"And the distance between you and God is only two steps. The initiative has to be from your side.

"God is not a person, but that's what you have been told down the ages. God is a presence. God is not substance but significance. Once God is understood as significance, your life starts changing. Then you don't argue about God, whether he exists or not; then you are no more interested in theology. The whole of theology becomes rubbish. Then you start moving in a totally different way, in an altogether different dimension.

"If God is significance, then you have to create a certain meaning in your life, because only meaning can meet the meaning. You have to create significance in your life, because only significance can meet the significance. You have to become more aware, more loving, more aesthetic, more sensitive.

"If God were a person it would have been a totally different approach. God is not a person but only a fragrance. You will need great sensitivity to comprehend that significance, that fragrance, that music.

"In these sutras today, Kabir is talking about something very fundamental. Listen to his words – don't only hear, listen. And don't only listen, meditate with him, go with him. He is not a philosopher, he is not propounding a system of thought; he is a poet. He is singing his own experience. He is not concerned with concepts. He is pouring his heart into his songs, he is pouring himself into his words.

"You have to be very sensitive to understand this great poetic expression of mysticism, this great poetic expression of religion. And religion can only be expressed through poetry, through music, through dance. Any other way of expressing religion falls short, is inadequate. The mysterious has to be indicated only by something mysterious. God cannot be approached through the mind of calculation, mathematics. It is not possible to approach God through prose. The door opens only when you approach him through poetry.

"Poetry is more liquid, more vague, not so solid as prose. Prose says something clearly, poetry only hints. Prose shouts, poetry only whispers. Prose is for the mundane world, poetry is for the sacred."