The Prophet discussion

Read this book again at age 46, last time I read it I was 17. It resinates the second time around.
What is the significance of the prophet being away from his motherland for 12 years.

Laura wrote: "Read this book again at age 46, last time I read it I was 17. It resinates the second time around.
What is the significance of the prophet being away from his motherland for 12 years."

I assume it must have had a significant impact. The same case with Pablo Neruda, don' you thinnk?

Great Book! Every time you read it you learn something new.

What is the non significance if the prophet is away from motherland for 12 years? Is prophets are confined only for their motherland? If you can see history of Prophets, for ex. Moses, and they travels outside in the purpose of preaching.
As I felt, Gibran's prophet that touches every part of life, and when you concentrate on reading it you would feel all his points are right. Reading Gibran with a pre supposed idea, would never let you enjoying him.It's not the prophet, but his thoughts are to be valued!!.

Jijo wrote: "What is the non significance if the prophet is away from motherland for 12 years? Is prophets are confined only for their motherland? If you can see history of Prophets, for ex. Moses, and they tra..."

I find Gibran's ideas as a tad too romantic.

If you find Gibran's writing as too romantic, then I think you have not taken him a way that you have to..
He preaches about the vital force of love, that binds each and every human together, and if you feel that teaching as too romantic, then I would ask what you meant by romance? He was always a poet who liked subject of love..you can find it if you read other books of him. Existence of that vital force is immortal, and in his concept human existence is to find that vital force and to be attached to it.

As I said before, if you approach Gibran with pre supposed views, then its better to close that book and try something else..TC

Well stated Jijo... I have been reading through the negative reviews of this book and I feel that they are judging this book unfairly. On the one hand I do feel many spiritual books are simplistic, shallow, and unrealistic. But not this one. There are no contradictions in this book other than the natural paradoxes of life. It acknowledges the pain and darkness of life and does not claim that it can be avoided, or eliminated. It only tells of a consistent way to try to approach a life that is full of danger, conflict, and chaos.

When people read a book like The Prophet, or works by people like William Blake, Rumi, or Lao Tsu, and are disappointed, I wonder if it is because they are expecting too much.. that maybe they are expecting some kind of advice or revelation that they can just record in their memory and apply to their life to eliminate pain and suffering... and that is not what these writers are trying to do. They are trying to express truth and nothing else, they are not providing any magic answers or explanations... no book can cure the ills of the world.

Eric wrote:
Hi Eric..I do really agree with your view..all of those who reads Gibran will have a pre supposed idea that it will be same as all spiritual books they have read..with answers for what they seek, advice or some sort of healing. Here Gibran deals with all phases of life, not only love but separation, not only happiness but also pain.
I too really wonder why people tends to approach a book with a pre-supposed views? If one finds Gibrans Prophet as romantic, then what is the meaning of romance? Is it same as love? As i always said, it's sthe vital force of nature that binds all human beings together, make one apprehensive while sees other suffering.
I am a fan of Gibran from my childhood, and I read Prophet when I was 13. From that time, I have always carried it with me,now I have all collection of Gibrans book, except one ot two.
Anyway I am glad to meet you, whom have understood, or trying to understand Gibran(like me).

Never learn what Prophets say by heart. Read them, put them down safely and then when you have a need, take out what you want and open at the page you require. This way it is all as fresh and new as the first time, coming slowly into the memory as a long lost friend you can rely on to help you when help is needed. Gibran is not about romance, he writes about life in all its moods, joys and tragedies. He writes as one who knows, not as one who imagines. And, like all prophets, his voice rests well on those to whom he speaks who understand him. For not all prophets speak to all men in the same tone or are heard by all men with the same ear. Colette

Jijo wrote: "If you find Gibran's writing as too romantic, then I think you have not taken him a way that you have to..
He preaches about the vital force of love, that binds each and every human together, and i..."

I find your idea as a tad too dangerously romantic.

Not going to argue with your condescending tone. You cannot teach an old dog a new trick and you cannot cure the disease contracted from directing young minds.

I will however point out that Ovid was in exile because of his advices in Amores. The poems are of ‘mortal love’ and matters relating and pertaining to Love. The poems can be deemed as ones listed under Romance. However, unlike the surrealistic and transcendental love Gibran professes, Ovid is more grounded and realistic. You fall in love, you get hurt. Even if you spend the whole life together, you get hurt from the worry you have of your love.

The advices Gibran hands out are almost always forever relevant but to deem them of some intellect must make you unmeritorious of intelligence.

Not going to lecture on the merits of literature but this is the first time I am assigned to ‘a way I must perceive a work’. You must be Gibran himself, so to speak.

Emily Iliani wrote: "Jijo wrote: "If you find Gibran's writing as too romantic, then I think you have not taken him a way that you have to..
He preaches about the vital force of love, that binds each and every human to..."
See.. you said about being in love and get hurt..there have always been interpretation of love as a relation happening between two opposite sex..it's just a relation..and real love is not confined to a relation..its a flow..but it cant flow around one person..That's why Jesus says love your neighbor as you love yourself..I believe Gibran is concerned about this love that which is divine..and the so called love all your poets and novelists projects cannot be divine..that jealous and possessive attitude..
If the prophet is so worldly then he wont say that love doesn't want to posses anything or to be possessed..and the love or romance you says only about this possessiveness.
I always believed Gibran was meant to be a mystic..who born in a wrong place..if he might have born in India..he would have considered as second Kabir..a mystic poet..it's a rare combination..it wont happen too often..it's so rare that after Kabir there was not even a person who was also a poet and an enlightened master.That's why Osho says Gibran is already that..already a mystic but lacks the core..
To give a suggestion to how to perceive a work, is not to offend you.I think you have not done justice to him.If I have done that justice to him..that's not only because of some intellectual outlook.I hate that so called intellectual person..because he can put forward only some logic; but life cannot be driven only by logic.It needs a combination of logic and emotions.Whenever your life goes only based on logic, then you have to suffer.It happened to all our philosophers like Nietsczhe..he says you are free because your god is dead..but his last days were full of suffering in a mental hospital.

Jijo wrote: "Whenever your life goes only based on logic, then you have to suffer.It happened to all our philosophers like Nietsczhe..he says you are free because your god is dead..but his last days were full of suffering in a mental hospital. "

I'm pretty sure his philosophy isn't what gave him syphilis. And I don't think logic had anything to do with him getting it either. He got it because he had sex with someone who had it.

I also find it odd that you are trying to correct someone else's "misinterpretation" of Gibran by completely distorting another thinker's ideas and then trying to explain how your imagined version of his ideas must be to blame for him getting a disease (which was, incidentally, later cured by crazy logic-using scientists that you seem to disapprove of).

You don't have to like or agree with Nietzsche, of course, but it would be nice if you made an attempt to understand his work before criticizing it. That is, after all, what you want people to do with Gibran's work, isn't it?

It also worth noting that whether or not something "causes suffering" has nothing to do with whether or not it is actually true. The two concepts have no relation whatsoever. It's obviously possible for something unpleasant to be true and for something pleasant to be false. Not that there's any basis for saying logic causes suffering, anyway.

I'd rather be facing pain and suffering with full mind and conscious of the depth of my decision than to placate, down-play and cushion the matter with a lot of beautiful roses. I wish those who walk on rose petals best of luck and not here to burst anyone's bubble.

I love Gibran, dont get me wrong. Ive read his writings and have a full collection of them (just in case people are pompous enough to think of me as dumb) but when my fair comment ended up being the brunt of romantics' condescending tone, I take heart.

And not referring to any post here; seriously the motherland seems to spit mystic genius by the dozens. I guess all other lands are unworthy of its existence. Must say, I am tired of certain arrogance and then some.

Hi Daniel..It's so nice to see your reply.I know about Nietsczhe from childhood itself because I read his Thus spoke Zarathustra first time when I was 13 years old. I always tried to study about him through wikipedia; and I have to admit that I was not knowing he was having syphilis too.I have a collection of his other book which are yet to read; so you have to excuse me because my reply will be based on the book I have read Thus spoke Zarathustra.
I don't have specific hatred towards Nietsczhe because the book I enjoyed most is his Zarathustra; even above Prophet too. I was not trying to misinterpret one's understanding about Gibran; I was just pointing that Gibran can be conceived in my ways too.After all we all are here for an open discussion, isn't it?
Coming to point..the author who taught us about an OVERMAN..in my way of understanding an enlightened one; can be named as Buddha.The word Buddha means the one who have awakened.Awakened from long slumber of Ego's, prejudices, superstitions.Overman as I understand the one who can raise above one's self, even above god.So I was just pointing out that the creator of an overman couldn't even consider his sickness as a part of his existence. That's why I said your logic will be the base to come to conclusions for some points.You can write 100 of pages about it, but when some problem comes to yourself; you are done.Logic and philosophies you have created will just vanish.I believe you are right in saying syphilis made him mad, but at the same time the one who criticized christian morality codes, and preached existentialism fails when he comes to know about his sickness.
So I was not concerned about criticizing Nietsczhe; because Am nothing before that great thinker. I was just pointing out that your logic can be a obstruction in experiencing something.Intellectual ability can give birth to your rational thoughts, but not to Intuitions. Intuitions takes birth when you taken at least a step towards your existence.
The things which causes suffering depends upon your outlook. You can't escape from the duality of nature.If there is happiness there should be suffering too, nobody can escape from it. In the same way a rose plant will seem beautiful to you and also at the same time ugly too.It all depends on how you approach things..TC Daniel.

Hi Emily..You said "I'd rather be facing pain and suffering with full mind and conscious of the depth of my decision than to placate, down-play and cushion the matter with a lot of beautiful roses. I wish those who walk on rose petals best of luck and not here to burst anyone's bubble".
Firstly I must admit that am nothing to give suggestions.But I would like to point something I feel. As I said your suffering will be entirely depends upon the way you approach. Your words shows that you have apprehensive about others suffering.If you happened to watch Jesus, you can feel that Jesus might have not even smiled. It's also a way to live..considering others pain as yours. At the same time if you know about Krishna, see how enjoying he was;with his dance..songs.It's also living enjoying every bit of your existence.So you are the one to decide how to perceive things. As I said your outlook matters..the rose which is beautiful can also seem to be ugly too.
Gibran says..Pleasure is a freedom song.In this you must understand one thing.Pleasure is freedom, and when you are to experience real freedom, your responsibility increases.Real freedom is not about exploitation of it.Entire world is behind that exploitation, and nobody understand that's not freedom, it's just the bursting of your suppressed emotions and feelings. That's why often your celebrities fails in enjoying life and ends up in addiction of drugs.
You also must learn to walk on rose petals. Your own existence wants it. But when you are able to walk on it..responsibility increases.When you have learned art of walking like that, the very moment you are meant to fall.Freud says, entire human existence is for suffering.He is right in saying that, but at the same time he forgets one thing when you have learned the art of being in present how much capable you are to make yourself miserable; you fails.Have you ever noticed just by accepting what you are; everything around you vanishes. Just by accepting you are sad; your sadness goes. Learn to be in sadness by enjoying it, that's the real meaning of being in present.Everything around teaches you something.But at the same time don't even try to run from dualities, because it's nature law.In Bhagavat Gita there is verse almost like this..Don't even try to run from changes, because changes are part of nature; and whatever happens has for good and whatever going to happen is also for good.
I am glad to notice that you have read all works of Gibran. He preaches for everyone..for lazy..for those who is suffering..and also for those who are in happiness.Also nobody here thinks you are dumb..we are all here for a open discussion.My discussions also to form my own views. Buddha says Doubt everything..question everything until you reaches your own conclusions.It should be so strong that nothing can destroy your peace of mind.If your views are strong, then there is no need of feeling what others think about you.
And about mystics..the enlightened one are the one who broke their cocoons. Their personality..their ego's and society around you is based on this ego's. So always an enlightened one will be an odd in society because he have no mask which make you acceptable to the society.
I apologize for a long reply as I said am nothing to give you suggestions how to perceive things.

Great stuff, guys. The nice thing about the discussion part is what you learn from others. We have views from life experience, which is subjective. If we have any sense,we will learn from the experience of others. I enjoyed your exchanges, they are enriching. As to 'not running from change' the one who survives most of life's traps is the one who can adapt. To adapt we have to accept the fact that there is change and embrace it rather than fight it. As to not having high intelligence if one considers Gibran a great thinker, ask yourself this my friend, why have his words lasted so long? The wisest of men speak with the simplest messages because wisdom is not merely for those of high intelligence but for all mankind. At times, I have learned more from simple folk I have met than I have from books written by the acclaimed voices of high intelligence. Life is a great teacher. Colette

Hi Colette..I agree with you fully. Life is a great teacher.But have you ever noticed we are running away from it. We are not giving reverence to our the precious thing which existence has given us.In Mabel Collins Light on path, there is a verse reverence for life."Regard earnestly the life that surrounds you". There is also a book called Reverence for life by Schweitzer. In that he says he came to know divine only by showing reverence for life. He says he never have tried to worship or to pray.
We are just behind violence. Our films..ad's everything depicts violence.Even news papers too we see first is about violence, riots.We became so against life and we never notices it.We became so accustomed to it, and when somebody says ill about other how interested we become.We are become so inside our cocoons, we neither let's anyone to break it nor we are interested in breaking it.
Socrates says real wisdom is the acceptance of your ignorance.But we never accepts it. We are so interested in giving advices. But when problems comes to us, we fails.That's why I said everything fails.our logic..philosophies.
Regard with reverence everything around you.Then your life will have another dimension. TC.

To anyone who admires the man, the BBC World Service (radio) will broadcast a documentary on him under the series 'Heart & Soul'. If anyone is interested, it will be in May and you can get info at the BBC's site.
Colette
It sounds terrific. For sure, I'll be listening.

I think the date of the broadcast is 5th May. Is there ever a time when you wished you lived in the time of a great prophet? That you could have access to the great well that is their mind and be able to tap it for some peace and reassurance? Today was one I wished that Gibran lived next door. Trouble is, all prophtes are not recognised fully in their time. Sure we have the writings, but thta's not the same as the man.

JIJO
Did I ever give your letter the reverence it deserves? If not please forgive that. I had a lot of trouble with my computers totally blocked at times, and other intrusions. If you ever get to my blog on goodreads http://colettenireamonnioannidou.word... or armida publicatons, you will see that life for me is far from simple. You will also see just how much reverence for living things I have.I appreciate even the smallest thing like the petals on a flower, a scent of pine on the wind, the cry of a seagull. I hate to kill anything (in spite of the title of my book!)I am not religious, but I hope I am spiritual and I respect that quality in others. I have yet to learn to stop being angry over people who hurt me who should have been kinder. But I bless my stars for the few true friends I have who are there for me when I need them.

I love a good discussion.
Colette, I will check into the BBC program.

The Prophet: Passages opened my mind and others made me yawn.

I keep "The Prophet" in my personal library. As with any philosophy, the message comes from the life of the philosopher. I am positive, people would not be universally drawn to "my" philosophy.

Jen,
I go to a meeting of people interested in philosophy on Thursdays when time allows. I have no study background in the subject, but as the speakers are philosophers and there's a question and answer session at the end, it can be very interesting. My Greek is 'kitchen/conversation' Greek, so these meets give me a chance to listen to beautiful Greek by educated speakers.

I was thinking yesterday after I wrote my bit on 'The Prophet' about what you said. I asked my friend who goes with me, she's a force of nature, an artist and a positive 'viber', aren't there some aspects of philosophy that are simply stating the obvious. To which she replied, with a huge grin, "Oh, so you find that too!' We figured that, being of an age, that one has already...if one has half a brain, explored some of the mysteries of life because we have had personal contact with them. For example some of us head towards religion as we grow older, some go in the opposite direction.

Do not underestimate your own power and your own worth. We are all cells in the body of the universe and we each feed one another. I sent a poem to a competition recently, which dealt with what we are and what we give to each other. If you want I'll give you the site...or the poem.

Best,
Colette

Jen wrote: "I love a good discussion.
Colette, I will check into the BBC program.

The Prophet: Passages opened my mind and others made me yawn.

I keep "The Prophet" in my personal library. As with any phil..."
Jen..I appreciate you have read Prophet.but don't reduce it into pure philosophy.Philosophy as I think is an ugly word reducing everything around you to reasons and logic.In true sense search for the real knowledge. It search for only knowledge not WISDOM.Wisdom is something you can gain only through experience. So please don't reduce Gibran to a philosopher. Call him a mystic..a "WONDERER"(I always uses words of my own).In Prophet he only wonders..he is not giving you any direct answers..then why we have to reduce him to that ugly word PHILOSOPHER??.Prophet as I know is just repetition of Zarathustra by Nietzsche.Two books are almost same. Zarathustra calls himself a poet a WONDERER. He says am just here to wonder not to reduce anything to knowledge.
For west all mystics seems to be philosophers only because of the fact that there religion and science stand in two corners. Am not saying as in east we are blessed to have a religion and science together. But still there is a merge. And of course there were greater mystics in west than in east Like Eckhart..Pythagorean's..Socrates..Heraclitus..but have you noticed except Socrates nobody is cared about others. Socrates stands out only because of Plato..only because as a disciple he wrote about him. Otherwise with that poison Socrates would have gone to ditch of misunderstood mystics.
So please consider Gibran as a mystic..a person who wonders..a person who wonders can only be poetic..philosophers are dry!! and I dont think Gibran is dry..he is with full of life's wonder..death's mysteries. And as I conceive..it's better to say as I experience only when life amuses you, or only when entire existence makes you wonder, then life will have a new fragrance. Your heart will start singing songs with morning birds..you will be full of dance and song's yet with full of silence.You will be overfilled with happiness,you will become more sensible.loving..compassionate.And I see in Gibran all these things, but only when he is possessed. He was a flower which spread all it's fragrances yet not always. He have missed something..because all his life he was expecting something like of Prophet again through his pen. That's why I said he was mystic..on a verge to bloom to fullness..but he missed..

Colette wrote: "JIJO
Did I ever give your letter the reverence it deserves? If not please forgive that. I had a lot of trouble with my computers totally blocked at times, and other intrusions. If you ever get to ..."
I appreciate your reverence about things. As Osho says.."Am here not for any religion..but for religiousness"..That religiousness is reverence towards existence. When you have reverence towards existence..(only god as I seen or felt)..you will become more compassionate and loving. Only because of this reverence I stopped eating non vegetarian food..avoid's using tissue papers..deo's. My friends used to say you are sometimes thinking too much..you should not think like that.But when am in 100% conscious I cannot even think of killing something to eat..destroying something only to wipe hand and mouth..destroying natural layers of atmosphere only to smell good..but for others it's all stupidity..But I enjoy's all things at it's best.
I always thought entire world is missing that. Am not saying am full of good things that world has to admire.But there is some sensibility that entire world is missing. It can be awareness..love..It misses the songs my heart sings..dances it dance..and awareness it creates towards the present vibe. Sometimes my eyes will filled with tears as it is now and I will fall into utter silence.Sometimes words will just disappear..incapable of describing things I feel as I am feeling now.Just remembering of that state of mind is enough..it's not mind but more than that..No Mind..
I dedicate this song sung by Milarepa for the reverence you show towards existence..
No one spoke..
The host..
The guest..
Nor the white chrysanthemum...
Ahhh!!!beautiful isn't it..No one spoke..utter silence..tears started coming to my eyes disturbing my typing..I know utter futility of words to describe what is being brought to me now..TC
"Tears are the joy of unknown.."- OSho

It is a real joy to meet a soul, because if you are a person for whom levels of existence mean elevation to a higher sense of what being a human soul means, then you do not have far to go.

Consciousness of the pain of other things is a revealing of the depth of perception a fully developed soul attains. Awareness of what we do to fellow creatures like dolphins, whales and elephants,look how they are slaughtered for ivory, means being tuned in 100% to life around us and being connected with it in ways not that many can achieve.

The thing is, these are VERY OLD beings and we know they have senses. Dolphins and whales are not mere fish. And even the way we treat chickens and fish in order to eat them is painful to me.

I am not a vegetarian, but slowly I have been trying to cut back on meat. I tried years ago to change my diet too fast and put myself into bad health. I love trees and try not to waste paper. However, there are times we have to compromise because even cutting a stalk of grass you can see the browning of the edge, which means reaction, grass is a living thing.

There's a give away for my books on Goodreads and in one story, Theories of Retribution, (TO LIVE OR NOT TO LIVE)- it's humourous,I deal with the fate of vegetables as we give them all kinds of horrible deaths as we prepare them. So, it's a compromise, man has always had to destroy SOMETHING to survive and feed his children.

I have my own 'tear' moments: tears and laughter are there so we don't need to pay for psychiatric care. The inner strength to be able to recognise what troubles us and be able to admit it and deal with it by laughing or crying, is a true gift.
Be well.

Going back to the letter about 'Wonderers', I find points in there that are very interesting. We may have produced more 'thinkers' in the West, there are so many as you have pointed out, but the East has its own share of 'wisdom' for want of a better word. And bear in mind Eastern civilizations are far older than the Western ones.

Gibran was a brilliant, fertile seed, and as with so many other fine minds gave out the fruit that his journey through life offered him. No one man can teach everything, therefore the respect we have for individuals who can do that is fully justified.Everything cmes in its time. And, as we are all different, different messages will talk to us in difering ways. Philosophy can be dry, sure but the message depends on the one who delivers it and how we digest it.

How I would love to have had a chance to sit and listen to Homer tell his stories. Today I paused to look at an enormous tree in my neighbourhood. It seems like only yesterday that it was dead, dry and lifeless. This morning it was alive with succulent green leaves, sparkling in the sunshine and weighed down with lavender blossom. I try, in a very busy and not easy life, to find moments of 'wonder' like this. To remind myself that there is healing and renewal after periods of emptiness. And, yes, we need the sense of wonder. Without it, we see nothing, we acknowledge nothing except our animal desires. Thank you guys, for such a great sharing. You are both wonderful.

Colette,
Would appreciate a poem.

Also, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on philosophy. I enjoy ancient and modern/contemporary philosophy... or any attempts by an author to put thoughts into words. Those "ah ha" moments when I completely identify with someones feelings, thoughts, beliefs... And those, "wow" moments when my mind is expanded, or my essence touched. I often use (as does Jijo) the term "Wonderer."

My favorite is chatting about it all... especially when it gets way-out-there. Wouldn't it have been great to listen in on Aristotle or Plato as they chatted away?

Guys, I'm not a poet, but I try to put some intangible feelings into words sometimes. This is that kind of 'attempt'.

Perhaps we are all just messengers standing alone against an uncluttered backdrop before life punches in the action taking place around us./Imprinting on our psyches the person each will finally be./ Where are we in our minds?/In a desert, in a swamp, on a stark hill, on a snowy landscape wondering?/Perhaps every small thing I do paints a meaningful spot on someone else's blank canvas, or perhaps not, as the case may be./I may create a wave I never intended to or I may have no impact where I really wished to./Perhaps all it involves is absorption, the learning curve of understanding, and what passes from you to me in the bitter dregs that fall from tragedy./Or the small blessings given with love./And in return what shapes your soul is what I offer you, goodness or evil absorbed by your need to allow what I do shape you.

That's it! And you may notice the 'wonder' in there! ha ha And yes, how great it would be to be there THEN. Not to have to read but to hear. Can you imagine the impact those men had then, the new way in which their thoughts began to have influence over the thoughts of others? What a gift to humanity.
And having someone to chat with about what you feel and experience is also a gift to be cherished.
Be well and content

hi..dont think that am not against philosophy or philosophers. Poetry is the thing which makes me content than philosophy. Philosophy misses the juiciness of existence. During my search of my lost soul(wonder!!!)..or my journey which I had done in beautiful Himalayas taught me only one thing to wonder..I was utterly lonely and away from crowd in a cave and suddenly i felt a great relief and decided to come back and from that moment itself nothing goes without giving a experience. Each moment is fruitful and the silence whcih has been showered on me as a blessing is still ecohing inside..that far away echo..that music of silence..makes me a Wonderer.
All i felt during my exile was that everyone is interested in running away from life..for somebody sannyas is an option..for some persons god is an option..everyone is creating something to run away..or to turn your back at life..and of course in India we have more than enough gods to renounce..and am happy because one god dont have to take care all this..at least some sharing is happening..of course i look forward for a moment where each person of India to have his own god..i think because of this we Indians dont care much about western philosophy..afterall who wants Aristotles unmoved mover when there is abundance of gods and godmen..
For me god is not creator..it is the creativity..the very juice of existence..thats why I called philosophy dry because to create you need to wonder..all philosophers I read Russell..Plato..Aristotle..Nietsczhe I missed this essence..the sap..of course there views are enriching..
Everything around me is poetic..except man and his machines.. Everything is so spontaneous..so flowing..but man..he is not flowing but rushing..making noise..flow is musical..but not rushing..he just want to dominate..to serve his ego's..prejudices..making cocoons around him..
I think it's in Mathew 26.1.Jesus says..Look at the fouls of the sky..neither do they sow..nor reap and collect in barns..still heavenly father feedeth them..leave the heavenly father to his own way..how well he says everything is spontaneous..no worry..no rushing..not getting angry..or fighting..they lives..flying by feeling the sun..talking to clouds..ahhh!!! What a life..everything is so beautiful..dancing..singing..celebrating..
Sometimes this beautifullness makes me deaf from noise man creates..it fills my eyes with tears so that it may dance before my eyes..Look at what Kabir says
i talk to my inner lover..i say why such rush..
We sense that there is some sort of spirit..
That loves birds..animals and ants..
Perhaps the same one who given radiance to you in your mothers womb..
Is it logical you would be walking around entirely orphaned now?
The truth is that you turned away yourself..
And decided to go to the dark alone..

Yes..we are turned away ourselves..TC..

The older I become, the more I contemplate all things, I realize how insignificant I am. And, I understand there is no 'entity' capable of grasping it all. As a collective, I don't know. I am okay with just my musings...wonderings...philosophizing. And I am okay with 'our' musings...wonderings...philosophizing.

As long as there are hearts and minds like yours,guys, the world has hope. My friend Rhea is an artist, she paints on circles. She's a Christian but respects and draws upon the wisdom of all faiths. that's what we need...the sap, with that nourishment there is no growth. Everything serves a purpose and it is the nature of mankind and womankind, to seek truths. As we all separted and went in different directon to explore and find food, we all found our different gods. We can see how early on this search started by archaeological remains. The cave dwellers were laying things in graves and painting on walls. The creativity...you are absolutely right, is the essence that drives us. And the thrilling thing is how vast our imaginations are. One of the most important elements is silence, the need to allow the universal energy to come in. And yes, we spend so much time making nose that our spirits NEED silence to absorb what is there for us to feed our souls on. I did Yoga for many years and so loved the meditation aspect. Love is also of tremendous significance, without the ability to love and accept love we are desolate. Love comes in many ways and forms. Be loved, my friends, you are special epople.

Well said... Peace Be With You All

Guys,
The man behind The Prophet is on BBC World Service on Saturday. I think they said 11.30 morning. Bear in mind that the BBC WS works to GMT (Greenwich Meantime), so if you can listen in, check their website for time and adjust to local. Here in Cyprus, we are two hours ahead of the rest of Europe. Luckily, the local newspaper gives the progs in local time. Be well and content. I hope to hear it/record it. It may be available for download. Usually sat morning for me is run, run, run, but this is worth making time for!

Heard the prog and found it very interesting. Photos and video on Heart and Soul at BBC.co.uk. One thing that struck me after hearing about his relationship with Mary, was the comment that if you hold your hand over the lower face of the front picture, the upper part could be female. He had such an intense relationship with her and she was so vital to him and his promotion, it is quite possible that the ambiguous sex could be a tribute to her helping him. What a story.

i would try to see it in you tube then..in india i think the program was not available.-here who cares about gibran..there are enough so called romantic novels and vampires..who have time to read something of gibran..its unfortunate that i have met only a few from india in goodreads who takes reading seriously..there are many readers who read only novels..am not against reading novels...i have always loved reading tolstoy..gorky..chekov..turgnev..dostoevsky..and i have considered their books more valuable than so called holy scriptures..but i never came across a single novelsit from west to compare with them..with all my respect to english language i have to say that it become more of language of technicians..to go to the highest..it became philosophical..not a pure poetry..only few wondering minds i met through my small collection of books..time has come for a kabir..or a Milarepa..if they can take another life i would definitely want them to born in west as poets..

Hi today, India has offered so much to The West. Did I tell you I have a cook/recipe book from India dated 1879 (if I recall correctly). I used a bit on my blog http://colettenireamonnioannidou.word...
India may not be interested because you have so much of your own.Look at how India has inspired so many British writers. There are many Western writers...supposedly 'great' that do nothing for me.It boils down to taste and what touches your heart and mind. My daughter shares your taste in reading, she's a serous reader who loves the Masters you mention. The written word becomes personal property when the writer speaks to YOU and that is what Gibran did, his book sold out like wild fire and has not been out of print since. He was a MAN, no pretensions to be anything else. A man with a good soul and the desire to share. That sharing is so necessary in life. The good words never go out of print.If I were to be born again, I would want to be at peace with my life. I am not happy with this life and I am still searching for my personal recipe for a contented life. It's not wealth, it's not 'happiness' it is to be at peace with myself and the world around me. I need time to be quiet and to think. I miss my hills/cliffs and the sea of home. I am at my ease in wild places. be well, my friend, take care.

yeah..i agree with you..east has abundance of much but they dont use it at all.. Am not against west..dont think like that. I have a tremendous respect towards wests contribution to mankind.. Am an anarchist and dreams of destroying boundaries.. Am against so called traditions and cultural division..i dont like them..
India is behind west and west is behind india..i have seen people who still carry that slavary of two thousand years in mind and have a specific respect for west..i have seen people proud of talking about their photos they took with a westener..i dont understand what this people are up to..just by dressing like them..just imitating that aristrocratic etiquetes they think that they became cultured like west..imitation destroy's essence..there is no need of imitations but a merging..and i dream for that day..where man is not ruled by boundaries..
Dont be discontent with what you have now..there is still life ahead..go wild..go little insane..other life is hidden in this life..gibran says paradise is here, may be behind next door. Yes its just next door..just open the window you can feel that breeze..i love this life..and only this life..even if god comes and says he will make me enlightened in next life but you should not love this life..i would say keep your enlightenment with you..even am ready to go to hell for it..i also love to be wild..to be mad..to be insane..i would also love to scream to all those who believe life is a suffering..its a pleasure song..even am sad it teaches me something..then why should i hate to become sad..i would love to give a kick in ass to all those who says its boring..how can you be bored when existence showers on you..how can you close the doors and windows..everything is dancing..everything is celebrating..feasting..so do i..
Dont think like it's late..still you have time..go wild..jump from a mountain screaming that what a wonderful life..TC..
May peace be with you..

yeah..i agree with you..east has abundance of much but they dont use it at all.. Am not against west..dont think like that. I have a tremendous respect towards wests contribution to mankind.. Am an anarchist and dreams of destroying boundaries.. Am against so called traditions and cultural division..i dont like them..
India is behind west and west is behind india..i have seen people who still carry that slavary of two thousand years in mind and have a specific respect for west..i have seen people proud of talking about their photos they took with a westener..i dont understand what this people are up to..just by dressing like them..just imitating that aristrocratic etiquetes they think that they became cultured like west..imitation destroy's essence..there is no need of imitations but a merging..and i dream for that day..where man is not ruled by boundaries..
Dont be discontent with what you have now..there is still life ahead..go wild..go little insane..other life is hidden in this life..gibran says paradise is here, may be behind next door. Yes its just next door..just open the window you can feel that breeze..i love this life..and only this life..even if god comes and says he will make me enlightened in next life but you should not love this life..i would say keep your enlightenment with you..even am ready to go to hell for it..i also love to be wild..to be mad..to be insane..i would also love to scream to all those who believe life is a suffering..its a pleasure song..even am sad it teaches me something..then why should i hate to become sad..i would love to give a kick in ass to all those who says its boring..how can you be bored when existence showers on you..how can you close the doors and windows..everything is dancing..everything is celebrating..feasting..so do i..
Dont think like it's late..still you have time..go wild..jump from a mountain screaming that what a wonderful life..TC..
May peace be with you..

Jijo,
Have you read Zorba the Greek? If not, it is full of life's lessons. I belive, as you do, that we have no need to copy each other but rather to learn from each other. I get down but somehow I always jump back up. happily, boredom is a thing i don't suffer from because I am always busy. We Irish say the devil finds work for idle hands and minds! I nevr close doors...and you know the old saying..when one door closes another opens. Thank you for your kind words and your time. I appreciate it. be well and shouting good things to the mountains. The echo will only bring you back good things then. Colette

Colette, I like what you have to say. Stay the path.

Yes,one thing the BBC does well are those kinds of explorations and Heart and Soul is always good. As they said in that programme, possibly the reason he and Mary did not get married was because he was very obvously not 'Western' as his name immediately stated. Also, bear in mind, that back then, the mixing of cultures via marriage was always difficult. (It still is in some cases.)

The other thing was, as the narrator mentioned, it was he felt, when first given the book, a bit 'pseudo' biblical. I was born Roman Catholic (now well lapsed) and know that there was a time when the church frowned on ANYTHING that might draw attention away fron ITS teachings. The message is so Christian, they had no need to worry. Wisdom and honesty, no matter from which race or creed they come, have been given us as useful lessons and the sheer volume of continuing sales shows just how effective his message was/is. Oddly enough, he was, if I rememebr well, a Maronite Christian, but his name implied Arab for those who did not know. Just goes to show that with the proof of time, it's the message that counts, who carries it or what name he/she bears is of little importance.

Wow, too many very in depth comments, all wonderful. I love this book for what it is,whatever you may classify it as. It is my mother's favorite and as an adult I realizrd how much she raised based o the chapter on Children. I think this book is amazing ad beautiful. I have friends who have experienced significant hardship who turned to this book with resent and love at the same time. For me, always marvelous.

I may be wrong, but I think the significance of his being "away" was that he had lived and learned and now was "coming home" in a spiritual sense. It's a metaphor for the end of his life and the next phase of existence (whether you believe in Heaven or Karma, etc.).

Sign the Petition for a Kahlil Gibran US Postage Stamp!
http://www.adc.org/education/kahlil-g...

Pretty, but without content.

it was beautiful .The type of experience that you don't find every day.It makes you reflecte about reality seen in a different way

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious, and The Prophet is a book that draws us into our own mystery, back to our homeland — that inner self that recognizes we are all connected, deep down, and this sacred connectedness is the loving spirit that abides in the heart of humanity.

The words of Kahlil Gibran offers sweetness where there is sorrow, and invites us to open our hearts and embrace one another in the dance of life. He speaks of the eternal tides of human emotion and experience and how to find peace where there is trouble. The Prophet reveal to us that happiness is our primordial nature. I love my little book as a friend, as my own family, and I believe The Prophet lives in us all.

Read The Prophet in high school and must get a copy to read again. I remember it as beautiful, touching my heart in every way.

It's an amazing book. So deep and profound, it talks about every subject like Love, Beauty, Friendship and Family etc and somewhere touches the chords of our hearts and inner self. I think everyone should read this book at least one in their lives.

I absolutely love this book. My mother gave it to me when I was a teenager a long time ago. Definitely plan on re-reading it this week