What do you think?
Rate this book
Poetry for the Spirit
The search for spiritual truth and the deeper meaning of life is a cornerstone of every culture. It has found expression in many forms: myth, scripture, philosophy, even art. Among literary forms, it is poetry that embodies this quest most eloquently—through language rich in imagery and verbal music.
Spanning 4,000 years of world literature, Poetry for the Spirit gathers 600 poems by more than 250 poets. In addition to hundreds of masterworks in English, there are poems translated from such languages as Sanskrit, Egyptian, Hindi, Persian, Hebrew, Chinese, and Homeric Greek, including selections from the great epics and meditations: the Rig Veda, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Tao Te Ching. Among the great writers represented are ancient and medieval poets (Homer, Lu Yun, Dante, Rumi, Judah Halevi); metaphysical poets (Donne, Vaughan, Traherne); mystic and religious poets (Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, Herbert, Hopkins, Christina Rossetti); and visionary poets of a more secular bent (Blake, Shelley, Whitman, Dickinson, Yeats, Rilke, Stevens, and Ginsberg).
The range of themes is equally wide and varied. Some poems seek to understand the origin and nature of the universe; others hunger for a closer relationship to God, or express the rapture of experiencing such a relationship; some glimpse a higher order of reality behind daily existence; some yearn for spiritual transformation; still others are filled with wonder at the discovery of a luminous presence within the most humble of worldly objects.
Whatever path your journey may take, Poetry for the Spirit will open your mind and touch your heart.
About the Author
Alan Jacobs has been interested in mysticism and comparative religion since an early age, and has made an extensive study of the teachings of Gurdjieff and Krishnamurti. A poet himself, Mr. Jacobs is Chairman of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation in the UK and has published regularly in the magazines Reflections and Self Enquiry
Spanning 4,000 years of world literature, Poetry for the Spirit gathers 600 poems by more than 250 poets. In addition to hundreds of masterworks in English, there are poems translated from such languages as Sanskrit, Egyptian, Hindi, Persian, Hebrew, Chinese, and Homeric Greek, including selections from the great epics and meditations: the Rig Veda, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Tao Te Ching. Among the great writers represented are ancient and medieval poets (Homer, Lu Yun, Dante, Rumi, Judah Halevi); metaphysical poets (Donne, Vaughan, Traherne); mystic and religious poets (Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, Herbert, Hopkins, Christina Rossetti); and visionary poets of a more secular bent (Blake, Shelley, Whitman, Dickinson, Yeats, Rilke, Stevens, and Ginsberg).
The range of themes is equally wide and varied. Some poems seek to understand the origin and nature of the universe; others hunger for a closer relationship to God, or express the rapture of experiencing such a relationship; some glimpse a higher order of reality behind daily existence; some yearn for spiritual transformation; still others are filled with wonder at the discovery of a luminous presence within the most humble of worldly objects.
Whatever path your journey may take, Poetry for the Spirit will open your mind and touch your heart.
About the Author
Alan Jacobs has been interested in mysticism and comparative religion since an early age, and has made an extensive study of the teachings of Gurdjieff and Krishnamurti. A poet himself, Mr. Jacobs is Chairman of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation in the UK and has published regularly in the magazines Reflections and Self Enquiry
- GenresPoetry
560 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
4 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Alan Jacobs
34 books8 followersAlan Jacobs (Alan^^Jacobs) was born in 1929 in London. From an early age, he has been interested in religion and mysticism. He commenced a personal search for truth, and studied comparative religion. He then entered the Gurdjieff Society in 1957 and remained there until the early seventies. He then met Jiddu Krishnamurti, and studied his teachings until 1979.
Next, he discovered Ramana Maharshi and became familiar with his extensive literature and spiritual practice. He is currently President of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation, UK.
Alan's first book was 'Dutch And Flemish 17th C Painters: A Collectors Guide for McGraw Hill'. He then compiled an anthology, 'Poetry For The Spirit', published by Watkins Publishing and Barnes & Noble.
As a poet he has versified for O Books 'The Bhagavad Gita', 'The Principal Upanishads' and 'The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius', as well as compiling a major prose anthology, 'The Ocean Of Wisdom'. For Watkins Publishing, he edited 'Ramana, Shankara and the Forty Verses', versified 'The Essential Gnostic Gospels' and compiled an anthology, 'The Wisdom of Ramesh Balsekar'.
XLibris have published a volume of his own poetry, 'Myrobalan of The Magi', and a history of London from a spiritual perspective, 'Mysterious London'. He has recently completed an anthology, 'The Wisdom of the Native American Indians', 'Plato's Republic: An Abridgemnent and Modernisation' and 'When Jesus Lived In India', all for Watkins Publishing.
His latest book, published by O Books, is a Utopian novella exploring up-to-now undiscovered land of the legendry Emperor Prestor John, found in Ethiopia, founded on Gnostic principles: 'Eutopia: The Gnostic Land of Prestor John' describes their direct path to Self-realization.
Next, he discovered Ramana Maharshi and became familiar with his extensive literature and spiritual practice. He is currently President of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation, UK.
Alan's first book was 'Dutch And Flemish 17th C Painters: A Collectors Guide for McGraw Hill'. He then compiled an anthology, 'Poetry For The Spirit', published by Watkins Publishing and Barnes & Noble.
As a poet he has versified for O Books 'The Bhagavad Gita', 'The Principal Upanishads' and 'The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius', as well as compiling a major prose anthology, 'The Ocean Of Wisdom'. For Watkins Publishing, he edited 'Ramana, Shankara and the Forty Verses', versified 'The Essential Gnostic Gospels' and compiled an anthology, 'The Wisdom of Ramesh Balsekar'.
XLibris have published a volume of his own poetry, 'Myrobalan of The Magi', and a history of London from a spiritual perspective, 'Mysterious London'. He has recently completed an anthology, 'The Wisdom of the Native American Indians', 'Plato's Republic: An Abridgemnent and Modernisation' and 'When Jesus Lived In India', all for Watkins Publishing.
His latest book, published by O Books, is a Utopian novella exploring up-to-now undiscovered land of the legendry Emperor Prestor John, found in Ethiopia, founded on Gnostic principles: 'Eutopia: The Gnostic Land of Prestor John' describes their direct path to Self-realization.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 2, 2012
This is a treasure chest of world sacred poetry, especially in Western, Hindu, and Sufi traditions. I’ll admit that the translations aren’t always my favorite, and you won’t find biographical notes about the poets, but this book will introduce you to many new voices. Recommended for sheer scope and enthusiasm.
May 28, 2011
There were some poems in here that I really liked, and might like to look at it again because of them. But for the most part the selections here didn't fulfill my expectations. It is an impressively large collection of poetry though, I must say, and I like how it was arranged by century, that was interesting.
August 20, 2011
Poetry that is geared toward nourishing the spirit and helping one to be centered and focus in ones life.
August 21, 2008
Awesome, loving, tender. Take me, words of wisdom, ravish me like a white house intern.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews