_Question:_ Guru, will the soul of the painting that you did yesterday take an incarnation, and if it does, what will happen to the painting? ³

Sri Chinmoy: The soul will be replaced. It is like a tenant. When one tenant goes away from a house, another tenant comes. When the present soul takes human incarnation (and God knows how long that may take), at that time a suitable soul will replace it — a suitable soul which will be good for the painting. Naturally the human soul will be higher than the painting soul. When this soul eventually takes a higher incarnation, there will be another soul which will be good enough to replace the present soul of the painting.

Actually, instead of one soul there are many souls inside that painting. There is one main soul, and each significant portion also has a soul. There are many places where the painting is very good. At each of these places the souls are very prominent. These tiny group souls, instead of remaining separate individuals, can become one strong soul. When the main one leaves for a higher incarnation, then these little souls can become one soul, and that soul can easily remain as the soul of the painting.

But all this entirely depends on you people. If the painting is destroyed, let us say, even before we leave the earth, then what will happen to the soul? Many of my paintings perhaps will not last because of negligence and carelessness. I am afraid we may lose some good paintings because of the disciples’ carelessness. You and Sanatan are wonderful curators, but there are people who do not take proper care of them when they are in the gallery.

And one thing I have told you many times, that when you appreciate my paintings, your own consciousness goes much higher, plus you definitely add beauty to the paintings. Yesterday I told everyone to go and look at the painting to find the place that you like most and stand in front of it. You don’t have to appreciate the entire painting, only become one with that particular section, the portion that you like the best. Then you are bound to make your own consciousness large, plus add beauty to the painting. Many times I have written poems, and just by reading them or reciting them I increase their beauty. Even the poems I wrote many, many years ago become more beautiful when I read them now. If somebody else reads them, the poems are bound to get more meaning, and the consciousness of the reader will also be elevated. If somebody can soulfully become one with the creation, then the beauty of the creation increases, along with the elevation of their own consciousness.

From:Sri Chinmoy,AUM — Vol.II-4, No. 7, 27 July 1977, Vishma Press, 1977
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