Spirit of the Mountain

The spiritual/nature poems in this book are the mingling of inspiration from the natural beauty of the grounds of the Ananda Ashramas and the universal spiritual philosophy of Vedanta upon which the ashramas are founded. The selection of poems here is a compilation drawn from previously published books: The Mystical Dance, Whispers of Light and Something the River Says. Being truly present with nature arouses within us our own true nature. Our wholeness and oneness with all that is begins to bubble up inside like a freshwater spring when we are just present with nature. A crystalline moon in a star-strewn sky, an evening sky of robin's egg blue and mother of pearl clouds suspended over the mountains, misty clouds drifting across the mountain peaks, softly, like the breath of God. Any of these alone is enough to open a wellspring of inspiration. But the natural settings in which these poems were written have been permeated with over a hundred years of a transcendent spiritual atmosphere. The presence of peace and a joy-filled grace are palpable. If these poems awaken in the reader some small measure the mystic essence, healing, Light and sheer joy that abide here, they will have served well their intended purpose.