Divinity in Disguise: Nested Meditations to Delight the Mind and Awaken the Soul - Hardcover

Anderson, Kevin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0972835504 ISBN 13: 9780972835503

Publisher: Clb Pr, 2003

Synopsis

Divinity in Disguise is a first-of-a-kind collection of "nested meditations"--not quite a poem, not quite a prayer, not quite like anything you've read before. This book contains 76 of these new meditations, each accompanied by a brief reflection and soul-stirring quotations. Divinity in Disguise contains meditations on God, the sacred self, relationships, money, work, brokenness, sex, death, joy and more.

A nested meditation is a brief, accessible written meditation that begins with a single line, then adds one line at a time. As each line is added, the meaning of the piece shifts. Here's a sample (note that nested meditations are untitled):

Do you have the time?

Do you have the time
of your life?

Do you have the time
of your life
or does someone else perhaps?

Do you have the
time of your life
or does someone else? Perhaps
it's later than you think.

The idea is to use simple language and subtle wordplay to probe several layers of meaning beneath the surface of our day-to-day experience.

Find still water.

Find still water
in any storm by going deep.

Find still water
in any storm by going deep
beneath the surface tumult.

Find still water
in any storm by going deep.
Beneath the surface tumult
the sacred self dances like seaweed.

About this title

About the Author

Kevin Anderson, Ph.D. is a father, husband, prize-winning spirituality columnist, and psychologist in the Toledo, Ohio area. He is founder of Center for Life Balance, an organization committed to helping people find more satisfying and meaningful lives.

From the Inside Flap

Rarely does the opportunity come along to experience a completely new form of writing. Divinity in Disguise introduces the "nested meditation"--not quite a poem, not quite a prayer, not quite like anything you ve read before. Each of the 76 meditations in this collection invite the reader to pause and reflect on life amidst the busyness of modern existence. None longer than a page, and most considerably shorter, these mediations are simple enough to be accessible, yet rich enough to invite repeated readings. Reading this book is like taking a tour through the universal elements of human experience, gaining new and surprising insights along the way.

What does a willow have to teach us about God, a tree stump about self-criticism, a mourning dove about grieving, manure about finding the sacred in the everyday? How can a 112-year-old painting of a wheat field inspire a reflection on the divinity that resides in each of us? Reading this book is an adventure in discovering the richness that lies just below the surface of things.

In addition to the meditations, Anderson has assembled dozens of quotations from men and women through the ages to inspire and challenge. Wisdom is passed on from generation to generation in the written word, and the reader will find much here to add to his or her storehouse.

Divinity in Disguise is more than a collection of meditations and quotations. It is also a moving personal account of Anderson coming to terms with loss and learning how suffering, brokenness, and death can ultimately deepen spirituality and give birth to true joy.

A nested meditation is a brief, accessible written meditation that begins with a single line, then adds one line at a time. As each line is added, the meaning of the piece shifts. Here's a sample (note that nested meditations are untitled):

Do you have the time?

Do you have the time
of your life?

Do you have the time
of your life
or does someone else perhaps?

Do you have the time
of your life
or does someone else? Perhaps
it's later than you think.

Here's another:

Find still water.

Find still water
by going deep.

Find still water
by doing deep
beneath the surface tumult.

Find still water
by going deep.
Beneath the surface tumult
the sacred self dances like seaweed.

The idea is to use simple language and subtle wordplay to probe several layers of meaning beneath the surface of our day-to-day experience.

Edition details

• Publisher: Clb Pr
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0972835504
• ISBN 13: 9780972835503
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192