You're invited to an evening with Rodger Kamenetz, whose new book Seeing into the Life of Things addresses a question he heard during the historic dialogue between rabbis and the Dalai Lama: "How does your spiritual practice purify afflictive emotions?"

Building on an extensive body of writing focused on the reevaluation of Judaism in the light of Buddhist thought, this "gem" of a book "takes on a vital but often overlooked subject—the role of the imagination in our healing and opening to a deeper life"-- in the words of Henry Shukman, author of One Blade of Grass and Original Love.

Kamenetz, who grew up in Baltimore and graduated from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University, returns home to speak about the book and lead us through one of its foundational practices. This event will be hosted inside the shop, which is the former sanctuary of the Divine Life Church, a spiritual community and meditation center. We are fortunate that Brian Volck, who has reviewed Kamenetz's work in the past, will join Kamenetz for the program.

Order SEEING INTO THE LIFE OF THINGS here

Rodger Kamenetz is an award-winning poet, author and teacher. His best known book is The Jew in the Lotus. His account of historic dialogue became an international bestseller, prompting a reevaluation of Judaism in the light of Buddhist thought. The New York Times called it a “revered text.” A PBS documentary followed, and a sequel, Stalking Elijah, was awarded the National Jewish Book Award. Kamenetz has also authored many books of poetry and has been called “the most formidable of the Jewish-American poets.” And when his book, The History of Last Night’s Dream appeared in 2007, Oprah Winfrey interviewed him on her “Soul Series” program, saying, “What’s so exciting about this book is that it talks about how there’s a whole other life that we are living when we sleep and that our dreams are there as offerings and gifts to us if we only recognize what the dreams are there to teach us.” A Baltimore native, and graduate of the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins, he lives in New Orleans, LA.

Brian Volck is an author and retired pediatrician who lives in Baltimore. He practiced pediatrics on the Navajo Nation, in the mountains of Honduras, at inner-city clinics, and at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is the author of a poetry collection, Flesh Becomes Word (Dos Madres Press) and a memoir, Attending Others: A Doctor’s Education in Bodies and Words (Cascade Books). His essays, poetry, and reviews have appeared in DoubleTake, Health Affairs, IMAGE, and The Journal of Moral Theology.

Rodger Kamenetz: SEEING INTO THE LIFE OF THINGS (with Brian Volck)