"In a sense, to pursue an intermystical spiritual life is to be a real pioneer of the Spirit. It is not an easy path to travel, because not many maps exist yet, and many people fear losing their way, but it yields rich deposits of wisdom along the way. If we trust, keep moving on, and share our experiences with others, while seeking their advice, we will be fine," Wayne Teasdale writes in A Monk in the World. Two excellent new resources are perfect companions for those eager to participate in this journey.

Chasing Rumi by Roger Housden is a beguiling fable about a young Italian icon painter who goes on a pilgrimage to Konya, where Rumi wrote his mystical poems. Love Poems from God by Daniel Ladinsky is an amazing collection of translations of the words of twelve great souls including Rabia, St. Francis of Assisi, Rumi, Meister Eckhart, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hafiz, St. Catherine of Siena, Kabir, Mira, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and Tukaram.

If you yearn to be a pioneer of the Spirit, you will want to travel the mystical path with Housden and Ladinsky. They will tutor you in the yearning of the heart that seeks union with God. They demonstrate the awe and wonder that animate everyday spirituality. They point to the feeling of connection with others that engenders a kinship with all. They celebrate the joy and the sense of play that are inherent in mystical spiritual practices. They emphasize that nothing happens by chance on this path and that intutition and dreams are important resources to the pilgrim on the road. And they reveal that mystery and paradox are with us every step of the way.

Take the time to savor the rich deposits of mystical wisdom in these two books. Find a spiritual friend and talk about your experiences with these invaluable resources.


Chasing Rumi: A Fable about Finding the Heart's True Desire
by Roger Housden is a love story that reaches into the depths of the heart while traversing the bounties of the imagination. Read our review.

Love Poems From God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West by Daniel Ladinsky presents the inspired words of mystics who savored play, imagination, and devotion as spiritual practices. Read our review.