June 2005 Books
Falling into the Arms of God ; Heart in the Wild
Falling into the Arms of GodMeditations with Teresa of Avila
Falling into the Arms of God is an invitation to the mystical journey within each of us—not a withdrawal to some other God-place, but a journey into and through the experiences of daily living to the seat of our Being. Our guide, Megan Don, is a modern woman offering her insights into the writings of another thoroughly modern woman—Teresa of Avila, who lived in the 16th century.
As Don tells us in the introduction, “Teresa had no time for a disembodied spirituality, and she would frequently say, ‘God preserve me from saintly people.'” Blending a rich mystical inner life with the practicality required for living in the world, she “displayed much courage, heart, and humor and was able to balance an active and keen intellect with the surrender of the self to God.”
Show me a seeker of Truth who does not struggle with that delicate, elusive balance. How do we enjoy the harmony of the spheres and still keep our feet on the ground? The temptation is to retreat from the demands of physical reality, but Teresa reminds us that “Perfection as well as its reward does not consist in spiritual delights but in greater love and in deeds done with greater justice and truth.”
Ah, we love those spiritual delights. But like Teresa, we struggle with self-doubt, fear, and lack of validation from others. Don shows us how Teresa, through sheer perseverance, became a living example of what it means to be simultaneously one with God, self, and the outer world.
The body of the book is divided into “seven dwellings,” as described in one of Teresa's major works, Interior Castle . Each “dwelling” begins with a discussion of Teresa's ideas and life challenges, and then opens into a meditation, an opportunity to ponder the gifts of our own connection with the mystery of our infinite nature.
Saint Teresa of Avila is revered by Christians, especially by women, but her wisdom is universal. No matter your spiritual persuasion or sex, you are sure to find your life enriched by an exploration of these worthy pages.
Heart in the Wild
A Journey of Self-Discovery with Animals of the Wilderness
Here in San Diego we have known fire. Like Susan McElroy, many have lived through the destruction of their homes and their lives—their old lives.
Heart in the Wild is a book about the changes fire can bring—the reevaluation, the opportunity to refine and expand and come home again. And it's a book about the wisdom wild animals can offer in moving through crisis.
Susan Chernak McElroy has always been an animal lover. Thrown off course by the demands of what we call “practicality” for a few years, she awakened to the immediacy of the moment when cancer showed up to reprioritize her life. Returning to honor her calling, she accepted the healing gifts of animal friends and wrote her first book, Animals as Teachers and Healers.
She moved to her beloved Wyoming and began anew. And there, 12 years later, fire brought her into communion with Elk, her totem, and others of the wild world. Her entire life ravaged by the flames, her marriage bared by the piercing light that betrays illusion, she faced the task of letting go to allow a new life and a new love to take residence in the home that rose from the ashes.
This was not a book I could not put down—indeed, I would read a chapter or two every night and then put it away, gladly picking it up again the next to absorb its grace, humility, and deep sense of giveaway.
—Chiwah
TOP OF PAGE
HOME - FEATURES - NEWS - FROM THE PUBLISHER
LETTERS - COLUMNS - MUSIC REVIEWS - BOOK REVIEWS
PLANETARY CYCLES - CALENDAR - ABOUT TLC - CONTACT US
CLASSIFIEDS - RESOURCE DIRECTORY
ARCHIVES - SUBSCRIBE - ADVERTISE - SEARCH
