Just as Writing Down the Bones was the first book to teach writing as spiritual practice, Poetry as Spiritual Practice is the first instructional guide to combine poetry and spirituality in an innovative program that, in its elegant, small-format edition, will also become a beloved inspirational companion.
Even in collections of religious poetry, little has been said about how and why poetry is the source language of devotion and the richest expression of spiritual practice in prayer, chant, and song. Now, however, Poetry as Spiritual Practice invites readers to recognize poetry as the “the pure sound and shape of their spirit.” Like the popular 10 Poems to Change Your Life, this beautiful book gives readers the tools to help them explore poetry’s sound and language, its rhythms, meters, and forms, in a reflective writing and reading process that leads to deeper awareness and daily enjoyment.
Popular workshop leader and author of three books of poetry, McDowell illustrates his teachings with excerpts from a wide range of well- eras and all religions and faiths. Interactive exercises and guided meditations help readers put the methods and messages into practice by integrating poetry into their daily path and spiritual journey.
Poetry as Spiritual Practice will benefit all seekers as it deepens and expands their ongoing inquiry into the most profound mysteries.
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“At the same time that Robert McDowell is teaching us to approach the reading and writing of poems as acts of prayer in his brilliantly insightful book, Poetry as Spiritual Practice, he is quietly doing another astonishing thing: creating community. McDowell’s exercises at the end of each chapter liberate poetry from a solitary contemplative practice to a collective celebration of the sacred. I will share this book with everyone I love.”—Mirabai Starr, author of new translations of Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross and The Interior Castle and The Book of My Life by Teresa of Avila
“Reading this lovely guide awakens in you a deeper appreciation for poetry and messages of the Spirit. It communicates a poet's soul—and helps you articulate that deep place of truth for yourself.”—Caroline Myss, author of Entering the Castle and Anatomy of the Spirit
“In the way that Rumi allowed us to touch the heart of our soul, Robert McDowell—with a lyrical grace—shows you how to easily create poetry that can propel your spiritual journey beyond normal reality into cherished mystic realms.”—Denise Linn, author of Sacred Space and The Secret Language of Signs
