by Dolly DeVonderland

Created on: March 30, 2009

Poetry has long been a close friend of faith, beautiful words carefully selected to reflect one's wonder and love for the world abound. Reading these works can bring a new perspective to one's spirituality, particularly when one takes the time really let the words bloom within their mind by meditating on their meaning. A book of poetry can become a good tool for daily connection with your spirituality, reading a piece of well-written poetry can guide the mind into an exploration of itself and the worlds around it. To write poetry of a spiritual nature can be a very rewarding exercise.

When you find a poem or writer that strikes you, don't hesitate to quote favorite lines in your journal or to post them where you can enjoy the message daily. Writing in a journal can be a safe place to try out poetry as a means of spiritual growth, whether you reflect upon a poem you've read or create a whole new sonnet to express your soul's voice. Creating a sign with the words of a favorite verse can be an artistic project as well, posted in a prominent place in the home you'll be reminded often of the power of words upon the human spirit.
The next time you find yourself thankful for the gifts of spirit that you've been blessed with, try writing an epistle. The epistle is a poem written in the way one would write a letter, several appear in the Bible, but any faith can be enjoyed through poetry. By taking care in the choice of words, a poet is mindful in their writing, this is a good way to clear your mind and really get to the point of what your spirit wants to say. By carefully selecting the words of your poem, you're connecting with the sacred in a very special way. Language is one of the many ways we interpret our world, and by brining faith and spirituality into that sense, you're incorporating a very powerful medium by which to experience that spirituality.

Reading poetry can also help to grow spiritually. By seeing the wonders of life through another person's words, you're almost getting a peek at the world through their eyes. This different vantage point can be helpful in understanding our own place within the world and within the spiritual realm. By taking in the rich tapestries of words crafted by a skilled poet, you're allowing your senses to be taken for a journey. What you might learn on the journey depends upon who's guiding you, so read selectively. A good start for those not familiar with spiritual poetry would be the works of Khalil Gilbran, a classic writer known for his very spiritual and sometimes philosophic poetry. Long a favorite of college professors, the poetry of Khalil Gilbran may be written from an Eastern perspective, but his views are very universal.

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