Spirituality

Anam Cara [Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Anam Cara [Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

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  • Create Date：2023-01-01 06:51:55
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：John O'Donohue
  • ISBN：0063270587
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Summary

Anam Cara is a rare synthesis of philosophy， poetry， and spirituality。 This work will have a powerful and life-transforming experience for those who read it。 --Deepak Chopra

A twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the classic work of Celtic spirituality and mysticism， updated with new material， including an Introduction， Afterword and P。S。 section。

In this revered classic， the late poet， philosopher， and scholar John O'Donohue helps us discover the divine within us as he guides us on a journey to the sacred space where the eternal meets the soul。 Anam Cara， Gaelic for soul friend， is a timeless collection of ancient Celtic wisdom， poetry， stories， and blessings that offer profound insights on the universal themes of friendship， solitude， love， and death as:

Light is generousThe human heart is never completely bornLove as ancient recognitionThe body is the angel of the soulSolitude is luminousBeauty likes neglected placesThe passionate heart never agesTo be natural is to be holySilence is the sister of the divineDeath as an invitation to freedomAllowing us to experience the grace of Celtic benediction， Anam Cara nourishes the heart and elevates the spirit。

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Reviews

Andrea Prinzi ，

I am so grateful for my dear friend， a true anam cara， for gifting me this book when I needed it most。 This book is such a beautiful display of Celtic wisdom， Irish lore， philosophy， and remnants of guidance and thought from various other religions， poets， and deep-thinkers。 I was surprised to find that the book not only talked about the beauty of friendships， love， and connectedness-- but also topics like finding your life's purpose， loving your work， and learning to embrace death when it （inev I am so grateful for my dear friend， a true anam cara， for gifting me this book when I needed it most。 This book is such a beautiful display of Celtic wisdom， Irish lore， philosophy， and remnants of guidance and thought from various other religions， poets， and deep-thinkers。 I was surprised to find that the book not only talked about the beauty of friendships， love， and connectedness-- but also topics like finding your life's purpose， loving your work， and learning to embrace death when it （inevitably） comes。 Beautiful read。 。。。more

Jess ，

Just beautiful and thought provoking。 It's best to think about its insights and messages coming over you in waves。 Just beautiful and thought provoking。 It's best to think about its insights and messages coming over you in waves。 。。。more

Elizabeth ，

The concept for this book was super intriguing， and the concepts discussed in this book were very interesting as well， but it didn't dive as deep into them as I would have liked。 He introduces so many different ways of thinking about the self and life， only to then skip the exploration of those ideas or to try and tie them to quotations and old stories。 It feels like it was written as a quotable， or a very long blog article （I don't want to make it sound like I'm looking down on either of these The concept for this book was super intriguing， and the concepts discussed in this book were very interesting as well， but it didn't dive as deep into them as I would have liked。 He introduces so many different ways of thinking about the self and life， only to then skip the exploration of those ideas or to try and tie them to quotations and old stories。 It feels like it was written as a quotable， or a very long blog article （I don't want to make it sound like I'm looking down on either of these things， because I'm not and I enjoy reading both， but I felt as though the cover and marketing promised something different。） O'Donohue is eloquent and clearly educated， but I struggled through this。 I would be more interested in reading some of his later works， because this work was his first publication。 。。。more

Helen Salsbury ，

I love this book。 It's beautifully and intelligently written， by the wonderfully inspirational poet， philosopher and ex-priest John O'Donohue。 All his work is worth reading and/or listening too。 But this is my favourite。 It's one I've read and reread many times。 And will do again！ I love this book。 It's beautifully and intelligently written， by the wonderfully inspirational poet， philosopher and ex-priest John O'Donohue。 All his work is worth reading and/or listening too。 But this is my favourite。 It's one I've read and reread many times。 And will do again！ 。。。more

Becky Stout ，

The writing is a bit convoluted in places or maybe I'm too practical to recognize it。 There are many statements and phrases well put and worthy of keeping by my side。 I do appreciate the Celtic circular view of the seasons and life and death， however。 Christianity feels like a rough interloper in this poetic vision。 It is a book to take what is meaningful。 Be creative， don't be afraid， be present， be kind， be helpful。 Each stage is an adventure。 The writing is a bit convoluted in places or maybe I'm too practical to recognize it。 There are many statements and phrases well put and worthy of keeping by my side。 I do appreciate the Celtic circular view of the seasons and life and death， however。 Christianity feels like a rough interloper in this poetic vision。 It is a book to take what is meaningful。 Be creative， don't be afraid， be present， be kind， be helpful。 Each stage is an adventure。 。。。more

Christine Betts ，

A book to read yearly

Joshua J ，

A phenomenal summation of the soul journey。 I will be referring to this book often as I need to remember certain aspects

Judy Mullally ，

I have so many highlights！ Great thought provoking book。

Kate McLeod ，

😭😭😭😭 I will read this book again and again my entire life。 And I can’t wait to read more of Johns。 Feel so special to begin to connect w my Irish tūpuna and how they saw the world。 John is such an amazing writer and this pukapuka came into my life just when I needed it ❤️

Marco Carboni ，

A magnificent book to read time and again trough out your life。 I would have liked to know you John O’Donohue。

james patrick murphy ，

a deep journey into the soulRemarkable insights expressed in gentle term to fundamental questions of who we are and what we are doing here in this dimension This book leaves a lasting feeling of gratitude for the wisdom of the celts

Ed Key ，

One of my favourite books。 One of those you can just pick up anytime and read a section with a renewed clarity of mind。 It's almost more like a long poem。 I particularly loved the parts about the inner wellspring。 One of my favourite books。 One of those you can just pick up anytime and read a section with a renewed clarity of mind。 It's almost more like a long poem。 I particularly loved the parts about the inner wellspring。 。。。more

Lucien ，

i'm saving every blessing from this book to use in every day life 🍀 i'm saving every blessing from this book to use in every day life 🍀 。。。more

Amber ，

This is by far one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read。 It talks about life， death， and everything in between。 It’s really a wonderful book that makes you think but in a way I can’t describe。 I have never read a book that I actually highlighted passages and quotes in other than for school。 This one is marked up in several chapters。 I really loved it and highly recommend it。 If I could give it 10 stars， I would。

Craig ，

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book。 Normally I don't go in for books on spirituality， and have never much enjoyed Meister Eckhart， one of John O'Donohue's major influences - but I found Anam Cara beautiful， with deep rhythms and a poetic depth throughout that I found meaningful and empowering。 I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book。 Normally I don't go in for books on spirituality， and have never much enjoyed Meister Eckhart， one of John O'Donohue's major influences - but I found Anam Cara beautiful， with deep rhythms and a poetic depth throughout that I found meaningful and empowering。 。。。more

Susan ，

Lovely， wise， luminous book。 It was a pleasure to read。

Christos ，

I very rarely come across a person whose voice and words touch me so profoundly。 I have no sensible way of describing what this book or author mean to me。 I would recommend listening to John O'Donohue on the 'On Being' podcast。 I very rarely come across a person whose voice and words touch me so profoundly。 I have no sensible way of describing what this book or author mean to me。 I would recommend listening to John O'Donohue on the 'On Being' podcast。 。。。more

Caitlin Holbrook ，

"When you love， you open your life to an Other。 All your barriers are down。 Your protective distances collapse。 This person is given absolute permission to come into the deepest temple of your spirit。 Your presence and life can become this person's ground。 It takes great courage to let someone so close。"Beautiful book of wisdom that took me two years to fully， completely， wholly read and sit with。 This is one that I will return to over and over throughout the course of my life。 "When you love， you open your life to an Other。 All your barriers are down。 Your protective distances collapse。 This person is given absolute permission to come into the deepest temple of your spirit。 Your presence and life can become this person's ground。 It takes great courage to let someone so close。"Beautiful book of wisdom that took me two years to fully， completely， wholly read and sit with。 This is one that I will return to over and over throughout the course of my life。 。。。more

Kristina ，

A yearly reread。

Therese Okraku ，

Beautiful book to guide you through the joys and challenges of being a human and finding meaning

Marlise ，

I am torn over this collection of essays。 Some are beautiful， transcendent， and a balm for my soul。 Most of them， however， are limited and naive in their understanding mixed with a sort of bossy-ness in the language that throws me off。 Of the over 100 essays， I have tagged 12 worth returning to。 If you read this， I recommend reading only one essay at a time with space in between to let it sink in or shake off as needed。

Debra Kean Gall ，

I adore this book。 There are a few books I would make sure to grab tight hold of if I had to leave home in a hurry and this would be one of them for sure。It was a gift in 1999， the year we immigrated to a new country， from a friend who was so close in soul。It never disappoints and always moves me in magical and mysterious ways to a deeper understanding and appreciation of life around me and inside of me。

Chad Flinn ，

This book will now be on my yearly read list。 The perfect mix of poetic beauty and pragmatic ideas。

Lain ，

Sometimes all his words are so profound， it is too dense to read quickly。 Gotta go slow with John。 Death will happen so we’re making up games to pass the time

Glen Grunau ，

Celtic spirituality is very appealing to me。 It comes to me as the mystery of the Christian faith uncontaminated by the blight of doctrinal certainty and political interference。 It is inspired by the beginnings of original blessing and resists the heavy weight of original sin。 It opens up to mystery and myth and fairies that nurture the imagination。 It is particularly attuned to beauty and knows how to open the soul though the medium of the physical senses to drink deeply the draught of wonder。J Celtic spirituality is very appealing to me。 It comes to me as the mystery of the Christian faith uncontaminated by the blight of doctrinal certainty and political interference。 It is inspired by the beginnings of original blessing and resists the heavy weight of original sin。 It opens up to mystery and myth and fairies that nurture the imagination。 It is particularly attuned to beauty and knows how to open the soul though the medium of the physical senses to drink deeply the draught of wonder。John O’Donahue， I am told， is a worthy prophet of Celtic wisdom。 I was persuaded to read him by listening to his final On Being interview with Krista Tippet， rebroadcast after his sudden and unexpected death at the age of 52。 This book is his most renowned and popular work and seemed like the best place to begin。There is one other thing that endears me to John O’Donahue。 It is his apparent choice of German mystic Meister Eckhart as guide and mentor。 He quotes him frequently。Here are a few quotes from this book among many that stood out for me。The pagan world and the Christian world have no row with each other in the Irish psyche， rather they come close to each other in a lovely way。The Celtic mind was not burdened by dualism。 It did not separate what belongs together。 。 。 。The dualism that separates the visible from the invisible， time from eternity， the human from the divine， was totally alien to them。 。 。 。 For our sore and tormented separation， the possibility of this imaginative and unifying friendship is the Celtic gift。Boris Pasternak said， “When a great moment knocks on the door of your life， it is often no louder than the beating of your heart， and it is very easy to miss it。”In the work of soul， our false urgency can utterly mislead us。 We do not need to go out to find love; rather， we need to be still and let love discover us。In everyone’s life， there is great need for an anam ċara， a soul friend。 In this love， you are understood as you are without mask or pretension。 The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away， you can be as you really are。 Love allows understanding to dawn， and understanding is precious。 Where you are understood， you are at home。Friendship is the nature of God。 。 。 This perspective discloses the beautiful fulfillment of our immortal longing in the words of Jesus， who said， Behold， I call you friends。 Jesus， as the son of God， is the first Other in the universe 。 。 。 He is the secret anam ċara of every individual。In the human face， the anonymity of the universe becomes intimate。Meister Eckhart radically revises the whole notion of spiritual programs。 He says that there is no such thing as a spiritual journey。 If a little shocking， this is refreshing。 If there were a spiritual journey， it would be only a quarter inch long， though many miles deep。 It would be a swerve into rhythm with your deeper nature and presence。 The wisdom here is so consoling。 You do not have to go away outside yourself to come into real conversation with your soul and with the mysteries of the spiritual world。 The eternal is at home—within you。But we have to let go in order to be; we have to stop forcing ourselves， or we will never enter our own belonging。 。 。 。 In fact， you need very little in order to develop a real sense of your own spiritual individuality。 One of the things that is absolutely essential is silence， the other is solitude。Sometimes the great famine of blessing in and around us derives from the fact that we are not living the life we love， rather we are living the life that is expected of us。 We have fallen out of rhythm with the secret signature and light of our own nature。 The shape of each soul is different。 There is a secret destiny for each person。 When you endeavor to repeat what others have done or force yourself into a preset mold， you betray your individuality。 We need to return to the solitude within， to find again the dream that lies at the hearth of the soul。 We need to feel the dream with the wonder of a child approaching a threshold of discovery。“To grow is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often。” Change， therefore， need not be threatening; it can in fact bring our lives to perfection。 Perfection is not cold completion。 Neither is it avoidance of risk and danger in order to keep the soul pure or the conscience unclouded。 When you are faithful to the risk and ambivalence of growth， you are engaging your life。 The soul loves risk; it is only through the door of risk that growth can enter。To engage with honor the full possibility of your life is to engage in a worthy way the possibility of your new day。 。 。 。 You may wish to change your life， you may be in therapy or religion， but your new vision remains merely talk until it enters the practice of your day。 。 。 Celtic spirituality has a great sense of the significance of each day， how the new day is sacred。 The Celts never entered the day with a repetitious deadening perspective; they took each day as a new beginning。Sometimes we allow people to exercise destructive power over us simply because we never question them。The heart of the matter: You should never belong fully to something that is outside yourself。 It is very important to find a balance in your belonging。 You should never belong totally to any cause or system。 People frequently need to belong to an external system because they are afraid to belong to their own lives。 If your soul is awakened， then you realize that this is the house of your real belonging。 Your longing is safe there。Aging becomes a time for visiting the temple of your memory and integrating your life。 Integration is a vital part of coming home to yourself。 What is not integrated remains fragmented 。 。 。 To visit the temple of memory is not merely to journey back to the past; it is rather to awaken and integrate everything that happens to you。 It is part of the process of reflection that gives depth to experience。 We all have experiences， but as T。 S。 Eliot said， we had the experience but missed the meaning。Nothingness is the sister of possibility。 It makes an urgent space for that which is new， surprising， and unexpected。 When you feel nothingness and emptiness gnawing at your life， there is no need to despair。 This is a call from your soul， awakening your life to new possibilities。 。。。more

cck ，

Kathy rec

Emily Shearer ，

This book spoke to my soul。

Joanne Spence ，

This was not what I was hoping for， which was spiritual guidance in Celtic beliefs。 What I got instead was a lot of Christian bias with a dash of German philosophy。 I found a single passage that struck a note with me。 I shall continue my search for Druidic guidance。

Erwin Thomas ，

John O’ Donohue’s Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom draws on poetry， Hegelian philosophy， and the mysticism of 13th century mystic Meister Eckhart。 O’ Donohue was a successful Irish author， theologian， and philosopher。 He popularized this book that was first published in 1997 on Celtic spirituality。 In 2000， O’ Donohue left the priesthood in Ireland and found a receptive audience for his work in the United States。 At the age of 52， he died in his sleep while holidaying near Avignon， France。Moti John O’ Donohue’s Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom draws on poetry， Hegelian philosophy， and the mysticism of 13th century mystic Meister Eckhart。 O’ Donohue was a successful Irish author， theologian， and philosopher。 He popularized this book that was first published in 1997 on Celtic spirituality。 In 2000， O’ Donohue left the priesthood in Ireland and found a receptive audience for his work in the United States。 At the age of 52， he died in his sleep while holidaying near Avignon， France。Motifs of this work showed where he was raised in the area of Connemara， Ireland。 He spelled out the concepts of the soul。 One’s body was viewed to be within the soul。 This attachment meant that the soul was bound in a circular way that consisted of three dimensions of the heavens above， the landscape on the middle realm， and the underworld within the depths of the earth。O’ Donohue examined the importance of the senses – the benefits of sight， the reality of hearing， and the presence of touch。 He explained the reasons for the seasons – spring， summer， autumn， winter。 For example， when is the best time to start a career？ When should people harvest the fruits that were sowed？ Why is autumn so significant in their lives？ And how should people sustain themselves during the gloomiest days of the winter months？An overall theme presented in this work is knowing oneself。 The author illustrated how this was essential if people were to live successfully。 He stressed that understanding begins when they cultivate their mind， body， and soul。 O’ Donohue saw this as the only way by which individuals could begin to be of help to others。 Other discussions centered around the importance of time and space。Anam Cara is the Gaelic word for “soul-friend” that resonated throughout O’ Donohue’s writings。 It’s a self-help manual for people who are seeking new ways of exploring their spiritual life。 With his pronunciations there are some scriptural citations， and other Christian practices reminiscent of O’ Donohue’s experiences as a former Catholic priest with a doctorate in political philosophy。 。。。more

Meaghan Delaney ，

This book came really highly recommended by an Irish gran， the cover was so alluring， and flipping through it in the store it seemed like it would be an edifying read， à la Thomas Merton。 I was really excited to get into it， but unfortunately had completely misconstrued the premise and thus found it to be quite disappointing。DISCLAIMER that I had completely misconstrued the back blurb when I read it and it is 100% my own fault for not knowing what I was getting into。 The two stars reflects my di This book came really highly recommended by an Irish gran， the cover was so alluring， and flipping through it in the store it seemed like it would be an edifying read， à la Thomas Merton。 I was really excited to get into it， but unfortunately had completely misconstrued the premise and thus found it to be quite disappointing。DISCLAIMER that I had completely misconstrued the back blurb when I read it and it is 100% my own fault for not knowing what I was getting into。 The two stars reflects my disappointment with what it could have been。 But also the writing and how it was put together just made me want to read Thomas Merton or Annie Dillard instead （Dillard is recommended in the back as further reading 😂）。 O’Donoghue felt like he was pretending to be a new age pseudo-christian in order to reach a wider audience and sell more books。Knowing already that « anam cara » means « soul friend »， I was looking forward to meditations on relationship and friendship through a Celtic lens。 I expected to learn more about Irish religious/spiritual traditions and practices - how a Celtic people that had so fully and completely embraced the Catholic， monotheistic religion had still kept the ancient stories and traditions alive from their storied， polytheistic past in a way that lended themselves to this new faith; rather than competing with or detracting from it。 Instead， I got a lot of anecdotes and pseudo-academic platitudes about being friends *with your* soul （get it？ Soul friend？）， and how being present with yourself and unafraid of your own darkness will open you up to heal yourself and be more present and compassionate towards others。 There were a lot more references to other European and Asian religions and philosophers than I was expecting in a book about Celtic （specifically Irish） spirituality， and very little reference from Irish writers other than a few poems or « I knew a guy whose friend… » kind of stories。 I’m sure for many people these would be really helpful， but for me， I already kind of knew a lot of what he was saying when it came to personal growth and « being in touch with yourself »。Having purchased this book at Knock Shrine （a Catholic bookstore） I was disappointed that it wasn’t more Catholic。 At the time of publication， the author was a practicing Jesuit priest。 Ironically， a few years after publication， he left the priesthood。 I would have loved to have read more about how the Irish people tenaciously held on to their Celtic-flavoured Catholicism through persecution and near-genocide from the English， and how the strength of the Irish connection to the past and the land influenced that。 Perhaps that’s another book…。I just need to find it。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Anam Cara [Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Anam Cara [Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Anam Cara [Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0