urthonamag

Four Buddhist Composers

Contemporary composers who are strongly influenced by Buddhism are not often featured in the music press, but there are several very talented figures working currently. Here are four to note: Akashadeva – David Earl

Auden for now?

What would that great poet of political engagement in the twentieth century have made of the current state of the world? Would it have brought out the ambivalently committed English socialist of the earlier years, or the Christian humanitarian Auden of maturity? Would he have understood that modern right wing populism is not quite theContinue reading “Auden for now?”

Black Mountain Blues

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 ‘theContinue reading “Black Mountain Blues”

A walk that ends in bluebells

Eversden wood is an ancient managed woodland in South Cambridgeshire. Rather than carpets of bluebells as in Hampshire or Somerset the insouciant flowers hide between ferns and saplings. Full text of blog post with photos

Longing for the swifts

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 theContinue reading “Longing for the swifts”

Orc in the fires of hell

I have just updated our website – let us know what you think of the new look. The featured image is now Blake’s engraving of Orc in the fires of energy, from his book America a Prophecy.

URTHONA Buddhist arts magazine

Explore art & culture from a Buddhist perspective Welcome to Urthona magazine, taking its name from William Blake’s zoa or archetypal spirit of the creative imagination Urthona blends a Romantic concern with inner and outer spiritual freedom with the insights of the Buddhist East. Urthona appears once a year in 68 page full colour A4.Continue reading “URTHONA Buddhist arts magazine”

New post: a major essay on ambivalent faith and doubt in the poetry of Geoffrey Hill

‘Unction and Slaughter’ Faith and Doubt in the poetry of Geoffrey Hill by Ratnagarbha (Ambrose Gilson) READ FULL POST

The only Megalith in Essex?

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. SurelyContinue reading “The only Megalith in Essex?”

The Old Straight Track

Stourbridge Common – tracks to nowhere, the iron bridge, memories of the fair… Stourbridge Common is the nearest piece of semi-rural land to where I live in Cambridge. It is only a five minute cycle ride away but on dark winter afternoons it can take on an epic doom-laden appearance… The straight track across itsContinue reading “The Old Straight Track”