In O My Beloved, Whisperings from the Divine Heard by Kalidas, poet, teacher, and clinician, Lawrence Edwards, PhD, continues to share the mystic's view of the Divine as he did in Kali's Bazaar Penned by Kalidas. In this collection, the Great Goddess, whispers to Kalidas, servant of Kali, words that give voice to the depths of the sacred, especially feminine forms of the Divine, known globally as the Divine Mother, Lover, and source of all. In this way we hear the voice of Kali, Tara and more. Dr. Edwards asserts that we are all mystics on the journey to knowing the fullness of who we truly are.
Described by the journal Yoga International as being in the tradition of Hafiz, Rumi, and Kabir, Edwards' writings are infused with that direct nondual experience and loving compassion that flows through open-hearted devotion to the Divine in Her many forms. Rooted in the ancient bhakti yoga path, the path of the heart, this poetry resonates with mystics from all traditions.
"Lawrence Edwards is that rare miracle-an authentic mystical poet inspired by direct experience of the divine. In O My Beloved, he offers us a gorgeous, wild, passionate, sacred feast. Eat, be inspired, rejoice, and keep using these messages from reality to embolden and ennoble your life." -Andrew Harvey, author of Turn Me to Gold: 108 Translations of Kabir
"The jewels in this collection are translucent." -Mirabai Starr, author of Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of Women Mystics
O My Beloved speaks to the heart of all seekers engaging in their quest to know the highest, to know the Divine, the Infinite, moment by moment. The Beloved, written about by Christian mystics, Sufis, bhaktis, and yogis can wear the mask of the divine feminine, the Great Goddess, the Holy Mother, or many other forms that fill the heart with love and devotion while propelling the mind toward enlightenment. For over five decades Edwards has studied, practiced and taught the meditative traditions he learned from masters in the Buddhist, Hindu, yogic and western mystical traditions. This sublime assembly of poetic gifts of wisdom has been gathered from the depths of meditation. As Edwards says in his preface, these poems were heard by him in meditative states and he has done his best to serve as a scribe. Spiritual insights, unfathomable wisdom, sheer joy and all-embracing love await the reader fortunate enough to enter the sacred domain of these writings!
Edwards' poetry speaks to a wide audience and includes haiku, nature themes, spiritual wisdom and deep insights into the power of revelation and transformation underlying meditation practices. In the yogic tradition that power is known as Kundalini Shakti, the power of divine Consciousness that dissolves all differences to bring the seeker into the highest state of Unity Consciousness. It's also known as the grace-bestowing power of God, Holy Spirit, Buddha mind, and countless other names. Through his writings Edwards conveys the unity underlying all spiritual traditions as they merge in the One.
Author Biography:
Lawrence Edwards grew up on Long Island, New York. His mystical experiences that first began as a young child led him to the formal study of meditation and psychology in undergraduate and graduate school. He studied with transpersonal psychologist, Dr. Kenneth Ring, at the University of Connecticut, and graduated magna cum laude in 1974. During this time, he practiced meditation and hatha yoga and began studying Tibetan Buddhism with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He continued practicing and studying in Buddhist and yogic traditions, which culminated in his training as a monk under the direct guidance of his Kundalini meditation master in India. He went on to earn a PhD from Temple University in 1986. His doctoral research was on delineating the types of psychological change and spiritual growth experienced through the long-term practice of a Kundalini-based yoga. Kundalini Shakti is the ancient yogic term for the innate universal power of Consciousness, transformation and revelation, which is the root of all forms of yoga. Later he received teachings and empowerments from H.H. the Dalai Lama, H.E. Tsewang Seetar Rinpoche, and Gelek Rinpoche.In addition to practicing and teaching meditation for more than fifty years, Dr. Edwards is trained in Jungian depth psychology, biofeedback and neurofeedback, and is board certified in neuro-biofeedback (BCIA senior fellow). He has served on the board of directors and as president of the Northeast Regional Biofeedback Society. As a New York state licensed psychotherapist (LMHC), Dr. Edwards has been in private practice offering transpersonal psychotherapy for more than thirty years, and served on the faculty of New York Medical College since 1998.Dr. Edwards is the founder and director of the Anam Cara Meditation Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization that he started right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, which had such a devastating impact on his suburban New York community and beyond. With the mission of Anam Cara (ancient Gaelic for "friend of the soul") to make the powerful transformative practices of meditation freely available to all, Dr. Edwards has offered free weekly meditation programs, in addition to retreats and courses for more than two decades. He continues to work with individuals and groups interested in deepening their meditation practices and spiritual development.
