Sacred Mountains

by Adrian Cooper

Book Overview

In every sacred tradition, mountains are the dwelling-places of the gods and destinations of spiritual journeying. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 086315235X
• ISBN13: 9780863152351
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Rudolf Steiner Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.8" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Brilliant demonstration of many-sided mountain realities

Cooper's work directly confronts all this nonsense produced by so-called main stream scientists that there is just one reality 'out-there'. Wrong! There is no such thing. Mountains mean so many things to so many people. They can be huge hulking masses of brutal rock, or they can be the most delightful, gentle companions. They can be cruel or they can be our greatest teachers. How can we make sense of this diversity of possibilities? By listening to the pilgrims who make these decisions to live by those truths. What is the data for our understanding of these poetic geographies? It is the words of these thoughtful travellers. And this is what Cooper does. He's listened to pilgrims from Europe and North America. And then he brings us their words and the words of the writers and teachers who've most influenced these people. So the result is one of the richest books I've ever read. Bristling with ideas. Never short of compelling, courageous experiences. Daring to go places where other mountain books fear to tread. But in doing so, doing a great service to mountain literature, pilgrimage and all allied scholarship. Read it!

Brilliantly original. Insightful. Very, very special

There is no shortage of mountain literature, but a great shortage of real quality in this field. Adrian Cooper's brilliant first book is of the highest quality, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to all who love mountains - climbers, walkers, skiiers or other pilgrims. At the heart of Cooper's success here is a willingness to listen to the stories mountain people have to tell. He doesn't judge, condemn or categorise. Instead, he takes these stories, uses the travellers' own words where appropriate and then locates them with the ancient history of the mountain in question - the poetry and prose which others have been inspired to write. So we, the readers, are treated to so much wisdom and clear insight. A remarkable achievement.

An excellent read - thoroughly original in each chapter

I was given Sacred Mountains as a birthday present, but began reading it with dread. It looked too New Age to me. But that was just my first reaction, which I soon banished as soon as I got into this excellent and original book. I like the use of interviews with so many fascinating people. And Cooper's remarkable breadth of knowledge in developing an intelligent discussion from what everyone says is truly impressive. And in so many directions too, but with singular clarity. Each of the pilgrims Cooper writes about have embarked on some remarable mountain journeys. But as readers, we're never left behind. Cooper writes so we can all 'see' what others have experienced - both within their psychology and their physical surroundings out on the peaks. The use of poetry and prose from other writers is also a wonderful added dimension to this multi-dimensional book. To the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been any other mountain book which is like this one, so for originality alone, it deserves the support of all folk who need the mountains and love them (ie find them sacred/precious places). In an age when religious ideas are so much under threat, Cooper reminds us of how important Rudolf Otto's famous observation is: sacredness is both terrible and fascinating.

An original, stimulating, challenging and beautiful book

I finished reading Sacred Mountains a couple of months ago, but it won't let me go! It keeps challenging me. It keeps pushing me to think more deeply about my feelings and instincts toward mountains. And I like that. Any book that refuses to let go of its reader has got to be worth talking about, which is why I wanted to offer this testimony. This is a truly great book.

A first-class piece of mountain writing

I've read the other reviews about Adrian Cooper's work, and I agree with everything they say. But for me,he's written a book that combines so much.He's a brilliant scholar with a rare gift to explain ancient history and wisdom clearly for non-scholars. Throughout the book, there are sublime moments of mountains experience as well as their relation to times spent back home, or at work, when the memories of mountains help us cope.But I've never come across any other books where people have their own words used as part of the text. It's a brilliant idea, and I can see why those 144 pilgrims wanted to be a part of this project. I can imagine sitting as part of Adrian Cooper's interview meetings, and sharing my mountain stories, and listening to other recollections, and then seeing my own experiences in print. It's a wonderful way of working.For me, the mountains I love most are the Sierra Nevada peaks around Yosemite. Toward sunset, when the colours and shadows are changing, and I'm still a few miles out hiking, it's beautiful. And it's helped me deal with a lot of personal problems, being able to get away from them all, and being in that unique place. I think partly it's being surrounded by natural objects that you need to look up to, partly it's the physical effort you need to make to get out there (it's not always easy but always worth the effort), and partly it's something about rock - it's solid and dependable. In a world of not-very-dependable people and things, mountains are able to re-assure me. They're solid. and I can take my time out there to think where to go next, and what decisions I need to take next. Or, on other times, just taking time to be away from the need to face those decisions.So Adrian Cooper has produced a book that I recommend to everyone who loves mountains. Every chapter is a gem.Sincerely yours,Jean King