Most Precious

Günter Saure

GÜNTER SAURE
born 1950 in West-Germany. For over thirty years I have lived and practiced as a psychotherapist in Bremen, in the north of Germany.Throughout these decades, my growing spiritual longing and quest has brought me into contact with different teachers and teachings, strongly influencing my path. They all served and deepened my understanding about the true nature of existence and who we are at the core of our being.
In addition I was increasingly drawn to reading sacred poetry, like the poems of Kabir, Hafis and Rumi. For eight years, this journey of engaging myself in questions about the essence of life, also has borne fruit in the form of occasionally writing spiritual poems. This writing process happens in spontanious and unpredictable ways, mostly, to my own surprise, in english. I also started to engage differently when taking photographs which sometimes, more or less intentionally, brings about astounding images from nature. Thereby nature often reveales itself in unfamiliar ways, evoking in me a deep sense of awe and wonder. I hope, that the poems and images in this book will be received and enjoyed as an opportunity for contemplating the endlessly unfolding mystery of life.

Amanda Player

AMANDA PLAYER
born 1952 in south east England, now living in south devon. I am passionate about the wisdom of the body in revealing our human and spiritual being and work as a movement psychotherapist and somatic experiencing practitioner supporting individuals to explore their true nature.
In 2001, I left my known life in London and set off on a journey for what became a year and a day. My companion was a journal. On the journey, when I was particularly touched by an experience, I found myself writing in verse form and two of these poems are included here; Theatre of Magic and Wild Pear Bay. Since that time, I sometimes write a poem, either on retreat or in my daily life in response to what touches me. I don't craft the poems, as you can see! They come, I write them down and occasionally change a word or two to help understanding but holding the essence. All the words are bound up for me with the sense of living in this landscape of awakening though I feel particularly this is true of the poems Grace and What is most precious which came to me as a feeling sense of a journey within this landscape.

Matthew Needham

MATTHEW NEEDHAM
My life as a city based photographer and teacher was diverted some time ago by a desire that led to me working therapeutically with horticulture, nature connection and Goethean observation of nature. I am currently interested in the patterning that life experience can embed in the human system and how we can find freedom and ease with this.
I have become drawn to wild places in nature, often in Winter when the rivers are full and roaring. Early morning and dusk often bring an evocative light, filled with quiet and mystery. What happens when I just sit and ask what's here? Sometimes my attention is caught by the light, or I am moved to make an offering using natural materials I have gathered or brought with me. Sometimes I just have a nice cup of tea and sit there. Often I scramble back in the dark, soaked from rain or splashing in streams, feeling enlivened and enveloped by something that I cannot name.