Refusing Heaven

Synopsis

More than a decade after Jack Gilbert's The Great Fires, this highly anticipated new collection shows the continued development of a poet who has remained fierce in his avoidance of the beaten path. In Refusing Heaven, Gilbert writes compellingly about the commingled passion, loneliness, and sometimes surprising happiness of a life spent in luminous understanding of his own blessings and shortcomings: "The days and nights wasted . . . Long hot afternoons / watching ants while the cicadas railed / in the Chinese elm about the brevity of life." Time slows down in these poems, as Gilbert creates an aura of curiosity and wonder at the fact of existence itself. Despite powerful intermittent griefs-over the women he has parted from or the one lost to cancer (an experience he captures with intimate precision)-Gilbert's choice in this volume is to "refuse heaven." He prefers this life, with its struggle and alienation and delight, to any paradise. His work is both a rebellious assertion of the call to clarity and a profound affirmation of the world in all its aspects. It braces the reader in its humanity and heart.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Body Unsilenced

* Summary: Explores the ways in which our bodies are silenced and ignored in modern society.
* Real example: A woman who has been suffering from chronic pain for years but has been repeatedly dismissed by doctors.

Chapter 2: In the Land of the Pioneers

* Summary: Examines the history of the medical establishment and its tendency to prioritize the mind over the body.
* Real example: The development of lobotomies and other invasive procedures that were justified as "curing" mental illness.

Chapter 3: The Body Knows

* Summary: Argues that the body has its own wisdom and intelligence that should be valued and respected.
* Real example: A man who was able to heal his chronic fatigue syndrome through deep listening to his body's needs.

Chapter 4: Touching the Wound

* Summary: Explores the importance of acknowledging and healing the wounds that we carry in our bodies.
* Real example: A woman who was able to resolve her long-standing digestive issues by working through the trauma of a childhood accident.

Chapter 5: Embodied Cognition

* Summary: Examines the growing scientific evidence that suggests that the body plays a crucial role in cognitive and emotional processes.
* Real example: Studies showing that physical activity can improve memory and learning.

Chapter 6: The Return of the Body

* Summary: Calls for a reintegration of the body into our understanding of health and well-being.
* Real example: The emergence of holistic healing practices that focus on the whole person, including the body.

Chapter 7: Dancing with God

* Summary: Explores the spiritual dimension of the body and its role in connecting us to the divine.
* Real example: A man who found healing and a deeper connection with God through the practice of yoga.

Chapter 8: The Paradise of the Body

* Summary: Argues that the body is a sacred gift that should be celebrated and enjoyed.
* Real example: A woman who has learned to appreciate her body after years of struggling with body image issues.

Chapter 9: A New Story of Health

* Summary: Outlines a new paradigm of health that places the body at its center.
* Real example: A community health center that provides holistic care and empowers patients to take ownership of their health.

Chapter 10: The Body Transformed

* Summary: Explores the potential for the body to transform through practices such as meditation, somatic therapies, and spiritual disciplines.
* Real example: A woman whose body became a source of joy and liberation after she embraced a non-dualistic understanding of herself.