places the struggles and crises we currently face -- personal, political, moral, ecological and spiritual -- within the context of a mythic and heroic journey. In doing so, it forms a bridge between the left side and the right -- the practical, daily life we can neither ignore or avoid, and the magical, shimmering world reported by sages and shamans throughout the millennia. points the way to a path that's deep and soulful. It speaks eloquently to our reason (the right side) about the territory we need to explore and the issues we must face to find that "dream worth living." But it does not stop there. In the "Letters" themselves we hear the beckoning of the left side, the call of the soul within that magical, shimmering dream. And in so doing, we sense who we might become if our soul not only found its voice, but began to sing, loudly, one breathtaking song. "Sparrow Hart is a gifted storyteller. Dancing between the visible and invisible worlds, this book expands our perceptions, tells the truth of who we are, and shows us the beauty of our inner and outer landscapes. Inspiring us to live in harmony with nature and all of life, reading Letters to the River is like being on a vision quest. This book is a gem!" "In Letters to the River, Sparrow Hart addresses the challenges facing humanity in these perilous times. He describes the strategies and transformations needed to cope with whole-system change, using a provocative manner that employs word-play, poetry, and insights from shamanic wisdom, Jungian psychology, and a host of other creative sources. There are many fine books that confront the perils facing humankind in the 21st century, but none are as adroit in celebrating the "in-between spaces" where reason, emotion, and intuition produce a synthesis to help humanity continue its grand adventure." "Sparrow Hart loves what is most wild in the natural world and in the deeper landscapes of the human heart. He is a keeper of myth, dream, and story, and in this collection of essays he shares observations and reflections that open us to the interconnected mysteries and miracles of the wilderness. Gary Snyder writes that a shaman 'speaks for wild animals, the spirits of plants, mountains, and watersheds... They sing through him.' If a shaman is the healer who sings, then Sparrow Hart is a true shaman. Through these heart-opening essays we discover a profound listener to unspoken stories, a man of immense spirit, a singer with a wild and perceptive heart. "This is a generous book and from the heart. Artfully interfacing science and mythology, spirituality, shamanism, and earth wisdom, Sparrow Hart listens to and reveals the profound guidance from nature that true elders have been passing on for generations. In the easy-to-read fashion of a good story-teller, he reminds us that life is holy, that we all have purpose and work to do. The good news is we can do it successfully if we respond to the wisdom - the summons and the invitation - this book places before us." "In Letters to the River, Sparrow Hart explores how to give birth to a personal and cultural story large enough to lead us into the arms of a healthier, more integrated world where human and nature share one voice. As a poet he listens to the muse of creation and the thrumming rhythms of the land, dipping into this fertile unified voice and transporting us to places of great beauty."