Ten Poems to Set You Free

This intimate volume features a selection of ten poems, a guide to redeeming the spiritual hearts of our own lives. Through the voices of David Whyte, Jane Hirschfield, Miguel de Unamuno, Rumi, Thomas Merton, Jane Oliver and more, Housden offers his own reflections on the interpretation of these poems in chapters immediately following each work. For those who need a guide to navigate the phrases of some of the world's great poets, the author illustrates each example with contemporary application, text and subtext, the poet's words reflecting the meaning for individual lives. Moreover, Housden delves into the other writings of the chosen poets, discussing the themes of their work and why these particular poems are definitive, that we may "integrate the poet's truths into our own lives". Following David Whyte's "Self-Portrait", Housden's "Look in the Mirror" suggests that Whyte's poem is a personal wake-up call. Like most of his writing, Whyte "champions the truth of the soul over the clamor of the social personality". Miguel de Unamuno's "Throw Yourself Like a Seed" precedes the author's chapter titled "Recover Your Spirit". The poet, who died shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, firmly believed that "at times to be silent is to lie". An enemy of Franco and his fascism, the poet spoke to the great themes of the human spirit, a call to courage and integrity, even against the most disheartening odds. The author lifts Unamuno's words, his incredible bravery at a time of great turmoil, and brings them to the fertile ground of our more modern concerns, the small decisions that move us away from our finest selves and the need for personal commitment. Many of these works are familiar, certainly Rumi, Merton and Mary Oliver, but each has a powerful message on the evolution of the spirit. Combining the fluidity of chosen poems and his own considered comments, the author calls us to attend to personal potential, the daily opportunities for growth and the evolution of the soul that is a by-product of self-reflection. Not everyone wants, or needs, a guide through these works, but for those who are overwhelmed and cannot apply them in an individual context, Housden's Ten Poems to Set You Free is a first step into a rewarding future, where personality, sense of purpose and soul are fully integrated: "We are able to be the one we do not know. This is the greatest freedom available to us as human beings." Luan Gaines/ 2005.

This compilation of poems with commentary by the author is stirring. I take this volume to work to remind me to hold onto my soul; it serves as a defense against the pummeling of the world. This book needs to be read slowly and thoughtfully, allowing time to digest the deep meanings. David Whyte's poem in particular captures the essence of what it means to be an individual with a soul. Outstanding!

If you allow it, the sheer beauty of these ten poems will inspire you toward your own unique life and free you from the clutter of the everyday mind. The author's commentaries are as profound as the selected poems themselves.Get this book,read it-no,live it , and allow its poetry to enrich your soul!