Consolations II

David Whyte’s Consolations use everyday words to present us with a prism through which to better understand ourselves and the lives we walk through. At the request of readers globally, Whyte returns with fifty-two short, elegant meditations on a single word ranging from ‘Anxiety’ to ‘Body’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Shame’ and ‘Moon’. He embraces their nuances, amplitudes and depths, and, in doing so, confronts realities that many of us would spend a lifetime trying senselessly to avoid.

In Consolations II, anxiety might be more mercifully understood as the preparation for being hurt, fixed beliefs are recognised as the very places where we do not wish to understand, guilt is a friend compassionately waiting for us to catch up and routine becomes a form of ritual and worship. Each piece in this life-affirming book is an invitation to slow down, shift our perspective and find comfort. In these pages, Whyte explores the full constellation of human experience.

Author Biography

David Whyte is an Anglo-Irish poet and philosopher. He has said that all of his poetry and philosophy are based on ‘the conversational nature of reality’. Whyte grew up with a strong imaginative influence from his Irish mother, among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The internationally acclaimed author of twelve books of poetry and four books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has travelled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalayas. He is a founder of Invitas: The Institute for Conversational Leadership and brings his wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops, speaking to audiences around the planet. He is the recipient of two honorary degrees.

davidwhyte.com | @davidjwhyte