Anand Suryo reviews Ragini’s fourth book, The Wildly Quiet Presence Of God: Musings Of A Modern Marketplace Mystic.
In her new book, Ragini Michaels leaves behind the penetrating intellect and conceptual delight so present in her previous three books. Instead, with a sweet humor and gracious sense of awe, she leads us into the private longings of a heart and soul, both out to catch a glimpse of what hides behind the mysteries of life.
I see this book as Ragini’s coming out party, clearly positing her debut, without apology, as a modern day mystic. Leaving the cloistered monasteries of the past behind, she dares to venture inward into the mysteries of Divine Love while living in the fast paced, chaotic madness of our outer world. If you are a fellow adventurer, you will resonate and harmonize with the words and images inside this beautiful book.
There are 40 musings – each paired with a lovely color photograph. These images succeed in capturing the feel of the poem while freeing the intent of the words, if you’ll allow it, to reach inside and touch your heart and spirit.
Since you are traveling the road of spiritual inquiry, exploring meditation, contemplation, and the multitude of spiritual and personal growth guidance currently available, you will definitely want to add this inspiring little book to your library – especially on the days you still feel a bit lost and doubtful of your capacity to stay on course.
Ragini’s musings offer us solace, comfort, and support for our attempts at mindful, conscious living – both the successes and the failures. They will help you relax into the necessary confusions and doubts that guide our discovery of the scent of Divine Love behind it all.
As with all of Ragini’s work, the power of perceiving paradox and polarities is woven throughout, especially in Chapter Two, Courting Contradictions. If you’ve ever been caught in the desire to come closer to your beloved and simultaneously, found yourself also wanting to push them away, you’ll relate to Please Come Close To Me. And Being In The Spotlight highlights the powerful dilemma of wanting to be recognized and seen while simultaneously wanting to hide.
Chapter One precedes with many of her personal Confessions. Chapter Three honors the power of perceiving life as Gestures of the Divine. And the final section, entitled Slivers of Truth, honors the beauty and power and difficulty of surrendering to ‘what is’.
The Wildly Quiet Present of God can lift the reader up into the pureness of their own heart through the offering of that profound sweetness so often found in the poetry of Hafiz or Rumi.
Diving into these poetic musings, coming from the heart of one who knows the subtle yet powerful dance of opposites, can truly help those of us dedicated to living the ‘middle way’ with joy and totality.
Whether your challenge rests in choosing courage over fear, love over hate, forgiveness over anger, or faith over doubt, the mystic’s point of view, so beautifully demonstrated here, can help us find that ‘middle way’ with greater ease and confidence.
Congratulations to Ragini for “coming out” and gifting us with this precious little jewel!
So beloved reader, I suggest you sit down, have a cup of tea, and create the space to be embraced by the poetic musings of a fellow traveler. If you’re like me, you’ll be glad you did!
Review by Anand Suryo Linda Gardner, MA, Holistic Health and Wellness Practitioner and Teacher of Consciousness Based Energy Medicine. www.bodytalkseattle.com
Available at amazon.com
Ragini became a sannyasin in 1979 and taught at Osho International Commune in Pune 2. She is a trainer of NLP and Hypnosis, and the originator of the Facticity 6-Step Process and Paradox Management. She ran her Facticity Wisdom School in Seattle, Washington for 10 years, as well as holding Paradox Salons for new and advanced students. She expanded her work to include on-line trainings available at her website. Her other books are ‘Unflappable’, ‘Facticity®’, and ‘Lions In Wait’. She lives in Seattle, USA. www.RaginiMichaels.com
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