"The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran

“The Prophet” by kahlil Gibran was originally published in 1923. It has since become a spiritual classic and for many years now a firm favourite of mine!

"The Prophet is told in the form of a story with the finest interlace of deeply inspirational poetry.

Almustafa approaches the dawning of the ultimate spiritual liberation. As an instrument for divine expression he turns a mirror back upon the journey of human life from birth until death, inviting acceptance of all things, deeming both joy and pain of equal merit during the journey back to the source. In fact if he were to feel pain, he would welcome it with open arms counting it a blessing and opportunity to realise that he is not that pain, he is infact beyond all of it.

Gibran masterfully uses words to signpost the way to that which is through and beyond all words or comprehension. With artful poetic symbology he articulates the silent, boundless, nameless gift of profound inner peace inherent within us all.


"And then a scholar said, Speak of Talking.

And he answered, saying:

You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts;

And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.

And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.

For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.

There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone.

The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape.

And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought reveal a truth which they themselves do not understand.

And there are those who have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words.

In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence.

When you meet your friend on the roadside or in the market place, let the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue.

Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear of his ear;

For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered when the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more."

-excerpt from a forum posted on holisticlocal