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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

Black Mountain Blues

On By urthonamagIn Editor's Blog, PoetryLeave a comment

Optic Nerve is a Blakean project based in South London. Largely self-funded they are producing fascinating videos about poetry and contemporary music. Especially the black mountain poets and the Objectivist poets of 20th century America. And from Britain material on Elaine Feinstein – her ‘Song of Power’. I also highly recommend the interview with ‘the last living Objectivist’ Carl Rokosi in the ‘current projects’ section. There is much excellent work here in progress much of it needing funding to continue…

Optic Nerve

 

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

On By urthonamagIn Poetry2 Comments
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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” →