The Song of the Bird

An excellent book for use in a practice of meditation. Much spiritual wisdom is within its pages.

Este libro ha sido escrito para gentes de cualquier creencia, religiosa o no-religiosa. No puedo ocultar a mis lectores, sin embargo, el hecho de que yo soy sacredote de la Iglesia Catolica, que me he adentrando con toda libertad en tradiciones misticas no-cristianas y que estas me han influenciado y enriquecido profundamente. A pesar de lo cual, nunca he dejado de volver a mi Iglesia, que es me verdadero hogar espiritual; y anque me doy perfecta cuenta (a veces con autenico asombro) de sus limitationes y de su ocasional estrechez, tambien soy perfectamente consciente de que ha sido ella la que me ha formado, me a moldeado y ha hecho de mi lo que soy. Por eso es a ella, mi Madre y Maestra, a quien deseo dedicar amorosamente este libro. --- from book's introduction

Anthony de Mello was a religious master of the twentieth century teaching profound spiritual truths through stories and discourses. This book, one of his early works was first published in 1982 in India. The present volume is a reprint edition that targets the American reader. It contains 124 stories, both ancient and modern, from a variety of cultures, countries and religions. The author takes credit only for stringing them together and appending a comment to most of the stories. These comments are often insightful and provocative. The book as a whole is an enjoyable reading, illustrative of profound realities.

I first came across this book at the Trinity Church Bookstore in Manhattan about 16 years ago. It's been at or near the top of my 'pile' of books on spirituality ever since. For a number of years now I've been teaching an adult class at a local Methodist church, and once every several months I let the class wrestle with one of these parables for an hour or so. They always prove very provocative, just as many of those used by Jesus centuries ago. One I like has a guy going into a shop to buy 'the truth'. He backs off though when he hears what the price is : "your security." Just the 'message' for our materialist society.. Also: For a number of years (before I discovered audiocassettes!), I loved to 'gift' people I cared about with books. The most frequent one I chose : this de Mello gem. If you care about your own spiritual growth, get this book at once!(Note - this is an extremely personal book, suitable whatever your faith beliefs might be.)

I personaly believe that this book is one of the most eye opening books that I have ever read, it helped me to expand my knolege of God and helped me to become closer to him.