Poetry as Spiritual Practice by Robert Mcdowell

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.

Poems, stories, essays, and reviews by Robert McDowell have published in hundreds of periodicals and anthologies both in the United States and overseas, including Best American Poetry, Poetry, The New Criterion, Sewanee Review, and The Hudson Review. He's taught at Bennington College, the University of Southern Indiana, and UC Santa Cruz, as well as at the Taos Writers' Conference and other writers' conferences, and he's the founder of Story Line Press. He also works with businesses to help them improve their spiritual awareness, communication, writing, and presenting abilities.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781416566526
ISBN 10	141656652X
Title	Poetry as Spiritual Practice
Author	Robert Mcdowell
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Atria Books
Year published	2016-12-24
Number of pages	288
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.