Exploring the depths of poetry

We embarked on a journey through the minds and hearts of Mohua Chinappa and Turiya, exploring the depths of their inspiration, the nuances of their craft, and the universal truths woven into the fabric of their verse. Through their words, we were invited to contemplate the beauty of language, the intricacies of the human experience, and the profound connection that bound us all together in the shared tapestry of existence. As we celebrated World Poetry Day, we honoured the poets who illuminated our world with the timeless magic of their words, inviting us to see, feel, and understand the world in new and profound ways.

Turiya: Journeying Through the Vast Empty

Turiya’s poetry invites readers on a meditative journey through the vast landscapes of human emotions. With a focus on stillness, love, and the exploration of one’s inner divinity, her words offer a sanctuary for introspection and self-discovery. A mesmerising collection of poetry “The Vast Empty” by Turiya effortlessly transports readers on an introspective journey through the vast landscapes of human emotions.

The book contains 65 poems that are beautifully written. The book aims to guide readers through a meditative experience, encouraging them to reflect on their inner selves and find tranquility. The exploration of stillness, the beauty of life, and the discovery of one’s own divinity makes The Vast Empty a spiritual and introspective journey. Through exploring universal themes such as love, loss, and the human condition, Turiya encourages readers to look within themselves and gain a deeper understanding of their own emotions and experiences. The empathy and compassion with which Turiya writes is truly remarkable.

What inspires you to express through poetry?

My thoughts chose to express themselves through poetry and free verse. My earlier writing tended to be lengthier, but as I wrote more I started to see that they took a form of their own – crisper, shorter, simpler – almost as if I was being guided. I see poetry as a sacred gift- an invitation from your consciousness asking you to take a stroll with it and explore the hidden, forgotten, ancient parts of yourself. To remember the wisdom that you carry, to discover your own true nature.

Who is your favourite poet and why?

A poet who I admire and adore is the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke. I’ve said this before -there is something transcendent about Rilke’s writing – deeply lyrical and almost spiritual. It’s a writing that at once plumbs the depths of your soul while soaring through the universe. It embeds itself in you. Its beautifully melancholic. There is a quote attributed to him that I love – Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always. The future enters us, in order to transform itself in us, long before it happens. There are several translations, but the ones my Stephen Mitchell is by far the best in my view.

Your poems are influenced by eastern philosophy and mysticism, what does being spiritual mean and why did you choose to express it through poetry?

I think the interpretation of spiritual or spirituality is so varied that I have to provide an almost textbook (or google) definition of that which I identify most with - the belief that there is something greater than myself, something more to being human than sensory experience, and that the greater whole of which we are part is cosmic or divine in nature. Therefore, the dedication in my book The Vast Empty - “Dedicated to the Divinity within us – may we feel It and be guided by It” To me, this is both the start and the summation of several concepts of Vedanta philosophy and more generally eastern mysticism. On the question of why poetry – I don’t know. Maybe the from chose me rather than the other way around. I just wrote what came to me and in the manner it did.

There is a sense of wandering that is also a shared sense with a lot of poets. Why do you think it forms an important trait of a poet?

I guess it is a sense of wondering that leads to wandering. To me, poetry results from deep reflection, contemplation, and observation – whether it is nature, people, our feelings or the vastness of the universe. These give rise to thoughts, which takes us wandering into the depth of ourselves, guided by our own creative wisdom where we perhaps uncover answers, or more importantly the true question. I think it’s the dreamy, wandering nature borne out of observation that gives rise to poetry.