In the Company of Rilke: Why a 20th-Century Visionary Poet Speaks So Eloquently to 21st-Century Readers

Connecting to your inner life through the transformative poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke.

In the Company of Rilke is a rare book about a rare poet. Rainer Maria Rilke was a giant of twentieth-century writing who remains a visionary voice for our own time, captivating readers not only with his brilliance but also his fearlessness about the "deepest things." Speaking through his own contradictions and ambivalences, he gives readers a profound understanding of the complex beauty of human existence.

Here, questions matter more than answers. Here, a poet can speak directly to God while also doubting God. Astonishingly, this is the first major study of Rilke from a spiritual perspective, even though the greatest of Rilke' s gifts was to show how inevitably life centers upon a profound mystery-to which we can freely open ourselves.

Drawing on her deep understanding of the gifts of Rilke's writings, as well as her own personal spiritual seeking, Stephanie Dowrick offers an intimate and accessible appreciation of this most exceptional poet and his transcendent work.

Stephanie Dowrick, PhD, is noted for her highly encouraging, accessible writing on key issues affecting our personal and collective wellbeing. Her international best sellers include Choosing Happiness, Forgiveness and Other Acts of Love, Intimacy and Solitude, Creative Journal Writing, Seeking the Sacred and In the Company of Rilke. Formerly a publisher, and also a trained psychotherapist and literary critic, Dr Dowrick draws on the latest insights from the worlds of psychology and spiritual activism as well as timeless universal wisdom teachings. Written with beauty and remarkable care, her books are applauded by critics and loved by readers. "Courageous and original, she asks the most difficult questions with enormous heart and intelligence." Joyce Kornblatt, A Reason for Wings "Stephanie Dowrick is a godsend. Her gift is the ability to write in a manner that genuinely enriches and changes lives." Nigel Marsh, author and global CEO "Stephanie Dowrick makes the hard questions simple...if anyone can cause a happiness revolution, she can." Paul Wilson, Instant Calm. "I felt bathed in warmth and compassion, soothed and reassured as Stephanie Dowrick became my companion." Dr Juliet Batten, Dancing with Seasons. For more information visit http://www.stephaniedowrick.com