The Dance of Life, part 12

551. Absence

```

In man’s absence

My fondness-tree proudly grows.

In God’s absence

My life-tree helplessly dies.

O man and God,

I tell you

My supreme secret:

Ignorance misses my absence,

Earth cherishes my absence,

Heaven terminates my absence. ```

552. What is it?

```

Abstinence, what is it?

The best medicine.

Persistence, what is it?

The surest crown.

Surrender, what is it?

The highest goal. ```

553. With much sweat

```

Without sweat

I acquired teeming doubts.

Without regret

I threw them away.

Without sweat

I grabbed ignorance-night.

Without regret

I killed its life.

With much sweat

I have acquired an iota of faith.

If I ever lose it

My life-boat shall sink.

With much sweat

I have discovered an iota of Light.

If I ever lose it,

I shall become a soulless creature. ```

554. Difficulties

```

A woman

Finds it difficult

To admit her insecurity.

A man

Finds it difficult

To admit his impurity.

Poor earth

Finds it difficult

To brave its sufferings.

Rich Heaven

Finds it difficult

To hide its Treasures.

The Supreme

Finds it impossible

To overrule His Compassion.

```

555. The undivine and the divine

```

The undivine flourish,

The divine die young:

This is what we hear,

This is what we think,

This is what we know.

My soul wants to add

Something to this lofty theory:

The undivine flourish

In the closed coffin of Death.

The divine die young

In the Lap of Immortality. ```

556. His books and his looks

```

His books lead me

To the sage inside him.

His looks draw me

To the animal inside him.

His books deserve immediate recognition.

His looks need gradual transformation. ```

557. Nothing more, nothing less

```

To keep the doctor away

I need sound health.

To keep sound health

I need nature’s blessing.

To have nature’s blessing

I need God’s Grace.

To have God’s Grace

I need the strength of surrender.

To have the strength of surrender

I need just one thing:

Faith, only faith.

Nothing more,

Nothing less!

```

558. I associate

```

I associate with God

To enjoy my natural realisation.

I associate with Man

To enjoy my regular aspiration.

I associate with Earth

To enjoy the universal Emptiness.

I associate with Heaven

To enjoy the absolute Infinitude. ```

559. Boys and girls

```

Boys will be boys;

Girls will be girls.

Boys will reach their Goal

Singing and running.

Girls will reach their Goal

Dancing and diving.

Boys will be boys;

Girls will be girls.

Boys will realise God,

The Highest Realisation.

Girls will manifest God,

The Absolute Perfection. ```

560. Before

```

Duty before pleasure,

Compassion before justice,

Offering before receiving,

Heart before mind,

Faith-flame before doubt-net,

God-realisation before world-perfection. ```

561. Come and go, come and stay

```

Fear, the timid guest,

Comes and goes.

Doubt, the bold guest,

Comes and goes.

Jealousy, the clever guest,

Comes and goes.

Compassion, the kind guest,

Comes and stays.

Light, the beautiful guest,

Comes and stays.

Bliss, the sweet guest,

Comes and stays.

God, the silent Guest,

Comes, stays and never goes. ```

562. Feast and fast

```

A desiring vital

Feasts today,

Fasts tomorrow.

An aspiring heart

Fasts today,

Feasts tomorrow.

What does a desiring vital eat?

It eats fear and doubt,

It eats hope and despair,

It eats impurity and futility.

What does an aspiring heart eat?

It eats Compassion and Concern,

It eats Peace and Bliss,

It eats Salvation and Illumination. ```

563. A will and a way

```

There is a will,

And that will is in the soul.

There is a way,

And that way is in the heart.

There is a will,

And that will is of God.

There is a way,

And that way is for God.

There is a will,

And that will is leading me to the Supreme.

There is a way,

And that way has made me love the Supreme. ```

564. God feels sad

```

The doctor fails;

And God feels sad.

He feels sad

That He did not give the doctor

The life-saving medicine.

The patient dies;

And God feels sad.

He feels sad

That He did not give the patient

The message of immortal life.

The relatives weep;

And God feels sad.

He feels sad

That He did not tell them

That Heaven is the second floor

And earth is the first floor

Of the same building.

God feels sad

That He forgot to tell them

Even the name of the building.

Love is its name.

```

565. Carriers

```

Doubt, don’t come to me!

If you come

I shall carry you to Faith.

Faith and I shall kill you.

Fear, don’t come to me!

If you come

I shall carry you to Will.

Will and I shall kill you.

Faith, do come to me!

Carry me to the real starting point.

Will, do come to me!

Carry me to the ultimate Goal. ```

566. They do not believe it

```

Haste is waste:

The vital does not believe it.

Suspicion is frustration:

The mind does not believe it.

Insecurity is futility:

The heart does not believe it.

Hesitation is destruction:

The body does not believe it. ```

567. The brain appreciates

```

An idle brain

Appreciates

The long nose of the devil.

An ignorant brain

Appreciates

The face of bondage.

A man-liking brain

Appreciates

The discoveries of man.

A God-loving brain

Appreciates

The omnipresence of God.

```

568. He needs more

```

The more an earth-bound man has,

The more he needs.

He has doubt;

He needs more.

He has despair;

He needs more.

He has failure;

He needs more.

The more a Heaven-soaring man has,

The more he needs.

He has faith, faith in himself;

He needs more.

He has courage, courage to brave ignorance;

He needs more.

He has love, love to feed the world;

He needs more. ```

569. Satan and God

```

When the human “I” enters,

Satan enters, too.

When the divine “I” enters,

God enters, too.

Who is Satan?

Satan is the grandson of imperfection

And

The son of destruction.

Who is God?

God is the Grandfather of life

And

The Father of love. ```

570. God enters

```

God’s Compassion enters;

The animal in me departs.

God’s Illumination enters;

The human in me departs.

God’s Perfection enters;

The finite in me departs.

Finally God enters

And I quickly bolt the door

So that He can never depart.

```

571. Made and meant

```

Laws are made

To be executed.

Doubts are meant

To be avoided.

Ignorance is made

To be transcended.

The heights of God are meant

To be realised,

Revealed,

Manifested. ```

572. It is never too late

```

It is never too late to learn.

I have offered this message

To my ignorant friend, Ignorance.

It is never too late to cure.

I have offered this message

To my diseased friend, Disease.

It is never too late to attain perfection.

I have offered this message

To my imperfect friend, Imperfection.

```

573. Tomorrow does not come

```

Tomorrow does not come.

Why?

Because

Yesterday was enough

And

Today is more than enough.

Tomorrow will never come.

Why?

Because

God has not given birth

To tomorrow

And

He does not want

To change His Plan. ```

574. No news

```

No news is sad news

When I expect

My God-realisation news

From God,

My negligent correspondent.

No news is good news

When I expect

My endless bondage news

From ignorance,

My forgetful correspondent.

```

575. Sufficient

```

A word to the surrendered heart

Is sufficient.

A million words to the searching mind

Are sufficient.

A billion words to the striving vital

Are sufficient.

A trillion words to the sleeping body

Are NOT sufficient.

A sleeping body, what is it?

Doubt, man’s doubt:

His teeming doubts,

His brooding doubts. ```

576. Passports

```

Money is the superlative passport

In the country of

Deception and corruption.

Conscience is the most effective passport

In the country of

Truth and justice.

Surrender divine is the only passport

In the country of

Realisation and Perfection.

```

577. Rome was not built in a day

```

Rome was not built in a day.

I have been telling this all along

To my impatient son,

Impatience.

Rome was not built in a day.

I have been telling this constantly

To my despondent daughter,

Despondency.

Rome was not built in a day.

I have been telling this year after year

To my doubting friend,

Doubt.

Rome was not built in a day.

I have been telling this tirelessly

To my mocking enemy,

Mockery. ```

578. Practice makes perfect

```

Practice makes perfect.

God believes in this theory;

Therefore

He practised Compassion.

Lo, He has become Compassion,

Unconditional Compassion.

Practice makes perfect.

God believes in this theory;

Therefore

He practised surrender.

Lo, He has become perfect Surrender,

Surrender to man’s countless desires. ```

579. Early and late

```

I went to see God

An hour early.

He welcomed me

And

Shook hands with me.

I went to see God

Two hours early.

He welcomed me

And

Embraced me.

I went to see God

Three hours early.

He welcomed me

And

Made me sit on His

Transcendental Throne.

I went to see God

A minute late.

He thoughtfully hesitated to welcome me.

I went to see God

Two minutes late.

He simply ignored my arrival.

I went to see God

Three minutes late.

He refused to open the door.

```

580. Ask me any question

```

O man,

Ask me any question.

I shall answer

According to your sense of perfection.

O earth,

Ask me any question.

I shall answer

According to your sublime satisfaction.

O God,

Ask me any question.

I shall answer

According to my insignificant realisation. ```

581. They assert

```

Fear asserts

Its strength.

Doubt asserts

Its certainty.

Ignorance asserts

Its wisdom.

Death asserts

Its life.

I assert

My Lord Supreme. ```

582. Not enough

```

Not enough to aim;

You have to strike.

Not enough to aspire;

You have to realise.

Not enough to start;

You have to reach.

Not enough to have faith in God;

You have to know that God

Has faith in you.

```

583. Many things

```

Many things I have received

For the asking.

Many things I have lost

For want of asking.

Many things I have said

Only to feed my ego.

Many things I have not said

Only to hide my ignorance.

Many things I have done

At the request of ignorance.

Many things I have not done

Even at the express request of God Himself. ```

584. They wait

```

Time waits for nobody;

Truth waits for everybody.

Peace waits for earth;

Heaven waits for human love.

God waits for man’s smile;

Man waits for God’s Assurance. ```

585. Only to be

```

I touched his feet

Only to be kicked.

I struck his head

Only to be blessed.

I breathed his heart

Only to be ridiculed.

I braved his soul

Only to be embraced. ```

586. Change! Change!

```

Change!

Change!

If not, you will suffer.

Change!

Change!

You will prosper.

Brave, brave the old!

If not, you will die.

Brave, brave the new!

You will fly. ```

587. Don't be

```

O patient,

Don’t be a rank fool!

Don’t make the doctor

Your heir.

O client,

Don’t be a rank fool!

Don’t make the lawyer

Your heir.

O dreamer,

Don’t be a rank fool!

Don’t make the non-idealist

Your heir. ```

588. He told me

```

He told me

The forgotten truth:

I pray to God.

He told me

The undiscovered truth:

God needs me.

He told me

The impossible secret:

God fasts in the morning

Because I cannot afford

To eat Light in the morning.

He told me

The open secret:

God starves in the evening

Because I have consumed

All His patience-food.

```

589. Is it true?

```

“A great talker

Is a great liar.”

I asked God

If this statement is true.

God said, “No!

Son, every second I speak

To My countless children,

And I never tell a lie.”

“A great saint

Can never be a liar.”

I asked God

If this statement is true.

God said, “No!

Son, your great saint

Has convinced his mind

That he has surpassed

My creation, which is nothing

Other than Myself, in purity.

Can anybody surpass Me in purity?

Son, what else is he

If not a liar?”

```

590. For God no return

```

Doubt came to him on horseback

And went away on foot.

Faith came to him on foot

And went away on horseback.

Hate came to him on foot

And went away on foot.

Love came to him on horseback

And went away on horseback.

Truth came to him dancing

And went away limping.

God came to him running

And exhausted all His Energy.

God is dead tired;

He needs a long rest.

Therefore

For God, no return. ```

591. He gains who loses

```

He gains love

Who loses might-power.

He gains peace

Who loses doubt-power.

He gains bliss

Who loses calculation-power.

He gains divinity

Who loses animal-power. ```

592. A friend to everybody

```

My outer body, Earth,

Is a friend to everybody.

My inner body, Heaven,

Is a friend to everybody.

My divine faith, Confidence,

Is a friend to everybody.

My highest Self, God,

Is a friend to everybody. ```

593. They forget

```

The old forget

That they have an unpardonable past.

The young do not know

That they have an insurmountable future.

The old do not know

That God has decided to forgive them,

Their sordid past.

Today, this very day.

The young forget

That God is eager to help them

Surmount the heights of their future.

Today, this very day. ```

594. A new Heaven, a new earth

```

A new friend is not quite dependable.

A new enemy is quite forgivable.

A new patient is a real problem-maker.

A new doctor is an immediate grave-digger.

A new client learns the art of surrendering.

A new lawyer learns the art of losing.

A new Heaven I shall create for God on earth.

A new earth God will create for me in Heaven. ```

595. God and I

```

God is a good example.

Therefore,

He needs no sermon.

I am a bad example.

Therefore,

I carry long sermons with me.

God works.

He finds

That it is not necessary to speak.

I speak,

Ignoring the fact

That I have to work.

```

596. Conversations

```

God said to me:

“Son, you deserve God-realisation today

And I am now granting it.”

Satan immediately said to God:

“No, not today, God.

Tomorrow You may grant him realisation,

If You are so consumed with that desire.

Tomorrow will be the best time,

I tell You, God.”

God said to me:

“Son, of late I have not been pleased with you.

Therefore, I want to delay your God-realisation.”

Satan immediately said to God:

“God, I tell You once and for all

That delaying will not satisfy You.

Please cancel Your promise, God, for God’s sake.

I am telling You that if he is not ready by this time,

In spite of Your infinite Compassion,

He will never be ready.

This is not only my unmistakable conviction,

But also my immutable realisation.”

```

597. The guests

```

A gold possessor

Is a welcome guest.

A silver possessor

Is an acceptable guest.

A man with no gold

And no silver

Is an unwanted guest.

But

When I went to visit God,

He asked me,

“Son, do you have gold with you?”

Sorry.

No, Father.

“I am so happy, son, that you do

Not have gold.

Son, do you have silver with you?”

Sorry.

No, Father.

“Son, I am so happy that you do

Not have silver.

Son, what actually have you brought for Me?”

Father, unfortunately, nothing.

“Son, you do have something for Me.

You have brought Me

Your bold nothingness-pride.

Son, give Me your pride

And I give you My All.”

```

598. My advocates

```

Doubt says to me:

“I want to be your advocate.

When happiness tortures your heart,

I shall bravely defend your cause.”

Faith says to me:

“I wish to be your advocate.

When wild miseries torture your mind,

I shall unreservedly defend your cause.”

God says to me:

“I shall be your advocate.

When nothingness saddens your mind

And plenitude puzzles your heart,

I shall immediately defend your cause.”

```

599. Privileged liars

```

Poets are privileged liars.

Without even seeing the truth,

They tell the world

That they have realised the truth.

Lovers are privileged liars.

After having realised the truth

In fullest measure,

They tell the world

That they are doubtful about the existence of truth.

Seekers are privileged liars.

God repeatedly tells them

That He has His Omniscience, His Omnipotence

For them, only for them.

They tell the world

That they desperately need

What God outwardly has

And

What God inwardly is.

```

600. They are known

```

By the servant’s submissiveness,

The master is known.

By the lover’s oneness,

The beloved is known.

By the wife’s unhappiness,

The husband is known.

By the disciple’s aspiration,

The Guru is known.

By man’s perfection,

God is known. ```

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Dance of Life, part 12, Aum Press, Puerto Rico, 1973
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/dl_12