Poetry as Spiritual Practice: Reading, Writing, and Using Poetry in Your Daily Rituals, Aspirations, and Intentions

by Robert McDowell

Book Overview

"[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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 141656652X
• ISBN13: 9781416566526
• Release Date: December 2016
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

new poetry writer

I've been a journal writer and spiritual practitioner for years. Many of my spiritual teachers read poetry at retreats and workshops, but I've always felt too intimidated to write poems myself. Recently a friend urged me to turn one of my journal entries into a poem. I wanted some help and found this book. It was exactly what I was looking for. It's not just a "how to," but an interesting read. The author gives plenty of stories and exercises that make poetry fun and less intimidating. My husband and I tried a few of the exercises together and it got him interested too. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever wanted to write their own poetry and wake up their spiritual practice.

The Language of Love

This is the book I've been waiting for! It offers clear, inspiring instruction on writing classical forms of poetry, forms that provide a welcome wardrobe in which I can dress my wild muse and display her secret beauty at last. And it makes the connection my friends and I have been trying to make for years: all poetry is sacred poetry. The written word, carefully crafted and lovingly shared, has the potential to transform consciousness and lift us to the realms of the sacred, which, as it turnds out, dwells within the ordinary. Robert McDowell reminds me that poetry is the language of love, love for the divine, love for one another, love for our truest selves.

Poetry as prayer

Reading "poetry as Spiritual Practice" was like quenching a deep thirst I didn't know I had. Robert McDowell explains with simple clarity how important prayer is to our lives, and how to create our own prayers -- as poetry. He explores the great poems of literature not as museum pieces, but as the brilliant soulful voices of our fellow human beings. He invites us to share their company, and to open our hearts as they have. There are lots of poems in the book, lots of technical explanations and lots of exercises. But McDowell seems to have that rare gift of being quite detailed and yet simple at the same time. A warm and welcoming book from a great teacher.

Poetry Writing for Everyone!

For those of us without academic training in the writing or understand of poetry, poets and their writing process seem unique and incomprehensible. And yet, we all long to put into words, to set down on paper, the moments of pure grace and serenity that we experience in our spiritual process, whether that process is rigorous or casual, structured or independently woven. Poetry as Spiritual Practice removes the mystique from the writing process and offers it to us in a development of method that is not only successful, but fun! McDowell leads us through the building blocks of traditional poetic forms in such a way as to make writing these forms effective. Applying the practice of writing poetry to our spiritual process is icing on the cake. If you've ever longed to write poetry but were intimidated by the mystery of the forms, or even wondered just how to get started, this little book is a course in exactly that. With a friend, with your book group, or on your own...pick up Poetry as Spiritual Practice and experience the joy of the poem, your poem. McDowell's manner is unpretentious, the poetry is accessible, the poetic forms demystified with simple clarity. You feel as if you are sitting with him over coffee playing around with words, and every so often you will sing out with joy as you hit upon your muse.