Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

A compelling insight into the impact that external, ecological damage has on the inner self, this spiritual exploration argues that although spiritual teachings reveal that events in the outer world are a reflection of changes taking place in the inner world, there is little awareness and discussion

"Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee’s explanation in For Love of the Real of how to turn away from self-centeredness in the face of reality will appeal to readers who seek to lead a meaningful life." —H.H. DALAI LAMA At the root of every mystical calling is the search for what is Real. For Love of the Real follows this call, detailing the inner journey to Absolute Truth. Readers are guided through traditional experiences of the path—emptiness and the void, oneness, and communion with nature, for example. Particular direction is given for how contemporary seekers can—and must—engage with challenges unique to our times, such as extreme materialism and ecological devastation. For Love of the Real responds to the vital need for humanity to remember its own divine nature and restore mystical truth as the foundation of our inner and outer lives. Based upon forty years of following the mystical path, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee grounds this work in his own inner experiences and spiritual scripture. This is an intense evocation of the contribution that spiritual awareness can make, a clear and compelling call for humanity to return to the Real. "A penetrating, heartfelt look into Absolute Reality..." —LAMA PALDEN, Buddhist teacher and founder of Sukhasiddhi Foundation "Just what we need within the context of our ordinary lives in this modern day and age." —ARI GOLDFIELD, Buddhist teacher, author, and psychotherapist "... its message speaks to people from many different traditions and backgrounds who aspire to lead lives of greater meaning, fulfillment, and depth. [The] emphasis on such topics as emptiness and manifestation, the inseparability of relative and ultimate reality, our utter interconnectedness, and the transformative power of love, and his call to service, echo teachings dear to my own tradition of vajrayana Buddhism. Like Llewellyn, I believe that a shift of consciousness is possible, and in fact essential, if we are to regain what we have lost and heal our connection with the sacred, with mother earth, and with our fellow beings." —ACHARYA JUDY LIEF, Naropa University Buddhist teacher and author in the Tibetan Buddhist and Shambhala traditions

The mystical path is the most intoxicating and paradoxical, difficult, and even dangerous journey one can ever take. Fragments of a Love Story is a series of personal writings describing the passionate love, heartache, and confusion that belong to this journey. In particular Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee explores what for him is a central paradox: what belongs to the individual, the "I" who makes the journey, and what belongs to God. Whose journey really is it? He discusses this primary mystical question from his own experiences of 40 years travelling the mystical path within the context of the Sufi tradition. Some of these passages are very personal, heartfelt, full of contradictions and difficulties he has experienced. Other passages are more objective, more detached, placing his experiences and questions clearly within this ancient mystical tradition. In this way he shows how the Sufi path is lived today by a contemporary mystic. Fragments of a Love Story takes the reader beneath the surface into the heart of the mystical relationship with the Divine, which for the Sufi is the relationship of lover and Beloved. He describes how this secret love affair is within the heart of each of us, waiting to come alive, unique to each of us, and yet how confusing it can be, especially for our rational Western consciousness.This book is about the story of the soul and the passion that exists within the core of our being, and how demanding and difficult it is to live this love affair. But it also describes the beauty, wonder, and power of the divine love that awakens within the heart -- a love that is within each of us. Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee is a Sufi teacher and author, and these writings come from his own experience of the Sufi path.

A spiritual group forms a sacred and protected space where energy can flow from the inner to the outer world. Weaving together dreams and spiritual stories, In the Company of Friends explores the psychological and spiritual processes experienced within a group, and how the energy of the path transfo

Written by a Sufi teacher, "Light of Oneness" takes its readers to the real source of healing and transformation, and shows how individuals can work with the energies of life in the inner and outer world.

Love is a Fire is an introduction to the Sufi path of love, taking the reader into the passion and wisdom of this mystical tradition. The call of the heart and how it draws us back to divine union is one of mankind's greatest secrets, and for the Sufi this love is a fire that burns away all traces of separation. Love is a Fire is based on live talks and meetings with Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, who teaches how to live this burning. He describes the stages of the path of love on the soul's journey home. This is a book for anyone drawn to the fire of divine love.

Seasons of the Sacred weaves together poems, images, and stories of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, reconnecting us to our roots in the cycles of nature and our own soul. As our world appears more and more out of balance, our destruction of the natural world increasing, there is a vital need to remember what is essential, simple, and sacred. Likening Spring to falling in love, Summer with abundance and spiritual awakening, and Autumn with fruition and wisdom, this book continuously reflects the profound resonance of humanity within nature. Never more relevant than now, the chapter on Winter helps the reader remember what is most essential, showing how there is meaning and even peace amidst the most devastating losses, and how all life belongs to these deeper patterns of change. The book draws from such a variety of sources, such as Rumi, Hafiz, Lao Tzu, Rabia, Julian of Norwich, T.S. Eliot, and others. Each chapter opens with a unique woodcut or engraving image, further illustrating the beauty of our seasons. Vaughan-Lee adeptly connects the reader to the deepest envisioning of contemporary challenges. Climate catastrophe, refugees, cultural degradation, and political divisiveness are all contextualized within natural cycles of birth, loss, and transition, and the reader is guided to listen through the fear and anxiety of our age to the deeper ground of belonging that calls from even the most destitute inner and outer landscapes. Seasons of the Sacred is Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee’s fifth contribution to his spiritual ecology series, which places the human story within the story of the Earth and compels the examination of attitudes, beliefs, and habits in relation to the ongoing desecration, ecological devastation—and potential restoration—of our common home. “Vaughan-Lee encourages reconnecting with the Earth in this heartfelt compilation of essays, poems, and illustrations…. Suitable for readers of all spiritual persuasions, Vaughan-Lee’s soothing observations will inspire a more mindful contemplation of Earth’s rhythms.” —Publishers Weekly “Seasons of the Sacred is a beckoning down into the simple rhythms of nature. With his guiding eloquence, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee moves us into conversation with the sacred, calling our awareness to the concealed gifts of each season. Drawing on the ancient poetry of Rumi, Hafiz, Julian of Norwich, Wordsworth, and others, we can’t help but fall into step with the numinous found in ordinary life.” —Toko-pa Turner, author of Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home

Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life offers inspiring and practical guidance for reconnecting to the sacred in every day life and transforming our relationship with the Earth. Describing the power of simple, daily practices such as Walking, Gardening, Cooking with Love, and Prayer, this small book supports profound changes in how we think about and respond to the ecological crisis of our times. Our groundbreaking book, Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth, (now in its second edition)—which included spiritual perspectives on climate change, species loss, deforestation, and other aspects of our present environmental crises from renowned spiritual teachers, scientists, and indigenous leaders—drew an overwhelmingly positive reaction from readers, many of whom are asking: "What can I do?" Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life answers that question with inspiring, personal anecdotes from the author—Sufi teacher Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee—and simple practices we all can do. Rooted in the mystical foundation of the world's great spiritual traditions, with a particular connection to Sufism, these timeless practices remind readers of our deep connections to life, each other, and the Earth, and invite a return of meaning to our desecrated world. As Rumi says, "there are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground," and it is this sacred ground that is calling to us, that needs our living presence, our attentiveness. This small book offers simple ways to reconnect so that we can once again feel the music, the song of our living connection with the Earth. "This small book, exquisite in its luminous simplicity, brings me home to my life. Even in a dark time, its practices center me in a sense of the sacred, our birthright." —JOANNA MACY, teacher, activist, and author of Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide to the Work That Reconnects “Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee's book on practices for Spiritual Ecology in everyday life awakens us to the potential to take small steps towards big transformation. It overcomes the artificial divide between nature and humans, and spirituality and action. No matter who we are, where we live, these are steps each of us can take.” —VANDANA SHIVA, activist and author “A beautiful book. Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee and Hilary Hart do a brilliant job sharing simple and powerful practices that help readers connect to the sacredness within nature, the earth, and our own daily lives.” —SANDRA INGERMAN, author, Walking in Light: The Everyday Empowerment of Shamanic Life

Asking the question How can we use spiritual power to help heal and transform the planet? this visionary book contrasts spiritual and worldly power, and introduces an esoteric tradition that needs to be reclaimed. This vital knowledge, held in trust by spiritual masters, shows how spiritual power can work in the world, and how each person can make a dynamic contribution to help the world evolve.

This is a clear and accessible approach to the spiritual tradition of Sufism, a mystical path which uses the energy of love for inner transformation. Vaughan-Lee gives an outline of Sufism--its basic principles, historical background, and recent development in the West, and offers practical guidelines to help the seeker.

The circle of divine love is always present within the heart. The journey of the mystic is to retrace this circle and so experience the oneness that is hidden within us. In The Circle of Love, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee continues his work of providing a contemporary understanding of Sufism, drawing us into this mystery of the soul. He describes the way of mystical prayer and of listening with the heart. He offers valuable insight into power and the spiritual life: how to use one's power to break free of restrictions and live the joy of one's divine nature. He explores the primordial question of why we so easily forget our origin in God. Finally, The Circle of Love takes us deep into the mystical secret of being lost in God, to the center of the circle where the lover merges into the Beloved and the heart's deepest truth is revealed. “... Vaughan-Lee calls us back to the circle of love where nothing is excluded.” —Spirituality & Practice

The feminine holds the mystery of creation. This simple and primordial truth is often overlooked, but at this time of global crisis, which also carries the seeds of a global transformation, we need to reawaken to the spiritual power and potential of the feminine. Feminine qualities belong to both men and women, and they draw us into the depths within us, into the mysteries of the soul whose wisdom is called Sophia. Without the feminine nothing new can be born, nothing new can come into existence—we will remain caught in the materialistic images of life that are polluting our planet and desecrating our souls. We need to return to the core of our being, to where the sacred comes into existence. And the mystical feminine holds the key to this work of redemption and transformation. Over the past two decades Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee has given different teachings on the feminine and the anima mundi, the World Soul. They are compiled here for the first time. “Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee presents us with a clear picture of the Feminine which is now essential to building a new vision and value for our dear planet earth.” —MARION WOODMAN, Ph.D., Jungian Analyst and author “This book is the work of an alchemist—a vitally important contribution to the Great Work of rescuing the human soul from the darkness that currently shrouds it. In this dangerous transitional time, where ignorance, confusion and cruelty abound, its theme of the need for us to recover and comprehend the Feminine is of absolute and urgent relevance. Few people are able to define and evoke the Feminine in the way that Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee does; in poetic and beautiful prose, he speaks directly from his soul to ours, acting as advocate for the longing of the anima mundi, the World Soul, to be welcomed once again into our lives and our culture. He knows that this is the time of humanity’s awakening: each one of us participates in the mystery of the light hidden within us and within all nature that is being awakened. For exploring this mystery so directly and deeply and with such insight, he deserves our deepest gratitude. Women and men alike will welcome and treasure this book.” —ANNE BARING, co-author, The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image and The Dream of the Cosmos: A Quest for the Soul

The Signs of God explores the importance of mystical consciousness at this time of global transition. In the depths of the heart is hidden the secret purpose of creation, which is the key to our present time of transformation. The work of the mystic is to make this key accessible to humanity, and so open the doors of revelation. The possibilities of the future are present but veiled, the joy of life is waiting to return. The mystic can help us to awaken to the oneness that is essential to life, and to recognize the signs of God that will guide us and reveal our true purpose.

Within the Heart of Hearts is a journey into the mystical secrets of the heart. Designed to be read like a medieval book of hours, it uses prose, poetry, and images as a series of meditations on the stages of love's mystical journey, from the initial experience of searching and the heart's longing, to the ecstatic union with God, the lover united with the Beloved. This simple but powerful description of the Sufi journey reminds us of this living tradition of divine love. Beautiful images speak directly to the soul, as do the poems that touch the heart. Here is the poetry of Rumi, Hafiz, Ibn 'Arabi, and other Sufi masters placed within the context of the stages of the heart's opening to God. Speaking the universal language of love, they allow each of us to feel the mystery, wonder, and bliss that belongs to the heart of hearts, the mystical secret that is hidden within us. They draw us deep within our own heart, where this intoxicating relationship of lover and Beloved takes place. The popularity of Rumi has shown a thirst in the West for mystical love. This small book is a way to drink deeply of this wine of love, this tradition of lovers of God. Written by a contemporary Sufi, Within the Heart of Hearts is based upon a lived experience of the Sufi path and the inner experiences of the heart. "... a gentle and uplifting introduction to the mystical ground of being, weaving the voices of legendary Sufi poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, Rabi'a, Ghalib, Abu Sa'id, and Nizami. Reading this book is like sitting in a circle of ancient pilgrims as they share their inner journeys on a mountain at sunrise." —MARK NEPO, author, The Endless Practice and The Book of Awakening "Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee has a gift. He dives into the deep ocean of classical Sufi teachings, and comes up again and again with pearls of beauty that speak to our hearts today. This is more than merely translating, it is that rare ability to re-present teachings here and now. Recommended for spiritual seekers who are drawn to the path of Divine love." —Prof OMID SAFI, Ph.D, Director of Duke University's Islamic Studies Center; international speaker appearing on PBS, NPR, NBC, CNN, The New York Times, Newsweek, the Washington Post, and other international media; and author of Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition "... a crucible for transformation ...The poems Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee has gathered here, activated by his own distilled reflections, and illumined by Anat Vaughan-Lee's luminous images, have the power to awaken the heart's deepest longing and simultaneously meet the heart's highest hopes for union with the Beloved. I wept my way through this encounter, and I am not the same." —MIRABAI STARR, translator of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, and author, God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity & Islam

Words from the Water's Edge: The Mystical Writings of Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee is a vast and comprehensive anthology of a lifetime's work as well as a deeply personal telling of the author's own spiritual journey. Spanning more than three decades of teachings, this book of hand-picked sayings from selected writings, interviews, and some never before published works, shares wisdom from Vaughan-Lee's three distinct and interrelated focus areas: Sufism, oneness and the interdependence of life, and Spiritual Ecology—a call to know and relate to the Earth as a sacred being. Throughout, Vaughan-Lee seamlessly weaves in the story of one soul's journey, including the sorrows, ecstasy, and ultimately the love at the foundation of his life and path. Whether through personal reflections or general teachings, the book compels readers to embrace the Original Instructions that can align humanity at this time of cultural and ecological upheaval. Relevant to the committed spiritual seeker as well as to anyone searching for meaning, Words from the Water's Edge provides inspiration and guidance for how to live in—and beyond—"these broken times." Specific chapters explore topics such as the transformative power of love on the spiritual path, ways in which the Earth grows and changes in harmony with human consciousness, and how we can collectively respond to the Earth's need for relationships of care amidst the current climate crisis. For those familiar with Vaughan-Lee's recent work, they will recognize a tone of sorrowful acknowledgement of humanity's missed opportunities for cultural regeneration and spiritual evolution. However, Words from the Water's Edge includes timely guidance on how to take responsibility for a future grounded in spiritual awareness and in harmony with planetary forces beyond even the Earth. Vaughan-Lee has always been a master of sharing truths relevant to many people at many times, and this book is no exception. At its heart, however, is a deeply personal story of devotion to the Real that has unfurled itself throughout one mystic's lifetime of service. "These sayings leave traces of a lifetime walking between the worlds, holding a thread that has taken me into the beyond of the beyond, as well as back to the simple bliss of my garden, the red-tailed hawk sitting on a branch outside my window. And the ocean remains just over the hill, as wild and endless as the empty spaces in the heart, and the silence that has always called to me."—Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee