Hazrat Inayat Khan answers the final questions regarding his explanation of the impressions carried in works of art. The previous post in the series is here.

Question: Is it not a mistake of modern art to take its subjects from the earth instead of making a reproduction of the higher worlds?

Answer: Artists would do it today also if they could reach the higher worlds; the condition is to be able to reach them. The same old wine that was before is here now. The one who drinks it will obtain the same intoxication that people in the past used to experience. If a man becomes more earthly, it is not the fault of heaven. The past did not hold any bliss that is not to be found in the present. The bliss that is the most valuable is eternal, it is always there. It is for us to prepare ourselves to obtain it. 

Question: Do not drama and tragedy do harm?

Answer: There are many things that harm us, but there are many things which, at the same time, are interesting. Besides this, there are minds that are more attracted to tragedy than to anything else. It is natural, for when there is a sore, that sore feels alive for the moment, a sensation which is perhaps agreeable. It may be called pain, but it is an agreeable pain when the sore is scratched. Tragedy has that effect. No doubt too much tragedy is not desirable for anybody, but an artistic nature, a person who loves poetry, finds something in tragedy. It would be depriving oneself of a great joy not to read Shakespeare. But when people write poetry in connection with some personality, a king or a sovereign, or anyone, then there is a direct effect, whereas the poetry of Shakespeare is general. However, a play has an effect, and a serious effect too!

The above is according to the psychological point of view, it is not meant to say that it is the point of view of the Sufi. For Sufis are very fond of poetry, and their passion for poetry goes sometimes very far in expressing the sentiment of longing, yearning, heartbreak, disappointment. However, that is not psychological; according to psychology, it is not right!

Question: How does one learn the inner meaning of a certain piece of music?

Answer: Once you have read ‘The Soul Whence and Whither’ you begin to feel that in every plane the cover of that particular plane is required in order to experience the life in that plane. So, music being a world, poetry being a world, and art being a world, a person who lives in the world of art, in the world of poetry, in the world of music, knows music, poetry or art and he appreciates it. In order to have an insight into music, one must live in it and observe that world most keenly. It is not sufficient that a person should be musical and that he should occupy his heart and soul with music. He should also develop intuition that he may see music keenly.

To be continued…