute – Sri Chinmoy
- The Golden Flute – Sri Chinmoy
- Prayer of St Francis of Assisi
- Krishna – Sri Aurobindo
- Nirvana– Sri Aurobindo
- Samadhi – P.Yogananda
- God, God, God !– P.Yogananda
- One whisper of the Beloved – Rumi
- Lifts Beyond Comprehension – Hafiz
- Alone and Drinking under the Moon – Li Po
- Strange is the path of love – Mirabai
- T’is so much joy– Emily Dickinson
- Auguries of Innocence – William Blake
- Endless ages – Bodidharma
- Spiritual Poems at Poetseers.org
Mystic Poets:
include:
- Rumi
- Hafiz
- William Blake
- Mirabai
- St Teresa of Avila
- Christian Mystics
- Hindu Poets
- Sufi Poets
- The Poet Seers
- Zen Poets
- Buddhist Poets
Mystical Poetry springs from genuine mysticism.
Extract from Mysticism by Sri Chinmoy
“Study mysticism if you want to. It will give your heart joy, your mind inspiration and your life a true, fulfilling and soulful assurance. But do not try to define it. Do not try to interpret it. If you try to define mysticism, you are bound to fail. If you try to interpret mysticism, you will most deplorably fail.
We get experiences: from science, scientific discoveries; from history, historical revelations; from philosophy, philosophical data; from religion, religious doctrines. In these experiences, we see the presence of subject and object, essence and existence, vision and reality. But a mystic experience, which is immediate oneness, transcends all such distinctions. This experience is the constant oneness with the Beyond, the ever transcending Beyond that always remains ineffable. Mysticism, poor mysticism! When it is oversimplified and underestimated, it comes down from its original sphere and stands beside religion. But even here if a person is sincere, he will realise that his highest religious experience is nothing more than an uncertain, obscure and faint perception of Truth; whereas, no matter what kind of mystical experience he has, he will feel the intensity, immensity and certainty of Truth. ”
From: Sri Chinmoy.org
photo: Tejvan