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Ensouling Language: On the Art of Nonfiction and the Writer's Life (Original) — Occult Philosophy

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Ensouling Language: On the Art of Nonfiction and the Writer's Life (Original)

Name: Ensouling Language: On the Art of Nonfiction and the Writer's Life (Original)
Price: 24.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781594773822

✍️ Buhner, Stephen Harrod

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$24.95 ~~$34.00~~ Save $9.05 (26%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Stephen Harrod Buhner unveils the mystical heart of nonfiction, elevating it beyond mere information into a potent art form. This profound guide reveals how to imbue any writing, even practical instruction, with the luminosity found in great fiction. Buhner explores methods for accessing the subconscious 'dreaming state' crucial for creative flow and cultivates the vital skill of analogical perception. Readers will master intricate linguistic techniques—from sound patterning to foreshadowing—to craft prose that resonates deeply, touches the soul, and evokes a powerful, almost trance-like connection, tapping into language's inherent archetypal power.

Buhner, Stephen Harrod

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Occult Philosophy

Praise for this book

“The most subversive book on writing I have ever encountered--and the most important.”

— Herbie Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Faerie Wars

🏛 Inner Traditions International 📅 2010 📖 480 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781594773822

Fun Fact

Buhner's 'Ensouling Language' is a groundbreaking work, far beyond typical writing guides, offering a profound philosophical and practical approach to infusing prose with spiritual depth. It excels at providing concrete methods for accessing creative flow and mastering subtle linguistic techniques. Those seeking a purely academic or quick-fix manual will be disappointed; this is for authors committed to a soulful engagement with their craft. It bridges writing instruction and esoteric wisdom, a true gem.

📝 Description: Ensouling Language: On the Art of Nonfiction and the Writer's Life (Original)

The first comprehensive work on nonfiction as an art form - Shows how nonfiction, especially how-to and self-help, can take on the same power and luminosity as great fiction - Develops processes to reliably induce the dreaming state from which all writing comes - Teaches the skill of analogical thinking that is the core perceptual tool for writers - Explores the subtle techniques of powerful writing, from inducing associational dreaming in the reader, to language symmetry, sound patterning, foreshadowing, feeling flow, and more Approaching writing as a sacred art, Stephen Buhner explores the core of the craft: the communication of deep meaning that feeds not just the mind but also the soul of the reader. Tapping into the powerful archetypes within language, he shows how to enrich your writing by following "golden threads" of inspiration while understanding the crucial invisibles essential to the art of both fiction and nonfiction: how to craft language with feeling and vision, employ altered states of mind to access the writing trance, clear your work by recognizing the powerful sway of clichéd thinking and hidden baggage, and intentionally generate duende--that physical/emotional response to art that gives you chills, opens up unrecognized aspects of reality, or simply resonates in your soul. Covering some very practical aspects of writing such as layering and word symmetry, the author also explores the inner world of publishing--what you really will encounter when you become a writer. He then shows how to develop a powerful and engaging book proposal based on understanding the proposal as a work of fiction--the map is never the territory, nor is the proposal the book that it will become. This book, written using all the techniques discussed within it, offers a powerful, experiential journey into the heart of writing. It does for nonfiction what John Gardner's books on writing did for fiction. It is one of the most significant works on writing published in our time.

📑 What's inside

Before Buying This Book
I--The Touch of a Golden Thread
1. The Bookman
2. The Secret All Beginning Writers Want to Know
II--Inhabiting the Word
3. On the Art of Nonfiction
4. You Must Begin with Something Deeper in the Self
5. "The Road of Feeling"
6. "It Burns the Blood Like Powdered Glass"
7. The Skill of Duende
8. Following Golden Threads
III--Dreaming and the Journey to the Imaginal
9. "A Certain Adjustment of Consciousness"
10. "The Secret Kinesis of Things"
11. Aisthesis
12. Synaesthetic Writing and the Beginnings of Analogical Thought
13. Analogical Thinking
14. The Dreamer and the "Secret Room where Dreams Prowl"
15. The Imaginal Realm
16. Poesis
IV--On Technique
The First Draft, Revision, Clarity, and Refinement
17. The First Draft and the Beginnings of Revision
18. Problems and Further Revisioning
19. Clichéd Thinking and Killing the Genuine
20. Hidden Baggage
21. Some Subtle Refinements of the Art
22. Grammar Nazis and Editors-from-Hell
23. Some Final Words on the Writing Life

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Buhner offers a compelling, if esoteric, approach to nonfiction writing, focusing on the mystical rather than the mechanical. While innovative for those interested in the spiritual dimensions of creativity, this text may frustrate readers seeking practical, technical advice on structure or grammar. It is not suited for those who prefer rigid, objective journalistic standards or those skeptical of occult concepts like archetypal power and subconscious dreaming states. The dense, poetic nature of the prose might alienate readers looking for straightforward, actionable steps, making it a niche choice for the spiritually inclined writer rather than the general practitioner.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This book is a vital treasure for writers who feel their nonfiction lacks spiritual depth or emotional resonance. It serves as a guiding light for those seeking to transform dry instruction into luminous, soul-stirring prose. By teaching the art of accessing the subconscious dreaming state and mastering analogical perception, it empowers authors to tap into language's archetypal power. If you desire to craft words that evoke trance-like connections and profound meaning, this guide offers the mystical tools necessary to elevate your work from mere information to a potent, sacred art form that truly touches the human spirit.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're a writer seeking to infuse your work with profound meaning and artistic soul, this book is essential. Buhner offers insights into unlocking creative flow, mastering subtle linguistic tools, and connecting with potent, archetypal currents that truly ensoul language, elevating any prose.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Buhner offers a compelling, if esoteric, approach to nonfiction writing, focusing on the mystical rather than the mechanical. While innovative for those interested in the spiritual dimensions of creativity, this text may frustrate readers seeking practical, technical advice on structure or grammar. It is not suited for those who prefer rigid, objective journalistic standards or those skeptical of occult concepts like archetypal power and subconscious dreaming states. The dense, poetic nature of the prose might alienate readers looking for straightforward, actionable steps, making it a niche choice for the spiritually inclined writer rather than the general practitioner.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, the principles of ensouling language, accessing the dreaming state, and crafting resonant prose are universal. While Buhner focuses on nonfiction, these techniques profoundly benefit any writer seeking to imbue their work with depth and artistic integrity, whether fiction, poetry, or memoir.

Buhner refers to 'duende' as a profound, almost visceral emotional and physical response that truly powerful art evokes. It's the moment when writing transcends intellectual understanding and deeply moves the reader, an elusive quality he guides writers to intentionally cultivate within their craft.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Nonfiction's Sacred Transformation

Buhner radically redefines nonfiction, asserting its potential as a profound spiritual practice. He challenges the conventional view, demonstrating how even practical genres like self-help can transcend their utilitarian purpose to convey deep meaning, engage the reader's soul, and achieve an artistic resonance typically associated with high literature.

The Writer's Dreaming State

This work provides actionable methods for writers to reliably enter an altered state of consciousness—a 'dreaming state'—from which genuine inspiration and profound insights emerge. It views writing not just as a mental exercise but as an intuitive, almost shamanic journey, allowing the subconscious to guide the creative process and infuse text with vitality.

Ensouling Language Techniques

Buhner delves into the subtle mechanics of powerful prose, detailing techniques like language symmetry, sound patterning, and the art of foreshadowing. He instructs on inducing 'associational dreaming' in readers, emphasizing the importance of feeling flow and recognizing archetypal resonance to craft words that not only inform but also deeply move and transform.

📜 Historical context

This work aligns with a venerable lineage viewing language as more than mere communication, echoing ancient esoteric traditions where words held transformative power. It connects to alchemical and shamanic perspectives on art, suggesting true creation arises from altered states. This tradition, from poets to hermetic philosophers, sought to infuse expression with numinous force.

📚 Glossary

Ensouling Language
Dreaming State
Duende

📔 Questions to reflect on

How do you currently define 'nonfiction,' and how might Buhner's perspective challenge or expand that definition for your own writing practice?
Reflect on a time when a piece of writing deeply moved you. What specific elements contributed to that profound experience, and how might you consciously cultivate such 'duende' in your own work?
Consider your own creative process. What practices, if any, do you employ to access an altered or 'dreaming state' before writing, and how could you deepen this connection to your subconscious wellspring?