urthonamag

Geoffrey Hill on Larkin

Geoffrey Hill’s valedictory lecture as Oxford Professor of Poetry is powerful final plea to maintain standards in literature. His hectoring, pungently oratorical style has to be heard to be believed. He is irreplaceable. Listen to it here: Oxford lecture

New Collection from Buddhist Poet

The Solitude of Small Doors, Ananda (Stephen Parr) Wolf at the Door, Bristol 2015, £11.52, pb, 250 pp (To order go to Lulu.com and search for Stephen Parr Reviewed by Ratnagarbha Ananda’s major new collection, The Solitude of Small Doors has a distilled reflectiveness about it. We get the feeling that this is the fruit of aContinue reading “New Collection from Buddhist Poet”

The new Gnosticism

A Fascinating article by Henry Gould about a new group of American poets who call themselves the New gnostics. It appeared in Coldfront magazine in May 2014. The New Gnosticism

A quest for contours in East Anglia

It was spring and I wanted to climb a hill, but not too far away. Too much driving, surely, equals alienation. Best to stay within a day’s journey on horse or camel back. Let the crabbed soul come along for the ride. No more than one hour’s drive then. I would give in to contourContinue reading “A quest for contours in East Anglia”

Petrarch, Sonnets in translation

Francesco Petrarca (July 20, 1304 – July 19, 1374), commonly written in English as Petrarch, was one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch’s rediscovery of Cicero‘s letters is often credited with initiating the 14th-century Renaissance. His love sonnets were admired and imitated throughout Europe during the Renaissance and became a model for lyrical poetry. They were all written to expressContinue reading “Petrarch, Sonnets in translation”

Edward Thomas – master of prose

Edward Thomas has been much celebrated in recent years for the short lived but vital output of his poetry before he headed for the Western front and into memory. The influence of his prose writing – nature writing and literary reviews has been downplayed. This is regrettable.

Just posted in Culture and Society: Ruskin’s Seven Lamps and the power of art

Just posted a talk given by Ratnagarbha on the art critic John Ruskin and his relevance to people who believe in the power of art to transform self and world. Find the talk here: Ruskin’s Seven Lamps

PROTASIS: The Cosmic Goddess

An extract from the editorial for issue 32, due out November 2015, on the cosmic goddess I believe that the modern goddess image is not primarily a figure to be worshipped, but a symbol that embodies a vision of the entire cosmos that is deeply, desperately needed in this age. In turning our hearts toContinue reading “PROTASIS: The Cosmic Goddess”

Urthona now has a Facebook page

You can now follow Urthona on Facebook. This page, which is the editor’s personal page, will contain short topical reflections about art, life and everything, as well as news of the magazine. Please note: the views expressed will be the editor’s personal views and not necessarily those of the magazine or its editorial team. ClickContinue reading “Urthona now has a Facebook page”

The imaginative stimulus of ignorance….

I have this alchemical symbol on my wall so I can see it when I meditate. I must admit this is more inspiring to me than most Buddha images would be. I have no idea what it means but that is part of the attraction. I am reminded of that old romantic idea that landscapesContinue reading “The imaginative stimulus of ignorance….”