"The Book of hours, written in three bursts between 1899-1903, is Rilke's most formative work, covering a crucial period in his rapid ascent from fin-de-siecle epigone to distinctive modern voice. The poems are crucial documents of Rilke's development, from his tour around Russia with Lou Andreas-Salome, through his hasty marriage to Clara Westhoff in the artists' community of Worpswede, to his turn toward the urban modernity of Paris. Rilke assumes the persona of an artist-monk undertaking the Romantics' journey into the self, speaking to God as part transcendent deity, part needy neighbor. Echoes of his juvenile style persist, yet by the end of the book the influence of the sculptor Rodin is discernible in the distinctive idiom of urbanity, in the terminology of "things," and in Rilke's turn to the everyday world around him."--Jacket flap.

This a complete translation of Rainer Maria Rilke's The Book of Hours that restores to the English-speaking reader a critical work in the development of a significant figure in 20th-century German poetry. Conveying an almost mystical conception of the relationship between God, the human being and nature, The Book of Hours (Das Stundenbuch, first published in 1905) is a series of intimate prayers written as if by a Russian monk turned painter - writings that bring to bear the profound influence of Rilke's journeys to Russia and Italy at the turn of the century.

Move closer to God one day at a time by reading the Psalms and practicing prayer in ways you may not have imagined before. This is a prayer book for every day of the year for people who don't usually think about using a prayer book. Drawing on a wide variety of resources—lives of saints and sages from every age, psalms, guides for personal reflection and suggestions for practice—Rev. Larry J. Peacock offers helpful guidance for anyone hungry for a richer prayer life. Each day's reading has four parts: Remember a notable person of faith or a significant event Read a psalm or another scripture passage Ponder that day's scripture or person of faith Practice a variety of ways to pray, including prayer through play, music and physical movement This new edition features the addition of ancient and modern sages from inside and outside the Christian tradition as well as updated resources for deepening your spiritual life throughout the year.

Acceptable Words offers prayers that correspond with each stage of the writer's work -- from finding inspiration to penning the first words to "offering it to God" at completion. Gary Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney, experienced writers themselves, introduce each chapter of prayers with pithy pastoral reflections that will encourage writers in their craft. This welcome spiritual resource for writers includes both ancient and contemporary poems and prayers -- some of which were written especially for this volume. A thoughtful gift for any writer, Acceptable Words will accompany writers on their spiritual journey, lending words of praise and petition specifically crafted to suit their unique vocation. Watch the trailer:

Why are you here? What is life for? What are you meant to do? Robert Holden helps you go from looking for your purpose to living it. (Hint: It’s not just about you.) "The best book on purpose I've ever read! Accept this invitation to awaken to the very reason you're here on Earth." — Mike Dooley, New York Times best-selling author of Infinite Possibilities and Life on Earth "How do I find my life’s purpose?" In the 10-year run of Robert Holden's call-in radio show, Shift Happens!, his listeners asked that question more often than any other, by far. It seems everybody is looking for their purpose, and yet we all struggle to recognize it and live it. In the paperback edition of Higher Purpose, Holden takes readers on an epic journey of self-discovery that includes the hero’s journey with Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung's work on true vocation, Victor Frankl's search for meaning, a pilgrimage with St. Francis of Assisi, the poetry of Wordsworth and Rilke, and much more. The journey has four stages: "The Call" explores "the calling" inside you to live a more meaningful life. "The Path" helps you to realize what inspires you, what brings you alive, to follow your joy, and to do more of what you love. "The Ordeal" tackles the inner blocks, the road of trials, and challenges you must overcome to live your higher purpose. "The Victory" encourages you to not betray yourself, to "sing your whole song," and to keep on saying YES to your soul's high adventure. In Higher Purpose, Holden explores three distinct levels of purpose: your unique purpose, a shared purpose, and the greater purpose of life. He offers inquiries, meditations, and journaling exercises to help you live your purpose every day. And he shares stories from his own life and conversations with a host of remarkable people—Maya Angelou, Louise Hay, Jean Houston, Matthew Fox, Robert Thurman, Caroline Myss, Andrew Harvey, Wayne Dyer, Oprah Winfrey, and more. "I hope Robert Holden's beautiful books, like this one . . . keep reaching more and more people and aid their heart to unfurl." — Daniel Ladinsky, author of The Gift and The Subject Tonight Is Love

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was an avid letter writer, and more than seven thousand of his letters have survived. The best-known collection today is Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, first published in 1929. Two other letter collections appeared around the same time and gained high acclaim among readers yet are virtually unknown today. They are Letters to a Young Woman (1930) and Letters on God (1933). With this volume, Annemarie S. Kidder makes available to an English-speaking audience two of the earliest collections of Rilke letters published after his death. The thematic collection On God-- here published in English for the first time--contains two letters by Rilke, the first an actual letter written during World War I, in 1915 in Munich, the second a fictional one composed after the war, in 1922 at Muzot, in Switzerland. In these letters, Rilke builds on the mystical view of God conceived of in The Book of Hours, but he moves beyond it, demonstrating a unique vision of God and Christ, the church and religious experience, friendship and death. The collection Letters to a Young Woman comprises nine of Rilke's letters, written to a young admirer, Lisa Heise, over the course of five years, from 1919 to 1924. Though Rilke and Heise never met, Rilke emerges in these letters as the compassionate listener and patient teacher who with level-headed sensitivity affirms and guides the movements of another person's soul.

Connecting to your inner life through the transformative poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke. In the Company of Rilke is a rare book about a rare poet. Rainer Maria Rilke was a giant of twentieth-century writing who remains a visionary voice for our own time, captivating readers not only with his brilliance but also his fearlessness about the "deepest things." Speaking through his own contradictions and ambivalences, he gives readers a profound understanding of the complex beauty of human existence. Here, questions matter more than answers. Here, a poet can speak directly to God while also doubting God. Astonishingly, this is the first major study of Rilke from a spiritual perspective, even though the greatest of Rilke' s gifts was to show how inevitably life centers upon a profound mystery-to which we can freely open ourselves. Drawing on her deep understanding of the gifts of Rilke's writings, as well as her own personal spiritual seeking, Stephanie Dowrick offers an intimate and accessible appreciation of this most exceptional poet and his transcendent work.

Originally published in English in 1951, this biography of one of Germany’s foremost mystical poets dis-proves many of the myths surrounding Rainer Maria Rilke and examines his life and work from social, historical and psychological perspectives, while all the time referencing Rilke’s works to his complex personality. The legacy of his work on younger generations is also examined. All German prose quotations have been translated into English for this edition, existing translations used for the German poetry.

We live inside a nautilus of prayer--if only we open our senses and perceive what is infused all around. Throughout millennia and across the monotheistic religions, the natural was often revered as a sacred text. By the Middle Ages, this text was given a name, "The Book of Nature," the first, best entry point for encounter with the divine. The very act of "reading" the world, of focusing our attention on each twinkling star and unfurling blossom, humbles us and draws us into sacred encounter. As we grapple to make sense of today's tumultuous world, one where nature is at once a damaged and damaging source of disaster, as well as a place of refuge and retreat, we are called again to examine how generously it awaits our attention and devotion, standing ready to be read by all. Weaving together the astonishments of science; the profound wisdom and literary gems of thinkers, poets, and observers who have come before us; and her own spiritual practice and gentle observation, Barbara Mahany reintroduces us to The Book of Nature, an experiential framework of the divine. God's first revelation came to us through an ongoing creation, one that--through stillness and attentiveness to the rumblings of the heavens, the seasonal eruptions of earth, the invisible pull of migration, of tide, and of celestial shiftings--draws us into sacred encounter. We needn't look farther for the divine.