Your Soul is a River

by Nikita Gill

This is a book about the journey of healing from trauma and becoming whole again. apply to your soul gently, whilst sitting under the stars.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Self Help, Ebooks, Mental Health, Contemporary, Feminism

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2012

About the author

Nikita Gill is a Kashmiri Sikh writer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and brought up in Gurugram, Haryana in India. In her mid twenties, she immigrated to the South of England and worked as a carer for many years. She enjoys creating paintings, poems, stories, photos, illustrations and other soft, positive things. Her work has appeared in Literary Orphans, Agave Magazine, Gravel Literary Journal, Monkeybicycle, Foliate Oak, MusePiePress, Dying Dahlia Review, The Rising Phoenix Review, Eunoia Review, Corvus Review, After The Pause and elsewhere.

Reviews

[Feyre · Rating 2 out of 5]

“what a perfect collision of star it was that came together at just the right moment at just the right time to build the incredible thing that is you”
― Nikita Gill, Your Soul is a River



🌟2/5🌟
Nothing outstanding! felt highly repetitive and more like I was reading some cute quotes rather than poetry, although I was able to find some hidden gems, It wasn't enough to give this book more than 2/5

[Emily B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read Wild Embers: Poems of Rebellion, Fire and Beauty and seemed to remember enjoying it. However I found this collection a disappointment. Perhaps I have outgrown this kind of poetry (Although I have read other poetry authors recently which I enjoyed more).
This collection felt extremely repetitive to me, I understand there was a theme but they all felt too similar almost like the same words being recycled.

[Norah Una Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

My soul has been so touched, so blessed by this book. I always reach for poetry when I'm hurting the most and I always find comforting words among beautiful poems that connect with me from the very beginning. That was the case with Your Soul is a River - I've cried, smiled, hurt and healed. Nikita Gill really touched my heart and made me feel everything I was hiding deep inside. Thank you for that, Nikita. I am looking forward to reading her newest poetry collection Wild Embers. I know I will love it just as much.

[Warda]

I don't know if it's due to my mood or the fact that I'm not into these types of poetry styles anymore, but I can't be bothered to continue on with this.
DNF at 50%.

[el · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your Soul is a River comprises poems about love, loss, grief, and heartbreak—about all the things you experience in life, in short. It is about the journey of healing from trauma and becoming whole again. But most importantly, it is about remembering to love yourself, above all.

“And first,
before him
and before her
and before them
there was you.

Never forget that.”

I liked this collection of poems. Liked, but didn’t love. Compared to other poetry books, such as Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers, it feels somewhat less … remarkable?

(*)

Where some poems made me pause and reflect on them, others immediately felt repetitive, because the same metaphors had already been used repeatedly, though slightly differently.

Still, aesthetically pleasing books with lovely prose are always a welcome addition to my bookshelf.

“There may be darkness
within this world.
But inside us the light burns
brighter than you
could ever know.”

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[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

If they truly love you,
they will love you
when you are ocean breeze,
but also when you are summer storm.

You were not made
to be loved in parts,
you were meant
to be loved
as a whole.

I've been reading Your Soul is a River for months, which is just aptly, because this is 160-pages long. I can see why some people cited it can become repetitive. The collection is divided into eight categories: the cosmos, fire, the storm, ache, the sea, wild, the earth, and heal. Some of the poems are decent, but most are exceptional. This easily becomes my favorite because I'm a huge fan of lyrical things, especially if it concerns nature metas. I will definitely buy a physical copy of this book soon.

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikita Gill's poems are profound and compelling. I was able to connect on most of the poems and I really enjoyed it! Gosh, some of it struck my heart. The reason why I didn't give this five stars because some of them are redundant especially on the middle part. Still, I recommend this poetry collection.

The poems that stood out for me:

Stars Shine Brightest

Sometimes the happiest
and most carefree people
hide the stormiest,
painful ache inside their hearts.

You cannot predict
what is in someone's heart.
Stars always shine brightest
seconds before
they fell apart.
-------------------------------------------
Lessons from the Rain

The next time you cry,
take a lesson from the rain.
Learn the way
she never holds back her storm
or how loud her tears are
when they fall.
-------------------------------------------
The Sound of Heartbreak

It is eerily terrifying that there is no sound when a heart breaks.
Car accidents end with a bang, falling ends with a thud, even writing makes the scratching sound of pencil against paper. But the sound of a heart breaking is completely silent. Almost as though no one, not even the universe itself could create a sound for such devastation. Almost as though silence is the only way the universe could pay its respect to the sound of a heart falling apart.
-------------------------------------------
Your Love

The way you have loved
speaks volumes about you.

The way they leave speaks
volumes about them.

Your love is not poison.
Their inability to appreciate is.

[Mahsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

خوندن شعرهای این کتاب، مثل اینه که بشینی پای حرف های مادربزرگ؛ اون وقتایی که مشغول کاره و داره برات حرف میزنه، نصیحتت میکنه، بهت میگه سخت نگیر... و تو فقط با گوش دادن به ریتم صداش آروم میگیری. شک ندارم خیلی ها مثل من میتونن قسمتی از احساسشون رو لابلای این اشعار پیدا کنن و خودشون رو بین کلمات ببینن.
بیشتر صفحات از حقایقی میگفت که شاید همه بلدیم، اما کسی تاحالا اینقدر خوب و زیبا اونها رو برامون یادآوری نکرده.

Of all the things
That are most flammable
In the history of the world,
I have encountered
Nothing
More flammable
Than the human heart.

مسیر این کتاب؛ از فرآیند ایجاد زخم آغاز میشه و در ادامه، مسیر التیام اون زخم رو برامون روایت میکنه.
کتاب به هشت بخش تقسیم شده، و اشعار هربخش مرتبطه با اسم اون قسمت؛ بخش اول با کیهان و ستاره ها شروع میشه. بخش دوم آتشه... آتشی که با هر درد توی قلبمون احساس میشه. طوفان اسم بخش سوم کتابه، طوفانی که همه ی ما بین سلول هامون پنهان کردیم و گاهی اجازه میدیم ویرانی به بار بیاره. اسامی بخش ها به همین ترتیب از حس و حال درون یک آدم میگه تا میرسیم به بخش آخر یعنی التیام. التیامی که طبق فرمول های طبیعت، باید جایی نزدیکِ نهایت هر درد منتظرمون باشه، و قراره که به خودمون اجازه بدیم همراهش آروم بگیریم.

Every morning
The sun rises and you,
Like the plants
Covered in dew
In your garden
Get a chance
To start again.

Good morning.
Your world fell apart
Yesterday.
And yet,
Here is your second chance
To rebuild it.

[katherynxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book I realized so many truths. I found myself among these pages, and at the end I felt refreshed. Renewed.

"The stars do not bring people back. No matter how much you miss them or need them. No one tells you that hope can sometimes be a dead thing. Just like no one ever tells you that you are wishing upon dead stars."

I was told that I was too hopeful, once. That was difficult for me to understand because without hope, what do you have? What do you hold onto?
Now I know...sometimes that hope I've been holding onto for so long has just been dead in my fisted palms.

"You have turned your heart into a museum of people you've loved to keep them alive inside you." <3

"The way you have loved speaks volumes about you. The way they leave speaks volumes about them. Your love is not poison. Their inability to appreciate it is."

This made me breathe a sigh of relief. Because when I choose to love, I do it fully and intensely. And if I lose someone, my first reaction is to hate myself.

"The day you left, I realized you were a rogue planet. That you didn't orbit around anyone or anything. That you had no solar system and you found your way into mine,into my orbit, to stay with me for just a little while."

[weronika · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved all the words, from the beginning to end, you should definitely give it a go!! here are two of my many favourite poems:

"if every single of
your beautiful, terrible emotions
could be translated into words,
even the biggest library on earth
would not be able to handle
the amount of books you could write"

"the earth grew you
limb by limb
within her womb

you owe it to her
not to turn her body
into a tomb"

[N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought Your Soul is a River was just "okay." It wasn't horrible, but I went into it expecting to have my mind blown, and that moment of epiphany just never came.

There were a couple of poems that I really liked, like this one:

"The river has taught me
more about my soul
than any person
I have ever known.

How to adapt to any vessel
How to dream in fluid motion
How to love and then to let go."

But the rest of the poems... just fell flat for me.

Poetry is subjective though, so I can see why this might resonate with others.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are:
A walking, breathing universe
of thoughts, ideas, stories as your stars
supernovas full of adventure in your veins
galaxies of emotion.

X

If every single one of
your beautiful, terrible emotions
could be translated into words,
even the biggest library on earth
would not be able to handle
the amount of books you could write.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And what if i told you
that every part of you comes
from every star you ever saw
in the night sky?"
- Nikita Gill


I really love The Cosmos part, maybe bcause i've been interested to it for a long time. All i can said that she could turn some ordinary things into something beautiful. Also, it may not really good for an expert but for someone who read only to enjoy, this is a perfect and beautiful poetry collection.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 04/03/18

My favorite part is still the Cosmos one aha! (I’m still obsessed with stars)
I enjoyed the book with more than the first time! Which is really interesting actually.

——
The fact that this poetry book is divided into 8 themes is really interesting and i really liked it! My favorite part was the Cosmos one (because as you may know I'm obsessed with stars), but I really enjoyed the other ones too!

[Soha Ashraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proses embellished with galaxies and stars;
Wonders of nature scattered carelessly in every poem.
Emotions seeping through the pages;
Holding my heart hostage right away.
What more could I ask for?

[Noura Khalid (theperksofbeingnoura) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We have calcium in our bones, iron in our veins, carbon in our souls, and nitrogen in our brains. 93 percent stardust, with souls made of flames, we are all just stars that have people names.”

I've been looking for a poetry book that would blow my mind for ages. I've finally found it. Nikita Gill writes poetry that blows your mind. Such beautiful words that leave an everlasting effect. This will definitely not be my last read by Nikita Gill.

“You

And first,
before him
and before her
and before them
there was you.

Never forget that.”

“what a perfect collision of star it was that came together at just the right moment at just the right time to build the incredible thing that is you”

“Fathers, do not let your sons forget

Do not let your sons forget
where their essence was just formed,
when their bodies were most vulnerable,
they were protected by the womb of a woman.

If they ever call all women weak,
remind them of the strength of their mother
who pulled her whole body apart
to give theirs a home.”

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[Acordul Fin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rating is purely for "The Cosmos" and "Heal" sections, as I felt these were the only ones I connected with. I've read the entire collection, and I thought many of the poems were beautifully written, but the other sections are simply not relevant to me at point in my life. I would've probably appreciated them in my teenage years/early 20's.

[Laura Noggle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, not great. I actually think she might be better on instagram (@nikita_gill), but I'm open to giving her another chance.

13 BILLION YEAR OLD ATOMS

Still yourself.
Calm. Breathe deeply.
Understand that you are not
nor have ever been alone.

Listen to the way
your hear beats,
and sense the blood
that rushes though your body.

Can you feel them?

The 13 billion year old atoms
that make up the seas
are the same that run through
the bodies of you and me.

Our bodies were made
to house oceans of galaxies,
and our souls are rivers
that have flowed through centuries.
______

[For this kind of poetry, Nayyirah Waheed captures a little more depth. I highly recommend: Salt (5⭐️) and Nejma (4⭐️).]

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“what a perfect collision of stars it was that came together at just the right moment at just the right time to build the incredible thing that is you”

3.5/5

I enjoy Nikita Gill’s writing and respect her craft. Your Soul is a River is a lovely poetry collection of survival and healing.
It reminds us of our place in nature, amongst the stars, with the ocean roaring through us.

Though I do feel I have outgrown the heartbreak side of the poetry, this had more variety than other modern collections I’ve read, and I feel the strength and healing of it could be applied to various traumas (heartbreak, but also medical, loss, etc.). I also appreciated the ocean and moon love.
I have multiple passages highlighted for future rereads.

Recommended, but my favorite Nikita Gill book is still Fierce Fairytales, so read that if you haven’t!

[Marta :} · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And first,
before him
and before her
and before them
there was you.

Never forget that.”

This book is so beautiful, it's very aesthetic, you'll adore the illustrations and the symbols and everything that's meaningful for the poetry inside. But also, I love the message, I love how the author underlines the theme of self-love, how important it it to love yourself above others. Because yeah, love can be fucking great, friendship can be healing and the feeling of caring for someone deeply is amazing, but in the end, you're the most present person in your life. Friends go, lovers leave you heartbroken, but you will always remain and it's crucial that you form a good self-image, that you learn to appreciate yourself and put yourself first, always.

"When they ask you
who your first love was,
don't breathe his name,
don't whisper hers.

When they ask you
who healed your heart
don't attribute it to him
don't credit her.

When they ask you
for your favourite poem
don't say it was him
don't say it was her.

Say it is you.
Always.
It is you."

[Larnacouer de SH · Rating 3 out of 5]

You deserve someone who knows there is stardust in your veins and that you are the sun.✨

[Lia Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

este fue el mejor de tres poemarios que lei en estos dias e igual no me gusto

[Eunice (nerdytalksbookblog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My most favorite poem here is:

The Sound of Heartbreak

It is eerily terrifying that there is no sound when a heart breaks.
Car accidents end with a bang, falling ends with a thud, even writing makes the scratching sound of pencil against paper. But the sound of a heart breaking is completely silent. Almost as though no one, not even the universe itself could create a sound for such devastation. Almost as though silence is the only way the universe could pay its respect to the sound of a heart falling apart.

I enjoyed this collection of poems, however I noticed that it was repetitive to a fault.

[Dianna ☾midnight reads☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a perfect collision of stars it was that come together at just the right moment at just the right time, to build the incredible thing that is you.

Wow. I didn't expect to really like this book. I've read a lot of this "trendy poetry" lately, some even before they're published and I don't know, they didn't satisfy my taste. So I was surprised that this book is really good. I love the space concept so much and to be honest I love almost all of the poems inside. I highly recommend this book.

[berlinbyovernight · Rating 4 out of 5]

didn't expect to love this book

[Hiba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE IT!!! Deeply, honestly, truly love it!
What a combination of beautiful metaphors and mesmerizing language and heartwarming sensations, so honest and touching.. I found myself layed out in almost all the parts, which really spoke to the deepest part of my heart... So well written, with so much love.
..
What a perfect collision of stars it was
that came together at just the right moment
at just the right time,
to build the incredible thing that is you.

[Shiv · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. think that there were some really good nuggets in this one, but overall it felt a bit repetitive.

Some favorite lines:

No one tells you
That hope can sometimes be a dead thing
Just like no one ever tells you
That you are wishing upon dead stars.

—

Mother Earth
The earth grew you
Limb by limb
Within her womb
You owe it to her
Not to turn her body
Into a tomb

—

Rogue Planet was my favorite poem of the lot

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely magical.

Nikita Gill's words are filled with understanding, courage, hope, loss, recovery, pain, healing, and love.

Such an incredible collection of poems for everyone who's going through rough times and think they'll never make it. You can make it. You will make it.

[bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every single page. The manage this woman has with words... Jesus Fucking Christ. I am In Love.

[Gedankenlabor · Rating 5 out of 5]

>>Our little planet may be full of sound
but the most powerful stars
in the cosmos were born
in complete silence.<<
„YOUR SOUL IS A RIVER“ von Nikita Gill ist english Poetry der besonderen Art, wie ich finde.
Man spürt so sehr in jeder Zeile die Verbundenheit mit den Elementen, mit unserer Erde und dem tiefen Kern, den jeder in sich trägt. Nikita Gill's Zeilen sind voll von Schmerz, Hoffnung, Leben, Schatten, Ecken, Kanten und so so viel Liebe. Ihre Zeilen erzählen vom Meer, vom Mond, vom Cosmos... sie erzählen von den Sternen und konnten mir unglaublich viel mit auf den Weg geben. Denn letztlich sind wir eins mit unserer Erde, eins mit den Elementen, eins mit allem Leben und umso schöner ist es, wenn unsere Herzen voller Leben bunt funkeln und wir unseren Takt mit dem der Natur verbinden können...
>>Let it hurt.
Let it bleed.
Let it heal.
And let it go.<<