Lalitamba 3

Lalitamba is a journal for liberation that was inspired by a pilgrimage through India. In 2004, we traveled from village to village, seeking to alleviate the suffering that comes from poverty, illness, and plain loss of hope. In India, Lalitamba is a name for the Divine Mother. She is looked to as the supporter of the universe.

In Lalitamba 3, poet-saint Bhau Kalchuri tells his story of learning to write devotional verse from spiritual master Meher Baba. His writings give us a rare glimpse into life close to the master, as well as insight into the ghazal, a form of poetry through which Sufi mystics expressed their longings and ecstasies. Others share poetry in praise of saints and gurus, as well as writings that explore the nature of creation, light, and presence.

The collection explores not only our relationship with the Divine but also with each other. Fantasy writer Carol Emshwiller shares a story "The Meaning of the Fields," in which the narrator searches the mountains and a storybook town for true romance, only to stumble upon the boy nextdoor. J. Roman's moving tale "My Best Friend in Jail Is Gay" tells of two prison inmates whose friendship transforms their lives. M. L. Cordle offers an essay about her relationship with a locust tree that has been struck by lightning.

The power and beauty of the collection is the realization that all we need to be free is here, now, within our own hearts. Shinjo Ito's cover image is titled, "Felicitations," or Be Happy.

May all beings be happy and free from suffering. May we all live in peace together.

Proceeds benefit Refuge, a holistic women's shelter in New York City. The journal is also donated to hospitals, prisons, and shelters throughout the United States.