Messenger of the Heart: The Book of Angelus Silesius, with observations by the ancient Zen masters (Spiritual Masters: East and West)

When mystics like Angelus Silesius speak of God, they do so from a vibrant intensity of awareness, and in a tone of voice one trusts at once. The timeless wisdom embedded in these humble rhymes is beautifully echoed by the observations of the ancient Zen masters which punctuate the text, and in the haiku-like drawings by Frederick Franck. Addressing time and eternity, the one and the many, bondage and freedom, and other topics central to our shared humanity, these gems of metaphysical music never fail to direct us towards that Groundless Ground, or Ultimate Reality, that governs all beings and is to be found reflected in the depths of the heart. Johannes Scheffler assumed the name Angelus Silesius on his leaving the Lutheran church to become a Catholic. He became enmeshed in the bitter controversies of post-Reformation Europe. Soon after his death, however, his masterpiece was claimed by Protestants and Catholics alike as their mystical classic. Frederick Franck shows the poets macro-ecumenical significance in the essay that introduces his translation of these verses, and by adding a "running commentary" of sayings by the ancient Japanese and Chinese masters, with whom this Christian mystic shows a remarkable affinity.