- Table View
- List View
Poetry as Spiritual Practice
by Robert Mcdowell"[When we read and write poetry,] it is as if a long-settled cloud in our mind suddenly dissipates, and we are divine once again." -- from the Introduction Poetry is the language of devotion in prayer, chant, and song. Reading and writing poetry creates clarity, deepens and expands spiritual inquiry, and cultivates wisdom, compassion, self-confidence, patience, and love. In author Robert McDowell's words, poetry makes you into a tuning fork of the Divine. But poetry has disappeared over the centuries from religious ceremonies, academic curricula, and public discourse. In Poetry as Spiritual Practice, the first inspirational and instructional guide to combine poetry and spirituality, McDowell restores poetry as the natural language of spiritual practice and invites you to recognize poetry as "the pure sound and shape of your spirit." Vividly illustrated with a wide range of poems from all historical eras and poetic traditions, numerous religions and faiths, and McDowell's own and his students' work, Poetry as Spiritual Practice will reintroduce you to the unique pleasure of verse. And meditations throughout will allow you to integrate reading and writing poetry into your spiritual journeys and daily life. Since many of us have long forgotten, or never learned, the mechanics and terminology of poetry -- trochaic feet and tropes trip us up; we can't tell a villanelle from its shorter cousin, rondeau; and a terza rima may as well be a tanka -- this is also an instructional handbook on reading and writing poetry. An engaging guide through the landscape of world poetry, McDowell argues along the way for the many practical benefits of poetic literacy. Making poetry an essential part of daily rituals, aspirations, and intentions will put you on the path to greater meaning, growth, and peace in your life. At once an engaging technical primer, a profound meditation on the relationship between poetry and the Divine, and an inspirational guide for integrating poetry into spiritual practice, Poetry as Spiritual Practice will become a cherished companion.
The Poetry of Enlightenment: Poems by Ancient Chan Masters
by Master Sheng YenFor the masters of the Chan tradition, poetry was a form of creative expression, but even more than that, it was a primary vehicle for teaching. Here a modern master presents ten teaching poems from the ancient masters, with illuminating commentary. "These poems flow directly from the minds of the enlightened Chan masters," Master Sheng Yen says. "We get a glimpse into their experience at the time of, and after, their enlightenment. It is my hope that this collection of poems will give those who are interested in the practice a new way of looking at Chan."
Poetry of Grief, Gratitude, and Reverence
by John BrehmA new anthology from the editor of the bestselling Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy.Explorations on a journey through the darkest and brightest moments of our lives, the poems gathered here are explorations of loss, of thanksgiving, of transformation. Some show a path forward and others simply acknowledge and empathize with where we are, but all are celebrations of poetry&’s ability to express what seemed otherwise inexpressible, to touch deep inside our hearts—and also pull ourselves out of our selves and into greater connection with the world around us. Includes poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, Czeslaw Milosz, Seamus Heaney, Billy Collins, Joy Harjo, Danusha Lameris, Ada Limon, Kevin Young, Arthur Sze, Ellen Bass, Li Young-Lee, Natasha Tretheway, and many more. The editor also includes an essay on appreciative attention and links to guided meditations for select poems, offering us a chance to have an even deeper experience of reflection.
The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy
by John BrehmOver 125 poetic companions, from Basho to Billy Collins, Saigyo to Shakespeare.The poems expertly gathered here offer all that one might hope for in spiritual companionship: wisdom, compassion, peacefulness, good humor, and the ability to both absorb and express the deepest human emotions of grief and joy. The book includes a short essay on “Mindful Reading” and a meditation on sound from editor John Brehm—helping readers approach the poems from an experiential, non-analytical perspective and enter into the mindful reading of poetry as a kind of meditation. The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy offers a wide-ranging collection of 129 ancient and modern poems unlike any other anthology on bookshelves today. It uniquely places Buddhist poets like Han Shan, Tu Fu, Saigyo, Ryokan, Basho, Issa, and others alongside modern Western poets one would not expect to find in such a collection—poets like Wallace Stevens, Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, William Stafford, Denise Levertov, Jack Gilbert, Ellen Bass, Billy Collins, and more. What these poems have in common, no matter whether they are explicitly Buddhist, is that all reflect the essential truths the Buddha articulated 2,500 years ago. The book provides an important poetic complement to the many prose books on mindfulness practice—the poems here both reflect and embody the dharma in ways that can’t be matched by other modes of writing. It’s unique features include an introduction that discusses the themes of impermanence, mindfulness, and joy and explores the relationship between them. Biographical notes place the poets in historical context and offer quotes and anecdotes to help readers learn about the poets’ lives.
The Poetry of Jack Kerouac: Scattered Poems, The Scripture of the Golden Eternity, and Old Angel Midnight
by Jack KerouacFrom the iconic New York Times–bestselling author of On the Road: Three revolutionary collections of poetry in one volume. Rebelling against the dry rules and literary pretentiousness he perceived in early twentieth-century poetry, Jack Kerouac pioneered a poetic style informed by oral tradition and driven by concrete language with neither embellishment nor abstraction. In these three groundbreaking collections, the legendary Beat writer offers a spontaneous, uncensored perspective on everything from religion to the structure of language itself. Scattered Poems: Bringing together selections from literary journals and his private notebooks, Scattered Poems exemplifies Kerouac&’s innovative approach to language. Populated by hitchhikers, Chinese grocers, Buddhist saints, and cultural figures from Rimbaud to Harpo Marx, the poems evoke the primal and the sublime, the everyday and the metaphysical. The Scripture of the Golden Eternity: During an unexplained fainting spell, Kerouac experienced a flash of enlightenment. A student of Buddhist philosophy, he recognized the experience as &“satori,&” a moment of life-changing epiphany. The knowledge he gained in that instant is expressed in this volume of sixty-six prose poems with language that is both precise and cryptic, mystical and plain. His vision proclaims, &“There are not two of us here, reader and writer, but one golden eternity.&” Old Angel Midnight: A spontaneous writing project in the form of an extended prose poem, this sonorous and spiritually playful book is one of Kerouac&’s most boldly experimental works. Collected from five notebooks dating from 1956 to 1959—a time in which Kerouac was immersed in Buddhist theory—Old Angel Midnight captures the rhythms of the universe and secrets of the subconscious with stunning linguistic dexterity.
The Poetry of Kabbalah: Mystical Verse From The Jewish Tradition
by Peter ColeThe first ever English-language collection of poetry from the Kabbalistic tradition, masterfully translated by MacArthur-winning poet Peter Cole This groundbreaking collection presents for the first time in English a substantial body of poetry that emerges directly from the sublime and often startling world of Jewish mysticism. Taking up Gershom Scholem’s call to plumb the “tremendous poetic potential” concealed in the Kabbalistic tradition, Peter Cole provides dazzling renderings of work composed on three continents over some fifteen hundred years. In addition to the translations and the texts in their original languages, Cole supplies a lively and insightful introduction, along with accessible commentaries to the poems. Aminadav Dykman adds an elegant afterword that places the work in the context of world literature. As a whole, the collection brings readers into the fascinating force field of Kabbalistic verse, where the building blocks of both language and existence itself are unveiled. Excerpts from The Poetry of Kabbalah have been featured in the Paris Review, Poetry, and Conjunctions. “Studded with insight, and written with great verve, this book will become a classic.”―Lawrence Fine, author of Physician of the Soul, Healer of the Cosmos
The Poetry of Secrets
by Cambria GordonIsabel Perez carries secrets with her every day. As a young woman in 1481, Trujillo, Spain, she should be overjoyed that the alguacil of the city wants to marry her, especially since she and her family are conversos -- Jews forced to convert to Catholicism -- leaving them low in the hierarchy of the new Spanish order. Yet she longs to pursue an independent life filled with poetry and a partner of her own choosing: Diego Altamirano, a young nobleman whose family would never let him court someone with tainted blood like hers. But Isabel's biggest secret is this: Though the Perezes claim to be New Christians, they still practice Judaism in the refuge of their own home. When the Spanish Inquisition reaches her small town determined to punish such judaizers, Isabel finds herself in more danger than she could ever have imagined. Amid the threat of discovery, she and Diego will have to fight for their lives in a quest to truly be free. A timeless love story about identity, religious intolerance, and female empowerment, The Poetry of Secrets will sweep readers away with its lush lyricism and themes that continue to resonate today.
The Poetry of Zen
by Sam Hamill J. P. SeatonA Zen poem is nothing other than an expression of the enlightened mind, a handful of simple words that disappear beneath the moment of insight to which it bears witness. Poetry has been an essential aid to Zen Buddhist practice from the dawn of Zen--and Zen has also had a profound influence on the secular poetry of the countries in which it has flourished. Here, two of America's most renowned poets and translators provide an overview of Zen poetry from China and Japan in all its rich variety, from the earliest days to the twentieth century. Included are works by Lao Tzu, Han Shan, Li Po, Dogen Kigen, Saigyo, Basho, Chiao Jan, Yuan Mei, Ryokan, and many others. Hamill and Seaton provide illuminating introductions to the Chinese and Japanese sections that set the poets and their work in historical and philosophical context. Short biographies of the poets are also included.
The Poetry Oracle
by Brenda Knight Amber GuetebierCombining poetry with divination, this collection resurrects the ancient Greek art of Rhapsodomancy, or divining one's fortune or destiny through the use of poetry or verse. Harkening back to antiquity, when Polyhymnia--the muse of sacred poetry--and Calliope--the muse of epic poetry--were invoked for guidance, each page of this anthology contains three poetic excerpts, chosen for their oracular wisdom. Readers are asked to contemplate a question and then randomly select an excerpt, which will offer revelations and inspiration for further contemplation. Excerpts are drawn from poets throughout the ages, including Sappho, Li Po, Rumi, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Dylan Thomas, William Blake, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Though designed as a prophetic tool, it can also be used as an introduction to some of the world's greatest poets.
Poetry, Philosophy and Theology in Conversation: Thresholds of Wonder: The Power of the Word IV
by Francesca Bugliani Knox Jennifer ReekThis volume is a collection of essays that explains how literature, philosophy and theology have explored the role of wonder in our lives, particularly through poetry. Wonder has been an object of fascination for these disciplines from the Greek antiquity onwards, yet the connections between their views on the subject are often ignored in subject specific studies. The book is divided into three parts: Part I opens the conversation on wonder in philosophy, Part II is given to theology and Part III to literary perspectives. An international set of contributors, including poets as well as scholars, have produced a study that looks beyond traditional chronological, geographical and disciplinary boundaries, both within the individual essays themselves and in respect to one another. The volume’s wide historical framework is punctuated by four poems by contemporary poets on the theme of wonder. An unconventional foray into one of the best-known themes of the European tradition, this book will be of great interest to scholars of literature, theology and philosophy.
Poetry, Practical Theology and Reflective Practice (Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology)
by Mark PryceThis groundbreaking study offers an innovative critical analysis of poetry as a resource for reflective practice in the context of continuing professional development. In the contemporary drive in all professions for greater rigour in education, training, and development, little attention is paid to the inner shape of learning and meaning-making for individuals and groups, especially ways in which individuals are formed for the task of their work. Building on empirical research into the author’s professional practice, the book takes the use of poetry in clergy continuing ministerial development as a case-study to examine the value of poetry in professional learning. Setting out the advantages and limitations of poetry as a stimulant for imaginative, critical reflexivity, and formation within professional reflective practice, the study develops a practical model for group reflection around poetry, distilling pedagogical approaches for working effectively with poetry in continuing professional development. Drawing together a number of strands of thinking about poetry, Practical Theology, and reflective practice into a tightly argued study, the book is an important methodological resource. It makes available a range of primary and secondary sources, offering researchers into professional practice a model of ethnographic research in Practical Theology which embraces innovative methods for reflexivity and theological reflection, including the value of auto-ethnographic poetry.
The Poetry Remedy: Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind, and Soul
by William SieghartA beautiful collection of curated poems, individually selected to provide the perfect balm for every emotional need Sometimes only a poem will do. These poetic prescriptions and wise words of advice are tailored to those moments in life when we need them most, from general glumness to news overload, and from infatuation to losing the spark. Whatever you’re facing, there is a poem in these pages that will do the trick. This pocket-size companion presents the most essential fixes in William Sieghart’s poetic dispensary—those that, again and again, have shown themselves to hit the spot. Whether you are suffering from loneliness, lack of courage, heartbreak, hopelessness, or even an excess of ego—or whether you are seeking hope, comfort, inspiration, or excitement—The Poetry Remedy will provide just the poem you need in that moment.
Poetry To Ponder: Spread The News! - There's A Reason For Singing
by Joy WalkerThis retelling of the Christmas story, through poetry and biblical references, inspires thoughtful meditation and joyful singing. Several poems can be sung to the tune of well-known Christmas carols and other songs. Reflections on the reason for Jesus’ birth remind us that we can still have hope for our broken world. The opening theme is the birth of Jesus, a miraculous display of God’s love for us celebrated at Christmas. However, Christmas is only the beginning. What follows His birth is even more astounding and life-transforming. The first part of the book resounds with joy and celebration at this phenomenal love-gift sent to us by a holy and loving God seeking to reconnect with his lost sheep. The celebration is not just because of His birth, but because He was born to die for mankind’s redemption from sin’s bondage. What is more praiseworthy is His resurrection, the foundation of the Christian faith. Because Jesus is alive, His power and light will always outshine the darkness. This is clearly a reason for singing. With the life of Jesus as our example, the remaining poems cover various aspects of Christian living: forgiveness, righteousness, justice, compassion for our neighbor and resisting temptation. Some poems cover controversial issues like the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage. They remind us that we are in a spiritual battle and must daily make choices between good and evil. We are exhorted to love God and obey His precepts in order to flourish. Loving and caring for each other are some of the daily choices we must make. Without that, our human society sinks into chaos. While the explosion of evil around us is frightening, we also struggle with our own personal weaknesses and failures and need reminders that Jesus will meet us in those struggles. Several of the poems are prayers from a burdened heart wrestling with the enticement of sin and the need to receive or grant forgiveness. Some are the expressions of grief and pain in moments of despair so common to mankind. Other poems are songs of praise and thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness in delivering from trials of various kinds. The book ends with poems of victory in anticipation of Jesus’ triumphant return to fulfill His promise to abolish sin and suffering. It is a time of rejoicing for those who love Him, but a time of fear and trembling for those who do not. The goal of this book is to point people to the God who sees all and who does not desire anyone to perish. His mercy is extended to all who would receive it. The biblical references that follow the poems will challenge the reader to a deeper dive into the very words of God to glean strength, wisdom and courage for daily living. These poems are meant to serve as a springboard to that end, and there is something here for everyone and for every season.
Poetry Will Save Your Life: A Memoir
by Jill BialoskyAn unconventional and inventive coming-of-age memoir organized around forty-three remarkable poems by poets such as Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens and Sylvia Plath, from a critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author and poet.For Jill Bialosky, certain poems stand out like signposts at pivotal moments in a life: the death of a father, adolescence, first love, leaving home, the suicide of a sister, marriage, the birth of a child, the day in New York City the Twin Towers fell. As Bialosky narrates these moments, she illuminates the ways in which particular poems offered insight, compassion, and connection, and shows how poetry can be a blueprint for living. In Poetry Will Save Your Life, Bialosky recalls when she encountered each formative poem, and how its importance and meaning evolved over time, allowing new insights and perceptions to emerge. While Bialosky’s personal stories animate each poem, they touch on many universal experiences, from the awkwardness of girlhood, to crises of faith and identity, from braving a new life in a foreign city to enduring the loss of a loved one, from becoming a parent to growing creatively as a poet and artist. In Poetry Will Save Your Life, Bialosky has crafted an engaging and entirely original examination of a life while celebrating the enduring value of poetry, not as a purely cerebral activity, but as a means of conveying personal experience and as a source of comfort and intimacy. In doing so she brilliantly illustrates the ways in which poetry can be an integral part of life itself and can, in fact, save your life.
Poets and Saints: Eternal Insight. Extravagant Love. Ordinary People.
by Jamie GeorgeOne of the most beautiful ways to know God better is to learn from those who served Him in other times and cultures. The poets and saints of Christian history were imperfect, yet they offer wisdom across the centuries that is as powerful today as it was to their contemporaries. In Poets and Saints, Jamie George takes readers from a pub in Oxford, to a cathedral in the Italian hills, to a rooftop in Switzerland, and beyond as he offers insight into the minds and hearts of Christians such as John Newton, C. S. Lewis, and Saint Therese.
Poets and Saints Participant's Guide
by Leslie Jordan Jamie GeorgeThis immersive seven-week experience uses the intentional conversations of the Poets and Saints DVD as a springboard for further reflection and discussion. Exploring the spiritual lives of Christians such as Saint Francis of Assisi and George MacDonald, and featuring photography and artwork reflective of their lives and experiences, Poets and Saints Participant's Guide challenges readers to grow in their own faith as they immerse themselves in the remarkable lives of those who have gone before them.
Poets of the Bible: From Solomon's Song of Songs to John's Revelation
by Willis Barnstone“The vividness and beauty of the language emerge in a fresh way . . . with evocative simplicity.” —Robert Alter, professor emeritus of Hebrew and comparative literature, University of California, Berkeley The world’s greatest poetry resides in the Bible, yet these major poets are traditionally rendered into prose. In this pioneering volume of biblical poets translated in English, Willis Barnstone restores the lyricism and power of the poets’ voices in both the New and Old Testaments. In the Hebrew Bible we hear Solomon rhapsodize in Song of Songs, David chant in Psalms, God and Job debate in grand rhetoric, and prophet poet Isaiah plead for peace. Jesus speaks in wisdom verse in the Gospel, Paul is a philosopher of love, and John of Patmos roars majestically in Revelation, the Bible’s epic poem. This groundbreaking volume includes every major biblical poem from Genesis and Adam and Eve in the Garden to the last pages of Alpha and Omega in Paradise.
Poets on the Psalms
by Lynn DominaReverential, celebratory, antagonistic, and even erotic, this remarkable collection of essays interprets the Psalms as a collection of poetry. Written by 14 acclaimed poets, the essays approach the Psalms from a personal, often autobiographical perspective, demonstrating how relevant they remain for today's readers. Alicia Ostriker examines the Psalms' glory and their terror in a moving essay that revels in their moods of joy while acknowledging the brutality they invoke, linking their violence to events such as 9/11, the Palestinian uprisings, and the Rwandan massacres. Weaving autobiographical anecdotes with scholarly introspection, Enid Dame provides a Jewish explanation of Psalm 22, while editor Lynn Domina contemplates the pastoral life as she connects the everyday with phrases from the Psalms. From a former nun to a self-described left-wing Jew, from a Midrashic scholar to a Texas rancher, the contributors mirror the wide swath of humanity interested in, and affected by, the Psalms.
Poets on the Psalms
by Lynn DominaReverential, celebratory, antagonistic, and even erotic, this remarkable collection of essays interprets the Psalms as a collection of poetry. Written by 14 acclaimed poets, the essays approach the Psalms from a personal, often autobiographical perspective, demonstrating how relevant they remain for today's readers. Alicia Ostriker examines the Psalms' glory and their terror in a moving essay that revels in their moods of joy while acknowledging the brutality they invoke, linking their violence to events such as 9/11, the Palestinian uprisings, and the Rwandan massacres. Weaving autobiographical anecdotes with scholarly introspection, Enid Dame provides a Jewish explanation of Psalm 22, while editor Lynn Domina contemplates the pastoral life as she connects the everyday with phrases from the Psalms. From a former nun to a self-described left-wing Jew, from a Midrashic scholar to a Texas rancher, the contributors mirror the wide swath of humanity interested in, and affected by, the Psalms.
Point Blank
by Mark RempelAll Seth Anderson wanted to do was to graduate. Point Blank takes us into the final weeks of his senior year as Seth finishes his last assignment-a project for his philosophy class exploring the question, "What is the meaning of life?" Suddenly Seth finds himself in the middle of the worst school shooting in the history of America and forced to find meaning for his own life, while staring point blank at the barrel of a gun. What would you say if a gun was pointed at your head, Point Blank?
Point Blank
by Mark A. RempelAll Seth Anderson wanted to do was to graduate. Point Blank takes us into the final weeks of his senior year as Seth finishes his last assignment-a project for his philosophy class exploring the question, "What is the meaning of life?" Suddenly Seth finds himself in the middle of the worst school shooting in the history of America and forced to find meaning for his own life, while staring point blank at the barrel of a gun. What would you say if a gun was pointed at your head, Point Blank?
Point Blank: Smoky Mountain Secrets (Smoky Mountain Secrets)
by Sandra RobbinsIn this inspirational romance, when a competitive archer becomes the target of an assassin, she joins forces with the local sheriff to find her stalker.For archery expert Hannah Riley and her daughter, nowhere on her Smoky Mountain ranch is safe with someone aiming to kill her. She’s not sure why they want her dead, but with the help of her best friend, Sheriff Ben Whitman, she won’t give up until she knows—and stops them. Hannah’s comeback in competitive mounted archery is looming, though, and time is running out to uncover the truth. Years ago Ben promised Hannah’s late husband he’d watch over her. But guarding her proves even more dangerous to Ben’s heart when the lawman is forced to confront his growing feelings for Hannah. He can’t lose another woman he loves . . . but if Ben wants to save the single mother and her little girl, every move he makes must be on target.
Point Blank Protector
by Stephanie NewtonWith his cover blown, former DEA Agent Tyler Clark has nothing but time on his hands. Time-and orders-to see the police psychologist before taking a new case. Gracie VanDoren's cheerful determination to help him drives Tyler up the wall. . . ;right up until a threatening letter has Gracie's sunshiny demeanor giving way to fear. As the threats escalate, both realize someone has an unusually personal vendetta against Gracie. Now Tyler's cover is blown again. Because he's committed to being her point-blank protector-even if it means exposing his heart.
Point Man: How a Man Can Lead His Family
by Steve FarrarThis bestselling classic encourages and equips Christian men to lead their families successfully through hazards and ambushes like divorce, promiscuity, suicide, and drug addiction. Men will find practical insight on topics such as a father's influence, maintaining purity, and husband-and-wife teamwork. In this war, renowned men's author Steve Farrar emphasizes, Jesus Christ is looking for men who will not die, but live for their families.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Point Man, Revised and Updated: How a Man Can Lead His Family
by Steve FarrarThe bestselling guide for Christian men who want to lead their families well is now revised and updated to help fathers and husbands navigate the complexities of today&’s challenges. &“Jam-packed with biblical direction and leadership strategies, this battle guide will equip you to lead your family to victory.&”—Dr. Tony Evans, president of the Urban Alternative and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible FellowshipMost men want to be strong spiritual leaders of their families. They just don&’t know how because they&’ve never seen it modeled.That&’s why Steve Farrar wrote Point Man thirty years ago. With more than half a million copies sold, it&’s the go-to resource for how to faithfully lead and love your family, walk boldly through challenging seasons of marriage and parenting, stand firm against personal temptation, and forge a faith that shines bright. Yet the war on the family has only intensified since this trusted guide first came out. Whether through entertainment, social media, or legislation, our world seems determined to undermine the traditional family—which means faithful spiritual leadership is needed more than ever. This revised and updated edition will equip you to confidently navigate the cultural and societal forces affecting your family, such as: • shifting views of masculinity and femininity• the declining influence of church and faith• fractured perspectives on morality Packed with powerful inspiration, clear biblical direction, and contemporary examples, Point Man provides the strategies you need to lead your family safely through today&’s battles and on to victory.