Meaning, The: Poetic and Spiritual Reflections

Steve Taylor was recommended in George Monbiot's 'Out of the Wreckage' which was written to contextualise his 'How did we get into this mess?'. I am convinced any personal belief system, any statement, any action must have a holistic context. Human context is deep within our sum of histories and sub-conscious. Our forebears had a constant reminder, living so close to Nature - we have become remote from Nature by virtue of our egotistical human nature. We have let our humanity get out of context with its source. We have created a human environment that does not harmonise with its context, energy and Universe.So, I looked at Steve Taylor's huge body of work and chose two books, this one, 'The Meaning' and 'Spiritual Science' - unfortunately, I read the latter first.I've just read 'The Beginning of the Universe', a poem on page 19, which I totally identify with and contextualises life, the author and his modus operandi. The whole book is comprised of poems that radiate from this one, messages to his kids, etc. If you are of poetic mind and live a poetic life (and I guess we all do even if we don't recognise it), I would recommend you read this very approachable and prosy poetry book first, and personally I'm going to read more of Steve Taylor and rethink my 3/5 review of 'Spiritual Science'.

Commenting on this I am conscious of being on two fault lines that this book straddles in me. I am training in transpersonal psychology to become a therapist, and also someone who frequents poetry circles. Transpersonal psychology is also where Steve Taylor comes from, and it is a psychology that includes (but is not exclusively about) spiritual and numinous experience. This book explores in various ways how they relate.There is nothing new in psychologists exploring this area of experience. Jungian, James Hillman spoke of the "poetic basis of mind." Psychologists like Virginia Satir, Fritz Perls and RD Laing wrote poetry. Jung's  The Red Book: A Reader's Edition (Philemon) , journals of his dialogues with inner figures can also be read as poetic and visionary writings. Poets like Peter Redgrove, a poet less known outside poetry circles perhaps because he is considered "difficult," have been psychotherapists. American Robert Bly has written books with a Jungian element as well as editing an anthology of spiritual poems,  Soul is Here for it'S Own Joy . What Steve Taylor offers here is a commentary on the place of spiritual experience in poetry. He does this in an essay at the end of the book. It's this I'll first turn to, then look at the poems.Not all great poets necessarily have written about spiritual experience. But some very great ones have, and Taylor mentions a number of these here including Rumi, Blake, Whitman, DH Lawrence and Ted Hughes. My one complaint -though perhaps in the end this says more about me- is that he does not looks at ones outside the English Language traditions, some of which can be found in the Bly volume cited above. Also there are not many contemporary poets mentioned apart from the American Mary Oliver. I would have like to have heard mention of the likes of Gary Snyder, Jane Hirshfield, Bly himself who are also very approachable. One might also mention Don Paterson here and even the sainted Seamus Heaney. But there, the quality does count, for example Taylor mentions that the mystical element is something that is sometimes missing in appreciation of Lawrence. All in all this essay adds toward a definition, as far as possible, as to what visionary poetry is.Now we come to to the poems. Taylor modestly states his works are not on the same level as the models he mentions. Few of us are! As a literary man, myself, I was interested to look at these from that viewpoint. At workshops and on courses, I have experienced poems being read from the likes of Oriah Mountain Dreamer in for example  The Invitation  which encourage participants to open themselves up. There have also been poems with impeccable literary credentials, Cavafy's "Ithica" being an example. All these show how such boundaries are artificial, and how they as much defined by taste as any value.There are poems in this this selection that would fit into the category and be useful on a personal development worshop, the title one being a good example. The problem with such verses can be that in the attempt to go for the transcendental, and inspirational, the writers get ungrounded. I've sometimes listened to such poems droning on about the "infinite, ineffable, unknown" that are tedious. None of these does that. They are grounded in everyday experience. One of the things as a literary man I take pleasure from, in these poems, is also the language, beautifully honed to convey the experiences described. They have been endorsed by a literary academic also. Rightly so. Transpersonal psychology is not just about the transcendent, it is also about the ground. This is true also for poetry. They are both means to link each with the other where our lives play out. These poems do that for me. I have been carrying them around for weeks together with those of recognised poets. Plenty poets, and poetry lovers, could learn from here. But like all art, they should also be enjoyed in their own right.

Five stars .? : because its hard to imagine anything more satisfying These poems are as modern as tomorrow and yet embrace something ancient In the human spirit Steve Taylor has moved aside from his other books all of which I have, and excellent they are, on the subject of the human ego and its effect on our world and the possibility of (hopefully ) waking up and realizing the force that is running us, largely without our knowledge. If you have not yet read his books perhaps you should. ........... , This is stuff we can't afford not to know But I digress, this work "The Meaning " a slender volume, is poetic observation of a very conscious life joyously, gratefully lived, which captures the "otherness" beyond the everyday, that place we all have difficulty vacating. If there must be favourites I could choose the laser sharp clarity of "The Alchemy of Attention. " And the gratitude and grace in "I Am One of the. Free. " It's hard.to stop there, so, one more "The End of .Desire" leaves the reader with a warning, stop chasing "stuff" before its too lateThe afterword is clever and educational for those of us who don't read much poetry , the author is right, spiritual poetry , that long tradition, does validate and encourage our often obscured spiritual selves. Thiis is good bedside table, late night soul- food. Highly recommended- even for non believers Barbara Passlow

I bought this book after watching a chat between Steve Taylor and Ekhart Tolle. Not only does Steve have profound insights about the art of being but he also able to express himself elegantly. Your really feel as though he takes you into the moment that inspired the poem. I never thought I'd buy a book of poems, let alone write a 5 star review about it!

This is an excellent short collection of poems of spiritual experience and insight, a much needed exposition of how experience of the 'inner' is, and of what these experiences mean to the author. It is probably better in this, in expressing the inexpressible and in showing what it means, than as lyrical poetry in itself, but it is extremely useful in what it is good at. There is also a short afterword about the value of poetry in expressing spiritual experience, with wise words on major figures such as Walt Whitman and D. H. Lawrence.

After reading "The Leap" by the same author I decided to read some of his poetry. I love this little book and I would recommend it to anyone seeking some presence and inspiration.

This is my everything at this moment in time - Delightful meaningful words - Steve is a genius talent of making you become relaxed with pure delight.

These poems are so enjoyable. They really make you think.