Cartography of the Mind (Part 4 of 17)

The following are excerpts of an illuminated book sent from Liza to the group. As usual, we publish typed excerpts of these along with the original photo. The best way is to read the text, of course, is to to experience it in its illuminated form.

3. On Burning our Poems

I think to burn our poems, to hoard our talents for self-gain alone, to alienate ourselves from modern day society poses a great risk to both our evolution and our survival as a species. It is selfish. We must share whatever we find in our solitude with the rest of the universe. The role of the poet in society is to translate sacred realities into digestible moments, not to singe them from existence altogether. Poets and artists of every breed are responsible for radiating their inner light onto and into every nook and cranny of the outer world. Remember to have an observation is to have an obligation. What have you observed lately?

"And I remember someone explaining to me that the people who gave themselves over to monastic experience are devoting themselves to prayer and contemplation kind of on behalf of all of us. And I thought that was a beautiful idea. And I mean, I held that and I honored that for many years. But it's interesting that now, as so many 21st century people are finding refuge and also a kind of grounding in these monasteries, there’s a depth of reality to that idea that they are praying and being contemplative on behalf of all of us, like, keeping the doors open to these places where that can happen." - Pico Iyer, The Art of Stillness