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Four Elements: Reflections on Nature
From the beloved author of the bestselling To Bless the Space Between Us and Anam Cara comes a new work that shares his insights on nature and the ancient wisdom of this earth.
John O'Donohue won hundreds of thousands of admirers with his now classic work on Celtic spirituality Anam Cara . Unfortunately he died suddenly at age fifty-two just as his book of blessings, To Bless the Space Between Us , was being published. The loss of his powerfully wise and lyrical voice has been profoundly missed, but his many readers are given a special opportunity to revisit John in a new book based on a series of papers he wrote on the elements of water, stone, air, and fire, now published here for the first time. O'Donohue's readers know him as both a spiritual guide and a poet, and in this work he exhibits both qualities, sharing his Celtic heritage and his love for his native landscape in the west of Ireland. As O'Donohue explores a range of themes relating to the way we live our lives today, he reveals how the energy and rhythm of the natural world—its innocence and creativity, its power and splendor—hold profound lessons for us all. With a foreword written by his beloved brother, Pat, this illuminating book is an inspired reflection on the ancient wisdom of the earth.
John O'Donohue won hundreds of thousands of admirers with his now classic work on Celtic spirituality Anam Cara . Unfortunately he died suddenly at age fifty-two just as his book of blessings, To Bless the Space Between Us , was being published. The loss of his powerfully wise and lyrical voice has been profoundly missed, but his many readers are given a special opportunity to revisit John in a new book based on a series of papers he wrote on the elements of water, stone, air, and fire, now published here for the first time. O'Donohue's readers know him as both a spiritual guide and a poet, and in this work he exhibits both qualities, sharing his Celtic heritage and his love for his native landscape in the west of Ireland. As O'Donohue explores a range of themes relating to the way we live our lives today, he reveals how the energy and rhythm of the natural world—its innocence and creativity, its power and splendor—hold profound lessons for us all. With a foreword written by his beloved brother, Pat, this illuminating book is an inspired reflection on the ancient wisdom of the earth.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2010
About the author
John O'Donohue
47 books1,163 followersJohn O'Donohue, Ph.D., was born in County Clare in 1956. He spoke Irish as his native language and lived in a remote cottage in the west of Ireland until his untimely death in January 2008. A highly respected poet and philosopher, he lectured throughout Europe and America and wrote a number of popular books, including Anam Cara and To Bless the Space Between Us.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 10, 2020
I enjoyed John O’Donohue’s books ‘Anam Cara,’ ‘Eternal Echoes’ and ‘Divine Beauty,’ but this, which I believe was written earlier, but not published until after his death in 2008, for me, overall failed to ignite. I usually leave any philosophical books I read covered in pencilled asterisks and underlinings, but looking back through the pages here, I see just a handful of scrawls. I think the writer was still working at finding his authorial voice. In other books his thoughts seem more concise and focused; often made up of statements that simply seem natural, even common sense. There was a beautifully unforced nature to his writing that didn’t consciously strive for effect, a deceptively simple style that took you along for an enjoyable, enlightening and thought-provoking ride.
It's strange, given the more limited nature of this book (the writer’s thoughts and musings on the four elements - Air, Water, Fire and Stone) that that didn’t serve to focus things more. The too many poems quoted here I found to be a distraction from the text rather than an aid.
John O’Donohue’s brother Pat writes the fine introduction, stating that these were originally written as four booklets, it may go towards explaining the occasional repetition. I liked his brother’s comment that John would say that the valley that he was born and raised in was ‘a private valley with its own private sky.’ Which creates a wonderful image of a man at oneness with things.
John O’Donohue was once a priest, but gave up on it; I think I’d read in another book that he didn’t agree with all that it stood for. He clearly had his issues. On page 126 of the paperback he gives the example of a woman (‘who was a saintly person’) nearing death who feared she was going to hell. He had to persuade her otherwise. But he is clearly unhappy at the cause of this, ‘To have beaten this vision into an innocent person’s heart as a child, a vision that blackened her life and made her eternal life a torment, was a savage violence against a gentle soul.’ On page 121, talking of religious burnings, he states, ‘It would be a wonderful Vatican gesture if a pope were to hold a mass on some such site where people were burned and ask for forgiveness for his church and for the terrible things done to innocent people who were accused of being possessed by the devil…’
But it would be wrong (especially for an atheist like me) to over-emphasise O’Donohue’s questionings. He was still a religious man. Albeit one who liked to talk science and of the ‘big bang’ and evolution as much as the Bible. Apart from the beauty of his writing, what attracted me - even though I knew he was formerly a priest - was the fact that he was not preaching to the religious. His careful choice of words could be read by those of a religion, or not. He was first and foremost a human being made of the very clay and stuff of which everything is made. When he occasionally mentions God, I got the impression that it was not the God of the Old Testament, but something wider. But perhaps that’s simply my interpretation.
As stated earlier, I think the writer was still searching for his much wider, all-encompassing voice here. Certainly a few too many references to angels and the holy spirit for me!
It’s not without some typically fine O’Donohue enlightenments:-
(Page 8) ‘The real difference between people has little to do with where one is or the interests that one has, or the so-called class to which one belongs. The real difference consists in the different species of perception that is active in an individual… Nothing brings you as close to someone as your perception. Nothing distances you more from someone than your perception.’
(Page 11) ‘Some people remain prisoners of the past. Its burdens and mistakes haunt them. They remain bound to the past in negative terms of regret, anger, remorse or bitterness. There are others who are bound to the time that is not yet here, to the time that is not yet real – the future. They remain continually anxious about what will happen or what might fail to happen. Very few people seem to manage to live in the present. Few inhabit the present moment or tune into the Now.’
It's strange, given the more limited nature of this book (the writer’s thoughts and musings on the four elements - Air, Water, Fire and Stone) that that didn’t serve to focus things more. The too many poems quoted here I found to be a distraction from the text rather than an aid.
John O’Donohue’s brother Pat writes the fine introduction, stating that these were originally written as four booklets, it may go towards explaining the occasional repetition. I liked his brother’s comment that John would say that the valley that he was born and raised in was ‘a private valley with its own private sky.’ Which creates a wonderful image of a man at oneness with things.
John O’Donohue was once a priest, but gave up on it; I think I’d read in another book that he didn’t agree with all that it stood for. He clearly had his issues. On page 126 of the paperback he gives the example of a woman (‘who was a saintly person’) nearing death who feared she was going to hell. He had to persuade her otherwise. But he is clearly unhappy at the cause of this, ‘To have beaten this vision into an innocent person’s heart as a child, a vision that blackened her life and made her eternal life a torment, was a savage violence against a gentle soul.’ On page 121, talking of religious burnings, he states, ‘It would be a wonderful Vatican gesture if a pope were to hold a mass on some such site where people were burned and ask for forgiveness for his church and for the terrible things done to innocent people who were accused of being possessed by the devil…’
But it would be wrong (especially for an atheist like me) to over-emphasise O’Donohue’s questionings. He was still a religious man. Albeit one who liked to talk science and of the ‘big bang’ and evolution as much as the Bible. Apart from the beauty of his writing, what attracted me - even though I knew he was formerly a priest - was the fact that he was not preaching to the religious. His careful choice of words could be read by those of a religion, or not. He was first and foremost a human being made of the very clay and stuff of which everything is made. When he occasionally mentions God, I got the impression that it was not the God of the Old Testament, but something wider. But perhaps that’s simply my interpretation.
As stated earlier, I think the writer was still searching for his much wider, all-encompassing voice here. Certainly a few too many references to angels and the holy spirit for me!
It’s not without some typically fine O’Donohue enlightenments:-
(Page 8) ‘The real difference between people has little to do with where one is or the interests that one has, or the so-called class to which one belongs. The real difference consists in the different species of perception that is active in an individual… Nothing brings you as close to someone as your perception. Nothing distances you more from someone than your perception.’
(Page 11) ‘Some people remain prisoners of the past. Its burdens and mistakes haunt them. They remain bound to the past in negative terms of regret, anger, remorse or bitterness. There are others who are bound to the time that is not yet here, to the time that is not yet real – the future. They remain continually anxious about what will happen or what might fail to happen. Very few people seem to manage to live in the present. Few inhabit the present moment or tune into the Now.’
September 9, 2015
Currently reading this book by one of my favorite authors. I am finding this book much different than his other works. It's as if he's throwing out postulations and theories and ideas but is not ready to dig deeper into their themes. Nonetheless I find myself stopping often to read over again what I just read and also to consider what he is saying on my own deeper plane of thought. I don't always need someone to pull apart everything for me to feel connected to their writing. I wish I had the opportunity to meet him and savor his words in person and to cultivate a conversation. He's influencing me to think deeper about my life as a new mother and birth is a common theme for his writing as it is about the cyclical nature of Earth and her elements. So much beauty in his words about the four elements but I wish he would have taken a deeper dive into them. He's just scratched the surface and now we must do the inner work to find the meaning. Perhaps that was his goal all along.
July 29, 2018
This was the first book I have read anything by John O’Donohue. I did enjoy the book. There were four main chapters, air, water, fire and stone. My favourite chapter was fire. There were some poems and quotes that were in the book. The book was written in pose but at times felt that it as a steam of consciousness.
March 17, 2026
it's no anam cara
April 5, 2014
I think I was expecting a deep intimate exploration of the themes, instead of a wide, relatively shallow one. There were many ideas but they generally skated the surface before hurrying on, stream-of-consciousness, to a related topic.
Still, it was a gentle, easy read. I never did get my curiosity assuaged as to the repeated, unexplained description of Jesus as a stonemason, despite the entire section on Stone.
Some thoughts/information 'worth keeping':
Prayer has to do with breathing. ... Prayer allows God to be God. And prayer allows our secret selves to be themselves. This is a recommendation that Meister Eckhart makes again and again: be who you are. This is one of the great spiritual duties.
In Ireland too there is the tradition of the haunted house. In olden days nearly every village had one. ... It could be a residue from some past deed or pain. As if the intensity of the pain was so acute that it left a permanent imprint in the ether of that place. Again, the air is not so innocent or unaware as we might believe. Despite its invisibility, it seems to register everything that happens in it.
Though space is vast and distant, at the heart of it is Love. As Dante says, Love turns the stars and the planets.
There is also the tradition in Ireland over covering the mirrors or turning them to the wall when someone has died; the reason for this is the fear that the soul projected onto the mirror could be carried by the spirit of the departed.
[Heidegger]told Gadamer: 'Wir haben noch nicht gelernt die Griechen griechisch genug zu denken.' 'We have not yet learned to think the Greeks sufficiently Greek.'
He was referring to the notion of Epiphany that pervades Greek philosophy. He recounted how one would be sailing in this diffuse blue light, when suddenly an island would appear, fully formed and stark in its thereness. It had come out of nowhere. ...
This is where the idea of Epiphany in the Bible and religion had its roots.
Still, it was a gentle, easy read. I never did get my curiosity assuaged as to the repeated, unexplained description of Jesus as a stonemason, despite the entire section on Stone.
Some thoughts/information 'worth keeping':
Prayer has to do with breathing. ... Prayer allows God to be God. And prayer allows our secret selves to be themselves. This is a recommendation that Meister Eckhart makes again and again: be who you are. This is one of the great spiritual duties.
In Ireland too there is the tradition of the haunted house. In olden days nearly every village had one. ... It could be a residue from some past deed or pain. As if the intensity of the pain was so acute that it left a permanent imprint in the ether of that place. Again, the air is not so innocent or unaware as we might believe. Despite its invisibility, it seems to register everything that happens in it.
Though space is vast and distant, at the heart of it is Love. As Dante says, Love turns the stars and the planets.
There is also the tradition in Ireland over covering the mirrors or turning them to the wall when someone has died; the reason for this is the fear that the soul projected onto the mirror could be carried by the spirit of the departed.
[Heidegger]told Gadamer: 'Wir haben noch nicht gelernt die Griechen griechisch genug zu denken.' 'We have not yet learned to think the Greeks sufficiently Greek.'
He was referring to the notion of Epiphany that pervades Greek philosophy. He recounted how one would be sailing in this diffuse blue light, when suddenly an island would appear, fully formed and stark in its thereness. It had come out of nowhere. ...
This is where the idea of Epiphany in the Bible and religion had its roots.
December 18, 2014
Always a challenge to contemplative thinking, Irish poet and philosopher, John O'Donohue, brings spiritual understanding using concepts of air, water, fire, stone.. exploring aspects of air as applicably descriptive of Ruach Ha'kodesh - Holy Spirit ~ the breath of God.
O'Donohue's quote from a 13th century portion of a Persian prayer poem continues its resonance in me ~ "Be a full bucket pulled up the dark way
Of a well, then lifted out into light."
While not in agreement with every theological thought, there is much to enjoy in the exploration...
O'Donohue's quote from a 13th century portion of a Persian prayer poem continues its resonance in me ~ "Be a full bucket pulled up the dark way
Of a well, then lifted out into light."
While not in agreement with every theological thought, there is much to enjoy in the exploration...
April 4, 2020
Quiet, Reflective Beauty
I read this book slowly, as part of the small stack of books I read each morning over coffee. I feel like John’s wisdom should be savored this way, in more quiet hours, where his words can truly reach deep within us.
I read this book slowly, as part of the small stack of books I read each morning over coffee. I feel like John’s wisdom should be savored this way, in more quiet hours, where his words can truly reach deep within us.
Read
August 31, 2022I hate to say it but the foreword by his brother was better written. I don't know if this is O'Donohue's style, but he meanders a lot, even between sentences. There's not a lot of cohesion to his thoughts here.
That being said I think there is a lot to think on in this little volume. He still had plenty to say that felt resonant for me, especially being present to nature and time. I would like to return to the book from time to time and dip in and out. The format with very short two-page musings feels like it would lend itself better to that than how I read it- straight through. I was reminded of Yung Pueblo in it's format, just not quite at tightly crafted. But I think I also recall his brother saying in the foreword that this was O'Donohue's first writings and so maybe his later books get a little more cohesive.
I think I should also note for other that maybe in the same boat as me, I am not Christian and while there were a handful of times the Christian trinity references didn't resonate, overall I didn't find the overt Christianity in it distracting or detracting.
That being said I think there is a lot to think on in this little volume. He still had plenty to say that felt resonant for me, especially being present to nature and time. I would like to return to the book from time to time and dip in and out. The format with very short two-page musings feels like it would lend itself better to that than how I read it- straight through. I was reminded of Yung Pueblo in it's format, just not quite at tightly crafted. But I think I also recall his brother saying in the foreword that this was O'Donohue's first writings and so maybe his later books get a little more cohesive.
I think I should also note for other that maybe in the same boat as me, I am not Christian and while there were a handful of times the Christian trinity references didn't resonate, overall I didn't find the overt Christianity in it distracting or detracting.
August 19, 2020
More goodness from Irish poet/philosopher/theologian John O'Donohue - this is a compilation of a series of early booklets he produced on Air, Water, Fire and Stone, pulled together in this volume, published after his death.
Very overtly grounded in the celtic tradition and landscape (more noticeably in this book than in the other one of his I read on Beauty), his way of seeing is always fascinating and often perspective-shifting... to the rational mind, some of his assertions and statements about the way things are might seem far-fetched or fantastical, but they tend to carry a deep poetic potentiality, born of contemplation and thought... that zone in which the fantastic carries the vibration of some deeper possibility and truth.
Very overtly grounded in the celtic tradition and landscape (more noticeably in this book than in the other one of his I read on Beauty), his way of seeing is always fascinating and often perspective-shifting... to the rational mind, some of his assertions and statements about the way things are might seem far-fetched or fantastical, but they tend to carry a deep poetic potentiality, born of contemplation and thought... that zone in which the fantastic carries the vibration of some deeper possibility and truth.
March 24, 2018
Beautiful 4 part book treating the 4 elements (air, water, fire, stone) and what they symbolize for our spirituality. Air deals a lot with breathing and slowing down and appreciating the invisible, the space around us. Water examines the flood of emotions we express and conceal and our mutability. Fire is about the power of the hearth to connect us and empower us. And finally stone, landscape, is our memory and the majesty of age old silence. He talks about the symbolism of each, weaving in examples for each element from the culture and spirituality of Ireland.
A short but beautiful book that I had to read and reread passages of to really take in the ideas.
A short but beautiful book that I had to read and reread passages of to really take in the ideas.
June 1, 2022
I liked the section about Fire best of all the sections in this book. It offered interesting and poignant thoughts of Christianity, especially as related to the doctrine of Hell.
Otherwise, there was a lot of repetition and I felt that at times the author was a bit long-winded, letting his metaphors get away from him.
I would probably not reread this book. Some others might enjoy it better than I did. As for me and my house, we give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Not the best, but not terrible.
Otherwise, there was a lot of repetition and I felt that at times the author was a bit long-winded, letting his metaphors get away from him.
I would probably not reread this book. Some others might enjoy it better than I did. As for me and my house, we give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Not the best, but not terrible.
October 3, 2024
This is a book by John O' Donohue I had never read before! The Irish poets philosophical musings on air, fire, water, stone, air, redemption, prayer, suffering, joy, the agape love of Christ, and Celtic spirituality, makes for an absolutely amazing read! This book was very spiritually nourishing to the mind and heart.
January 17, 2019
Definitely something of a ramble, and certain sections are more polished than others, but O'Donohue has such a turn of phrase that I found myself flagging a ton of pages for the beauty of the language.
December 31, 2020
Elements of life itself
This book helps the reader travel back in time to the creation. It will give questions to prove thought and glimpses into the future so that one can understand the life for which we are called.
This book helps the reader travel back in time to the creation. It will give questions to prove thought and glimpses into the future so that one can understand the life for which we are called.
May 15, 2024
deeply spiritual
His ability to reach in and glean life’s deeper meanings and mysteries and express them fluent poetic language is remarkable and makes him one of the greatest philosophers of our time.
His ability to reach in and glean life’s deeper meanings and mysteries and express them fluent poetic language is remarkable and makes him one of the greatest philosophers of our time.
July 3, 2017
Its appeal is in the poetic language and spiritual thoughts.
August 10, 2018
Genuinely powerful as a series of meditations on the planet we share.
February 5, 2019
Loved reading this in a group, taking time for discussion. Great benefits came from all the various perspectives and resulting stories!
October 5, 2020
As usual, John O’Donohue writes beautifully and with great insight, linking the natural earth and the phenomena around us to the human condition.
December 1, 2020
A refreshing and thought-provoking palette cleanser for Astro-spiritual-philosopher in me.
June 8, 2021
Some deep reflection
February 16, 2022
Skimmed
January 10, 2023
I had a hard time connecting with this one.
June 2, 2023
A philosophical discussion of air, fire, water and stone as four crucial elements that define existence and spirituality.
November 17, 2023
I always find J’s writing a bit hard to follow, that’s me, he had a busy brain, nice concept moving through each element with a poem at the beginning but yeah I read this in Feb and forget it now I do recall feeling a little more in touch with nature around me and having a new appreciation for rocks though.
March 22, 2019
A grand mind. A great heart.
O’Donohue has great intelligence and a tender heart, a rare combination. He is a graceful writer illuminating by his words the precious intimacy to be found in the natural world. He. Is a guide like no other. He embraces the beauty of our world; he embraces our human search for soul.
O’Donohue has great intelligence and a tender heart, a rare combination. He is a graceful writer illuminating by his words the precious intimacy to be found in the natural world. He. Is a guide like no other. He embraces the beauty of our world; he embraces our human search for soul.
December 3, 2013
This book made me think two things: it’s a shame the author died relatively young and I should go look for his other works. It’s hard to put into words what this book really is. He was a poet and a philosopher so that should help a little in classifying it. These were separate essays he wrote in the 90’s and posthumously collecting into a book, each dealing with an element, earth, wind, fire water and viewing the world, the landscape and spirituality (somewhat fluid in terms of a religion, a holistic pantheist view).
It’s clear by the lyrical writing style that Mr. O’Donohue was a poet and his love of his home country of Ireland shines through as well. But it’s more than that. Viewed through his lens, the world, however, imperfect is still a beautiful, peaceful place if we only know how to look, listen and feel for it. However, there is a bit of a repetitive feel since these essays weren’t technically meant to be read together. Taking a break between the elements is helpful.
It’s clear by the lyrical writing style that Mr. O’Donohue was a poet and his love of his home country of Ireland shines through as well. But it’s more than that. Viewed through his lens, the world, however, imperfect is still a beautiful, peaceful place if we only know how to look, listen and feel for it. However, there is a bit of a repetitive feel since these essays weren’t technically meant to be read together. Taking a break between the elements is helpful.
November 19, 2017
The author writes in a manner that animates these elements of nature: air, water, fire and stone. One can almost hear the Irish lilt in these written words, and be magically transported into the great outdoors. It could be a fast read if you want to, but I just had to stop every so often and immerse myself in the embrace and reflections of nature. With so many subtle nuances to tune into, it is a most beautiful piece of work!
May 8, 2013
I am not going to review the other John O'Donohue books. He is a Celtic poet and philosopher. I have heard him interviewed by Krista Tippitt on NPR and really love what he has to say; however, he seems to be one of those 'single message' people and if you read one book, you kinda have read them all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews