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WELCOME TO URTHONA

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Urthona masthead

URTHONA Buddhist arts magazine 

We cover contemporary and traditional arts from a Buddhist perspective. Our inspirations are William Blake, the zen poets of Japan,  creative pioneers of all ages.  Urthona, appearing once a year, is a beautifully designed, 68 page,  glossy magazine. Each issue contains 10 pages of new poetry, a copious reviews section, news and fascinating articles. 

For essays on the transformative power of art and imagination  – see listings to right (or bottom of page on phone / tablet)

Editor’s blog: musings on art, literature & spirit of place – scroll down past information.

Urthona MasterCurrent Issue: Urthona issue 33 – THE SCIENCE FICTION ISSUE –

Buy at  Urthona Shop (Or  buy a sample back issue for only £5)

URTHONA investigates science fiction, and finds in speculative literature ways of expanding the imagination similar to those used by the Buddhist sages of old… Interview with CHRISTOPHER PRIEST, TRANSCENDENTAL SCIENCE FICTION, 2001 ODYSSEY REMEMBERED, PHILIP K. DICK as modern seer. 

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Become an URTHONA MEMBER for only £1 / month (£2 outside UK) – get priority subscription & free access to back issues. More donation options on DONATE page (click on top menu)   Buy Now Button

American Zen issue

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Urthona goes zen for our next issue due out next summer. American Zen. Buddhism and in particular Zen have had a profound influence on on American arts and literature over the last 100 years. We plan to cover:

* Buddhism and American poetry from Ezra Pound to Jane Hirshfield. And the Beats of course.

* Zen and Abstract Expressionism.

* Interview with a contemporary master of Zen brush painting.

Longing for the swifts

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Sabrina’s Stream at Kempsey on Severn by Benjamin Williams Leader

High summer approaches. For me this time of year is very much associated with that most aetherial of birds, the swift. I’m waiting eagerly for them to arrive.  Remembering sitting in the garden at peace on summer afternoons; looking upwards into depth upon depth of blue, where the screaming swifts are seen looping through the sky in their great, unhindered gyres. So sad that their numbers have declined in recent years, not enough people have proper wooden eaves under which they can make their nests anymore.

Continue reading “Longing for the swifts” →

The only Megalith in Essex?

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This standing stone was spotted just outside Hatfield Forest, north east Essex. Although it has clearly been set up by a farmer just outside his farmhouse as an interesting feature, the stone itself does look very old and extremely weathered. It is some kind of conglomerate with many small pebbles ingrained in the rock. Surely someone trying to manufacture a megalith would not use this kind of stone as it doesn’t look especially mythic or impressive. However its shape is certainly very like some of the smaller standing stones at Avebury. So if a forgery a clever one…

PS I hear rumours of a church somewhere in Essex that is supposed to have a ring of buried megaliths all around the edge of the grave yard. I hope to report on this properly at some point in the future. Any pointers gladly received…