Drinking from the River of Light: The Life of Expression

A deeply heartfelt weave of reflections and poems about what it means to live the creative, expressive life

“I cherish the wisdom and embrace the practices offered in this luminous book.” ―Mirabai Starr, author of Caravan of No Despair and Wild Mercy

“Meaningful art, enduring art―and the transformative process it awakens―keeps us alive,” writes Mark Nepo. With Drinking from the River of Light, this bestselling poet and philosopher will lead you on a journey to discover just how art and authentic expression can bring our deepest truths to bear in the world.

In this collection of interconnected essays and poetry―covering subjects ranging from the importance of staying in conversation with other forms of life to a consideration of how innovators such as Matisse, Rodin, and Beethoven saw the world―Nepo presents a lyrical ode to the creative urge that stirs in each of us. Whether it’s the search for a metaphor to reveal life’s beauty or the brushstroke that will thoroughly capture the moment, Drinking from the River of Light examines what it means to go “. . . beyond the boundaries of art, where the viewer and participant are one.”

Here you will discover:

• The importance of openly embracing the full scope of your emotions
• The need for raw honesty and self-exploration in education
• Why a new perspective always waits only a “quarter turn” away
• The importance of staying in constant conversation with other creative voices
• The crucial difference between giving and getting attention
• Concrete guidelines for respectful peer review
• What it means to channel the sound of your innermost being―and the universe

In Nepo’s words, “This book is meant to be experienced and journeyed with.” Including dozens of journaling prompts and personal exercises meant to enliven the reader’s creative instincts, Drinking from the River of Light traces the search for our most essential selves and the importance of the life of expression to bear witness to the sorrow, depth, and joy of life.

Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over 40 years. A New York Times #1 bestselling author, he has published 21 books and recorded 14 audio projects. Mark has been interviewed several times by Oprah Winfrey as part of her Super Soul Sunday TV show, and was interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages. For more, see marknepo.com.

Mark Nepo is a poet and spiritual teacher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over 50 years. With over a million copies sold, Mark has moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening. A beloved poet, teacher, and storyteller, Mark has been called “one of the finest spiritual guides of our time,” “a consummate storyteller,” and “an eloquent spiritual teacher.” His work is widely accessible and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.

A bestselling-author, Mark has published twenty-six books and recorded fifteen audio projects. His newest book, The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life (St. Martin's Essentials, July 2025) celebrates living from the inside of the one life we’re given. Other recent books include You Don't Have to Do It Alone: The Power of Friendship (St. Martin's Essentials, July 2024), which explores the value of community, offering a joyous affirmation of one of the most important aspects of being human: friendship; Falling Down and Getting Up (St. Martin's Essentials, September 2023); The Half-Life of Angels: Three Books of Poems (Freefall Books, April 2023), which earned a Gold Nautilus Award for Poetry; Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity (St. Martin's. Essentials, 2022); The Book of Soul (St. Martin’s Essentials, 2020), which was honored by Spirituality & Practice as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2020, and received a Gold Nautilus Award; Drinking from the River of Light (Sounds True, 2019), earned an Independent Publisher Book Silver Award for Self Help 2020, and a 2019 Nautilus Silver Award for Personal Growth & Self Help; and More Together Than Alone (Atria, 2018) cited by Spirituality & Practice as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2018.

In 2015 Mark was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation; in 2016 he was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People, and was also chosen as one of OWN’s SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity. Mark appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV, and was part of Oprah's The Life You Want tour in 2014. He has also been interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America.

In his thirties Mark was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, a struggle which helped to form his philosophy of experiencing life fully while staying in relationship to an unknowable future. Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. He continues to offer readings, lectures, and retreats. He is represented by William Morris Endeavor Entertainment.