Overview

"Push your writing through the trite and the boring to something fresh, something transformative. ""Writing as spiritual practice has nothing to do with readers per se. You aren't writing to be read; you are writing to be freed. Writing as spiritual practice is conspiratorial rather than inspirational. It conspires to strip away everything you use to maintain the illusion of certainty, security and self-identity. Where spiritual writing seeks to bind you all the more tightly to the self you imagine yourself to be, writing as spiritual practice intends to free you from it."" —from Rami’s Preface This isn’t about how to write spiritual books. It isn’t about the romance of writing. It doesn’t cover the ins and outs of publishing and building a brand. Instead, this fresh and unapologetic guide to writing as a spiritual practice approaches writing as a way to turn the spiral of body, heart, mind, soul and spirit that leads to spiritual awakening. Lead by renowned spirituality teacher Rami Shapiro and award-winning writer and writing coach Aaron Shapiro—and featuring over fifty unique, practical exercises—it takes you beyond assigning inspirational words to the page. It shows you how to use your writing to unlock the joy of life and the infinite perspectives and possibilities that living provides."

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9781683365044

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Reviews

Beautiful.... The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. --<b>Rev. Susan Sparks</b>, author, <i>Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor</i>; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church</p> There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. --<b>Thomas Ryan, CSP</b>, author, <i>Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity</i>and <i>The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice</i></p> Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details' of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called 'the luminous particular'--until it morphs into sacred art. --<b>Kent Ira Groff</b>, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, <i>Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing</i></p> Ingenious.... Just when it's starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word <i>spiritual</i> is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I'm surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. --<b>D. Genpo Merzel</b>, author, <i>Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way</i></p> Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? <i>Then do not read this book!</i> Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? <i>Do not follow these writing prompts!</i> With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. --<b>Margaret D. McGee</b>, author, <i>Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment</i>and <i>Haiku--The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines</i></p>

Beautiful . The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor ; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity and The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called the luminous particular until it morphs into sacred art. Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious . Just when it s starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I m surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment and Haiku The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines

Beautiful.... The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. --Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. --Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativityand The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details' of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called 'the luminous particular'--until it morphs into sacred art. --Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious.... Just when it's starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I'm surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. --D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. --Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Momentand Haiku--The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines Beautiful . The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor ; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity and The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called the luminous particular until it morphs into sacred art. Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious . Just when it s starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I m surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment and Haiku The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines Beautiful . The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor ; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity and The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called the luminous particular until it morphs into sacred art. Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious . Just when it s starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I m surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment and Haiku The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines

Beautiful.... The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. --Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. --Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity and The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details' of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called 'the luminous particular'--until it morphs into sacred art. --Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious.... Just when it's starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I'm surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. --D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. --Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment and Haiku--The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines Beautiful . The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor ; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity and The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called the luminous particular until it morphs into sacred art. Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious . Just when it s starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I m surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment and Haiku The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines Beautiful . The perfect combination of timeless wisdom, beautifully crafted language and practical, grounded exercises. A must-read for writers, spiritual seekers ... and all breathing human beings. Rev. Susan Sparks, author, Laugh Your Way to Grace: Reclaiming the Spiritual Power of Humor ; senior pastor, Madison Avenue Baptist Church There is much more in this book than directives about writing. There's a spirituality, philosophy, psychology, cosmology and an amazingly creative array of writing prompts both playful and profound. Remarkable. Thomas Ryan, CSP, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity and The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice Invites you to plunge deeply into the excesses of life. [It] seduces you to write into 'the vivid, concrete details of the stuff you experience, to see what Jane Kenyon called the luminous particular until it morphs into sacred art. Kent Ira Groff, retreat leader and founding mentor of Oasis Ministries; author, Writing Tides: Finding Grace and Growth through Writing Ingenious . Just when it s starting to look like writing is going to be supplanted by tweeting, and the word spiritual is so overused that it almost has to be spelled with quotation marks, along comes [this book]. I m surprised and delighted to say that with [its] guidance, it truly can be a spiritual practice. D. Genpo Merzel, author, Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way Comfortable with the stories that define your life? Want to stay that way? Then do not read this book! Prefer to meet up with the Holy only in the safety of familiar rites? Do not follow these writing prompts! With the Shapiros as your chaperones, you might just find yourself in passionate embrace with the wild and contradictory nature of human existence. This is writing as an act of liberation from the cages of our own making. Margaret D. McGee, author, Sacred Attention: A Spiritual Practice for Finding God in the Moment and Haiku The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice in Three Lines

Author Information

Rami Shapiro, a renowned teacher of spirituality across faith traditions, is an award-winning storyteller, poet and essayist. He is author of The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice, Recovery—The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice and The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (all SkyLight Paths), among other books. Rami Shapiro is available to speak on the following topics: Writing—The Sacred Art: Beyond the Page to Spiritual Practice Stop Playing God: 12 Steps as Spiritual Practice Biblical Wisdom for Post-biblical Times: An Exploration of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Cultivating Compassion in Daily Life Hasidic Wisdom: An Exploration of Hasidic Storytelling, Theology and Contemplative Practice Saints and Sages: Biblical Prophets, Ancient Rabbis and the Building of a Just World Aaron Shapiro, an award-winning poet and essayist, teaches undergraduate writing and literature at Middle State Tennessee University. A frequent speaker on topics ranging from creative writing to critical theory, his work has been published in Teaching in the Pop Culture Zone. He is a recipient of the Michael Hauptman Poetry Prize, a Vermont Studio Center Fellowship, a Paul Muldoon Poetry Fellowship, and the Tennessee Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Award, as well as the Virginia Peck Award.

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