Opening The Invitation: The Poem That Has Touched Lives Around the World

by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

A beautiful presentation of Oriah's signature prose poem, preceded by a chapter relating the full life story behind the poem and then followed by a chapter on the life of the poem and its remarkable effect on people's lives, including her own. The prose poem The Invitation was originally passed from reader to reader over the internet and hand–to–hand; it was these readers who helped make the book a best–seller. This small, beautifully presented book, incorporating the poem and two short additional new chapters by Oriah, gives old and new readers the beloved poem in a fresh way, as a gift for others or oneself. The often moving and sometimes funny chapters give a fresh, full account of how the poem came to be, and then discuss the life of the poem after it was written and circulated to so many readers, via the internet, photocopies, and eventually the full book The Invitation . Artwork will accompany each paragraph of the poem.

Genres: Poetry, Spirituality

112 pages, Hardcover

Published April 27, 2004

About the author

Oriah is first and foremost a story-teller, a lover of words and symbols and the stories that lift our spirits, open our hearts and offer us ways to see patterns and create meaning in our lives. The focus of her life and work has been an on-going inquiry into the Sacred Mystery. Her writing, teaching and personal journey all explore how we can each become the individual we are at the deepest level of being and how we can co-create meaning together in the world. Blending humor, insight and compassion for our human struggles Oriah encourages herself and others to be ruthlessly honest and infinitely kind toward our own strengths and our weaknesses.

Raised in a small community in Northern Ontario, Oriah’s family encouraged her to bring her questions and explorations to the Christian tradition they espoused. At home in the wilderness she was drawn to and at home in the ceremonies and earth-based teachings of the First People’s, eventually teaching and sharing what she learned. Her daily practice includes ceremonial prayer, yoga, meditation and writing. A graduate of Ryerson University’s social work program (Toronto) and a student of Philosophy at the University of Toronto she has facilitated groups, offered classes and counselled individuals for over thirty-five years. The mother of two grown sons, Oriah lives in Toronto, Canada.

Reviews

[SoulSurvivor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific inspirational book . The story on how her prose/poem spread via the internet is almost as facinating as her story and work .

[Leonore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Invitation is a prose poem that has been making the rounds for years. It's one of those poems that force you to look inward and take soul inventory. This book has both the poem and stories of how and why is was written and the affect it has had on people.