Oriah

Visionary author Oriah Mountain Dreamer brings to life the wisdom of her beloved invitation, which has touched hearts everywhere with its fresh and spirited call to live life more deeply, honestly, and well. Like the inspirations for Robert Fulghum′s All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten, Cherie Carter-Scott′s If Life Is a Game, These are the Rules, and Margaret Fishback Power′s Footprints, the poem that sparked The Invitation has been embraced around the world, passed along by thousands who have discovered and treasured its message. In this lovely gift book the author speaks from the heart, reflecting on everything from desire to betrayal and offering practical - and often surprising - suggestions for how to live the ecstasy of everyday life, learn to recognise true beauty in ourselves and the world around us, and how to find the sustenance that our spirit longs for. The poem Invitation has been recited and quoted at countless spiritual conferences, and on network radio by Robert Bly, Jack Kornfield, Angeles Arrien, and many other spiritual leaders. From the Invitation: ȴ doesn′t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart′s longing. It doesn′t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive ...′

The Invitation

Emiley Jones

I find again the hopeful part of myself I divorced when my hopes were dashed.

I see my mouth open, lips dry, and hear the single syllable leave my mouth and echo around the room, bouncing off an emptiness inside my chest. This is what fear is like.

Something inside me explodes in a great silence that eats all sound as the word settles over us like ash after the fire of devastation. What surprises me most in the moments that follow is that the world continues.

Ironically, I find myself, at moments, clinging to a belief in my own powerlessness, a belief that will let me off the hook of responding to my soul's desire. Those who chose a different response threaten the seamlessness of my self-deception.

It wasn't that I had not seen the truth. I had. But I'd failed to find the courage to act on it.

And surely the Divine, if it does work with purpose in our lives, is not dependent upon but works through our choices, good and bad.

The Invitation quotes

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